After getting traded to the Tigers from the Boston Red Sox, Dropo went on to have a streak for the ages beginning on July 14th against the New York Yankees when he went 5-for-5.
The next day, during the first game of a double-header against the Washington Senators he proceeded to go 4-for-4, giving him nine straight hits going into the nightcap.
Wouldn’t you know it, he’d then go on to get a hit in his first three at-bats, matching the Major League record set by Pinky Higgins of the Boston Red Sox back in 1938.
After popping out in his fourth at-bat of the game he’d collect yet another hit, giving him 16 knocks in three games, matching the American League record.
I remember thinking of Dropo back in 2012 when Mike Trout was having his amazing rookie season.
I always felt that Trout, while an incredible talent, was a bit over-hyped with his rookie season numbers, especially when people kept saying it was the greatest rookie season of all-time.
Right off the bat I kept thinking of a few that I felt were better, including Dropo’s unreal rookie year that saw him hit .322 with 34 homers, 144 runs batted in and 101 runs scored, with a .583 slugging percentage and 326 total bases.
Now I’m not saying it’s THE best rookie year, but it IS a season I felt was on par, if not better than Trout’s.
Anyone have another rookie season they feel was “the best”?
I think of two that “technically” weren’t rookie years, but should be: Joe Jackson’s 1911 season and Alex Rodriguez’ 1996 season.
Why ISN’T Jackson’s 1911 season considered a rookie season anyway?