Dave Hostetler--1983
Already 12-1/2 games out of first
place on July 1st and with the third
worst record in the American League,
Texas Ranger fans had little reason
for optimism in 1982. Leave it to the
spin doctors to try to generate some
excitement.
Looking back in the achieves of The
Sporting News, Peter Gammons
reported (1/10/83) that the Rangers
issued a news release in 1982
entitled, “Mightier than the Mightiest,”
showing that Dave Hostetler was
ahead of the home run paces of
Babe Ruth, Henry Aaron and Willie
Mays after his first 100 at-bats. With
11 home runs after reaching the
century mark in at bats, Hostetler
resided among the greatest sluggers
ever.
Then came the rest of his career.
The rangy right-handed slugger, who
reminded many of a young Dave
Kingman, finished the '82 campaign
with 22 home runs and a .232
average in 437 at-bats. Hostetler
would hit 11 more long balls to go
with his .220 average in 94 games in
1983. The slide continued in 1984,
as he would hit just three homers in
the first two months before the
Rangers shipped the slugger to
Triple-A Oklahoma City.
Working for Oklahoma City as an
intern in 1984, I came across a
Hostetler bat at the close of the
season. Added to my memorabilia
collection, it ultimately would reside
under my bed, collecting dust while it
served as a protector against
potential intruders, while I hoped that
Hostetler would rediscover his home
run stroke.
Neither showed up.
place on July 1st and with the third
worst record in the American League,
Texas Ranger fans had little reason
for optimism in 1982. Leave it to the
spin doctors to try to generate some
excitement.
Looking back in the achieves of The
Sporting News, Peter Gammons
reported (1/10/83) that the Rangers
issued a news release in 1982
entitled, “Mightier than the Mightiest,”
showing that Dave Hostetler was
ahead of the home run paces of
Babe Ruth, Henry Aaron and Willie
Mays after his first 100 at-bats. With
11 home runs after reaching the
century mark in at bats, Hostetler
resided among the greatest sluggers
ever.
Then came the rest of his career.
The rangy right-handed slugger, who
reminded many of a young Dave
Kingman, finished the '82 campaign
with 22 home runs and a .232
average in 437 at-bats. Hostetler
would hit 11 more long balls to go
with his .220 average in 94 games in
1983. The slide continued in 1984,
as he would hit just three homers in
the first two months before the
Rangers shipped the slugger to
Triple-A Oklahoma City.
Working for Oklahoma City as an
intern in 1984, I came across a
Hostetler bat at the close of the
season. Added to my memorabilia
collection, it ultimately would reside
under my bed, collecting dust while it
served as a protector against
potential intruders, while I hoped that
Hostetler would rediscover his home
run stroke.
Neither showed up.
