The Longest OnBase Streaks In Team History

About a week ago, I made sly reference to a list of the longest consecutive onbase streaks in team history that I was compiling, and I'll admit it: as the 2006 season has been whimpering meekly in its death throes, I've spent more and more time perfecting and extending the list, and less and less time watching the ineffectual perambulations on the field.

But I can draw it out no further: the list is done, and I'm very proud.

I understand that I'm dealing with fairly esoteric information here. Everybody knows Joe D hit in 56 straight, but even the historically inclined among us sometimes forget The Splinter reached through a hit, a walk, or a plunk in 84 consecutive. Yet at the same time, the sport has seemingly never paid more attention to those who find a way to get on by hook or by crook. . . .

Anyway, the fact remains that as far as I know, this is information about the Houston Astros that has never before been presented. Not by the team, not by the old Astros Connection, not by Astros Daily, not by anyone.

And that's kind of cool; I feel as if I am adding--if only a little--to the sum total of Astros knowledge. Nice to bring something original and new to the table, rather than just another "Lidge is finished" argument.

It is also nice to remind people of the dominance Bagwell and Biggio brought in their heydays. With Bags gone, and Biggio on the downside, a fresh look at just how good those guys once were is certainly not remiss. And Jimmy Wynn is a name only dimly recalled by most Astros fans these days, so it also pleases me that his name was at the top of the list, a reminder.

But, not to diminish their achievements one iota, we already knew about how great Wynn and Bagwell and Biggio were. What gets me about this whole exercise is Greg Gross. 31 years ago, a now-obscure outfielder put together one of the great feats in team history, and no-one even noticed. If Gross is remembered at all these days, it's for the pinch-hitting role he took on with the Phillies, or--maybe--for his Sporting News Rookie of the Year award in 1974. Perhaps a few diehards remember his rally-starting single for the Phils in the eighth inning of Game Four of the 1980 NLCS, but I'd guess not: Luzinski and Rose made much better villains.

No, Gross is pretty much forgotten, and I'm kind of happy that I've unearthed a reason to remember him.

Anyway, seeing how I've rambled yet again, here's a sampling: the top 15 Consecutive Game Onbase Streaks in team history.

If you'd like to delve further, you can find the complete list sorted by date here, and a list of all 20-Game Streaks, sorted by length can be found yonder. There's also some more explanation and some more rambling about Gross, et. al.