If you were looking for the National League record for most triples in a season by a single team, the 1894 Baltimore Orioles would be your team. They managed to record 150 triples over the course of the season, winning the 1894 National League Pennant. Led by 1B Dan Brouthers, who by the way is tied for the 9th highest batting average in the history of MLB, the Orioles had 7 players with 11 or more 3B and 3 with 20 or more. There were several other notables among the 7, who filled 7 of the 8 regular starting positions on the team. 3B John McGraw and SS Hughie Jennings would become very good to great (immortal in McGraw's case) MLB managers. OFs WIllie Keeler and Joe Kelley would also both make it into Baseball's Hall of Fame. 2B Henie Reitz and OF Steve Brodie would be the others to have double figures in triples for the Orioles that season. In fact, the only regular player on the 1894 Orioles who failed to get 10 triples that season was none other than future Brooklyn Robins Hall of Fame manager Wilbert Robinson.
In the dead ball era, it was common for a team to have more triples than home runs in a season. Of course, as time went on, teams would start putting more of the focus on the long ball and times went from triples being around equal to home runs to there being many more home runs than triples. Triples in the game now are a thing of the past as a player in the entire league than has 10 or more will likely lead their respective league. It is sad, because watching a triple unfold before you is one of the more exciting things to see in the game of baseball.
When it comes to the team that best signified the feeling of the three base it, it had to be the Pittsburgh Pirates teams of 1921-1926. Because of the fact that the two Pirates managers over that time had contrasting managerial styles, the credit for the large number of triples goes to the talented players on those teams. From 1921-1926, the Pirates had 104 or more triples each season, each season having at least 4 players with 10 or more. In 1922, the Pirates had 110 triples, with 6 players netting 10 or more. 1B Charlie Grimm, 2B Cot Tierney, SS Rabbit Maranville, 3B Pie Traynor and OFs Carson Bigbie and Max Carey all were part of the barrage of three baggers. The 1924 squad outdid the 1922 team with 124 triples, with once again 6 players totaling 10 or more. This time, in addition to Grimm, Maranville and Traynor, SS Glenn Wright and OFs Kiki Cuyler and Clyde Barnhart joined the over 10 triples club.
One of the things missing in the game today is certainly the triple. Even through the 1980s, the St Louis Cardinals under Whitey Herzog brought back the speed element to the game. Unfortunately, that did not mean the return of the triple. The most triples the St Louis Cardinals had under Herzog was the 63 the team recorded in 1983.
19 times has there been recorded a team with 110 triples or more, including three of the seasons I mentioned with the 1922, 1923 and 1924 Pirates. Outside of the 1894 Orioles who had 150, the 1894 Philadelphia Phillies, led by Sliding Billy Hamilton (also in the top ten all time in career batting average), had 131. The 1894 Brooklyn Bridegrooms had 130, giving the only three recorded seasons of 130 or more triples going to teams from the 1894 season. Ten of the next 15 top triple total seasons went to the Pirates, including their 129 in 1912. They had 129 in 1893 and 127 in the historical 1894 season. The 122 1924 season was mentioned already, but the Pirates also recorded 121 3Bs in 1899. The 1890 and 1926 Cincinnati Reds both accumulated 120. Then, the 1930 Pirates finished with 119 and the 1929 Pirates had 116. Next is the 1894 Cardinals, who were tied by the 1903 Boston Pilgrams with 113. That makes five of the top 13 team triples total seasons being in 1894. The rest of the list includes the 1923 Pirates and 1924 Reds (111) and the 1903 and 1922 Pirates, who were later tied by the 1930 Yankees with 110.
In the dead ball era, it was common for a team to have more triples than home runs in a season. Of course, as time went on, teams would start putting more of the focus on the long ball and times went from triples being around equal to home runs to there being many more home runs than triples. Triples in the game now are a thing of the past as a player in the entire league than has 10 or more will likely lead their respective league. It is sad, because watching a triple unfold before you is one of the more exciting things to see in the game of baseball.
When it comes to the team that best signified the feeling of the three base it, it had to be the Pittsburgh Pirates teams of 1921-1926. Because of the fact that the two Pirates managers over that time had contrasting managerial styles, the credit for the large number of triples goes to the talented players on those teams. From 1921-1926, the Pirates had 104 or more triples each season, each season having at least 4 players with 10 or more. In 1922, the Pirates had 110 triples, with 6 players netting 10 or more. 1B Charlie Grimm, 2B Cot Tierney, SS Rabbit Maranville, 3B Pie Traynor and OFs Carson Bigbie and Max Carey all were part of the barrage of three baggers. The 1924 squad outdid the 1922 team with 124 triples, with once again 6 players totaling 10 or more. This time, in addition to Grimm, Maranville and Traynor, SS Glenn Wright and OFs Kiki Cuyler and Clyde Barnhart joined the over 10 triples club.
One of the things missing in the game today is certainly the triple. Even through the 1980s, the St Louis Cardinals under Whitey Herzog brought back the speed element to the game. Unfortunately, that did not mean the return of the triple. The most triples the St Louis Cardinals had under Herzog was the 63 the team recorded in 1983.
19 times has there been recorded a team with 110 triples or more, including three of the seasons I mentioned with the 1922, 1923 and 1924 Pirates. Outside of the 1894 Orioles who had 150, the 1894 Philadelphia Phillies, led by Sliding Billy Hamilton (also in the top ten all time in career batting average), had 131. The 1894 Brooklyn Bridegrooms had 130, giving the only three recorded seasons of 130 or more triples going to teams from the 1894 season. Ten of the next 15 top triple total seasons went to the Pirates, including their 129 in 1912. They had 129 in 1893 and 127 in the historical 1894 season. The 122 1924 season was mentioned already, but the Pirates also recorded 121 3Bs in 1899. The 1890 and 1926 Cincinnati Reds both accumulated 120. Then, the 1930 Pirates finished with 119 and the 1929 Pirates had 116. Next is the 1894 Cardinals, who were tied by the 1903 Boston Pilgrams with 113. That makes five of the top 13 team triples total seasons being in 1894. The rest of the list includes the 1923 Pirates and 1924 Reds (111) and the 1903 and 1922 Pirates, who were later tied by the 1930 Yankees with 110.
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