# Classic, 7/3/81

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classic-7-3-81/221507>\
**Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\
**Created:** [December 29, 2003, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classic-7-3-81/221507 "2003-12-29T02:30:10Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![lurkernomore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d6d6ee/32.png) [@lurkernomore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lurkernomore)\
**Post date:** [December 29, 2003, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classic-7-3-81/221507/1 "2003-12-29T02:30:10Z")

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(mailing of 12/26)

[http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a1\_302a.html](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a1_302a.html)

Obviously a typo by an acolyte,

> [@](#):
>
> In 1963, to adjust for a perceived pitcher’s advantage, its height was changed from 15 inches to 10.

This was done between the 1968 and 1969 seasons, after “The Year of the Pitcher” where Yaz won a batting title with .301 and Gibson had a 1.12 ERA.

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**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\
**Post date:** [December 30, 2003, 4:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classic-7-3-81/221507/2 "2003-12-30T04:47:23Z")

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I think you nailed this one, **lurknomore**.

> [@](#):
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> After the 1968 season in which major leaguers batted .237 and in which 21 percent of all games were shutouts, the height of the mound was reduced to 10 inches.–D.T.

Can that be correct? 21% of all games were **shutouts**?  
The 15 inch height was standardized in 1950. So, one wonders why batters batted well in the 1950-1968 period?

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**Author:** ![lurkernomore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d6d6ee/32.png) [@lurkernomore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lurkernomore)\
**Post date:** [December 30, 2003, 6:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classic-7-3-81/221507/3 "2003-12-30T06:08:12Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by samclem \*  
> \*\*Can that be correct? 21% of all games were **shutouts**?  
> The 15 inch height was standardized in 1950. So, one wonders why batters batted well in the 1950-1968 period? \*\*

NL had 185 shutouts in approx 810 games, AL 154. (10 teams/league, 2 teams/game, dunno about cancellations.) Gibson had 13 himself. Heck, both LEAGUES had ERAs just under 3.

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**Author:** ![gooti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/eb8c5e/32.png) [@gooti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gooti)\
**Post date:** [January 2, 2004, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classic-7-3-81/221507/4 "2004-01-02T19:45:17Z")

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I just came to this forum to make the same date correction, that it was after the 1968 season. I see that lurkernomore beat me to it.  
The stats that Gibson and McLlain put up in 1968 were just sick.

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**Author:** ![mouthbreather](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a698b9/32.png) [@mouthbreather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mouthbreather)\
**Post date:** [January 2, 2004, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classic-7-3-81/221507/5 "2004-01-02T19:47:02Z")

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Sigh. Once again, 2 people on one computer and I didn’t look to see who was logged in. The above post is mine.