Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter received attention recently when he reached 300 hits against one opponent, the Orioles. Though impressive, it hardly rates with the standard established by the Cardinals’ Stan Musial.
Musial had 500 or more hits against each of six franchises: Braves, Dodgers, Giants, Phillies, Pirates and Reds.
To put that in perspective, consider that Pete Rose, the only player with more National League hits (4,256) than Musial (3,630), never got 500 hits against any franchise.
Hank Aaron, who had more total hits (3,771) than Musial, also never achieved 500 hits against any opponent.
The most hits Rose recorded against an opponent were 486 in 1,513 at-bats against the Braves.
Aaron’s career-best hits total against one team: 448 against the Reds in 1,403 at-bats.
Musial was amazingly consistent in a big-league career that stretched from 1941-63. He hit against most teams with equal skill.
Not counting the Mets and Colt .45s (against whom he had just 79 career at-bats apiece), Musial failed to reach 500 hits against just one franchise _ the Cubs (and he missed by only eight).
Listed in order of most hits, here is how Musial did against NL opponents:
TEAM……..HITS…….AT-BATS…….BATTING AVERAGE
Pirates……526……….1,546……….. .340
Dodgers….522……….1,530………. .341
Phillies……522……….1,547……… .337
Braves…….515……….1,571……… .328
Giants…….504……….1,494……… .337
Reds………500……….1,574……… .318
Cubs………492……….1,550……… .317
Mets………32…………79………….. .405
Colt .45s..17………….79………….. .215
