RetroSimba

(Updated April 9, 2019)

Dave Campbell’s brief career with the Cardinals was most notable for what he didn’t do.

In 21 at-bats for the 1973 Cardinals, Campbell failed to get a hit.

Campbell went 45 consecutive at-bats without a hit in 1973. His streak occurred while playing for three teams.

In 2019, Chris Davis of the Orioles set a major-league record for a position player by extending his hitless streak to 47 consecutive at-bats.

Campbell, an ESPN baseball broadcaster from 1999-2010, began his seventh big-league season in 1973 as an infielder for the Padres. He went hitless in his last 17 at-bats for San Diego before he was traded to the Cardinals for infielder Dwain Anderson on June 7, 1973.

In 24 plate appearances in 13 games for St. Louis, the best Campbell could achieve was a walk, a sacrifice bunt and a sacrifice fly.

Campbell’s lone batting highlight as a Cardinal came on July 10, 1973, against the Dodgers at Los Angeles. In the top of the seventh, with the Dodgers ahead 2-1, the Cardinals had Jose Cruz on third, Mike Tyson on first and one out when manager Red Schoendienst called on Campbell to pinch-hit for pitcher Tom Murphy.

Facing Dodgers starter Claude Osteen, Campbell hit a sacrifice fly to center, scoring Cruz with the tying run. The Cardinals went on to a 5-4 victory. Boxscore

Campbell’s final at-bat as a Cardinal came on Aug. 17, 1973, at St. Louis against the Padres. After San Diego scored twice in the 13th inning, snapping a 2-2 tie, the Cardinals had Ted Simmons on second and Hector Cruz on first with two out. Schoendienst chose Campbell to pinch-hit for pitcher Diego Segui. Campbell popped out to second base, ending the game. Boxscore

The next day, the Cardinals traded Campbell to the Astros for outfielder Tommie Agee. St. Louis, in first place in the National League East, was seeking to bolster its bench for a pennant push.

“It’s tough to leave a club that is in first place and has a shot at the big money,” Campbell told The Sporting News. “But due to my past association with (Astros coach) Preston Gomez it could be a break for me. Preston was the manager at San Diego when I was a regular there for four years. So he knows what I can do.”

After a 17 at-bat hitless streak for the Padres and a 21 at-bat hitless streak for the Cardinals, Campbell went hitless in his first seven at-bats for the Astros, tying the major-league mark of 45 consecutive hitless at-bats by a non-pitcher.

On Sept. 19, 1973, in the opener of a doubleheader against the Padres at Houston, Campbell hit a two-run double against Clay Kirby in the first inning, breaking his drought. Boxscore  Campbell had four hits in the doubleheader: two in each game.

In an eight-year big-league career, Campbell batted .213.