Who says pitchers can’t hit? On this day Detroit’s All-Star pitcher, Lynwood Thomas “Schoolboy” Rowe, almost single-handedly beat the hapless Senators on this day in 1935. Rowe went 5 for 5 with a double, triple, and four RBI, and pitched a complete game giving up just two runs en route to a Detroit 18-2 victory over Washington in a day game in Detroit. This Tigers lineup was loaded in 1934-35 and featured three Hall of Famers: Mickey Cochrane, Hank Greenberg, and Goose Goslin, but August 14, 1935 belongs to Schoolboy Rowe by going 5 for 5 (and pitching too).
Coincidentally, Don Baylor then the right fielder of the Orioles, also went 5 for 5 this day. O’s won 12-10 vs. the Rangers at the old park in Arlington.
Here is the box score from that day with emphasis on Rowe:
| Detroit Tigers | AB | R | H | RBI | BB | SO | PO | A |
| Clifton 2b | 5 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 6 |
| White cf | 4 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| Cochrane c | 3 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Greenberg 1b6 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Goslin lf | 4 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Rogell ss | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 4 |
| Fox rf | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Owen 3b | 5 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 |
| Rowe p | 5 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Totals | 40 | 18 | 17 | 16 | 7 | 2 | 27 | 13 |
FIELDING –
DP: 3. Clifton-Greenberg, Rogell-Clifton-Greenberg, Clifton-Rogell-Greenberg.
BATTING –
2B: Greenberg (36); Goslin (26); Owen (16); Rowe (2).
3B: Cochrane (3); Rowe (2).
SH: Goslin (2).
HBP: Clifton (1).
Team LOB: 7.
BASERUNNING –
SB: White (13).
One question is how many DH’s have gone 5 for 5? I found one, on August 24, 1993 Kevin Reimer of the AL Milwaukee Brewers as the games DH went 5 for 5, then switched to right field and ended the game 6 for 6, but that was a 13 inning game). I could not find a pitcher in the NL who has gone 5 for 5 in a game.
In his 15 year career, he was a three time all-star and pitched in three World Series. He went 158-101 with an era of 3.85, and had a career batting average of 263 with an OPS+ of 88. 1935 was a stellar year for him, he went 19-13, leading the American League in Shutouts, (6) and SO/W ratio of 2.06; and hit .312 (34 for 109) with an OPS+ 120. More importantly he helped the Tigers win the 1935 World Series.
His nickname Schoolboy was earned when he played as a 15 year old on a men’s team. He was born in Waco Texas and known as a star in every sport he played: tennis, baseball, football, and golf. Thankfully he chose baseball as his profession.
With his Texas charm and drawl he became a fan favorite in Tigertown, and became linked to the famous phrase, “How’m I doing, Edna honey?” which he said over the air on a nationally broadcasted Eddie Cantor radio show in 1934 to his future wife. Needless to say he was the recipient of much teasing from his opponents for the phrase, as well as being endeared by his hometown fans. He was also noted for being one of the most superstitious players in Tigers history.
Sources:
Baseball-reference.com
http:// blog.detroitathletic.com/2011/07/26/schoolboy-rowe-the-most-superstitious-player-in-detroit-tigers-history/ by Dan Holmes July 26, 2011.
Baseball-Almanac.com
Retrosheet.com: http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1935/B08140DET1935.htm
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