What year card did Clemente have a -6 arm in the OF?

[aceventura55369]

From 1960 - 1965 Clemente has -6 arm, 6 years in a row!!! :D

[Valen]

So what year do we get?

[Denorien]

What's interesting about Clemente's arm is that his own peers (base coaches and the players on other National League teams) were as baffled as the fans were by how strong and especially how accurate his throws were ALL the time. There are many great outfielders with strong arms throughout the history of the game. Opponent players and base coaches get a 'read' on how strong these player's arms are and they learn who can stretch home (or to third) under what circumstances and you just don't send anyone else. It is not uncommon for the strongest arms to not really have that many assists because they aren't challenged that often in situations where they legitimately have a chance to throw the runner out. Clemente often had 15 or more assists because coaches and the fastest base runners would see an opportunity develop and even though they knew Clemente was making the throw, they would be so sure they could still score.... And then they would get thrown out on throws that probably appeared to be optical illusions. There were many base coaches and fast runners who would NEVER run on Clemente because of throws they had seen him make that were just inconceivable. I'm not aware of any other outfielder in the history of the game who defied judgement like Clemente did in this regard.

There was a first baseman named Hal Chase who played just after the turn of the century into the late teens. He was a fine ball player who could hit, but he had the infamous distinction of consorting with gamblers and he routinely threw games. Especially earlier in his career, he wasn't even thay discreet about doing it. He probably was blackballed into retirement by the league owners (and rightly so) when he still had a couple good years left in him. Anyway, he was such a fine first basemen with lightning quick reactions in the field that he often played in front of the bag in situations that did not call for the infield to be in. Many fans claim he broke toward the hole or the line as the batter was making contact and he, himself, claimed he could tell where the ball was going to go a split second before the batter actually hit it. There is film and still pictures of him (not much) that kinda seems to show this, but the quality isn't good enough to be definitive. I don't know why I mention Chase except that he is the only other fielder in the history of the game that I know of who defied conventional reason with his fielding ability.

[MtheB]

Clemente's throw in the 71 World Series from deep RF throwing a strike to 3B to nail Davey Johnson was one of the great throws of all time.

Have to say that I saw Bo Jackson make a comparable throw from deep LF corner, strike to home plate, no bounce, to throw a guy out. Unbelievable throw.