Athletes - Rennie Stennett

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	Athletes - Rennie Stennett

Rennie Stennett, born Renaldo Antonio Stennett Porte (April 5, 1951 in Colón, Panama), is a former second baseman in Major League Baseball who played with the Pittsburgh Pirates (1971-79) and San Francisco Giants (1980-81). He batted and threw right-handed.

Career

In an 11-season career, Stennett was a .274 hitter with 41 home runs and 432 RBI in 1237 games.

Stennett was a good contact hitter with occasional power, and an aggressive and smart runner on the bases path. As a fielder, he had sure hands and a strong and secure arm for balls up the middle and double plays.

In his first three seasons with Pittsburgh, Stennett was used at shortstop and second base. He also played a solid defense at all three outfield positions, with an average arm and great reaction speed. He showed progress in 1973, when he hit 10 home runs and 55 RBI in 128 games.

Finally, in 1974 Stennett took over the starting second base job beating out Dave Cash and Willie Randolph. Batting from the leadoff spot, he responded with a .291 average, 84 runs, 56 RBI, and a career-high 196 hits. The following season, Stennett became the only player in the 20th century to hit seven-for-seven in a nine-inning game.

On August 21, 1977, Stennett was batting .336 for the season, but he broke his right leg while sliding into second base. He was out for the year, and had fewer than the required number of at bats or plate appearances (12), falling short of qualifying for the batting title, won by teammate Dave Parker (.338). In that season, Stennett collected a career-high 28 stolen bases.

A free agent at the end of the 1979 season, Stennett was signed by the Giants. After two years with San Francisco, he was released in April 1982 being replaced by Joe Morgan.

Highlights

Hit a 7-for-7 game (1975)
Twice led NL second basemen in both putouts and total chances (1974, 1976)

7-for-7 games chronology

June 10, 1892 in sports: Baltimore Orioles (NL) Hall of Famer Wilbert Robinson
set a major league record by going 7-for-7 as his team topped the St. Louis Browns 25-4. Roberts also set a second record in RBI with 11.

June 21, 1970: Detroit Tigers shortstop César Gutiérrez
became the first player to go 7-for-7 in modern era (since 1900).

September 16, 1975: Rennie Stennett topped the 7-for-7 mark as Pittsburgh routed the Cubs 22-0. Pittsburgh also set a major league record for the biggest score in a shutout game in the modern era. This record was matched by Cleveland against the Yankees on August 31, 2004 (AL). Robinson and Stennett accomplished their feats during the course of a nine-inning game. Gutiérrez did it in a 12-inning game. Curiously, Stennett didn't complete his record game. Pirates manager Danny Murtaugh
sent in a pinch runner for him after Stennett's seventh hit.

Fact

On September 1, 1971, Pittsburgh faced the Phillies with a lineup which is believed, according historians, to be the first major league all-black starting-lineup (including some Latin players). The Pirates won 10-7, and the lineup was:
* Rennie Stennett
- second baseman
* Gene Clines - center fielder
* Roberto Clemente
- right fielder
* Willie Stargell
- left fielder
* Manny Sanguillén - catcher
* Dave Cash
- third baseman
* Al Oliver
- first baseman
* Jackie Hernández - shortstop
* Dock Ellis
- starting pitcher
* Bob Veale
, a relief pitcher, was one of three relievers in the game.
* Resource: Baseball Library

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