League record for having the lowest batting average while leading the league in walks in when he posted a .211 batting average with a league-leading 110 walks. In , he had a .415 on-base percentage while posting a .233 batting average, the second lowest batting average with a .400 on-base percentage in major league history. Less than half of his career trips to first base came via base hits, reaching 1,075 times through walks (984) and being hit by pitches (91) as opposed to only 1,060 hits. In his book, The Bill James Historical Baseball Abstract, baseball historian Bill James ranked Tenace 23rd all-time among major league catchers. Chuck Rosciam, a Baseball historian and a member of the Society for American Baseball Research, believes that Tenace deserves a spot in the Baseball Hall of Fame. Using six offensive measures: Average, On-base percentage, Slugging, RBIs, Runs created and Win shares—all League-Era adjusted, Rosciam ranks Tenace sixth offensively behind Mickey Cochrane, Mike Piazza, Bill Dickey, Gabby Hartnett and Joe Torre among catchers. Among major league catchers, he is fourth overall in career on-base percentage (OBP) behind Mickey Cochrane, Wally Schang and Joe Mauer. He is tied with Johnny Bench and Joe Torre for third in career on-base plus slugging percentage (OPS) behind only Roy Campanella and Yogi Berra. Notable achievements AL All-Star (1975) 1972 World Series MVP 2-time League Bases on Balls Leader (1974/AL & 1977/NL) 20-Home Run Seasons: 5 (1973–1976 & 1979) Caught Vida Blue's no-hitter on September 21, 1970 Won four World Series as a player with the Oakland Athletics (1972, 1973 & 1974) and the St. Louis Cardinals (1982) Won two World Series as a coach with the Toronto Blue Jays (1992 & 1993) Appearances in other media Tenace did a voice cameo in an episode of The Simpsons entitled "Regarding Margie" in 2006. Tenace appeared in a television commercial for the Toronto Blue Jays in 2008. Tenace was mentioned by sportscaster Champ Kind in the party scene in Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy while describing his signature catchphrase. "Gene Tenace at the plate, and Whammmy!" Tenace is portrayed on one of the Floodwall Murals in Portsmouth, Ohio honoring local Major League Baseball players. References External links Baseball Reference (Minors) Baseball Evolution Hall of Fame Baseball Gauge Gene Tenace - Baseballbiography.com Encyclopedia of Baseball Catchers Retrosheet Venezuelan Professional Baseball League 1946 births Living people American expatriate baseball people