Contact hitting and BBs suffered more than HRs. I often call the '2nd Deadball Era' the 'ERA Era. The 70s saw increased aggressiveness on the basepaths especially on turf, 3 Rivers, Riverfront, Veterans, Candlestick, Busch and the Olympic.

The ERA era saw relief pitching become more imp[ortant every year. Gloves became bigger and catchers, led by Randy Hundley; adapted the 1-handed catching style. My first 2 or 3 years as a fan were in the ERA era and the lowering of the mound and the adjustment of the strike zone were big stories at the time.

Why was it ALWAYS Jim Ray Hart? Middle names are rarely used on an everyday basis. It is interesting that Hart's best years were during the ERA era.

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