Greatest Relief Performance Ever?

Throwing you a bender because I just thought you should know...

How can a pitcher pitch a shutout but not a complete game?

In his six seasons as a starting pitcher for the Boston Red Sox, Babe Ruth compiled an 89-46 record, 2.19 ERA, completed 105 of 143 games started and threw 17 shut outs.

So on June 23, 1917, Ruth's pitching teammate Ernie Shore got comfortable in the corner of the dugout at Fenway Park and figured he would enjoy an afternoon without having to pitch. He had pitched two days before and expected to watch the doubleheader that day against the Senators.

As Ruth started game one, he walked the leadoff hitter, Ray Morgan, on four pitches but felt two of them were strikes. Apparently enough so that he charged umpire Brick Owens and started throwing punches. While he missed with his left hand (which as we know from Bull Durham is the smart move for a lefty), his right hand caught Owens somewhere in the jaw or ear area and Ruth was now looking at a suspension to go with his ejection.

Red Sox manager Jack Barry was in a quandary as the rules of the day only allowed five warm up pitches regardless of the situation. Since Red Sox catcher Chet Thomas was also ejected for arguing, Sam Agnew went in to catch and Barry turned to Ernie Shore relaxing in the dugout corner and sent him in to pitch. "He asked me if I'd pitch until he could get someone else warmed up," Shore recalls.

Thinking no one was really warmed up, Morgan made an attempt to steal second on the first pitch but was thrown out by Agnew. Shore retired the next two hitters and then went to the bullpen to finish getting completely loose as the Red Sox batted in the bottom of the first inning.

Shore was a good pitcher, finishing his career with a 2.47 ERA, and his sinking fastball was especially sharp this day. He kept inducing Washington hitters into mostly ground ball outs and now reached the ninth inning without any hitter reaching base and the Red Sox ahead 4-0.

The first batter was retired easily but the second one, John Henry, smoked the only hard hit ball off of Shore that day. Without moving a bit, the Red Sox left fielder made the play.

A pinch hitter was sent up to bat for the pitcher, a left handed batter with good speed, and he attempted to push a bunt past the right side of the mound. Usually this was thought to be very unsportsmanlike when someone was throwing a no hitter but Washington manager Clark Griffith was known to never give in. The bunt got past Shore but manager Jack Barry, also playing second base, charged, grabbed and threw the ball to record a close out.

Ernie Shore had just pitched a perfect game...kind of.....sort of....well, did he?

The Boston Globe credited Shore with "the best pitching seen in this city since 1904 when Cy Young put over a similar feat, the only difference being that Uncle Cyrus pitched to every batter, while the Carolina professor did not get into the exercises until after Ruth, who had walked Morgan, the first batter, had been removed from the pastime for striking Umpire Brick Owens."

Rule 10.19 (f) states that "No pitcher shall be credited with pitching a shutout unless he pitches the complete game or unless he enters the game with none out before the opposing team has scored in the first inning, puts out the side without a run scoring and pitches all the rest of the game."

So Shore definitely gets the shutout, and after years of having it listed as a perfect game, it has since been changed. It is now officially listed as a combined no-hitter (Ruth gets credit too!)

So Ruth ends up paying a $100 fine, probably enjoying his 10 day suspension, and Ernie Shore gives up his position as a relief pitcher and goes back into the starting rotation four days later.

If only the Red Sox could get this kind of relief today.

All this because I know more about nothing...

Where Did That Green Jacket Come From?

Throwing you a bender because I just thought you should know...

So Bubba Watson makes a miracle wedge turn almost 90 degrees from the woods, plops it on the green and two putts to win his first Masters Championship. He heads to Butler Cabin to receive his size 42 long, green jacket and returns to the 18th green and the presentation is then repeated outside near the 18th green in front of the spectators.

Where exactly did this green jacket come from and why is it presented to the winner of a golf tournament? And what happens to the jacket once the cameras are turned off, the patrons head home, and the caddies turn in their white jump suits?

Although the tournament started in 1934, known then as the Augusta National Invitational, it was in 1937 when the members of Augusta first wore green jackets during the tournament so that patrons in attendance could easily recognize them if a question needed to be asked.

The jackets came from Brooks Uniform Company in New York City, were "Masters Green" in color and included the Augusta National Golf Club logo on the left chest pocket as well as on the brass buttons.

Soon, the Green Jacket became the symbol of membership in the ultra-exclusive Augusta National Golf Club. As each Masters winner becomes an honorary member of the club, slipping into the green jacket upon winning the tournament symbolizes that golfer's entry into the circle of Masters Champions and club members.

This tradition started upon Sam Snead winning the event in 1949 and being the first champion to be presented with a green jacket. Immediately though, he was also informed of the rules regarding his jacket! Such an exclusive club that even the clothing comes with regulations!

Upon receiving his jacket at the ceremony, the current champion is allowed to take the jacket home with him and keep it for one year. When he returns to Augusta National for the next year's event, he must bring the jacket back to the club. From that point on, the champion has "visitation rights" to his green jacket. The jacket is considered his, and when he visits Augusta National at any point thereafter, he can retrieve and wear his jacket. Multiple winners will still only be entitled to one jacket, unless their size drastically changes. Champions, fortunately, are not expected to answer fans’ questions about the nearest bathroom or tee box like paying members are required to do.

There has been one exception to this policy as Gary Player, after winning the Masters in 1961, refused to bring the jacket back to the club. he remains in possession of it to this day but has claimed to remain loyal to the spirit of the rule (it cannot be worn outside of Augusta National after that first year) and has never worn it.

A lesser known item is also presented to the yearly winner. Originally, Bobby Jones, having started the championship in 1934, awarded a three inch gold medal and a cash prize to the winner. It took 27 years for the Masters committee to come up with an appropriate trophy for the champion of their tournament.

Shortly before the 1961 tournament, the organizers finally commissioned a trophy. It was made in England and contained more than 900 individual pieces of sterling silver. It is a scaled down version of the Augusta National clubhouse, weighs 35 pounds and includes room for both the winners’ and runners-up names to be engraved on it each year.  The original trophy is kept and housed at the course and a replica is provided for each winner to have in their collection.

 

There are several other awards presented to players who perform exceptional feats during the tournament. The player who has the daily lowest score receives a crystal vase, while players who score a hole-in-one or a double eagle win a large crystal bowl. For each eagle a player makes he receives a pair of crystal goblets.

So while Louis Oosthuizen lost the playoff to Bubba Watson, he did go home with his name engraved on the Champions Trophy, and a lovely crystal bowl for his double eagle on Sunday. In addition, 28 sets of goblets were awarded and two more crystal bowls for holes-in-one along with four vases!

Also, just to keep the players coming back, there is still a little bit of cash awarded too.


All this because I know more about nothing...

Opening Day!

Throwing you a bender because I just thought you should know...

It is said of veteran baseball players and spring training that it is a perfect time to work back into shape, iron out the kinks, fine tune the mechanics and prepare for the long haul of a 162 game season. Truth is most major league veterans are chomping at the bit to get going on the season and can't wait to toss aside the non-competitive nature of Grapefruit and Cactus Leagues and get to Opening Day. As it turns out, a few special players have made a mark on Opening Day like nobody else.

Henry Aaron ended the 1973 season with 713 career home runs, one short of tying the great Babe Ruth. Reporting to spring training in West Palm Beach, Florida amid death threats, nation wide pressure, and the Braves threatening to hold him out of the opening series in Cincinnati, Aaron anxiously proceeded through the pre-season exercises. Apparently Hammerin' Hank was ready to have spring training end and get going on his record pursuit as his first swing of the 1974 campaign produced his 714th home run and electrified the start of that historic season.

Opening day 1940 in Chicago saw 21 year old Bob Feller (already in his fourth season!) climb the hill to begin the Tribe's season. It was cold and only about 14,000 fans were in attendance, but Feller went into the ninth inning having only surrendered four walks, no hits. Imagine if a modern day manager would have been in place, probably lifting Feller based on a pitch count for some over rated "closer."

The Indians were clinging to a 1-0 lead as Feller recorded the first two outs. Hall of Fame shortstop Luke Appling came to the plate. With two strikes, Appling managed to foul off four pitches; he eventually concluded his 10-pitch at-bat with a walk, making him the first person to reach base since the third inning.

Since the score was still just 1-0 at this point, not only was the no-hitter in danger, but a potential Indians victory as well.  With a 1-0 count, Taft Wright connected and hit the ball hard toward second baseman Ray Mack.  Mack lunged to his left and knocked the ball down; he managed to stick with it, picked it up and threw to first baseman Hal Trosky for the final out of the game.

Feller had tossed the only Opening Day no-hitter in Major League history. When asked if he was excited toward the end of the game, Feller replied, “Well…I didn’t have any trouble keepin’ awake.”

Frank Robinson faced incredible scrutiny and pressure as the first African-American manager in baseball. But Robinson was also a veteran ball player, a future Hall of Famer, and ready to go when the bell sounded for the new 1975 season.

As if managing his first game on a cold April afternoon in front of over 56,000 fans and facing the Yankees wasn't enough, Robinson inserted himself in the lineup as the designated hitter, batting second. With Mrs. Jackie Robinson throwing out the ceremonial first pitch and Commissioner Bowie Kuhn in attendance, all eyes were on Cleveland and Frank Robinson.

In the bottom of the first inning, Robinson crushed a 2-2 fastball from New York's Doc Medich. The baseball sailed out to left field, over the wall, to set an early tone for a 5-3 victory over the Yankees.

This continued Robinson's love affair with Opening Day as he is the all time leader in both home runs hit (8) and total bases (54) for the first day of the season.

  On April 20, 1939, Lou Gehrig started at first base for the Yankees and was appearing in his 2,123rd consecutive game. The Red Sox countered with their new addition in right field, Ted Williams. The Yankees won that day, 2-0, but Williams went 1-4 to begin his streak of getting at least one hit in every Opening Day game he played in. Ted played in 14 openers, collecting 14 RBI, 3 HR, and batting .449 overall for those games. This man was always ready for the season to get started!

So when I looked around the Opening Day games this year, enjoyed the excitement and took in some remarkable performances, none of them seemed to compare with these three immortal achievements and the consistency of Ted Williams. But I won't ever stop tuning in each year to capture the next moment that belongs in this group.

All this because I know more about nothing...