Some interesting baseball facts

DavidMn · #1 08-14-2006, 03:28 PM

One of the reasons baseball is far and away my favorite sport are the interesting stories that've occured over the years. One of my personal favorites involves a pitcher the Toronto Blue Jays had back in the 80's and 90's named Dave Stieb. Now, some of you probably know that Johnny Vander Meer is the only pitcher in baseball history to have pitched no-hitters in back to back starts, in 1938. However, Mr Stieb came agonizing close to the same feat late in the 1988 season. Believe it or not, in back to back starts, he lost no-hitters with 2 outs in the ninth inning!

Both of the hits he gave up were real cheapies too! Amazing! Then the next year he lost a Perfect Game with 2 outs in the ninth inning to the Yankees. Talk about a hard luck guy! Finally in 1990, he finally achieved no-hit fame when he blanked the Indians on September 2. Also, 1990 and 1991 were very unusual years in that there were 7 no-hitters in each season. Now these days, I'm beginning to wonder if there will ever be another one, with it being over 2 years since the last no-hitter, Randy Johnson's Perfect Game Against the Braves in 2004. I've been lucky enough to have witnessed 2 no-hitters in person, Scott Erickson's for the Twins on 4-27-94, and Eric Milton's for the Twins on 9-11-99. For those of you that love baseball, there is nothing like witnessing something llike that. The tension in the late innings is unreal! I have both ticket stubs and scorecards I kept from those games framed and hanging on my wall at home. If any of y ou haev an interesting baseball story to share, or something that you saw at a game, please feel free to share! Baseball, what a game!

carrie721 · #2 08-14-2006, 03:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DavidMn

One of the reasons baseball is far and away my favorite sport are the interesting stories that've occured over the years. One of my personal favorites involves a pitcher the Toronto Blue Jays had back in the 80's and 90's named Dave Stieb. Now, some of you probably know that Johnny Vander Meer is the only pitcher in baseball history to have pitched no-hitters in back to back starts, in 1938. However, Mr Stieb came agonizing close to the same feat late in the 1988 season. Believe it or not, in back to back starts, he lost no-hitters with 2 outs in the ninth inning!

Both of the hits he gave up were real cheapies too! Amazing!

wow. i'd be so pissed at the infield if i were him.

DavidMn · #3 08-14-2006, 03:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by carrie721

wow. i'd be so pissed at the infield if i were him.

Well heres what happened. I know I need a life! the first game, September 23 1988, was at Cleveland and Julio Franco hit a ground ball to the second baseman that looked like a sure out. Then at the last second, it took a crazy hop over the second basemans head. in the second game, September 30, 1988 at Toronto against Baltimore, Jim Traber hit a flare bloop just over the first basemans head and right on the foul line! UGH I remember that.

carrie721 · #4 08-14-2006, 03:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DavidMn

Well heres what happened. I know I need a life! the first game, September 23 1988, was at Cleveland and Julio Franco hit a ground ball to the second baseman that looked like a sure out. Then at the last second, it took a crazy hop over the second basemans head. in the second game, September 30, 1988 at Toronto against Baltimore, Jim Traber hit a flare bloop just over the first basemans head and right on the foul line! UGH I remember that.

what are the chances????!!!!! well, i'm glad if anyone ****ed it up for him, it was cleveland.

they **** everything else up, y'know ...

DavidMn · #5 08-14-2006, 03:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by carrie721

what are the chances????!!!!! well, i'm glad if anyone ****ed it up for him, it was cleveland.

they **** everything else up, y'know ...

Did you ever see a game in that old ****hole they played in, Municipal Stadium?

carrie721 · #6 08-14-2006, 03:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DavidMn

Did you ever see a game in that old ****hole they played in, Municipal Stadium?

yep, i went many a time. it was awesome because bleacher seats were $6!! of course, it was way too huge - it held ... gawd, i don't even remember. almost 80,000? i had my 8th birthday there, and my parents went to the final 3 games there. when my brother and i were really little, we sat in the upper deck and cheered "go penguins!!!!!!" i have no idea why. lots of good memories for me, despite the fact that it was an ugly, useless structure!

have you been? and have you been to jacob's field? it's not all that new now, i guess ... almost 12 years old? 13? wow.

emfan2377 · #7 08-14-2006, 03:45 PM

My Mets have never had a no-hitter or perfect game. But, we had one of the greatest sports bloppers to ever happen help us win the 1986 Series. Routine ground ball went right through Bill Buckner's legs. Poor guy, that's all most people will probably remember him for.

DavidMn · #8 08-14-2006, 03:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by emfan2377

My Mets have never had a no-hitter or perfect game. But, we had one of the greatest sports bloppers to ever happen help us win the 1986 Series. Routine ground ball went right through Bill Buckner's legs. Poor guy, that's all most people will probably remember him for.

As a Red Sox fan I sure do!

But that's all over now since we won finally in 2004. They guy was seriously a great player though!

emfan2377 · #9 08-14-2006, 03:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DavidMn

As a Red Sox fan I sure do!

But that's all over now since we won finally in 2004. They guy was seriously a great player though!

People just assume he misplayed the ball, but if you watch a slow-mo, you can see the ball takes a hop on him.

I'm always a Red Sox fan, actually, anyone but the Yankees.

carrie721 · #10 08-14-2006, 04:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by emfan2377

People just assume he misplayed the ball, but if you watch a slow-mo, you can see the ball takes a hop on him.

I'm always a Red Sox fan, actually, anyone but the Yankees.

so, i've always been intrigued by mets and yankees fans, and how the two groups are basically mutually exclusive. is it a geographical thing or something?

chiliD · #11 08-14-2006, 04:06 PM

I've somehow managed to see three no-hitters.

Sandy Koufax (Dodgers)
Clyde Wright (Angels)
Nolan Ryan (Angels)

carrie721 · #12 08-14-2006, 04:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chiliD

I've somehow managed to see three no-hitters.

Sandy Koufax (Dodgers)
Clyde Wright (Angels)
Nolan Ryan (Angels)

wow, sandy and nolan. i actually have a NR rookie card around here somewhere, mint condition.

ryan8472 · #13 08-14-2006, 04:12 PM

Same thing happend to Whitey Ford in the 60's. Lost 2 consecutive no hitters on bloop singles over 1st. He says its the only thing that pisses him off about his career.

I've never seen a no hitter in person (beside my sister haha), but I did see David Cone's on TV. If that counts.

johndoe · #14 08-14-2006, 04:35 PM

I saw Derek Lowe's no hitter a few years ago at Fenway. It was awesome.

DavidMn · #15 08-15-2006, 04:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chiliD

I've somehow managed to see three no-hitters.

Sandy Koufax (Dodgers)
Clyde Wright (Angels)
Nolan Ryan (Angels)

Steve, That is F***in cool! A couple questions. Was Sandy's his Perfect Game against the Cubs, and Was Nolan's the one he had against the Twins in 1974?