I remembered going to a Cleveland Indians game when I was 12 and seeing Sam McDowell pitch against the Yankees. I remembered he struck out 12 batters - don't know why but that number stuck with me. Well, one day at work I told me friend about the game, how much of an impression it made on me because of my great seats and how I loved Sam McDowell. I could not remember much else about the game, outside of the fact that no matter how many times I yelled for McDowell, my favorite Indians player at the time, he never looked up to see me in my seats behind the dugout.
After searching the Web for a few minutes, my friend told me that game was held June 27, 1969, and Cleveland scored four runs in the seventh and eighth innings to win it, 5-1. Oh, and a future Atlanta Braves manager was in the Yankees' lineup and Art Frantz was the home plate umpire.
How did he know this?
Retrosheet.org, that's how.
It's the most complete and easiest to use Web site for stat geeks like myself. This site has every game every played documented. I know, for example, that in 1871, the Cleveland Forest City's finished seventh in their division with a 10-19 record. And they were managed by Charlie Pabor, and pitcher Al Pratt started 28 of the 29 games.
All this information is available at no cost.
BTW, the former Braves manager who played third base against Cleveland the day I was there was Bobby Cox and he was hitless in four at-bats.
A new home
7 years ago
Thanks Joe, for the info on stats org. and whare is H. Funk?
ReplyDeleteHe might be as I am, on vacation and away from the computer.
ReplyDeleteI was indeed out of town for a bit. I'll get caught up on baseball shortly.
ReplyDeleteThe Forest Citys were members of the National Association, the first professional league, in 1871. The Chicago White Stockings had to cancel their last few games that year because the Great Chicago Fire destroyed their ballfield. Cap Anson debuted that year with Rockford, Ill., and played until 1897, doubtlessly spewing racist invective the whole time.
ReplyDelete