Left Out

PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA - On this date in 1989 left-handed Benny Distefano of the Pittsburgh Pirates did something that hasn't been done since - catch. For reasons some think are spurious, major league baseball has avoided using left-handed receivers behind the plate. Distefano played in three games in '89 for a total of six innings. Dale Long caught two innings for the Chicago Cubs in 1958, and Mike Squires caught two innings for the Chicago White Sox in 1980. According to the New York Times, those are the only times a left-handed catcher has appeared in a major league game in over 100 years.

The strongest argument not to use a left-handed catcher is that most hitters are right-handed and would get in the way of a left-handed catcher trying to thrown down to second. That problem occurs less frequently with right-handed catchers because there are fewer left-handed hitters, although as Alan Schwarz points out in the New York Times, there are a lot more left-handed hitters than there used to be.

On the positive side, a left-handed catcher should have an easier time fielding bunts down the third baseline because he doesn't have to turn all the way around to throw to first. A left-handed catcher should also have an easier time than a right-handed catcher trying to pick off a base runner at first with a left-handed batter in the box.

Another reason to avoid left-handed catchers is the throw to third on a steal attempt. A hitter in the right-handed batter's box is in the way, but it's equally a problem for right-handed catchers trying to pick runners off first to throw around a left-handed batter in the box.

Distefano is puzzled there have not been more left-handed catchers. He told the New York Times, as far as he was concerned the biggest problem for a southpaw catcher was fielding a throw from the outfield up the first baseline. Reaching with his right arm would leave his left shoulder - his throwing shoulder - exposed and prone to injury if there was a collision.

CONTRIBUTING SOURCES:
The New York Times, "Left-handed and left out," by Alan Schwarz, August 16, 2009

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The tragic story of Ray Chapman

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - Cleveland Indians shortstop Ray Chapman died in a New York hospital on this date in 1920 after being beaned in a game the night before. He is the only player in major league history to die because of action on the field.

Ray Chapman was having a fine career with the Cleveland Indians - the only team he ever played for. He was their regular shortstop. He had a .278 batting average through nine seasons. He was known to be a good base stealer.

Chapman came to bat in the top of the 5th in the Polo Grounds in New York on August 16, 1920. Carl Mays was pitching for the Yankees. Mays was described as having an underhand delivery. Both Mays and Chapman were right-handed so a typical curve would have broken away from Chapman. Instead one of Mays pitches must have tailed inside striking Chapman in the head.

Mays was known to throw a spitball, which was a legal pitch at the time. A report in the San Antonio Evening News of August 17, 1920 said, "The crack of the ball hitting his head could be heard all over the Polo Grounds." Chapman was rushed to St. Lawrence Hospital in New York. Doctors decided to operate at around midnight, but were unable to save him. He died early in the morning of August 17, 1920.

The Indians were in first place at the time of Chapman's death and went on to win the American League pennant and the World Series.

Contributing sources:
The San Antonio Evening News, August 17, 1920
Retrosheet August 16, 1920

[Public domain photo. Source: www.battersbox.ca]

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Home run hitter hype

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - Babe Ruth did something on this date in 1927 no one was able to do for almost 60 years - clear the right field roof at old Comiskey Park in Chicago. Kirk Gibson did it in
in 1985, though home plate had been moved up by that time.

Babe Ruth's accomplishments (and antics) got a lot of attention back in the 1920's and 30's. He was a national sensation. How did that come about? There was no television, let alone cable, so no ESPN, CNN, Fox News, MSBNC, CNBS, etc., certainly no Internet. Radio was in its infancy; CBS radio was a year old and only in the northeast, NBC radio was launched that year. ABC wouldn't be launched for another 16 years. There was no round the clock news, weather, sports coverage. But there were newspapers. Oh, were there newspapers.

Believe it or not, there was as much hype about Babe Ruth in the 1920's as there was about Barry Bonds in 2007. Why? Because a city like New York had ten, count ‘em TEN daily newspapers in 1927. Chicago had more than a half dozen. Just about every city and town had a morning newspaper and an evening newspaper and "Extras" of both throughout the day. All of them followed the exploits of people like Babe Ruth in baseball, Red Grange in football, Bobby Jones in golf, and made them all household names.

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Indian steals home twice!

CLEVELAND, OHIO - How's that for a sports name - Vic Power! Sounds like a Power Ranger. Power electrified the Cleveland Indians on this date in baseball history (1958). The 3rd baseman stole 3 bases in all of 1958, two of those were stolen on this date, and both were thefts of home! No American Leaguer had ever done that before, not even Ty Cobb. Even more amazing, Power's second pilferage was a walk-off theft of home in the tenth! It gave the Indians a 10-9 victory over the Detroit Tigers.

He was born Victor Felipe Pellot in 1927 in Arecibo, Puerto Rico. He was known mostly as a first baseman, winning seven Gold Gloves, but played every position on the field except pitcher and catcher during his 12-year career. Power was a six-time all-star, with some pop in his bat. He reached double digits in home runs nine times.

CONTRIBUTING SOURCES:
More Vic Power stats
August 14, 1958 box score/details
Wikipedia

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Rain, Rules & Weaver Beat Yankees

BALTIMORE, MARYLAND • Was the grounds-crew as swift as it could have been? Earl Weaver wouldn’t try to stall for rain would he? Either way, the New York Yankees were not pleased with the outcome of a game against the Baltimore Orioles on this date in 1978.

The O’s were leading the Yankees 3-0 after six innings. The Yankees scored five in the top of the seventh to take a 5-3 lead. The Orioles came to bat, and it started raining. The rain got heavier. Some think Orioles Manager Earl Weaver, one of the real characters of America's pastime, saw the handwriting on the wall – or the raining falling on the ground – and stalled so the Orioles would not finish their time at bat. If the home team does not complete an inning because of rain, the score reverts back to the previous inning.

Some also think the Baltimore Memorial Stadium grounds crew was less than swift in getting the field covered. Needless to say, the game was called after 36 minutes. The umpires said the field was in bad shape because of so many rain delays, this only made it unplayable.

Rule 4.12 has since been changed (largely because of that game) so that the game is suspended should the visiting team take the lead when play stops because of rain before the home team has had a chance to complete the inning. The game is resumed from that point at a future date. Here’s the rule:

4.12 SUSPENDED GAMES.
(a) A game shall become a suspended game that must be completed at a future date if the game is terminated for any of the following reasons:
(5) Weather, if a regulation game is called while an inning is in progress and before the inning is completed, and the visiting team has scored one or more runs to take the lead, and the home team has not retaken the lead;

CONTRIBUTING SOURCES:
United Press International (UPI), Baltimore, Maryland, August 14, 1978
Official Rules

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