Game Thread Twins @ Athletics 5/17/22 8:40 PM CDT

[Dave The Dastardly]

Mr. Moustache

 

The Moustache Gang

Rollie Fingers, one of the pioneers of the closer role in baseball, is also known as the owner of the Best Moustache in Baseball History. Ironically, Fingers grew the famous moustache in 1972 in protest over Reggie Jackson showing up for the A’s spring training with a full beard. Fingers and a few other players (Catfish Hunter being one) didn’t like Jackson’s beard and grew their own facial hair, against club policy, figuring Charles Finley, the team’s erratic owner, would force them all to shave, thus ridding the team of Jackson’s hirsute appearance. Finley however, always the showman, instead offered a $300 reward for the player who could grow the best moustache before April 15 - Opening Day against, who else, the Minnesota Twins. As part of the promotion, Finley also offered free admission to any mustachioed fan who showed up for the game.

Fingers and his Snively Whiplash handle-bar moustache won Finley's contest by a whisker, pocketed the $300 (which was a lot even for a professional ballplayer in those days) and threw away his razor.

That was “The Rest of The Story” (apologies to Paul Harvey).

The main part of the Rollie Fingers story is he, along with Hoyt Wilhelm, Roy Face, Goose Gossage and Sparky Lyle proved there was a key role for relief pitchers that could “close” games. Rollie, a failed starting pitcher, set numerous records as a closer including winning a World Series MVP award in the 1974 Series, credited with a win in the first game and earning saves in the next three. He was also the AL MVP and the Cy Young Award winner in 1981, won the Rolaids Relief Man Award four times, MLB Saves Leader 3 times, seven times an All-Star and three times World Series Champion. Notably he was only the second reliever (after Wilhelm) to be inducted into the Hall of Fame.

Personally, I loved watching the man pitch. Those were the days when baseball games were carried on national TV, free, so though Rollie never pitched for the Twins, Minnesota baseball fans had plenty of opportunities to watch other teams around the country… and it wasn’t always the Evil Empire vs. the Red Sox.

Anyway, Fingers had a real presence on the mound and you could almost feel the game tension go up a couple notches whenever Fingers and his moustache came out to toe the rubber. He was more of a “pitcher”, than a “thrower”, and a master at keeping the hitter off-balance.

But I made Rollie Fingers the subject of this Game Thread not only because of his baseball talent, but also because he inspired me to grow my own moustache back in 1972. After seeing Fingers’ handle-bar, me and a buddy at work decided to try our own hand at moustache growing. Our handle-bars however, flopped terribly, in more ways than one, and we both opted for Fu Manchus instead. The Fu shortly also died the death of many cuts and me and my buddy (Best Man at my wedding) settled for just a plain jane ‘stashe”.

Still got it. Haven’t seen my upper lip in fifty years.

Still got the wife, too.

And the buddy.

I guess you could say I owe baseball and Rollie Fingers an awful lot; hair of the dog.

 

Pitching Peas Today

Twins: Bounce Back Bundy  RHP  3-2   ERA 5.76   22 K

A’s: James Kaprielian  RHP  0-2   ERA  4.97   10 K

Twins Lineup

Arraez 1B  .318
Polanco 2B   .240
Sanchez  DH  .217
Kepler  RF  .243
Gordon  LF  .258
Celestino  CF  .327
Lewis  SS  .286
Miranda  3B  .104
Jeffers  C  .203

[shortround81]

Who Wore It Better?

[Squirrel]

Just now, shortround81 said:

Who Wore It Better?

yes

[shortround81]

Just now, Squirrel said:

yes

Carl has the added fun of, "It'sa me - PAVARIO!"

[Squirrel]

wow ... a lineup so early???? 

[shortround81]

Just now, Squirrel said:

wow ... a lineup so early???? 

Right? They posted it on social media about an hour ago. 

[CRF]

Here's to all us moustache guys...and also anybody else out there, if applicable. I don't want to leave anyone out. I've had mine for over 50 years. Snidely Whiplash rocks!

[Squirrel]

As I age, I've had to wax and tweeze my moustache into non-existence to keep up a youthful appearance  

[shortround81]

1 minute ago, CRF said:

Here's to all us moustache guys...and also anybody else out there, if applicable. I don't want to leave anyone out. I've had mine for over 50 years. Snidely Whiplash rocks!

Mine is perimenopause induced, but hey. *shrugs* I guess every mustache stems from hormones, amIright??

[wsnydes]

11 minutes ago, Squirrel said:

wow ... a lineup so early???? 

Probably had to vacate the clubhouse to track down another possum!  Rocco wasn't sure when he'd get back to his office.

[Brock Beauchamp]

3 hours ago, shortround81 said:

Who Wore It Better?

Remember that time the Twins took a flyer on Freddie Mercury?

The 80s were ****ing wild, man

[shortround81]

Just now, Brock Beauchamp said:

Oh man, remember that time the Twins took a flyer on Freddie Mercury?

The 80s we’re ****ing wild, man

Man, I wish Pavano's walk out song was, "I Want To Break Free"!

[shortround81]

1 minute ago, wsnydes said:

Probably had to vacate the clubhouse to track down another possum!  Rocco wasn't sure when he'd get back to his office.

Game Note: The Coliseum is a total ****hole

[wsnydes]

12 minutes ago, CRF said:

Here's to all us moustache guys...and also anybody else out there, if applicable. I don't want to leave anyone out. I've had mine for over 50 years. Snidely Whiplash rocks!

I've had either a goatee or a beard for over over 20 years now.  My wife never saw me clean shaven.  I'm almost scared to see what's underneath myself.

[CRF]

Here's what Rollie looked like pre-stache.

[wsnydes]

Just now, shortround81 said:

Game Note: The Coliseum is a total ****hole

Sewer backups will do that.

Is that in the official program?  

Because it probably should be.

[shortround81]

1 minute ago, wsnydes said:

Sewer backups will do that.

Is that in the official program?  

Because it probably should be.

Rincentral Coliseum: Come for the baseball. Stay for the hepatitis vaccine

[CRF]

1 minute ago, wsnydes said:

I've had either a goatee or a beard for over over 20 years now.  My wife never saw me clean shaven.  I'm almost scared to see what's underneath myself.

When my son was little, I shaved my moustache/beard off...once. When he saw me, he started crying his eyes out. Not sure if I was that ugly, or if he wondered who the hell this new guy was? 

[wsnydes]

Just now, shortround81 said:

Rincentral Coliseum: Come for the baseball. Stay for the hepatitis vaccine

I love give away nights!

[shortround81]

1 minute ago, CRF said:

When my son was little, I shaved my moustache/beard off...once. When he saw me, he started crying his eyes out. Not sure if I was that ugly, or if he wondered who the hell this new guy was? 

I'm not laughing at your son crying, but a guilty pleasure of mine is watching these videos on YouTube. Those and babies getting confused when a parent has a twin

[CRF]

Remember this one? Mike Fiers from a few years ago. Makes me wanna cry right now!

[shortround81]

4 minutes ago, CRF said:

Remember this one? Mike Fiers from a few years ago. Makes me wanna cry right now!

Well, if I wasn't in menopause before . . . 

[Drunk_Goose]

Last time I tried to grow a mustache was when I lost a lot of weight due to an illness and ended up looking like a crackhead Sonny Bono.

[wsnydes]

7 minutes ago, CRF said:

Remember this one? Mike Fiers from a few years ago. Makes me wanna cry right now!

Maybe he's the Riddler?

[shortround81]

Just now, Drunk_Goose said:

Last time I tried to grow a mustache was when I lost a lot of weight due to an illness and ended up looking like a crackhead Sonny Bono.

P.S. I'm not laughing at your illness. I hope everything has cleared up!

[Drunk_Goose]

1 minute ago, shortround81 said:

P.S. I'm not laughing at your illness. I hope everything has cleared up!

Haha no worries friend. Thanks I'm all good now!?

[shortround81]

[shortround81]

Oh, and Happy Syttende Mai to all my "fellow Norskes" 

[Squirrel]

47 minutes ago, CRF said:

Remember this one? Mike Fiers from a few years ago. Makes me wanna cry right now!

I actually like this one ... it's artistic and very well groomed. I'm all in on that  

[Squirrel]

39 minutes ago, Drunk_Goose said:

Haha no worries friend. Thanks I'm all good now!?

Glad to hear it! It means you can sign up to start a game thread ... @stringer bell will get you set up!