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stewthornley

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Everything posted by stewthornley

  1. stewthornley
    Finally watched it although the mlb.tv was stuttering a bit. Someone thought that should have been an error? NFW. Yeah, it could have been caught, but no way would I even think about calling it an error. Looks like he may have overrun it a bit (would be clearer if the replay wasn't starting and stopping so much), but he makes a long run, leaps while approaching the fence, and misses it. That's a hit.
  2. stewthornley
    Our cat says it stays on, and he's an expert based on his extensive experience of slipping in there without us seeing him. Hope you're enjoying this. I am. Thanks.
  3. stewthornley
    Good point. If anyone ever boos one of my calls, I'll just interpret as "Steeeeeeewww" Meanwhile, I gotta admit I almost miss Sammy's yells of "That's not a hit!" from the stands.
  4. stewthornley
    I'm replying just as a test to see if this response gets nested directly beneath the post I'm responding to. John Gregory is coaching me and advised that I use the Reply with Quote rather than Reply. I'm hoping to shed my Junior Member/Rookie status and realize I won't do it if I blog like Trevor fields. (At least so far I've learned a few words that this program will turn into ****.) Now I hope this reply gets nested under the other one. Here goes . . .
  5. stewthornley
    Not me.
  6. stewthornley
    Regarding a question from yesterday - have scoring standards changed over the decades? My guess is that most people would say they have, that scorers are softer and calling more hits. My answer is maybe. Errors have gone down from about 1.75 per game for both teams in the 1960s and 1970s to 1.25 per game per team now. I have no idea how much better fielding and equipment and perhaps playing surfaces account for the drop. Better skills can lead to more opportunities for errors, but I'd guess that overall it would create fewer errors. I'm strong on the belief that players are better. In addition to greater range than creates more chances for errors, it also means more reliability in fielding and throwing. One thing I wonder about is if first baseman, through proficiency and a better trapper, are more likely to dig out throws in the dirt than they where 40-50 years ago. Based on memory, I think they are. I know memory is dicey, but no dicier than people convinced that scorers are softer based on their memories about how plays were called in the past. The sight of a first baseman saving another infielder from an error by scooping his throw from the dirt is pretty routine. Is it so much more routine now than it was in the 60s and 70s that it could account for half an error per game, or at least a good chuck of that differential? I don't know. If anyone out there can figure out a good way to measure that, go for it.
  7. stewthornley
    Right. Players with limited range don't get to balls; when they're out of someone's reach, it's a hit. Players with better range put themselves into a position to make more errors, on the fielding and the throwing part. Beyond range, if an outfielder gets turned around, takes a bad route and ends up with the ball out of his reach, he doesn't get an error. An outfielder who only partially flucks it up (I'm going to see if the program recognizes fluck as a clever way around a naughty word - and for those who don't know what I mean, I meant to say ****) may leave himself in a reasonable position to make the catch. And if he drops it, he gets an error. In A Diamond Appraised by Craig Wright and Tom House, Wright has a great chapter analyzing scoring and errors. The book came out around 1988. I'd be interested if anyone did similar analysis today to see if it differed.
  8. stewthornley
    Is your question/concern with the general concept of errors, that it's not an effective statistic for evaluating fielding, or is it with the official scoring itself?
  9. stewthornley
    Wow. This program recognizes naughty words. I see it turned "****" into "****". Smart program. Dang.
  10. stewthornley
    I think there was a how did I get into this question somewhere. I started getting chances to do official scoring because of public-address announcing. In 1982-83 the scoring was tacked on to my p.a. duties for state and regional community college tournaments. I did some more in the 1990s for the Minneapolis Loons, where I also did p.a. announcing. I didn't do p.a. and o.s. at the same time although one time I filled in for Ryan Lefebvre for the radio play-by-play and did the official scoring at the same time. I've been doing mlb.com Gameday datacasting since 1998 (before 2001 it was Total Sports), and from that came the opportunity to do it for Twins games. Tom Mee, who had done it since 1991, was going to be leaving, so I was asked if I was interested. I did some Saints games to get back into the swing of it and started doing it for Twins home games in 2007. Umpiring is not a pre-req, but I'm sure glad I had done that. It gets you experience in two things: being decisive and taking crap. With umpiring, you better learn that just because someone tells you you're full of **** doesn't necessarily mean you are. Same thing with official scoring. With either, you have to have confidence in what you're doing if you're going to be able to stick with it. Otherwise, you become a basket case in a hurry and aren't going to last. After a call that gets challenged in a big way, I have an urge to ask a few others what they thought of it and will feel better if they agreed with my call. But that really doesn't do much for you. The validation has to come because you think you made a good call, not because someone else does. (By the way, I don't always think I made a good call--I'm sure every scorer occasionally makes a call he wishes he could have back, and I'm definitely among that bunch.)
  11. stewthornley
    Yeah, the way that goes is that if the fielder can't see it, he doesn't get an error. Sometimes it's obvious that the ball was lost in the roof, lights, sun, moon, whatever. Sometimes the guy seems to flinch at the last second. If we see something that indicates that, it's a hit.
  12. stewthornley
    Ultima Ratio - regarding plays getting appealed. Teams and now players have the right to submit a scoring decision for review. The process has changed some over the last couple years. In the past the team had to do it, and they were careful to pick their battles to not overdo the number they were sending in. My understanding is that players themselves can send in a play, and that has resulted in more reviews. They can provide video, which may show more angles than were shown on tv. If the reviewer (may be a committee or an individual) thinks the scoring decision was clearly wrong, then the call will be changed. Hope that helps.
  13. stewthornley
    Not sure what you mean by that (99% - really?). Lots of errors are charged on infield throws. However, if the throw is judged to be beyond ordinary effort, then it goes as a hit. As for the first baseman picking a throw, by rule [10.12(a)(1) Comment: If a throw is low, wide or high, or strikes the ground, and a runner reaches base who otherwise would have been put out by such throw, the official scorer shall charge the player making the throw with an error.], we can't charge the first baseman with an error--although I am aware of an infield hit being changed to an E3 recently on that kind of play. I've called a lot of hits when a throw was off-target but I thought it required greater than ordinary effort, and I've called a lot of errors when I thought the play should have been made. Not sure what the ratio is, but no way is it 99 to 1. On missed pop flies, are you talking about a few players standing around, thinking someone else would take it, and then watching it drop in. I know I called a hit on that kind of infield play last year, and I called a double for Adam Jones when Span and Willingham each pulled up and the ball dropped. Without an option for a team error, we go with hit. That's something that we discussed at our meeting last year and something MLB has provided some direction on, so that's what we go with. Not saying any of us is ever happy calling hit on those kind of plays, but that's what we do. Team errors have been talked about for years, but it's never been added, and my impression is that it won't happen--unless someday a no-hitter gets ruined by that type of play, which might prompt a change. If you're talking about a different kind of play than the old Clarence-and-Gaston (or whatever it's called) routine, let me know and I'll address it. Thanks.
  14. stewthornley
    Righty 8383 - wasn't my game so I don't want to say too much, but the runner at third (can't remember who it was) initially held on the grounder, which is what made the difference. It was a convuluted play, and I might (emphasize might) have given the RBI for a different reason. Mahoney fumbled the grounder, causing the runner to break for the plate. If the ball had just squirted away and everybody was safe, it would clearly be an error for not getting the out at first and allowing the runner to score (no RBI). However, Mahoney still had a play at first. He tried swiping the bag with his foot and missed (or, at least, the umpire said he missed, which is the same thing) before throwing home too late. So the error wasn't for the fumble; it was for missing the bag. Had he fumbled the ball, causing the runner to take off and score, but gotten the out at first, there would be no error and Arcia would have to get an RBI. That's similar to a 2b fumbling a grounder, missing a chance for a force on the lead runner, but recovering in time to throw the batter out. No error, even though the fumble (a misplay) allowed advancement. So Mahoney's fumble was really just a misplay since he still could have gotten the batter at first. And what the heck is a misplay? More later - that's something I'm going to try and explain in a rules session at our scorers meeting in NY this weekend. By the way, for an earlier post, Florimon has been charged with four errors at home so far this season. I had one of them. I can't remember any other plays in which he might have had an error although that doesn't mean it didn't happen. Kinsler play (not mine): On the grounder, in the past I called errors on plays like that; however, plays such as those that are being appealed are being overturned from errors to hits by MLB. That says to me that MLB is seeing those as hits, so from now on I'll probably go along with that. Would a good throw to the plate have gotten Willingham on a tag play? Maybe, and I really don't know how I would have called that one (since I didn't have to, I don't worry about it too much). Part of the deal is that Kinsler hesitated before throwing. If his hesitation was enough to make it uncertain if they would have gotten the out at the plate, then it's no error (considered slow handling, which the rule book covers and says no error). And by rule, Kinsler could not have gotten two errors on that--it would be either an error for the fumble or an error for the bad thrown--can't have both unless there would have been additional advancement by the batter-runner on the overthrow, which didn't happen. Keep 'em comin' folks. I'm going to bed.
  15. stewthornley
    Ultima Ratio: Since 2007 the rules have contained a definition for ordinary effort [ORDINARY EFFORT is the effort that a fielder of average skill at a position in that league or classification of leagues should exhibit on a play, with due consideration given to the condition of the field and weather conditions] that is pretty much the essence of what we go by in determining hit or error. And Rule 10.12 (Errors) starts with, "An error is a statistic charged against a fielder whose action has assisted the team on offense, as set forth in this Rule 10.12." It's nice to have this in words, but, of course, it all comes down to a lot of subjective decisions. USAF Chief - 1) Yes to the Arcia play. I can recall in 1979 the official scorer in Anaheim, Dick Miller, charging cf Rick Miller with an error when he missed a shoestring catch. It was when Nolan Ryan had a no-hitter going in the 8th. Ryan lost the no-hitter in the 9th when Reggie singled off him. After the game, the team's GM (Bavasi, I think) blasted the official scorer for embarrassing them by too blatantly trying to keep Ryan's no-hitter going. (As for the other part, about if scoring standards have changed, I'll try to get to that tomorrow. Remind me if I don't.) 2) Yes. 3) We definitely have to follow the scoring rules, but sometimes we have discretion there, such as making judgments as we recreate an inning with an error. I like working with the rules and enjoy reconstructing innings. Usually it's less subjective than judgment calls. As for judgment calls, that's what they are--our judgment. We try to be consistent with how we and other scorers make calls. I've often said this is the only thing in my life where I try to be a conformist. Someone else asked about the process for plays being appealed. That's another thing I'll get back to. Remind me if I don't.
  16. stewthornley
    In the last series, I was the scorer only for the Thursday and Sunday games. I didn't have the Fri-Sat games, which had plenty of stuff to keep a scorer busy. So all I can do is comment on my games, which have been pretty tame so far this season. I've had the "stealing money" games. That will probably change. It always does. (By the way, Florimon has had several errors at home this year. I know I called one of them, but there have definitely been others.)
  17. stewthornley
    Thanks, John. And, to be clear, these are guidelines. It doesn't mean a player can never be charged with an error if he leaves his feet. Nishioka was proof of that.
  18. stewthornley
    You can view the page at http://twinsdaily.com/content.php?r=1574-Musings-about-Oswaldo-Arcia-s-debut
  19. stewthornley
    Last night (April 15) Oswaldo Arcia made his major league debut and was sent down after the game. This puts him in select historical company - a Minnesota Twins player who had just a "cup of coffee" with the club. Arcia was called up by Minnesota when Wilkin Ramirez went on the paternity list. With the bat Arcia did better than another Twins outfielder making his debut this month, Aaron Hicks. Arcia singled his first time up and then flied out twice. With the glove, he did worse, dropping a fly ball in his only chance in left field.[PRBREAK][/PRBREAK] Side note: I keep the uniform-number list for the Twins and, for now on my website (http://milkeespress.com/twinsnumbers.html) I've made a note about his number. He was assigned 31 but last night wore 42 along with everyone else. He'll probably be back up with the Twins this season and actually wear 31 in a game, but I've made a notation in the list about his assigned number and his actual number. (For the others who wore 42 in honor of Robinson, I've noted the players and coaches who chose to wear 42 in 2007 and 2008--coach Jerry White and Torii Hunter, Delmon Young, Craig Monroe, and Denard Span, only the players who appeared in a game--before everyone started wearing 42 on April 15 starting in 2009.) It will be Arcia's only game for a while. Ramirez's fiance' had a baby on Sunday, and he was taken off the paternity list after the game last night and Arcia was sent to Rochester. For now, this makes Ramirez a cup of coffee player, with one game in the majors. Of course, a lot of players have that distinction--Aaron Hicks and Ryan Pressly had it for the Twins a couple weeks ago--but most lose it pretty quickly, as soon as they play in their next game. For Arcia, his status will last indefinitely. As far as I know the Twins have only one other cup of coffee player, Fred Bruckbauer, who pitched in one game on April 25, 1961 and has a lifetime earned-run average of infinity. Bruckbauer was the second major league born in New Ulm, Minnesota. The first was Elmer "Doc" Hamann, who pitched one game for Cleveland on September 21, 1922. Hamann also has a lifetime ERA of infinity. A later New Ulm-born player, Terry Steinbach, did better in his debut--he homered in his first at bat. The Twins have had a few players who played in only one game for them, although they did pitch for other teams. Mike Smith pitched one game for the Twins, which was the last game in the majors for him, on August 6, 2006. Smith had pitched in 14 games with Toronto in 2002. Matt Fox got into his first and only game with the Twins on September 3, 2010. He wasn't even on the 40-player roster but got a call after the Twins and Detroit had played a 13-inning game the night before. The Twins went through their bullpen and had to bring in Nick Blackburn to pitch the 13th. Blackburn had been scheduled to start the September 3 game, so the Twins called up Fox, along with Rob Delaney and Alex Burnett, after the game. Fox started and got no decision on September 3 in his only game with the Twins. However, his cup of coffee status lasted only two weeks as he pitched in three games for Boston later in the month. Rob Delaney made his debut and relieved in the September 4 game, giving up a home run to the first batter he faced, Ian Kinsler. It was Delaney's only game with the Twins, and he didn't get into another game until May 8, 2011 (with the Rays). Unless Arcia doesn't get back to the majors this year, his cup of coffee status won't last as long as Delaney's. By the way, I'm aware of two players the Twins have had on their active roster who never got into a game with them. One is Chuck Schilling, who had played for Boston and was traded to Minnesota just before the 1966 season. With Bernie Allen and Cesar Tovar playing well, Schilling never got into a game and was sent to Denver (although I think he retired rather than report) when the Twins had to cut their roster to 25 players. The other was Davis May, who was called up April 25, 1977 after pitchers Mike Pazik and Don Carrithers were injured in a car accident. May never got into a game with the Twins (or anyone else in the majors) and was sent back to the minors May 16. If I have any gaps on the Twins one-gamers that anyone is aware of, please chime in.
  20. stewthornley
    Last night (April 15) Oswaldo Arcia made his major league debut. He was called up by Minnesota when Wilkin Ramirez went on the paternity list. With the bat Arcia did better than another Twins outfielder making his debut this month, Aaron Hicks. Arcia singled his first time up and then flied out twice. With the glove, he did worse, dropping a fly ball in his only chance in left field. I keep the uniform-number list for the Twins and, for now on my website (http://milkeespress.com/twinsnumbers.html) I've made a note about his number. He was assigned 31 but last night wore 42 along with everyone else. He'll probably be back up with the Twins this season and actually wear 31 in a game, but I've made a notation in the list about his assigned number and his actual number. (For the others who wore 42 in honor of Robinson, I've noted the players and coaches who chose to wear 42 in 2007 and 2008--coach Jerry White and Torii Hunter, Delmon Young, Craig Monroe, and Denard Span, only the players who appeared in a game--before everyone started wearing 42 on April 15 starting in 2009.) Ramirez's wife had a baby on Sunday, and he was taken off the paternity list after the game last night and Arcia was sent to Rochester. For now, this makes Ramirez a cup of coffee player, with one game in the majors. Of course, a lot of players have that distinction--Aaron Hicks and Ryan Pressly had it for the Twins a couple weeks ago--but most lose it pretty quickly, as soon as they play in their next game. For Arcia, his status will last indefinitely. As far as I know the Twins have only one other cup of coffee player, Fred Bruckbauer, who pitched in one game on April 25, 1961 and has a lifetime earned-run average of infinity. Bruckbauer was the second major league born in New Ulm, Minnesota. The first was Elmer "Doc" Hamann, who pitched one game for Cleveland on September 21, 1922. Hamann also has a lifetime ERA of infinity. A later New Ulm-born player, Terry Steinbach, did better in his debut--he homered in his first at bat. The Twins have had a few players who played in only one game for them, although they pitched for other teams. Mike Smith pitched one game for the Twins, which was the last game in the majors for him, on August 6, 2006. Smith had pitched in 14 games with Toronto in 2002. Matt Fox got into his first and only game with the Twins on September 3, 2010. He wasn't even on the 40-player roster but got a call afterthe Twins and Detroit had played a 13-inning game the night before. The Twins went through their bullpen and had to bring in Nick Blackburn to pitch the 13th. Blackburn had been scheduled to start the September 3 game, so the Twins called up Fox, along with Rob Delaney and Alex Burnett, after the game. Fox started and got no decision September 3 in his only game with the Twins. However, his cup of coffee status lasted only two weeks as he pitched in three games for Boston later in the month. Rob Delaney made his debut and relieved in the September 4 game, giving up a home run to the first batter he faced, Ian Kinsler. It was Delaney's only game with the Twins, and he didn't get into another game until May 8, 2011 (with the Rays). Unless Arcia doesn't get back to the majors this year, his cup of coffee status won't last as long as Delaney's. By the way, I'm aware of two players the Twins have had on their active roster who never got into a game with them. One is Chuck Schilling, who had played for Boston and was traded to Minnesota just before the 1966 season. With Bernie Allen and Cesar Tovar playing well, Schilling never got into a game and was sent to Denver (although I think he retired rather than report) when the Twins had to cut their roster to 25 players. The other was Davis May, who was called up April 25, 1977 after pitchers Mike Pazik and Don Carrithers being injured in a car accident. May never got into a game with the Twins (or anyone else in the majors) and was sent back to the minors May 16. If I have any gaps on the Twins one-gamers that anyone is aware of, please chime in.
  21. stewthornley
    Last night (April 15) Oswaldo Arcia made his major league debut. He was called up by Minnesota when Wilkin Ramirez went on the paternity list. With the bat Arcia did better than another Twins outfielder making his debut this month, Aaron Hicks. Arcia singled his first time up and then flied out twice. With the glove, he did worse, dropping a fly ball in his only chance in left field. I keep the uniform-number list for the Twins and, for now on my website (http://milkeespress.com/twinsnumbers.html) I've made a note about his number. He was assigned 31 but last night wore 42 along with everyone else. He'll probably be back up with the Twins this season and actually wear 31 in a game, but I've made a notation in the list about his assigned number and his actual number. (For the others who wore 42 in honor of Robinson, I've noted the players and coaches who chose to wear 42 in 2007 and 2008--coach Jerry White and Torii Hunter, Delmon Young, Craig Monroe, and Denard Span, only the players who appeared in a game--before everyone started wearing 42 on April 15 starting in 2009.) Ramirez's wife had a baby on Sunday, and he was taken off the paternity list after the game last night and Arcia was sent to Rochester. For now, this makes Ramirez a cup of coffee player, with one game in the majors. Of course, a lot of players have that distinction--Aaron Hicks and Ryan Pressly had it for the Twins a couple weeks ago--but most lose it pretty quickly, as soon as they play in their next game. For Arcia, his status will last indefinitely. As far as I know the Twins have only one other cup of coffee player, Fred Bruckbauer, who pitched in one game on April 25, 1961 and has a lifetime earned-run average of infinity. Bruckbauer was the second major league born in New Ulm, Minnesota. The first was Elmer "Doc" Hamann, who pitched one game for Cleveland on September 21, 1922. Hamann also has a lifetime ERA of infinity. A later New Ulm-born player, Terry Steinbach, did better in his debut--he homered in his first at bat. The Twins have had a few players who played in only one game for them, although they pitched for other teams. Mike Smith pitched one game for the Twins, which was the last game in the majors for him, on August 6, 2006. Smith had pitched in 14 games with Toronto in 2002. Matt Fox got into his first and only game with the Twins on September 3, 2010. He wasn't even on the 40-player roster but got a call afterthe Twins and Detroit had played a 13-inning game the night before. The Twins went through their bullpen and had to bring in Nick Blackburn to pitch the 13th. Blackburn had been scheduled to start the September 3 game, so the Twins called up Fox, along with Rob Delaney and Alex Burnett, after the game. Fox started and got no decision September 3 in his only game with the Twins. However, his cup of coffee status lasted only two weeks as he pitched in three games for Boston later in the month. Rob Delaney made his debut and relieved in the September 4 game, giving up a home run to the first batter he faced, Ian Kinsler. It was Delaney's only game with the Twins, and he didn't get into another game until May 8, 2011 (with the Rays). Unless Arcia doesn't get back to the majors this year, his cup of coffee status won't last as long as Delaney's. By the way, I'm aware of two players the Twins have had on their active roster who never got into a game with them. One is Chuck Schilling, who had played for Boston and was traded to Minnesota just before the 1966 season. With Bernie Allen and Cesar Tovar playing well, Schilling never got into a game and was sent to Denver (although I think he retired rather than report) when the Twins had to cut their roster to 25 players. The other was Davis May, who was called up April 25, 1977 after pitchers Mike Pazik and Don Carrithers being injured in a car accident. May never got into a game with the Twins (or anyone else in the majors) and was sent back to the minors May 16. If I have any gaps on the Twins one-gamers that anyone is aware of, please chime in.
  22. stewthornley
    The picture of Mantle at bat and of the construction are now up there. Thanks, guys.
  23. stewthornley
    I'll send the photo of Mantle at bat, and I think I've scanned the construction photo. I don't think I've scanned the first-pitch photo, but I'll try and do that - first pitch of their pennant-winning season. Kaat said it was because of the rain, but I'm sure it was general flooding. That was a big year for the floods. I think there are still high-water marks on some places down there.
  24. stewthornley
    [ATTACH=CONFIG]1094[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]1095[/ATTACH]I get a regular e-mail from Richie Decker with "legal blasts" related to baseball. He had this, Opening Day memories, from Jim Kaat that includes the 1965 Opener: Blog #27 - New Legal Blasts (and Unrelated Baseball Opening Day Memories) 05/23/2012 In 1965, I was scheduled to start against the Yankees. I left for the park in Minnesota, but there was a huge traffic backup. I got out of my car and a guy told me that the bridge was closed because of a big rain storm, and the river was flooded and no one could get over the bridge. And I said, 'I'm supposed to pitch today.' I called WCCO, where Paul Gale, who was a teammate of mine a few years before, was the sports director, and he flew a helicopter out to Birdsville HS, and [16]Rich Rollins, [17]Dick Stigman, [18]Bill Bethea and myself flew two at a time to the stadium. I think we only had about 15,000 for the game because of the flood. I was one out from a win, and [19]Cesar Tovar dropped a little pop up, but he made up for that by knocking in the winning run in the eleventh. Paul Giel and Burnsville High School are misspelled, but it's interesting. I had heard about the players being helicoptered in and wondered why they didn't use a different bridge. Apparently it was the traffic jam resulting from the Cedar Avenue bridge being closed. I was at that game with my dad, grandma, and cousin - the beginning of the end of the great Yankees dynasty. Mantle had led off the ninth with a single off Kaat and pinch-runner Arturo Lopez got to second with two out when Tovar dropped the pop up, allowing Lopez to score the tying run. Lopez then dropped a fly ball to start the last of the 11th, setting up Tovar's game-winning hit. That might have been the start of problems for Jim Bouton, who started for the Yankees. He said he hurt his arm on such a cold day and never was the same, leading him to the knuckleball and Ball Four. The game was on a Monday and probably wouldn't have been played if it hadn't been the Opener. During the game, the Twins announced that the game the next day was being postponed because of the cold. My dad took some good pictures, which I've dug up. One is of Kaat making the first pitch of the season. Another is with Mantle at bat. Another is of the construction of the double-decked grandstand in left field. Elston Howard homered out there, and one of the construction workers got the ball. Stew
  25. stewthornley
    I get a regular e-mail from Richie Decker with "legal blasts" related to baseball. He had this, Opening Day memories, from Jim Kaat that includes the 1965 Opener: Blog #27 - New Legal Blasts (and Unrelated Baseball Opening Day Memories) 05/23/2012 In 1965, I was scheduled to start against the Yankees. I left for the park in Minnesota, but there was a huge traffic backup. I got out of my car and a guy told me that the bridge was closed because of a big rain storm, and the river was flooded and no one could get over the bridge. And I said, 'I'm supposed to pitch today.' I called WCCO, where Paul Gale, who was a teammate of mine a few years before, was the sports director, and he flew a helicopter out to Birdsville HS, and [16]Rich Rollins, [17]Dick Stigman, [18]Bill Bethea and myself flew two at a time to the stadium. I think we only had about 15,000 for the game because of the flood. I was one out from a win, and [19]Cesar Tovar dropped a little pop up, but he made up for that by knocking in the winning run in the eleventh. Paul Giel and Burnsville High School are misspelled, but it's interesting. I had heard about the players being helicoptered in and wondered why they didn't use a different bridge. Apparently it was the traffic jam resulting from the Cedar Avenue bridge being closed. I was at that game with my dad, grandma, and cousin - the beginning of the end of the great Yankees dynasty. Mantle had led off the ninth with a single off Kaat and pinch-runner Arturo Lopez got to second with two out when Tovar dropped the pop up, allowing Lopez to score the tying run. Lopez then dropped a fly ball to start the last of the 11th, setting up Tovar's game-winning hit. That might have been the start of problems for Jim Bouton, who started for the Yankees. He said he hurt his arm on such a cold day and never was the same, leading him to the knuckleball and Ball Four. The game was on a Monday and probably wouldn't have been played if it hadn't been the Opener. During the game, the Twins announced that the game the next day was being postponed because of the cold. My dad took some good pictures, which I've dug up. One is of Kaat making the first pitch of the season. Another is with Mantle at bat. Another is of the construction of the double-decked grandstand in left field. Elston Howard homered out there, and one of the construction workers got the ball. Stew
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