ClimbingSky

Why Baseball, Books, and the Grateful Dead matter

BASEBALL

  • The Greatest

    On May 1st, 1991, Rickey Henderson surpassed Lou Brock as baseball’s career stolen base leader with his 939th steal as the Oakland Athletics beat the New York Yankees 7-4. I have written a lot about Rickey here because he deserves it. He was that great. Rickey got a bad rap when he broke Lou Brock’s record for Stolen… Read more

  • The Rocket

    On April 29th, 1986,  Roger “The Rocket” Clemens set a major league record by striking out 20 as the Boston Red Sox defeated the Seattle Mariners 3-1. How great was Roger Clemens? Clemens even won the American League Most Valuable Player Award in 1986 (an award generally considered for everyday players NOT pitchers!). And yet, like… Read more

  • Scott Erickson

    On April 27th, 1994, Twins right-hander Scott Erickson no-hit the Brewers 6-0 for Minnesota’s first no-hitter since 1967. Scott Erickson actually pitched more seasons for the Orioles (7) than he did for the Twins (6). But he will always be a Twin in my mind because of his no-hitter and the role he played in the 1991… Read more

  • Conflicted

    On April 26th, 1941, The Chicago Cubs become the first team to install an organ in their stadium. When I was growing up (and training to be a pastor), I thought that the worst part of being in church was having to listen to the organ. My feelings about that have never changed. In fact,… Read more

  • Teddy Higuera

    On April 23rd, 1985, Teddy “Yankee Killer” Higuera got his first start as a Major League Rookie. Teddy Higuera pitched for the Milwaukee Brewers from 1985 to 1994. In 1986, he won 20 games for the Brew Crew when he became the first Brewers’ pitcher to strikeout more than 200 batters. Before 1998, the Brewers… Read more

  • Tom Seaver

    On April 20th, 1967,  Tom Seaver of the New York Mets recorded his first major-league victory with a 6-1 triumph over the Chicago Cubs. Seaver went 7 2/3 innings and gave up eight hits and one run. Tom Seaver won a total of 311 games in his 20-year career. He won 3 Cy Young Awards and… Read more

  • FRIDAY FOOD FOR THOUGHT: Bill James on Baseball

    “”No matter how your mind works, baseball reaches out to you. If you’re an emotional person, baseball asks for your heart. If you are a thinking man or a thinking woman, baseball wants your opinion. Whether you are left-brain or right-brain, Type A or Type Z, whether your mind is bent towards mathematics or toward… Read more

  • A Slow Start

    My local nine, the Minnesota Twins, are off to a slow start this season. Admittedly a baseball season is a long season. But you never want to start any season in too big of a hole. The most glaring problems thus far are: Let’s take these issues in reverse order. Injuries: Royce Lewis has all… Read more

  • A Weird Stat

    Lee Smith became the all-time saves leader as the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 9-7. Smith got his 358th save, passing (former Minnesota Twin) Jeff Reardon. The Save is a relatively new stat in baseball. It did not become an official stat until 1969 And the rules for getting a Save have changed over… Read more

  • The Eighth Wonder of the World

    On April 12th, 1965, Richie Allen hit the first home run in the Houston Astrodome, off Bob Bruce, as the Philadelphia Phillies beat the Astros 2-0. I have a special place in my heart for the Astrodome, “The Eighth Wonder of the World.” Just as I have for the Metrodome and Wrigley Field. 20 years after Richie… Read more