ClimbingSky

Why Baseball, Books, and the Grateful Dead matter


Minnesota Twins

  • Doug DeCinces

    On July 8th, 1982, just five days after hitting three home runs in a 5 – 4 loss to the Twins, California’s Doug DeCinces hit three more home runs in a 9 – 5 win at Seattle, joining Ted Williams as the only American League players ever to hit three home runs in a game twice in the same season. As I do these… Read more

  • The Closer

    On August 6th, 1988, Goose Gossage becomes the second player in major league history to record 300 career saves when he faces one batter and gets the final out in the Cubs’ 7-4 victory over Philadelphia at Wrigley Field. The future Hall of Fame right-handed reliever joins Rollie Fingers, who reached the milestone in 1982.… Read more

  • Joe Niekro

    On August 3rd, 1987, Twins pitcher Joe Niekro was caught with a file on the mound and was ejected during Minnesota’s 11-3 win over the Angels. He ended up being suspended for ten games by American League president Bobby Brown, who doesn’t buy Niekro’s story that he had been filing his nails on the bench and stuck the file… Read more

  • For me, it is always fun to watch a game where I love both teams. I am fully aware that for many “fans,” this idea of rooting for two opposing teams at the same time is unfathomable. What can I say? The advantage of following many teams means sometimes you get to watch a game… Read more

  • Jesse Orosco

    On July 25, 1998,  Jesse Orosco pitched in his 1,000th career game in relief for the Baltimore Orioles. The visiting Seattle Mariners won the game 4-2. Orozco pitched a scoreless inning with one strikeout. Jesse Orosco pitched in an astounding 1252 Major League games in four different decades. No one else has pitched in so many… Read more

  • The Pine Tar Game

    On July 24th, 1983, in the memorable Pine Tar Game at Yankee Stadium, George Brett hits an apparent 2-run home run off Rich Gossage to give the Royals a 5-4 lead with two outs in the ninth inning. But Yankees manager Billy Martin points out that the pine tar on Brett’s bat handle exceeds the seventeen inches allowed in the rules. As a… Read more

  • “Oil Can” Boyd

    On July 20th, 1925, Brooklyn’s Dazzy Vance struck out 17 Cubs’ batters. The Dodgers beat Chicago 4-3 in 10 innings. What has happened to all the great baseball nicknames players used to have? Names like Dizzy, Dazzy, or Babe? My childhood team, the Oakland A’s, had an owner who loved nicknames, thought it was good for business… Read more

  • It is customary at All-Star Break time for front offices, sports writers, and fans alike to take some time to assess their clubs. At a little over half-way through the 162-game schedule, what do we know about our teams’ strengths and weakness? What pieces could be added (if the team is still in the playoff… Read more

  • Kirby

    On July 13th, 1993, Minnesota Twins great Kirby Puckett homered and doubled in the 1993 All-Star Game at Camden Yards in Baltimore. Kirby was awarded the MVP award as the American League defeated the National League 9-3. I was lucky enough to move to the Twin Cities and to begin going to Twins games regularly in… Read more

  • The More the Merrier

    On July 10th, 1968, The National league announced that it planned to break into two divisions for 1969. The Eastern Division would include the New York Mets, Philadelphia Phillies, Pittsburgh Pirates, Montreal Expos, Chicago Cubs, and St. Louis Cardinals. The Western Division would include the Los Angeles Dodges, San Francisco Giants, Houston Astros, Cincinnati Reds,… Read more