Baseball
Man I still get chills when I think about Bobby Bonilla hitting that homer in Game 7 back in the ‘97 Series. Previously struggling at the plate, Bobby Bo led off the bottom of the 7th for the Marlins and crushed the first pitch from Indians pitcher Jared Wright into the right centerfield bleachers of Pro Player Stadium. Boom!! Happy Birthday Bobby!
Happy Birthday to Mr. Dan Quisenberry. Dan led the American League in saves 5X, while also being awarded the ‘Rolaids Relief Man of The Year Award’ in each of those seasons (‘80,’82-’85) R.I.P. Quiz!
Thirty years ago on February 4th, 1990 The St. Petersburg Pelicans claimed the first & only championship in Senior Professional Baseball Association history. The Pelicans were led that day by our man Lamar Johnson , the Star of Stars, who hit a HR & had 3 RBI’s in the 12-4 win over the West Palm Beach Tropics. The league folded mid way through the second season.
During his 50 Homerun season of 1996, Brady Andreson at one point led off 4 straight games with a Homer! The Orioles lost all 4 of those games. Happy Birthday to the only member of the 50/20 & 20/50 Clubs.
This installment of the Blaze ‘Burn of the Week’ honors Otis Nixon, who in June of 1991 got back at his former team (Montreal Expos) by stealing six bases against them in one game!! Otis nabbed 72 bases that season, finishing second in the National League. Can anybody name the NL stolen base leader that season? Happy Birthday Otis!
Happy Birthday to our man Ross Grimsley. The only 20 game winner in Montreal Expos History.
After missing the chance for a World Series Ring during his prime with the 1993 Philadelphia Phillies, Darren got a chance for another when he was traded to the Florida Marlins part way through the 1997 season, after 17 years with the Phillies organization. Dutch went 7 for 18 (.389 BA) with a HR & 2 RBI’s as Pinch Hitter during the Marlins World Series victory over the Cleveland Indians. Happy Birthday Dutch!! R.I.P.
Steve Garvey is the ‘Iron Man’ of the National League. Mr. Clean’s 1207 consecutive games played is 4th all-time in MLB History. He suited up for the Dodgers & Padres from September of 1975 to July of 1983. Happy Birthday Steve!
Happy Birthday Kong! Of all the former MLB players to participate in the short lived Senior Professional Baseball Association in 1989, Dave Kingman’s 442 career Homeruns was the most of any hitter. Dave hit .271 with 8 HR’s and 40 RBI’s for the 1st place West Palm Beach Tropics. The league would fold in 1990 midway through it’s 2nd season.
In a new segment here at The Amazing Blaze Zine titled ‘The Burn of the Week’ we’re highlighting a player who stepped up & dealt their opponent a wicked ‘Burn.’ Our inaugural ‘Burn’ goes to Pitcher Tippy Martinez who during a 1983 game against the Toronto Blue Jays picked off three runners at 1st base all in the same inning! What’s even cooler was that it happened during extra innings. The O’s went on to win it in the bottom of the 10th 7-4.
It was back on October 24th, 1992 that the Toronto Blue Jays finished off the Atlanta Braves in Game 6 of the World Series to win the 1st Championship in team history. It was the first World Series won by a Non-US based franchise, & also the first won by an African-American Manager. (Cito Gaston) Catcher Pat Borders was selected MVP for his .450 batting average throughout the series.
October 17th, 1989
Can you guys name the scheduled starting pitcher for the Oakland A’s in Game 3 of the 1989 World Series? He was minutes away from taking the mound when the Loma Prieta Earthquake struck San Francisco, causing extensive damage to the city and the postponement of Game 3 for eleven days. In fact our guy never even got to throw a pitch in the series because when the Battle of the Bay resumed, Manager Tony Larussa opted to go back with his Game 1 starter, Dave ‘Smoke’ Stewart, instead of his # 3 Pitcher. Game #2 starter Mike Moore won again in Game #4, giving Oakland the sweep of the Giants.
He’s also an answer in the Blaze #10 Pop Quiz.
