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Sent: Friday, July 06, 2001 7:43 AM
Subject: All Star shenanigans
From: Chuck Trafton
Cubbies: just a line to thank you again for the opportunity to play in the
All Star game and to fill you in on some of the details on the crazy game.
First of all, Warren McNeill sang the Star Sp Bnr, which actually was
quite
good. I'll try to remember what a choir boy he is next time he stripes a
triple off me. We had 9 pitchers so each pitched one inn. Gaillardetz (oh
sure, I spelled it right, but how do you pronounce it?) pitched first and
let in 5 ER. I must say though he's a v. good hitter as he had several
great ABs that turned into RBI hits. I pitched a 1-2-3 2nd inn with the
help of an unconventional double play where catcher Warren McNeill threw
out the runner trying to advance from 1B to 2B on the missed DP relay
throw. I know G. Kohl would have been there, too and made it look easier.
However, If you expect, as I did, the famous Barry Foster of the Twins to
look like Rod Beck or something (long hair, 250+ lbs) youre wrong. He is a
pint-sized version of Frank Viola, down to the little mustache etc. Hes
got
66 Ks in 35 inn or something, but gets em all on a little slurve and a
mediocre fastball. He prob wont pitch vs us this wknd as he went 2 inn in
the Wed game.
Duffy and the Dodgers pitcher kissed and made up about Duffy running so
slow around the bases on his HR a few wks ago. Despite my disgust at his
fraternizing w the enemy, it brought a tear to me eye to see them holding
hands in the on-deck circle.
Duff hit a typical "Duffy double" smash down the LF line to
score 1 or 2
and keep a late rally alive, and of course then I followed by K'ing w him
standing on 2B, hands on hips looking at me like I had just clubbed a baby
seal. I know, Duff, rally killers like me & my $15 bat are a bummer.
Duffy pitched a scoreless 6th inn. Ours were two of just three scoreless
innings thrown by NL. We were down 14-5 in the 8th, and ended up losing
15-14 on a walk-off double in the bot-9th but only after we came back to
tie it 14-14 in the top-9th. Crazy game.
Thanks again for the opp'y-it was great fun...
Sent: Friday, July 06, 2001 8:15 PM
Subject: Re: All Star shenanigans
From: Duffy Thomas
Geez, I wonder if Chuck and I were at the same game?
Here's what really happened . . .
First off, Chuck is right about MacNeil. He really sang well and
without
the help of a mic.
Gaillerdetz gave up the five in the first after we had scored two in the
top. Frank "Giant players get first dibs" Sarafini had all
four of his
Giants batting in the first nine slots, so Chuck and I didn't bat until
the
third.
Chuck pitched the top of the second and gave up a typical lead-off hitter
single to some Punch-and-Judy hitter. He then got the next guy to
hit a
ground ball to the SS (Jim Harvey now with the Pirates) who tossed it to
second (some Marlin) who then threw wild to first. MacNeil was
catching and
ran a long way to get the throw (big field at Alumni). The batter
ran for
second and everyone thought he was going to make it, but since he was a
rather large fellow from the Red Sox, he lost his wind and was thrown out
by
a step.
We were laughing so hard in the dugout, I am not sure how Chuck retired
the
last batter he faced.
He did get the double part correct and the way he struck out to end the
inning. I was a little distracted though as I thought I heard a
rusty gate
close as he struck out, lucky I didn't get picked.
Chuck played second in the fourth and flailed after a couple of ground
balls
and flawlessly handled some throws back to the infield. Yes, the
ground
balls were out of his reach, but he looked good trying to get to them.
I pitched the fifth, not the sixth. I faced four batters and
miraculously
did not walk anyone. Gave up a scratch hit just like Chuck did to
the
lead-off hitter, two groundouts to short and a strikeout.
Chuck and I batted for the second time in the seventh and I got a gift
double as the left fielder couldn't see the ball against the bleachers and
hurt himself diving at the last second. I don't remember what Chuck
did. I
think that gate was blowing in the wind again.
In the eighth, we scored 7 runs to pull within 2 and had momentum on our
side. Chuck was selected to play centerfield and gamely said to
manager
Sarafini after taking a few steps out of the dugout, "Maybe somebody
else
should go out to center, I don't think I can throw it all the way to the
infield after pitching that inning way back in the second." To
which Frank
said, "That's OK, just hit the cut-off man and you'll be OK."
Low and behold, the second batter hits a deep fly to center. Chuck
bobs and
weaves to his left, then his right, backpedals, goes to his left, then his
right (imagine during all of this that I am in the dugout and making
circus
music noises), and finally makes a nice catch to retire the batter.
After
the side is retired, Chuck gets many congratulatory greetings and one big
razzing from a certain teammate.
Top of the ninth and we score two to tie the game. The with two outs
and
runners on first and second, yours truly exhibits an unreal act of
sportsmanship. I come up to bat with a chance to take the lead.
Keith
Stone of the Tigers is pitching. He leads the AL in saves, but has
blown it
by giving up the two runs. I work the count to 2-2 fouling off a few
pitches. Then remembering Chuck is on deck, I hit a weak pop-up to
right to
keep Chuck from embarrassing himself again.
The AL then wins in the bottom on a one-out hit over a drawn in outfield.
I hope you all appreciate the real story of the game and I appreciate your
electing me to play in it.
Your faithful correspondent,
Duffy
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