#26

Billy Williams

      As the temperatures continue to cool and September draws to a close, so too does my favorite season of the year.  No, it isn’t the Louisiana summer with its oppressive heat, overwhelming humidity, and mockingbird-sized mosquitoes.  It’s baseball season.  And a quick look at the late September standings shows an all too familiar sight as the Yankees sit in 1^st in the AL East, while the Cubs are only 33 games back in the NL Central and already hanging the “Maybe Next Year” signs up in Wrigleyville. So in honor of baseball, pennant chases, and Cubs great Billy Williams, I present to you our guest number of the day:

#26

a.) On September 21, 1986, 26 years ago today, the San Diego Padres defeated the Houston Astros 5-0 in front of 23,385 fans at the Houston Astrodome. The Astros were in 1^st place at the time while San Diego sat 12 games below .500. As most teams do late in a season with no playoffs to contend for, the Padres called up a young pitcher to make his 1^st Major League start. Jimmy Jones, born in Dallas and drafted 3^rd overall by the Padres in 1982, took the mound that day opposite 16-game winner Bob Knepper. While in high school, Jones made a name for himself by once striking out 28 batters on 251 total pitches in a 16-inning game. Jimmy Jones would once again make people take notice as he went on to pitch all 9 innings that afternoon in 1986, striking out 5 and giving up only 1 hit (a 3^rd inning triple to the opposing pitcher Knepper!)  Jimmy also logged his 1^st Major League base hit with a 2^nd inning single, and scored his 1^st run later that inning. By pitching a one-hitter in his 1^st Major League start, Jimmy Jones earned his spot in the record books that day right alongside Juan Marichal who had accomplished the same feat in 1960—26 years earlier.

A $1 bleacher seat ticket to the 1929
World Series @ Wrigley Field

b.) In 1929, the AL’s Philadelphia Athletics met the Chicago Cubs in the 26^th playing of baseball’s World Series. For the Cubs, it was their 6^th World Series appearance and marked the 1^st time the World Series would be played at Wrigley Field. In a World Series which featured 10 future Hall of Famers (8 players and both managers), the Athletics would prevail four games to one. The Cubs appeared a bit rusty right out of the gate as the Athletics’ 35-year-old pitcher Howard Ehmke struck out 13 batters, a record which would stand until 1953, en route to a 3-1 Game 1 victory. The Cubs and Athletics would then split Games 2 and 3 leading up to the pivotal Game 4 matchup in Philadelphia. Athletics’ manager Connie Mack had determined to use only right-handed pitchers in the Series to combat the Cubs right-heavy lineup. Because of this, he was forced to start 45-year-old Jack Quinn in the 4^th game. The Cubs had no problems targeting his pitches as they raced to an 8-0 lead after 6 ½ innings. And then the comeback to end all comebacks, the Mack Attack as it is known, began. In an inning which saw the Athletics plate 10 runs, including 3 on an inside the park homerun after a Cubs outfielder lost the ball in the sun, the Athletics overcame the largest deficit in baseball playoff history. The Athletics would then defeat the Cubs 3-2 in Game 5 to clinch the Series. The Cubs would play in 4 more World Series, winning none of course, with their last appearance coming in 1945. Maybe Next Year!

"The Singing Cowboy" Gene Autry

c.) What do Jim Fregosi, Rod Carew, Nolan Ryan, and Gene Autry have in common? They’ve all had a jersey number retired by the Anaheim California Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim California…or whatever that team is called now. It seems that back in 1960 when Major League Baseball was looking for someone to start up the new franchise in Los Angeles, Gene Autry (AKA The Singing Cowboy) was the owner of several radio stations. Autry took the initiative and contacted MLB in an attempt to secure the rights to broadcast the new team’s games on his stations. Due to his persistence and obvious business sense, baseball executives were so impressed that they offered him first rights to ownership of the new franchise. Autry also served as Vice President of the American League from 1983 until his death in 1998. Because Major League rosters are generally limited to only 25 players and due to his unmatched devotion to both the Angels organization and baseball in general, the Angels retired jersey number 26 in honor of Autry and his role as the “26^th Man.”

d.) And speaking of jersey #26, it was actually worn in games by one of baseball’s greatest pitchers of all-time. Satchel Paige did not make his Major League debut until age 42 due to segregation, making him the oldest debuting rookie in baseball history, but his career in the Negro Leagues had begun 22 years earlier with the Chattanooga Black Lookouts. Paige was 58 years old when he threw his final Major League pitch in 1965 as a member of the Kansas City Athletics. During his 18 seasons prior to breaking into the Majors, Paige was phenomenal. He had an overall record of 100-50 with a 3.22 ERA and 1,170 strikeouts. Satchel Paige threw 89 complete games, 27 of which were shutouts. The 1934 season was arguably the best of Paige’s career in any league. To go along with his 2^nd career no-hitter, he finished that season with a 14-2 record and a 2.16 ERA, striking out 144 and walking only 26. Other than his age, Paige’s Major League numbers weren’t overly impressive but few could have even made a team at age 42. Satchel Paige finished up in the Majors with 28 wins and 31 losses, 288 strikeouts and a 3.29 ERA. And how many career starts did Satchel Paige tally during his 6 seasons in the Majors? You guessed it- 26.