July 4 Baseball Stuff

[MFS62]

Everyone have a happy and safe 4th of July.



Here are some interesting trivia questions:

On July 4, 1976, which Phillie lost a grand slam because he passed a runner on the bases, resulting in a 3-run single?



What pitcher, primarily known as a reliever, threw a no-hitter on the 4th of July?



Later

[kcmets]

I believe Dave Spaghetti was the no-noing reliever.

[Benjamin Grimm]

I think the guy who lost the grand slam was Tim McCarver.

[MFS62]

Both correct.

Anyone else want to post some?

Later

[batmagadanleadoff]

Name the baseball player who ate seven cheeseburgers during a famous 4th of July MLB game.

Edited July 4, 2020 by Guest

[whippoorwill]

Charlie (I forget his name). Played for Houston and requested jello in his contract





Edit: kerfield

[kcmets]

First person that popped into my head was Mo Vaughn but my guess is Boog Powell.

[batmagadanleadoff]

Who was the only active MLB roster Met not to appear in the 4th of July Rick Camp homers marathon game?

[Edgy MD]

I think Sid Fernandez was set to pitch after Darling, so I'll go with him.

[batmagadanleadoff]

Edgy MD wrote: I think Sid Fernandez was set to pitch after Darling, so I'll go with him.

Sid didn't play, but my bad. I meant to ask for the only Mets position player not to appear in that game.

Edited July 4, 2020 by Guest

[batmagadanleadoff]

More stuff from that Mets-Braves 4th of July marathon game that might've got forgotten with the passage of time:



Keith Hernandez banged out an extra-inning single to complete the "cycle". Youse knew that. But what youse might not know, or might've forgotten, is that Keith didn't need extra innings to hit for the cycle. In the top of the sixth, Hernandez hit a liner to CF that Dale Murphy clearly trapped. The umpire nevertheless called an out on the play -- replay indisputably showed that the ball was illegally trapped and that Keith should've been credited with a single.

[Edgy MD]

I mostly remember that is because Hernandez recounted it in the Biblically authoritative If at First. He gave the umpire shit the next inning, saying, "You robbed me of a cycle."



You almost get the idea that it was the drive to get that single back that kept keep going through the night.

[stevejrogers]

Edgy MD wrote: I think Sid Fernandez was set to pitch after Darling, so I'll go with him. Sid didn't play, but my bad. I meant to ask for the only Mets position player not to appear in that game.

Larry Bowa?

[batmagadanleadoff]

Edgy MD wrote: I think Sid Fernandez was set to pitch after Darling, so I'll go with him. Sid didn't play, but my bad. I meant to ask for the only Mets position player not to appear in that game. Larry Bowa?

Joined the Mets in August, 1985.

[stevejrogers]

Tom Paciorek?

[batmagadanleadoff]

=stevejrogers post_id=39907 time=1593902593 user_id=57]
Tom Paciorek?

[G-Fafif]

Ronn Reynolds didn't play.

[batmagadanleadoff]

Ronn Reynolds didn't play.

It figures. It hadda be the backup catcher.



Topps 1986 card



[FIMG=444]https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51LxHI3AcmL._AC_SX385_.jpg[/FIMG]



Ronn at Butterball Field. One of the last Mets shots taken there.



[FIMG=444]https://i.redd.it/kpqs53z442751.jpg[/FIMG]

[Edgy MD]

I figured the backup catcher was it. I even remember some quote from Davy Johnson along the lines of "He did more work than anybody, warming up all the pitchers."



But it would have taken three or four guesses to recall which of the rotating mid-eighties backups was on the job that week.

[Edgy MD]

Edgy MD wrote: I figured the backup catcher was it. I even remember some quote from Davy Johnson along the lines of "He did more work than anybody, warming up all the pitchers." But it would have taken three or four guesses to recall which of the rotating mid-80s backups was on the job that week.

[Benjamin Grimm]

I was trying to think of who the backup catcher might have been. Mike Fitzgerald and Ron Hodges were already gone. Too early for Barry Lyons and Ed Hearn (I think.) I also thought of Junior Ortiz but knew it could be him. I had completely forgotten Ronn Reynolds.

[G-Fafif]

Clint Hurdle also did some backup catching in 1985 (and pinch-hit in the marathon).



Bonus observation from 7/4-5/85: Rusty Staub scored his final major league run that morning.

[stevejrogers]

I think John Gibbons was part of the 1985 backup backstop crew as well

[G-Fafif]

Gibbons saw no MLB playing time in 1985.

[Edgy MD]

=G-Fafif post_id=39942 time=1593989840 user_id=55]
Clint Hurdle also did some backup catching in 1985 (and pinch-hit in the marathon).



Bonus observation from 7/4-5/85: Rusty Staub scored his final major league run that morning.

[whippoorwill]

=batmagadanleadoff post_id=39871 time=1593873185 user_id=68]
Name the baseball player who ate seven cheeseburgers during a famous 4th of July MLB game.

[MFS62]

=whippoorwill post_id=39989 time=1594067214 user_id=79]
=batmagadanleadoff post_id=39871 time=1593873185 user_id=68]
Name the baseball player who ate seven cheeseburgers during a famous 4th of July MLB game.

[G-Fafif]

Roger McDowell.