Stretch Says Hello

Stretch Says Hello (1959)

Willie McCovey was hitting .372 at Phoenix when the Giants sent for him. He reached Seals Stadium with no time for batting practice, wearing borrowed pants because they were the only ones that fit. Then the 21-year-old hit Robin Roberts, a future Hall of Famer, for four hits in four at-bats, two of them triples. He played 52 games the rest of the year, batted .354, and was the unanimous Rookie of the Year. Nobody has ever introduced himself louder.

The Reds Meet the Lights (1930)

Cincinnati played a night exhibition at Indianapolis under floodlights against the American Association Indians. Night ball was spreading. The Kansas City Monarchs toured with their own portable rig. Both teams hit fine. Judging a fly ball under the glare was another matter, and the Reds fumbled their way to a 17 to 5 loss. Five years later they lit Crosley Field and hosted the first night game in NL or AL history. The team that could not see became the team that turned on the lights.

Nobody Got a Step (1960)

Art Mahaffey came up from Buffalo and pitched in relief at St. Louis. In his second inning Bill White singled, and Mahaffey erased him with a shoot-from-the-hips move to first. Curt Flood reached next. Mahaffey erased him too. Four days later, in his first start, he picked off the first man to reach against him. Three straight baserunners, gone. The Cardinals argued it was a balk. Mahaffey was charged with four in his whole career.

The Boss Gets the Gate (1990)

Fay Vincent ordered George Steinbrenner to give up control of the Yankees for paying gambler Howie Spira $40,000 to dig up dirt on Dave Winfield. Offered a two-year suspension, Steinbrenner asked for permanent removal instead. Baseball said he feared it would cost him his U.S. Olympic Committee post. Vincent said he could not read the man's mind. The news reached Yankee Stadium mid-game. The crowd stood and cheered for a minute and a half.