Part 3 of my Epic Pitchers Duels series is up at Hardball Times. This installment covers the 1950s and 1960s. Several members of the 1969 Padres make an appearance (albeit with other teams), including Jack Baldschun, Chris Cannizzaro, Al McBean, and Dick Selma (as a pinch-runner). So does Jack Harshman (Hoover High, PCL Padres). One game, a 16-inning affair, saw Hall of Famers Juan Marichal and Warren Spahn each go the distance, with Willie Mays (who nailed a Braves runner at the plate 12 innings earlier) accounting for the only run on a walkoff homer.
Yeah, I kinda geek out on this stuff. Give the article a read if you are so inclined.
Philosophical question for you … do you really believe this statement, about the Marichal/Spahn classic, is true?
“Marichal, for his part, never let anyone get past second base.”
I’m pretty sure I don’t think this is true. I think Marichal let Larker get past second base. In fact, Marichal let him get past third base … but Willie didn’t let him get home
Hah, good one! It probably would read better as “Marichal, thanks to the efforts of Mays, never let anyone get past second base safely.” Where were you when I was writing this?