Tuesday, May 4, 1999
Adcock is answer to more than one trivia question
By AL PICKETT
Sports Editor
Those of us who are baseball fans probably have one or two
favorite teams — for one or two seasons — in which we
can list the entire team’s starting lineup.
It may be useless information to know, but for those who love
baseball it’s interesting trivia to be able to name a team’s
entire starting lineup. It makes for good discussions — and
arguments — at parties.
For me, the first team I followed closely was the Milwaukee
Braves of the late 1950s. The Braves had Del Crandall behind the
plate, Warren Spahn and Bob Buhl as their two top pitchers, Joe
Adcock at first, Felix Mantilla at second, Johnny Logan at shortstop,
Eddie Mathews at third base, Wes Covington in left field, Bill
Bruton in center and Hank Aaron in right field.
I was reminded of my first favorite team Monday morning with
the announcement of Adcock’s death. The 71-year-old had Alzheimer’s
disease and died at his home in Coushatta, La.
Adcock came up to the majors with the Cincinnati Reds and joined
the Braves in their first season in Milwaukee in 1953.
On July 31, 1954, Adcock had the most productive game in baseball
history, hitting four home runs and a double for a record 18 total
bases as the Braves beat the Brooklyn Dodgers at Ebbets Field.
At the time, Adcock was the fifth player in the modern era to
homer four times in a game. Five players have done so since.
He played on the Braves’ World Series championship team
in 1957 and National League pennant winner in 1958. His best season
was 1956 when he hit 38 home runs and batted .291.
Adcock, who had 336 career home runs and a career .277 batting
average, moved to the Cleveland Indians in 1963 and finished his
playing career with three seasons with the California Angels.
He managed the Indians in 1967, finishing eighth in the American
League with a 75-87 record.
But Adcock’s place in baseball lore will always be linked
to the greatest pitching performance in the game’s history
— 40 years ago this month.
It was May 26, 1959, at County Stadium in Milwaukee. Harvey
Haddix, pitching for the Pittsburgh Pirates, threw a perfect game
for 12 innings.
He retired the first 36 batters he faced. But in the 13th inning,
Mantilla reached on an error and moved to second on a sacrifice
bunt by Mathews. Haddix walked Aaron intentionally to bring up
Adcock. The big first baseman, however, spoiled the strategy by
hitting a home run to end the no-hitter and win the game.
In an interview with the Associated Press in January, 1994,
after Haddix died, Adcock recalled the game:
“He knew what he had in mind when he let the ball loose,”
Adcock said. “The wind had been blowing in all night and
maybe it was a freak because when I came to bat, the flag in center
field was still. I was thinking he’d been keeping the ball
away from me all night and maybe he’d do it again. And he
did and I hit it.”
Here is one other unusual thing about that game 40 years ago.
It is listed in the history books as 1-0 victory for the Braves
even though Adcock hit a three-run homer because Adcock inadvertently
passed Aaron on the base paths.
It was a bizarre finish to one of baseball’s most unusual
games.
Adcock was a teammate of three Hall of Famers — Aaron,
Mathews and Spahn.
But he certainly deserves his own unique place in baseball
history as a shareholder of the major league record for four home
runs in one game and as the player who broke up baseball’s
longest no-hitter.
Al Pickett can be reached at 676-6772 or picketta@abinews.com.
Send a Letter to the Editor about This
Story | Start or Join A Discussion about This Story
Send the URL (Address)
of This Story to A Friend:
Copyright ©1999,
Abilene Reporter-News / Texnews / E.W. Scripps Publications
|
