[Breeze]

7/13 Radio Broadcast - Game 97

A warm hello to you, Ladies and Gentleman
Tonight FOFC will be doing
battle with AL Post WWII
Let's see how the Post-Americans
shape up, defensively...
From left to right in the outfield
Williams is in left...
Mantle is in center...
And Kaline is in right
Around the infield, third to first it's

Brett playing third
Yount at short
Covering second is Carew
At first base Killebrew
And the battery...
Pitching, Nolan Ryan
with Berra behind the plate
Okay, let's get it underway...
Ryan brings it to the plate
Fastball, just inside...
Looked very close...
Ryan's obviously peeved at that call
But Barrett tends to get those calls
He has a great eye and doesn't mind
taking the free ride to first

Blade takes his lead from first...
He's challenging Ryan's pickoff move
Blade is running on the pitch
A slider away...
Berra pumps...
but no throw, he holds onto the ball
He is SAFE!

A. J. Tucker steps into the box
Stepping in and then stepping out again
Tucker looks to third for a sign
Tucker is set in the batter's box
He's staring intently out at Ryan
He's waiting for the pitch
He brings it home
It's a rocket over second
Carew leaps
He's got it!
Quickly over to second
Blade dives back just in time!
Ryan gets the first out in the inning

One away, one on
As Pflaggstettler walks from
the on deck circle
We're in the top of the 1st
Berra flashes the sign to Ryan
The pitch on the way, here it is...
Groundball to short
Blade is trying to advance
to third base...
A quick glance at the lead runner...
The play is to first...
And Pflaggstettler is out

Jeeberoni Potpie is up to face Nolan Ryan
He told me in the pregame show
That he was seeing the ball
very good in practice
Potpie has 14 doubles this year
Ryan looks down at Berra for the sign...
Shakes him off once... twice
Now he has the pitch he wants
Ryan brings it home
Potpie swings and lifts one toward center
Mantle drifts over slowly...
He is under it now...
And makes the easy catch...
After one-half inning
It's FOFC nothing, the Post-Americans
coming up

Here we go in the home half of the
first inning...

Let's take a moment
to set up the defense...
In left Gazelle
Over in center Tucker
Pflaggstettler will start in right...
Around the infield
Palmer will start at third
The keystone combination will be
Nights and Blade...
Potpie will play first base...
The battery of Babson pitching
and Hays behind home plate
Lead off man for the Post-Americans
Rod Carew steps into the batter's box
Carew is batting .333 with 3 homeruns
He has 7 doubles, 5 triples and 17 RBI's
His OBP of .390 is why
FOFC doesn't like to see him
leading off an inning

or at bat at any time for that matter!!
Babson steps off the mound toward second
Gives the resin bag a good squeeze...

Now he toes the rubber...
He's ready to go
Babson brings it to the plate
A jug-handled curve
Carew goes out and gets it
It's a liner to right
Pflaggstettler will have to hurry...
Here he comes...
No sir... he has to play
it on the short hop
Single for Rod Carew

George Brett, the third baseman,
strides to the plate
George checks with the third base coach
Takes a few practice swings
Now he steps into the box
Brett is waiting
His bat is wiggling slightly
Carew is dancing off first
Babson's into the stretch...

Looks over at first
Quick throw!
Carew dives back in!...

SAFE!...

Potpie tosses it back to Babson
Now here's the pitch
Brett goes after Babson's fastball...
He gets under it a little...
But it is going way back in left-center
Tucker is retreating after it quickly
He is right at the fence...
He goes up after it...
And brings it down in the webbing!
George just missed a homer on that one
Only a long out for the AL
Post WWII third baseman
One gone for AL Post WWII

Mickey Mantle steps up to the plate
Mantle asks the ump for time
Now he's back in
Mantle is ready for the pitch
Here comes the pitch
Bouncer to second
Blade grabs it
Throws to second
He's out
Over to first
Double Play!
Score It: 4-6-3
That's three outs, side retired

FOFC will send Palmer,
Harry Hays, and Gerald Gazelle to face
Nolan Ryan this inning
Palmer wiggles the bat above his head
The count one ball,
one strike on Palmer
Now Nolan delivers
Shallow fly ball
Mantle charging
HE DIVES...
HE'S GOT IT!
And there's one away

Now here's Hays
Hays is batting .340 with
10 round trippers in 1900
Hays gets set for the pitch
Ryan's into his windup... the pitch
Ball four is the call
Ryan can't believe the call
And barks at the home plate umpire
The ump points out at Ryan
Hays takes first base

The left fielder, Gerald Gazelle
will be up next for FOFC
Gazelle has hit 15 home runs this year
Ryan is ready quickly
Now Nolan delivers
Gazelle swings and misses
Strike three
Gazelle didn't have a good
cut at that pitch
That's out number two
Joe Torre moving around
Hollers something down at Ryan
Nolan nods "UH HUH"

The shortstop, Jeff Nights, is up next
Nights is batting .284 with
10 HR's this year
Ryan has the sign from Berra
Carew comes in a couple steps
Yells something to Ryan
The delivery
Hit on the ground to third
Taken by Brett
Over to Killebrew
Got him!
Score It: 5-3
Three away in the top of the 2nd
No score
Let's go to the ticker
And see how everyone else is faring

Late 20th slipping by Caribbean 2 to 0
Johnson battling Tiant Jr.
Negro League II is edging
Japanese League 2 to 1
Wilson has hit his 15th homerun
for Negro League II
NL Post WWII is edging AL Pre WWII 1 to 0
Left Outs and Dead Ball
Era have yet to score
NL Pre WWII and Old Timers
have yet to score
Negro League I leads Turn
of Century 2 to 1
Williams battling Joss

Ted Williams stops at the on deck circle
Takes a couple more practice swings
Now heads for the plate
Ted is hitting at .303 on the year
AL Post WWII's cleanup hitter
has knocked in 63 runs
He has a fine .558 slugging average
All set, Williams is ready for the pitch
Into the windup... here's the pitch
It's a high fly into left
Gazelle ranges to his right
Reaches up, and takes it for the easy out
One up, one down

That will bring up first baseman,
Harmon Killebrew
Killebrew has hit 16 home runs this year
Babson is making his 21st
start of the season
The windup, and the 1-0 pitch
Killebrew rips one on the ground
It's a 'daisy cutter' to Nights
Jeff fields it cleanly
Over to first quickly...
Easy out
That's two up, two down

Kaline is up now for AL Post WWII
Kaline has a .272 average against
righthanders this season
Kaline is set
Babson rocks and fires
Kaline gives it a ride
Gazelle is streaking toward the fence
He's at the warning track...
He may have a chance...
Reaches up...
Got it!!!
What a play by the FOFC left fielder!
Kaline can't believe it as he kicks
at the air after rounding first
Al hit it hard, but somehow
Gerald was able to run it down
He's an outstanding outfielder!
1-2-3, nothing across...

Babson will be up, but wait...
The umpiring crew is meeting
near the plate
As this rain we've had all
game has intensified
Let's check the All Stars
record in recent days
FOFC is 5 and 5 in their last ten games
The umps are returning to their positions
Looks like we'll continue...
As Babson steps back in
Home plate is covered with dirt
The ump cleans it off
Babson waits
Ryan fires
There's a hard bouncer to Brett's left
He's over...
Makes the pick-up...
Over to Killebrew...
Babson is out!
A sparkling glove hand pick-up
by George Brett!
That's one away

Nobody on, one away for FOFC
Up now is Blade
Barrett is hitting .260 this year
Trying to get comfortable in the box
Not an easy task against the likes of Ryan
Ballplayers tend not to get too much
of a toehold against pitchers like Ryan

Their wildness keeps batters honest
He's ready
The righthander delivers
It's a Texas Leaguer to right
Here comes Kaline...
He is really motoring...
He reaches down...
But catches it on one hop!
Blade is on with a bloop single to right

Blade watches Ryan move...
He's moving away from the bag
Ryan looks Blade back
He is unable to get his normal lead

Tucker digs in at the plate
Ready now for Ryan to come set
We're in the top of the 3rd
Ryan likes the sign
Now to the belt, here it is...
It's popped in the air
It'll be the first baseman, Killebrew,
making the play
It's been lousy weather all day but...
The rain has started to come down hard now
The conditions now are better
for a water polo match than baseball

He's off to the races!
The peg down...
The speedy Blade slides in safely!
7 steals in 7 attempts on the year
He is one of the best on the basepaths

Apparently Ryan has been instructed
to put Mister Persimmon
Pflaggstettler on...
He has done just that... Pflaggstettler
trots down to first
Jeeberoni Potpie will now
get a crack at Ryan
Joe Torre did not want Nolan to pitch
to the FOFC right fielder
Pflaggstettler is having a fine year
He's 11th in the league in
batting, at a .312 clip
He's got 15 home runs, 56 RBI...

Jeeberoni Potpie will get
a crack at Ryan next
Deacon Palmer would be up next...
But only if Potpie can reach safely
Potpie is batting .282 with
23 homers this year
Potpie, a righthand hitter
Waits patiently for the pitch from Ryan
The pitch is on the way
The HIGH CHEESE.........
STRIKE THREE SWINGING!
That retires the side...
Potpie fails to come through in the clutch
For FOFC, No runs, one hit, no errors
and 2 men left on base

The catcher Berra will
start things off for the Post-Americans
Berra is at .275 on the season
He is hitting .266 against righties
Berra waits patiently
Here's the righthander's delivery
Sinker, at the knees...
Swung on...
Berra hits it into the hole
on the right side
Blade ranging to his left...
Scoops it up...
Throws on the run...
And Berra is out by a step at first
One down for AL Post WWII
Robin Yount is in the on-deck circle
ready to make his way to the
plate for AL Post WWII

Coming up for AL Post WWII is Robin Yount
Nobody on base, one out
Yount is hitting .333 against righties
Yount awaits the pitch
Babson brings it to the plate
Yount tries to hold up
Hays points down at the first base umpire
The ump says he went around
STRIKE THREE!
Two down

Here's Nolan Ryan
Ryan swinging from the right side
facing the righty Babson
Hays flashes the sign...
Babson shakes it off, he wants another...

Now he's happy
Babson's 1-0 pitch...
Swung on and popped up
Nights is waiting...
And that's an easy out
That's all for the Post-Americans
No runs, no hits and no errors...
We've played three, here...
We're scoreless

It's the All Stars' turn at bat
here in the top of the 4th
Deacon Palmer, Harry Hays,
and Gerald Gazelle
are due up to face righthander Nolan Ryan
Palmer is 0 for 1 today
Ryan eyes Palmer intently
The righthander Ryan delivers
Good slider, inside part of the plate
Palmer gets the bat on it...
Slams a sharp grounder to the right side
Carew grabs it...
Throws to first...
OUT!
AL Post WWII gets the first
out of the inning

Hays is ready to face Ryan
Right-hander Ryan eyes the righty Hays
Nolan rocks and fires
Fly ball to center
Mantle is under it
He makes the grab
That's the second out of the inning
Time to check the scoreboard

Late 20th slipping by Caribbean 2 to 0
Negro League II is edging
Japanese League 2 to 1
NL Post WWII is edging AL Pre WWII 1 to 0
Left Outs and Dead Ball Era are scoreless
NL Pre WWII leads Old Timers 1 to 0
Negro League I and Turn of
Century are tied at 2

Up now for FOFC is Gazelle
Two away, nobody on
The righty shakes off the sign...
Now Nolan shakes off another one...
Nolan has a 95 MPH fastball
but has control problems
The Texan comes in with the fastball
Curve ball...
Gazelle swings and misses by a mile
The bottom dropped out of that one!
A wicked pitch!
And that retires the side

The Post-Americans will send
Carew, George Brett, and Mickey Mantle up
to the plate this inning
Rod is hitting at .335 on the year
He has 106 hits in 316 at bats
Today, he is 1 for 1
Carew singled his last time up
Right-hander Babson prepares for the pitch
to the left-handed swinging Carew
It's coming down the pike
Slow ground ball
Blade is charging it
He fires it to first
He's OUT
AL Post WWII with one away
Babson steps off the mound as
he waits for George Brett to
come to the plate

George Brett will make his
way to home plate
He's the third baseman for AL Post WWII
Brett is 0 for 1 today
George flied out last time up
Set now is Brett
Babson brings it to the plate
George Brett swings
He hits a long drive
This one may be out of here...
Back, back, back...
It's CAUGHT!
Pflaggstettler robs the Post-Americans
with a great catch at the fence
Two down
Babson retires the first two
AL Post WWII batters

Walking slowly up for AL
Post WWII is Mantle

The outfield is playing him deep
And shaded to the right
They are showing respect for his power
Mantle has hit 28 home runs this year
Babson studies his sign
Babson brings it to the plate
Fastball, just inside...
Looked very close...
Babson's obviously peeved at that call
But Mickey tends to get those calls
He has a great eye and doesn't mind
taking the free ride to first

Mantle extends his lead towards second
Throw to first... SAFE!...
Another throw... easily back
Now Mantle extends his lead...
Fastball up and in...
He's off on the pitch
The peg down...
Mantle slides head first to the outside...
Avoids the tag... He's safe...
WAIT, he overslid the bag...
And he's back in safely avoiding
the tag again!
That will be stolen base number 3
for the 1900 season

They're not going to pitch to Williams
They'll give him an intentional pass
Oh! Babson nearly threw ball
four to the backstop
Mantle bluffed a move toward third

"Killer" is now coming to the plate
Two men on, two men out
Right-hander Babson prepares for the pitch
to the right-handed swinging Killebrew
Brian checks the runners
Steps off the mound
Again he's into the stretch
The pitch
A sinking fastball...
Swung right through it... STRIKE THREE
So that's it for AL Post WWII
They fail to score against Babson
In the bottom of the 4th for AL Post WWII
No runs, no hits, no errors
and 2 men left on base

Jeff Nights will start things off
So far this season
Nights is hitting .280
when facing righthanded pitching
The umpire says let's go
We've got a full count...
Ryan winds and fires...
In the dirt
And Nights holds up
He draws the walk
Nice way to start out the inning

Babson shows bunt
It's a beauty! Right down
the 3rd base line...
Brett charges... he fires to first
He gets the batter, but the runner
Nights goes to 2nd...
A sacrifice for Babson
One away...
Killebrew is coming over to the mound...
He wants to chat with the pitcher...
Here comes Brett also...
Now they return to their positions

One on, one out
Coming up next is Blade
Barrett is hitting at .263 on the year
He has 62 hits in 236 at bats
FOFC's leadoff hitter has scored
33 runs this year
Nolan is ready
Here's the 2-2 pitch
Big motion...
Blade is way out in front
STRIKE THREE!
Ryan pulled the string on him
Two down
Berra asks for a new ball
He calls time and trots out to the mound
A conference going on between
Berra and Ryan

Tucker heads to the plate for FOFC
The infield is at regular depth
Tucker has hit 4 home runs this year
Nolan looks for the sign he wants...
Shakes off the first one
But he likes the next
Yount trying to slip in behind Nights
Now he slips away
Here's the 3-1 offering
It's a slow ground ball
to the left of short
Yount makes the easy pick up
Over to first...
Tucker is safe!
The throw pulled Killebrew off the bag
Yount may have had too much
time on that one
AL Post WWII has 1 error
in the game so far

Two on, two outs...
Pflaggstettler steps to the plate
The wind seems to be swirling
around on the field
Persimmon Pflaggstettler is
hitting .321 this year
against righthanded pitchers
He's ready for the delivery
Now the delivery, here is is...
Hit on the ground to short
Yount grabs it
Over to Killebrew
Got him!
Score It: 6-3
That's all for FOFC
After 4 and a half innings in
AL Post WWII this evening,
We're scoreless

Al Kaline is up to lead off the inning
The crowd is chanting for AL Post
WWII to get things going
Kaline is 0 for 1 today
Babson steps off the rubber...
Adjusts his cap...
Now he's ready
Brian comes home quickly
with the 0-2 offering
Kaline swings and misses
STRIKE THREE!
Babson strikes out Al Kaline
Babson retires the first batter to
face him in the bottom of the 5th

Berra gets set at the plate
Berra is 0 for 1 today
Babson looks down at Hays for the sign

Now he's ready...
The righthander Babson's delivery
Lined to second
Blade tries it
He snares it for the out!
Score It: 4
Two up, two down for AL Post WWII
Babson is moving along with the efficiency
of a well oiled machine

Robin Yount is coming to the plate
The wet weather seems to
be bothering Brian
He keeps going for the resin bag
Now he toes the rubber
Brian winds and delivers...
The 0-2 pitch...
Another hook for strike three!
Yount just stood there looking
The side is retired
No runs, no hits and no errors
Time for a break, just in
time, by the way as
I've just been handed a ballpark hotdog
As Humphrey Bogart once said
A hotdog at the ballpark is better than
steak at the Ritz

Potpie is walking to the plate
Now he steps into the batter's box
Before getting ready
Potpie checks out the defensive alignment
Ryan looks down at Berra for the sign
Shakes him off once... twice...

Now he has the pitch he wants
Ryan kicks and delivers
Change-up, Potpie is looking for it...
He smacks a deep fly to left-center...
Mantle is racing back...
HE STUMBLES on the warning track!!!...
He can't make the catch...
The ball rolls to the fence...
Potpie coasts into second...
As the throw is way too late
Potpie will get a double from
the official scorer

One on, nobody out
Palmer strides up to the plate
Palmer steps out of the batter's
box to get the sign
Deacon is 0 for 2 today
Nolan Ryan has struck out 4 and walked 4
He's rubbing up the ball as he
looks over at Joe Torre
Way ahead in the count
Ryan turns the 0-2 pitch loose
Palmer swings and misses, strike three!
Deacon chased a curve ball in the dirt
One down for FOFC
Harry Hays is still in the on-deck circle
and Gerald Gazelle is looking
for a bat in the dugout

And the batter is Harry Hays
Gerald Gazelle is on-deck
Hays has hit 10 home runs this year
Ryan steps on the rubber...
Looks in for the sign
Nolan looks over his shoulder at Potpie
Fakes a throw...
Now he is ready
The pitch
Hays takes the pitch...
That one is low for a ball... WAIT
The umpire says that one caught the knees
Hays' outta there
No score with two away this inning

Berra heads out to the mound . . .
They want to talk strategy.
They might be discussing walking Gazelle.
Now the ump comes out to break it up . . .
And we're ready to go . . .
They are going to put Gazelle on
Gazelle watches ball four
He takes his base

The shortstop, Jeff Nights
is up for the All Stars
We are in the top of the 6th
Nights is hitless today, 0 for 1
Jeff drew a walk in his last at bat
Nights awaits the delivery
Potpie on second, Gazelle on first
They're dancing off the bags
Here's the 3-2 offering
Fastball... just outside
And Nights will take first on the walk
Everybody will move up a base...
Bases are loaded, with Brian Babson due up

Walking up to the plate now is Gonzalez
Barrett Blade waits on deck
Ryan is in a tough spot
Ryan shakes off two signs
Now he's ready
And here's the pay-off pitch...
Ryan's pitch is low and outside
Ryan had trouble getting
the breaking ball over
That forces in a run
Ryan needs to throw strikes
Clutch walk by Gonzalez
The bases are still loaded
for Barrett Blade

Barrett Blade makes his way to home plate
Barrett comes to the plate batting .262
with 2 home runs

He is 1 for 2 so far today
Ryan adjusts his cap...
Now he's set
Here's his delivery
Blade takes the pitch...
That one is low for a ball... WAIT
The umpire says that one caught the knees
Out on strikes
That's it for FOFC
FOFC has one run, 2 hits and no errors
While AL Post WWII has no runs,
one hit and one error
FOFC has now left 9 runners stranded

Ryan will be up, but what's this?...

The umpiring crew is meeting
near the plate

As this rain we've had all
game has intensified
Will they stop the game?...