European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - June 10, 1988, Darmstadt, Hesse Friday Juris 10, 19sb the stars and stripes Page 23 commentary Bresnahan s potato a a catches on it was just nine months ago that we last left Dave Brusnahan who was packing his bags in Williamsport. A. Bresnahan was the minor league Catcher who threw a potato wildly in a fake Pichot attempt to third base and then tagged the base runner Oul no Home plate with the game Ball and then was sent Home. A week ago monday on memorial Day his for Mer team invited Bresnahan Back to Bowman Field the scene of his notorious vegetable undertaking for Dave Bresnahan potato fans paid $ i and a potato to get into the Hall Park. Dave Brusnahan Poitan to shirts sold briskly the potato play was re canc cd and Bresnahan s uniform number "59," was retired in a moving ceremony. Bresnahan had been a Reserve Catcher for the Williamsport Bills a class a team in the Cleveland indians organization and though the fans howled at the play and his teammates got a big laugh out of it and he thought in was Only All in fun the indians front office look a glum View of the ploy. And Bres Nahan and his .149 hailing average were immediately released. What would the 25-year-old a potato throwing Catcher do now run for governor of Idaho he had said. Bresnahan had a change of heart about polities however Anil returned Home to Phoenix where he Sells real estate. He knew deep Down he had t had much future in professional baseball but he still dreamed and was Upsel his career ended Asil did. But he had a business degree from grand Canyon College in Phoenix and he would make his Way in the world. Meanwhile Many had come to appreciate and Delight in that one any potato moment. Bresnahan thought he just might get a line about in in the sporting news hut it was a big Story in sever Al big City newspapers lit was flown to Yankee stadium to be on abcs game of the week and he Rabei Kow received a Bushel of letters from baseball fans and potato fanciers. Ii was t my intention to do anything undignified concerning baseball he said. I love baseball. I miss baseball. I be been playing baseball since i be been 8 years old. Bui if you be never played in the minor in us you Don t know about the lung bus rides the Low pay the tension that if you re not doing Well you could be released at any time. So i just tried to liven things up to put a Lille fun into a game. And the game had no bearing on the stand Ings. It was the 138th game out of a 140-Gamc sched ule. The other team the Reading Phillies were not in the race anymore and we were in seventh place 26 games Oul of one of those who appreciated inc potato play is the new general manager of Williamsport Rick Muntean. Baseball purists ask Why he made a travesty of the said Muntean in remarks at Home plate during the ceremony. But we think Dave did some thing that is the essence of baseball he had fun with it. At a Lime when the business of baseball dominates the headlines he brought baseball Back to the Muntean is absolutely right to is still a game it is too often taken too seriously and Muntean mad these remarks and watched the proceedings while surely like All Good general managers he was count ing the House. Attendance that night came to 2,734, in a Ball Park that holds about 3.700. In was the second largest crowd of the said Sieve Sampsill the Bills Public relations director. The first Best crowd thai was when we rallied off a used the re enactment of the play a Cal off splendidly. Wearing dress jeans with a dinner jackal i was t sure what 10 Wear for the potato he said Brusnahan once again went Back to the dugout under the pretence of gelling a new Mill taking one in which he had placed a peeled White potato resumed to the plate hid inc potato in his hand caught a pitch and then threw the potato Brrandy bul on purpose to third. The Pilcher who threw the fateful Pilch Mike Prochl is still with Williamsport. Of her than having the Umpire Rule thai the run should score i thought in was a great idea Prochl said. To Many in still is. Recalling his ceremonial night last week Bresnahan said of Man in was Awe some. They had a High school band there and the mayor of Williamsport presented me with the key to the cily and a fan read a poem like Casey Al inc bal. But about a potato. And then they retired my num Ber for throwing a potato. In was All kind of bul kind of touching Loo. They unveiled my name and number smack in the Center of inc Center Field Fence he said. Number s9. No one would Ever Wear thai number Here again not that anyone would want when Bresnahan stepped to Home plate to thank the Bills and the fans he received a standing ovation. He had i prepared a speech preferring he said to Wing i remember a Black and White film of Lou ceh Rig when his number was Bresnahan told the crowd. He said he fell like the Luck isl Man Onishe face of the Earth. I feel luckier because Gehrig had to hit .340 and relay in More than 2,000 conc utile games to gel his number retired. All i had to do is hit less than Iso and throw a then the fans cheered and the band played an the game started and Dave Brusnahan climbed into inc stands where he autographed baseballs and pro Grams and hundreds of Poi ii s. The new tort to Mil Coleman steals show against rival mets by the associated press stats Vince Coleman of St. Louis has a career 35-for-35 sea Mark against the mils. He stole his 27lh and 28lh of the season in the cardinals 4-1 Victory Over new York tuesday night. That kind of Speed counters the mets Power in inc National Easl race. The Meis showed i monday night when Darryl Strawberry s Homer if cd new York to a 6-2 Iris Mari. Pittsburgh s Barry Bonds is on a Pace to have the lowest number of runs batted in by a player to hit 30 or More homers. He has 11 homers and 20 Bis. At thai Pace he would finish with 38 homers and 59 Bis. Cleveland s Brook Jacoby had 32 homers and 69 Bis last season. Streaks Toronto s Fred Mcgriff has gone 15 consecutive games without a Home run. Mcgriff leads the Blue jays with 10 Greg Maddux became the no s first id game Winner As Chicago Defeated Pittsburgh b-5 tuesday Maddux was for 14 with a 5.61 Era last season. Slumps Montreal s neat a Calpe has allowed 69 earned runs in 104 innings since inc All Star break last Yea for an Era of 5.88. Signings Steve Kemp released by Texas 10 Days ago signed a contract with inc rangers class aaa farm team at okla homa City of the class aaa american association. Kemp 33, refused assignment to the 89crs on May 26 and was released. On tuesday he rejoined the s9ers, for whom he played in 1987, s1del1nded Cleveland s Julio Franco had to leave the game for inc second Sirai Ghl night when his bruised right knee began to bother him in the top of he eighth. Franco injured the knee baseball notes May 30 when he made a running catch. Status san Francisco third base Man Kevin m Itchell. Forced to miss All three games of the Houston series won t Nee surgery on his swollen right knee. Mitchell Wascha mind at la Palo Alto Calif clinic and team physician Gordon Campbell found thai possible cartilage damage hurried out to be simple inflammation. Scouting Dave West pitched a two Hiller striking out eight Over eight innings to Lead Tidewater acts to a 2 0 triple a Alliance Victory Over Omaha royals tuesday night. Wisl overcame six walks and improved to 6-1. Speaking i m not making any excuses but i m no Keith Hernandez Oul there. I had i worked out Al first base All year and i had two hours to prepare. In was t Lair to me and in was t fair to Pitcher Tim Belcher. Most first base men make those the dodgers Danny a cup who made an error and missed several Cal Chable balls in . S 5-2 loss to Houston tuesday. Seasons june 9 1901 the new York giants set a major league record with a 3 a Hil alack against Cincinnati As icy beat the reds 25-13. Al Solbach of the giants went 6-for-7 with two doubles and four singles and scored four runs. 1914 Honus Wagner of the Pitts Burgh pirates became the first player in modern baseball to gel 3,000 hits. 1946 _ Mel Ott of the new York giants became the first manager to be ejected in both ends of a double header Darr l Strawberry Tow fives mels coach Sam Perlous after slugging Honor monday with the pin Burgh i Rales. The pirates won both games 2-1 and 5-1, 1963 Ernie Banks hit three homers for the Chicago cubs but they Losi 10 the dodgers 11-8. 1963 playing inc first sunday night game in major league history inc hous ton Colt 45s handed the giants their seventh Sirai Ghl loss 3-0. Turk Parrel and Skinny Brown pitched the shutout be fore 17,437 fans. Permission was granted be cause of the excessive heat in Houston during the Day. This was before the Astrodome was built. 1966 Rich Rollins Zoilo Var Sallis Tony Oliva Don Mincher and Harmo Killebrew homered in inc in seventh in Ning for inc Minnesota twins in a 9-4 Victory Over inc Kansas City athletics. 1970 Willie Horton of the Detroit tigers hit Ihrcke Home runs and drove in seven runs in an 8-3 Victory Over inc Milwaukee Brewers. 1986 Pic hrs Tom a Caver of the while sox 306 and Don Sulton of the Angels 298 had the highest composite win total to face each other since aug. 26, 1926, when Walter Johnson 406 faced red Faber 197sutton Beal the White sox 3-0
