In honour of Halloween (bonus points to anyone who can provide the etymology of the name), this thread will be devoted to the worst, most horrifying, scariest, most blood-curdling thing you've ever seen a baseball player or team do. Was it Disco Demolition Night at Comiskey Park? Bill Buckner not bending down quite far enough? Steve Rogers throwing a fastball down the pipe to Rick Monday? Boston trading Jeff Bagwell for Larry Andersen? Gord Ash giving Homer Bush a three-year contract? Terrify us all!
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I know this isn't what you were looking for, but the scariest thing I've ever seen on the diamond is when one of my teammates was hit in the nose with a fastball. There was blood *EVERYWHERE*. I was 15 or 16 at the time and it scared the hell out of me.
Nothing in pro baseball immediately comes to mind, other than maybe the Gamboa incident.
The scariest thing I've ever seen in pro sports was the Clink Malarchuk injury.
I know this isn't what you were looking for, but the scariest thing I've ever seen on the diamond is when one of my teammates was hit in the nose with a fastball. There was blood *EVERYWHERE*. I was 15 or 16 at the time and it scared the hell out of me.
Nothing in pro baseball immediately comes to mind, other than maybe the Gamboa incident.
The scariest thing I've ever seen in pro sports was the Clink Malarchuk injury.
This man let this man play 76 games in the outfield in 1998.
I have seen this man play shortstop on a major legaue field.
Finally...
Boogedy-boogedy!
I have seen this man play shortstop on a major legaue field.
Finally...
Boogedy-boogedy!
I will stick with the Jays:
1. Signing Mark Lemongello for the 1979 season--PSYCHO!!!
2. Giving a long-term contract to Danny Ainge--talk about terrible 3rd basemen!
3. Signing a 13-year old kid (Jimy Kelly) in 1984. Kelly was playing in the Gulf Coast League at 14. The kid was washed up before he was 20. In the same vein, remember the big bucks spent on teenage phenoms Jose Pett and Jossephang Bernhardt? I feel bad for those kids, who talents were exploited way too soon!
4. Three words: Dong Wong Choi...
5. Finally, the cruel treatment at the end towards Kelly Gruber.
Hope I brought back some memories...
1. Signing Mark Lemongello for the 1979 season--PSYCHO!!!
2. Giving a long-term contract to Danny Ainge--talk about terrible 3rd basemen!
3. Signing a 13-year old kid (Jimy Kelly) in 1984. Kelly was playing in the Gulf Coast League at 14. The kid was washed up before he was 20. In the same vein, remember the big bucks spent on teenage phenoms Jose Pett and Jossephang Bernhardt? I feel bad for those kids, who talents were exploited way too soon!
4. Three words: Dong Wong Choi...
5. Finally, the cruel treatment at the end towards Kelly Gruber.
Hope I brought back some memories...
I do not remember what year it was (mid-90's), but Moises Alou sustained an ankle injury trying to beat out an infield hit. His foot was turned 90 degrees from where it ought to have been.
I know this isn't what you were looking for, but the scariest thing I've ever seen on the diamond is when one of my teammates was hit in the nose with a fastball.
The scariest thing I've ever seen on the diamond was someone getting hit in the eye with a line drive, with a huge cut above the eye. There was blood everywhere and spine tingling screams from the injured party. "My eye! I lost my eye! I'm blind."
The worst part: I was the batter.
Horrible. The eye wasn't lost or even injured and the cut only required 2 stitches to close. But I still felt pretty awful.
Which leads me to the scariest thing I've ever seen on a major league baseball field...Bryce Florie's eye after HE was hit with a line drive. That time, I was not the batter.
"Halloween" comes from "All Hallows Even" which really means All Saints Eve.
The scariest thing I've ever seen on the diamond was someone getting hit in the eye with a line drive, with a huge cut above the eye. There was blood everywhere and spine tingling screams from the injured party. "My eye! I lost my eye! I'm blind."
The worst part: I was the batter.
Horrible. The eye wasn't lost or even injured and the cut only required 2 stitches to close. But I still felt pretty awful.
Which leads me to the scariest thing I've ever seen on a major league baseball field...Bryce Florie's eye after HE was hit with a line drive. That time, I was not the batter.
"Halloween" comes from "All Hallows Even" which really means All Saints Eve.
"Halloween" comes from "All Hallows Even" which really means All Saints Eve.
Correctomundo! All Saints Eve, of course, refers to the fact that November 1 is All Saints Day (Nov. 2, incidentally, is All Souls Day).
Some of us know this because some us were born on All Saints Day. Which is tomorrow. Just mentioning that in passing.
Correctomundo! All Saints Eve, of course, refers to the fact that November 1 is All Saints Day (Nov. 2, incidentally, is All Souls Day).
Some of us know this because some us were born on All Saints Day. Which is tomorrow. Just mentioning that in passing.
Malarchuk and Moises Alou still disturb me... the stuff of nightmares are the pitchers who manage to break their arms while delivering a pitch... Tom Browing, Tony Saunders (twice!). Those are tough to watch.
I was at the Murph in San Diego watching a Dodgers game in 1976 when a large piece of Bill Russell's shattered bat impaled Steve Yeager's throat while he was kneeling in the on-deck circle. I suppose if you saw it on TV, it would have been bad enough, but in the park, there was real concern for his life. It was horrifying.
Two guys who broke their legs in the vicinity of first base come to mind. I'm not going to say Jason Kendall's injury was worse than Moises Alou's; both were gruesome.
On a lighter "Count Floyd" note, Gord Ash, the model for Dr. Evil, made me shiver when he threw boatloads of money at Gonzalez, Bush, Hamilton and the like. Carlos Tosca using three lefty pitchers in one inning is pretty scary.
Two guys who broke their legs in the vicinity of first base come to mind. I'm not going to say Jason Kendall's injury was worse than Moises Alou's; both were gruesome.
On a lighter "Count Floyd" note, Gord Ash, the model for Dr. Evil, made me shiver when he threw boatloads of money at Gonzalez, Bush, Hamilton and the like. Carlos Tosca using three lefty pitchers in one inning is pretty scary.
The scariest thing I've ever seen, anywhere, is the Phillie Phanatic.
*wets his pants*
*wets his pants*
On a lighter "Count Floyd" note, Gord Ash, the model for Dr. Evil, made me shiver
Was anyone at the game where Ash dressed up as Dr. Evil and did the pinky to the mouth evil laughter thing on the Jumbotron? That performance was pure horror.
Was anyone at the game where Ash dressed up as Dr. Evil and did the pinky to the mouth evil laughter thing on the Jumbotron? That performance was pure horror.
Thought of one more:
Does anyone remember lefty Stan Clarke and his meltdowns?
Does anyone remember lefty Stan Clarke and his meltdowns?
Paul Quantrill snowmobiling
Kelly Gruber water skiing
Jeff Kent doing wheelies
Wade Boggs putting on his boots
Sasaki lifting luggage
Kelly Gruber water skiing
Jeff Kent doing wheelies
Wade Boggs putting on his boots
Sasaki lifting luggage
To add to Gerry's list:
Kirk Gibson getting bit by his dog
Glenallen Hill having a nightmare (and getting cut by glass?)
John Smoltz burning his chest while ironing his shirt
Ahh screw it... The baseball injury hall of fame:
http://outofbounds.homestead.com/injury.html
Kirk Gibson getting bit by his dog
Glenallen Hill having a nightmare (and getting cut by glass?)
John Smoltz burning his chest while ironing his shirt
Ahh screw it... The baseball injury hall of fame:
http://outofbounds.homestead.com/injury.html
Glenallen Hill having a nightmare (and getting cut by glass?)
He ran from the dream spiders and fell into a glass coffee table.
So they say.
He ran from the dream spiders and fell into a glass coffee table.
So they say.
Was anyone at the game where Ash dressed up as Dr. Evil and did the pinky to the mouth evil laughter thing on the Jumbotron? That performance was pure horror.
Aaah! I was. Austin Powers night at the Dome. Probably the least fun I'll ever have at a sporting event.
Second-least fun: early 2002, I was in Toronto for a weekend and I caught the Jays-Twins game. Some guy in the front row of the 500 level bellowed (and I mean bellowed) "Cor-ey, Cor-ey" to presumably taunt Corey Koskie. All...game...long.
As for scary, the first time I saw Frank Thomas, in person, from a 100-level seat gave me the chills as a Jays fan. Seeing his size and knowing his ability, I thought he'd hit it 600 feet in his first at-bat. Turns out, only about 420.
Mark McGwire, Game 2, 1992 ALCS. Ninth inning against Henke, one run in, one runner on, 3-1 Jays. Mac hit a ball WAY into the 500 level, but just foul, before he flied out to right. With the A's already up 1-0 in the series, that was pretty scary.
Aaah! I was. Austin Powers night at the Dome. Probably the least fun I'll ever have at a sporting event.
Second-least fun: early 2002, I was in Toronto for a weekend and I caught the Jays-Twins game. Some guy in the front row of the 500 level bellowed (and I mean bellowed) "Cor-ey, Cor-ey" to presumably taunt Corey Koskie. All...game...long.
As for scary, the first time I saw Frank Thomas, in person, from a 100-level seat gave me the chills as a Jays fan. Seeing his size and knowing his ability, I thought he'd hit it 600 feet in his first at-bat. Turns out, only about 420.
Mark McGwire, Game 2, 1992 ALCS. Ninth inning against Henke, one run in, one runner on, 3-1 Jays. Mac hit a ball WAY into the 500 level, but just foul, before he flied out to right. With the A's already up 1-0 in the series, that was pretty scary.
Here's one that still gives me chills: Candy Maldonado throwing home too late, and high, way high, over everything, in the playoffs against Atlanta in '92, and only a leaping tip-of-the-webbing leap by the catcher kept the go-ahead run from scoring. To this day, I shudder at how close that was.
Two More (From 1989)
1. Jose Canseco hitting the first 500 level home run at the dome ('89 playoffs)--I was there! The dome went silent.
2. My last game at Exhibition Stadium (the Saturday before the final game on Sunday--May '89)). Despite the cold, wind, and rain, I still miss that place more than anything!
1. Jose Canseco hitting the first 500 level home run at the dome ('89 playoffs)--I was there! The dome went silent.
2. My last game at Exhibition Stadium (the Saturday before the final game on Sunday--May '89)). Despite the cold, wind, and rain, I still miss that place more than anything!
Genuinely scary: Tony Saunders blowing out his arm throwing a pitch. I was watching the game (it was against the Rangers) and screamed "OH, !" the half-second the ball left his hand. Everyone knew instantly that he'd done something horribly wrong.
Also scary: The Rangers trading Wilson Alvarez and Sammy Sosa for Harold Baines and Freddy Manrique, then trading Baines a year later for Scott Chiamparino and Joe Bitker. Yep.
Kinda scary: Just about any player's haircut during the 1970s.
Scary, yet funny: Kevin Reimer and Pete Incaviglia in the same outfield in 1990.
Also scary: The Rangers trading Wilson Alvarez and Sammy Sosa for Harold Baines and Freddy Manrique, then trading Baines a year later for Scott Chiamparino and Joe Bitker. Yep.
Kinda scary: Just about any player's haircut during the 1970s.
Scary, yet funny: Kevin Reimer and Pete Incaviglia in the same outfield in 1990.
err, that was supposed to be "OH, EXPLETIVE!" Oh, well.
The earthquake during the Bay Area World Series was pretty scary. I remember the announcer (it may have been Costas) saying that something appeared to be wrong and then the TV signal cutting out. I turned to the news channel which of course confirmed the earthquake. The thought of 50,000 baseball fans in a large concrete stadium during a quake was very scary.
C'mon seeing Bill Caudill stroll out of the pen has to be the scariest Jays memory ever!
Jordan, Roy Lee: singing, pitching or both.
You can't have a Blue Jay Halloween without Jonathan Dead Seagull. You've got the carcass, you've got the evil laugh as the cops charge Winfield.
You can't have a Blue Jay Halloween without Jonathan Dead Seagull. You've got the carcass, you've got the evil laugh as the cops charge Winfield.
Montreal's gutting of their farm system in 2002.
1. Trade Grady Sizemore, Cliff Lee, and Brandon Phillips, your three best prospects, for Bartolo Colon.
2. In the offseason, trade Colon for Orlando Hernandez, Rocky Biddle, and Jeff Liefer.
For those of you keeping track at home, that nets out to Sizemore, Lee, and Phillips for Orlando, Biddle, and Liefer.
Awful, just awful.
Random interesting fact:
Duane Ward and John Smoltz were both acquired using Doyle Alexander.
1. Trade Grady Sizemore, Cliff Lee, and Brandon Phillips, your three best prospects, for Bartolo Colon.
2. In the offseason, trade Colon for Orlando Hernandez, Rocky Biddle, and Jeff Liefer.
For those of you keeping track at home, that nets out to Sizemore, Lee, and Phillips for Orlando, Biddle, and Liefer.
Awful, just awful.
Random interesting fact:
Duane Ward and John Smoltz were both acquired using Doyle Alexander.
A few personal experiences:
1. Watching a kid go into third base indecisively. He ended up doing a half slide and by the end, he had bones sticking out of each arm.
2. In the on deck circle, I'm swinging a bat, friend walks behind me, didn't say anything, so I take my cut and he ends up with a bat in the forhead.
3. This is actually more funny than anything else. I was taking BP off live pitching and the pitcher throws inside but instead of doing the smart thing, I put my forearm up over my face and walk away with the seams of a baseball imprinted on my arm for a week.
4. Last game my 2002 season, we win we get into the playoffs, a loss ends the season. Tied game, final inning. Shortstop gets up, hits the longest ball he'd ever hit (and never will hit one further again in his life), but he misses first. When he gets home, the umpire says the game's over (we were the home team), negating any appeal that our opponents would have made and we went on to live a few more days.
5. Can't recall the pitcher but someone from the A's bullpen threw a pitch at SkyDome that went OVER the screen and into the stands.
1. Watching a kid go into third base indecisively. He ended up doing a half slide and by the end, he had bones sticking out of each arm.
2. In the on deck circle, I'm swinging a bat, friend walks behind me, didn't say anything, so I take my cut and he ends up with a bat in the forhead.
3. This is actually more funny than anything else. I was taking BP off live pitching and the pitcher throws inside but instead of doing the smart thing, I put my forearm up over my face and walk away with the seams of a baseball imprinted on my arm for a week.
4. Last game my 2002 season, we win we get into the playoffs, a loss ends the season. Tied game, final inning. Shortstop gets up, hits the longest ball he'd ever hit (and never will hit one further again in his life), but he misses first. When he gets home, the umpire says the game's over (we were the home team), negating any appeal that our opponents would have made and we went on to live a few more days.
5. Can't recall the pitcher but someone from the A's bullpen threw a pitch at SkyDome that went OVER the screen and into the stands.
Coach and I have discussed this before, but I too was at that game in San Diego when Yeager, quite literally, nearly died. That Coach and I were at the game is just another of those odd coincidences in life. I was young, but the tension in the stadium was palpable.
As a high school senior, I was also at a game in Oakland when a fan took a tumble over a railing, falling from the second deck down to the box seats -- about 30 or so feet. That was freaky, and I never did hear what happened to the fan.
On the lighter side, the funniest/oddest thing I have ever seen at a baseball game was actually something I saw on TV. With a runner on third base, Billy Ripken, then with Baltimore, fouled a ball viciously off his leg against the Rangers, in Texas. The ball ended up dribbling down the third base line, and the runner from third, not realizing it was foul, broke for home. The third baseman (Steve Buechele?), collected the ball and fired it home -- where it drilled Ripken, who was hunched over in pain.
I suppose it wasn't too funny to Ripken, just as it wasn't funny whenever I was spiked. For those of you have never played baseball with real spikes, let me just say that I have a great respect for those middle infielders who routinely turn those double plays in the face of 30 tiny blades aimed at their ankles and knees. It HURTS when you're spiked, plain and simple.
As a high school senior, I was also at a game in Oakland when a fan took a tumble over a railing, falling from the second deck down to the box seats -- about 30 or so feet. That was freaky, and I never did hear what happened to the fan.
On the lighter side, the funniest/oddest thing I have ever seen at a baseball game was actually something I saw on TV. With a runner on third base, Billy Ripken, then with Baltimore, fouled a ball viciously off his leg against the Rangers, in Texas. The ball ended up dribbling down the third base line, and the runner from third, not realizing it was foul, broke for home. The third baseman (Steve Buechele?), collected the ball and fired it home -- where it drilled Ripken, who was hunched over in pain.
I suppose it wasn't too funny to Ripken, just as it wasn't funny whenever I was spiked. For those of you have never played baseball with real spikes, let me just say that I have a great respect for those middle infielders who routinely turn those double plays in the face of 30 tiny blades aimed at their ankles and knees. It HURTS when you're spiked, plain and simple.
Dave Dravecky's comeback, August '89, in Montreal.
Watching John Hirshbeck "catch the taste" from Robbie Alomar.
Missing the triple play against Atlanta in '92.
Watching John Hirshbeck "catch the taste" from Robbie Alomar.
Missing the triple play against Atlanta in '92.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but Alou's injury was between first and second, wasn't it? He was stealing, or moving on a ball that was caught or something of the sort and when he turned back his spikes got caught. That's how I recalled it anyway. The most frightening thing I've seen in person was in a QMJHL game. The first time the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles were in the playoffs, and overage defenseman Bord Sorlie was checked from behind into the boards. I ran to ice level from the upper bowl (not a long run...a 4,000 seat building) into the corner where he was hit. There were about 50 kids along the stairs watching for him to get up. Eventually, he did, and he's still playing hockey somewhere.
The Chicago White SOx' short shorts from the '70's
My most horrifying professional sports moment was Bryan Berard's eye injury - I wasn't at the game, but just watching the telecast and seeing the blood spurting out of his eye was sickening.
Also in hockey - the Habs Trent McCleary getting hit in the throat a few years ago was pretty bad. The trainer performed an emergency tracheotomy and saved his life.
As to moments I've personally witnessed, I was the catcher (at age 8 or 9) of a sandlot game when a close friend of mine wandered near the on-deck batter and got a mouth full of aluminum. Blood and teeth were everywhere.
Also in hockey - the Habs Trent McCleary getting hit in the throat a few years ago was pretty bad. The trainer performed an emergency tracheotomy and saved his life.
As to moments I've personally witnessed, I was the catcher (at age 8 or 9) of a sandlot game when a close friend of mine wandered near the on-deck batter and got a mouth full of aluminum. Blood and teeth were everywhere.
With regards to the most freakish injury, I think it's hard to top Willis McGahee's leg injury in last year's orange(?) bowl. I've never seen a leg in that position before.
A, this is about your second point.
I did say something, you just didn't hear me, don't try to make me look stupid ;)
Anyways, how about when Jason Kendall twisted his foot trying to run out a play to first. The after shots of him on the ground were scary, his foot wasn't pointing in the direction it was suppose to.
I did say something, you just didn't hear me, don't try to make me look stupid ;)
Anyways, how about when Jason Kendall twisted his foot trying to run out a play to first. The after shots of him on the ground were scary, his foot wasn't pointing in the direction it was suppose to.
My most horrifying professional sports moment was Bryan Berard's eye injury - I wasn't at the game, but just watching the telecast and seeing the blood spurting out of his eye was sickening
Ironically, this event seemed anything but sickening to most people at the game.
The way I remember it, a small cheer went out throughout the Corel Centre when Berard went down, as it the seriousness of the injury wasn't immediately obvious. Fans at the Corel Centre had, as had been done for years, spent the entire game to that point boo-ing everytime Berard touched the puck. Berard was pretty much "public enemy #1" at the CC before the incident, which made it especially ironic that the incident had to occur there.
Suffice to say, the incident made it pretty uncomfortable to those of us who had been boo-ing Berard. (Most of the booing was more for "fun" than anything at that point).
Rarely has the phrase "it's all fun and games until someone loses an eye" had such relevance...
Ironically, this event seemed anything but sickening to most people at the game.
The way I remember it, a small cheer went out throughout the Corel Centre when Berard went down, as it the seriousness of the injury wasn't immediately obvious. Fans at the Corel Centre had, as had been done for years, spent the entire game to that point boo-ing everytime Berard touched the puck. Berard was pretty much "public enemy #1" at the CC before the incident, which made it especially ironic that the incident had to occur there.
Suffice to say, the incident made it pretty uncomfortable to those of us who had been boo-ing Berard. (Most of the booing was more for "fun" than anything at that point).
Rarely has the phrase "it's all fun and games until someone loses an eye" had such relevance...
How about the trade that Gillick got overruled on by Bavasi supposedly, Bill Singer was selected by the Blue Jays in the expansion draft , he was almost traded to the Yankees in exchange for Ron Guidry after he was selected.
That hurts thinking of what Guidry could have done for the Jays.
That hurts thinking of what Guidry could have done for the Jays.
With regards to the most freakish injury, I think it's hard to top Willis McGahee's leg injury in last year's orange(?) bowl. I've never seen a leg in that position before.
I think that Lawrence Taylor putting the hurt on Joe Theisman topped that. As far as baseball injuries go, the most gruesome one that I've seen was Bryce Florie trying to catch line drive smash wth his nose.
Hi, Craig!
I think that Lawrence Taylor putting the hurt on Joe Theisman topped that. As far as baseball injuries go, the most gruesome one that I've seen was Bryce Florie trying to catch line drive smash wth his nose.
Hi, Craig!
BTW, that's Geiger Counter, not Geoger Counter.
Chris 'Crap-Bucket' Woodward playing short.
I don't know if I'll ever see anything so simultaneously scary and funny ever again in my life.
I don't know if I'll ever see anything so simultaneously scary and funny ever again in my life.
Hi GGC! Nice to see you.
I forgot to mention this.
I forgot to mention this.
Freel, Ryan 200,000.00
Michalak, Chris 200,000.00
Thompson, Andy 200,000.00
Beirne, Kevin 223,000.00
Woodward, Chris 223,000.00
Simmons, Brian 225,000.00
Castillo, Alberto 725,000.00
Koch, Bill 733,333.00
Frye, Jeff 1,000,000.00
Painter, Lance 1,000,000.00
Borbon, Pedro 1,500,000.00
Escobar, Kelvim 1,500,000.00
Quantrill, Paul 1,800,000.00
Stewart, Shannon 2,183,333.00
Plesac, Dan 2,200,000.00
Parris, Steve 2,275,000.00
Cruz, Jose 2,350,000.00
Fullmer, Brad 2,500,000.00
Bush, Homer 2,550,000.00
Carpenter, Chris 2,583,333.00
Sirotka, Mike 3,000,000.00
Batista, Tony 3,300,000.00
Fletcher, Darrin 3,525,000.00
Gonzalez, Alex 4,250,000.00
Loaiza, Esteban 4,250,000.00
Hamilton, Joey 7,250,000.00
Mondesi, Raul 11,500,000.00
Delgado, Carlos 13,650,000.00