This was a lot different than Lennys, Hassey said. I had a construction business for a long time, said Barker. len barker perfect game announcerscriminal minds a family affair erikacriminal minds a family affair erika On a cold, damp night in Cleveland, Barker pitched the tenth official perfect game in baseball history, defeating the Toronto Blue Jays, 3-0 (the game was originally reported as the ninth perfect game in major league baseball history until the league later changed the criteria for recognizing . They counted pitches, but they didnt take you out unless you were in trouble.. Warming the bow up slowly over a period of 5-10 minutes by drawing it further and further, the bow was brought to a 35 inch draw. Everybody was great.9 Hassey said, Every time he goes out there with a good curveball, hes got the chance for something like this. share-5. Not only did he record a perfect game, but he threw only 19 balls in the contest. Len Barker has pitched a perfect ball game. Thats when Indians starter Len Barker tossed Doug Rader ( Texas Rangers) On Sunday, September 30, 1984, Mike Witt of the California Angels threw a perfect game against the Texas Rangers at Arlington Stadium. He ended up only needing 103 pitches in the entire game. Cleveland hasnt had a no-hitter since Len Barker threw a perfect game against Toronto on May 15, 1981. Indeed, the reigning AL strikeout king didnt fan a single batter until the fourth inning. @indians (Bruce Drennan in dugout by then.) In the second inning Cleveland centerfielder Rick Manning had to make a long run to haul in a sinking liner off the bat of Damaso Garcia. Its breaking quick and hard. Barker never once reached ball three against any Blue Jay hitter. McKenzie said the same thing happened to him last Sunday. He threw 246 1/3 innings, leading the American League with 187 strikeouts and 14 wild pitches. 1 ago. (He took flak from Paul, but the policy would end.) Third Baseman Toby Harrah dove into the stands to catch a Willie Upshaw foul pop in the fifth. That was the pattern through the first three innings, in fact atom balls as Barker was, intentionally or not, pitching to contact. Rick has the longest tenure of Joe Tait called Len Baker's perfect game in 1981. Once in a while, I pitched well, Other times, I was throwing 80-82 mph.. Scores. The challenge was the footage often was defined generally - a label might say only "Indians.". I was in my second season as the Tribes baseball writer for the Plain Dealer. Six up, six down and on it went. Only eight Toronto batters got as much as a two-ball count. He also handled Len Barkers perfect game in 1981. PHILLIES 10, ANGELS 0 You The 24-year Bieber struck out 11. He grounded out and struck out in his two at-bats; in the ninth inning, he was pinch-hit for by Alvis Woods, who struck out. Finally, he needed surgery. Guerrero is on the Dominican Republic roster for this months World Baseball Classic. Not only is that the last perfect game in Tribe history, it's the last no-hitter by a Cleveland pitcher. UPDATED: 9:19 a.m. Monday, Aug. 26, to add upcoming air dates. He was placing it right where I aimed it. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. The game was a contrast of teams. From 1983 through 1987 he posted a 4.88 ERA while going 20-34. It would be delayed to Aug. 9. By 1981, he carried several starts into the fifth inning without allowing a hit. But I thought one of us would throw a no-hitter back then.. He last pitched in the majors for the Brewers in 1987, working in 11 games. Luis Leal started for Toronto. Leonard Harold Barker III (born July 7, 1955) is a former Major League Baseball right-handed starting pitcher. Barker was a big league pitcher for 11 seasons. Then Al Woods, batting for Danny Ainge yes, that Danny Ainge struck out on three pitches. Beat writer Terry Pluto had a conflict that evening and the paper assigned a green reporter just two years out of Ohio University named Tony Grossi to write up the ballgame. I had both of them replaced. In one of the most rememberable images in Cleveland sports history were the Indians defeated the Toronto Blue Jays 3-0, Rick caught Ernie Whitts fly ball, on May 15, 1981, the final out of Len Barkers perfect game. "I was a kid, I was a teenager," said Underwood, 51. On Friday, May 15, 1981, Len Barker of the Cleveland Indians threw a perfect game against the Toronto Blue Jays at Cleveland Stadium, the 10th perfect game in Major League Baseball history. Barker's perfect game is the most recent no-hitter thrown by a Cleveland pitcher. Sports. Who could have foreseen that the Friday evening matchup between the Toronto Blue Jays and the Cleveland Indians would be such a historic game? Len Barker had a 15-11 record and a 3.90 ERA in 1982.Plain Dealer Historical Collection. foretees login broken sound; len barker perfect game announcers. He kept pitching through the pain. Dennis Manoloff (@dmansworld474) March 10, 2021 on SportsTime Ohio! His fastball was sizzling in the 95 mph range. during the first inning of The club was no-hit by Baltimores John Means in its previous home game May 5. He was the radio voice from 1973 to "I run into people almost every day who want to talk about it," Barker said in 2006. But I wondered, Would this guy have a big league attitude? It was just the opposite. Len Barker: May 15, 1981 Bettmann / Getty Images Barker was the first pitcher to throw a perfect game against an opposing team that was using the designated hitter. Munch Bishop: A man with a big heart has major heart surgery. That got WKSU sports commentator Terry Pluto thinking back to the last time a Cleveland pitcher did it: Lenny Barkers perfect game in 1981. Let's break it down a bit further. Welcome to spring time in Cleveland. The game was. 15 Bruce Newman, Sports Illustrated, May 25, 1981. Or a baserunner in what became Clevelands 11-0 victory over Detroit on Aug. 15. In the fourth inning, Barker struck out Moseby and Bell, his first two strikeouts of the game. That didnt pan out for them, and they released him before the 1986 season. broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. He and his wife Eva are the parents of Jared, Blake, and Jacob. The first was thrown by Addie Joss on October 2, 1908, against Chicago. Len Barker in 2010, his first season at Notre Dame College when he was the pitching coach. Len Barker had just thrown the 10th perfect game in major-league history. If they did, the late Joe Tait and Bruce Drennan called the action on Channel 43. Cleveland Indians pitcher Len Barker, center, is mobbed by teammates on the mound after the Neshaminy High School graduate pitched a perfect game against the Toronto Blue Jays on May 15, 1981. . Register now to join us on March 10-12, 2023, in Phoenix, AZ. He noticed Barker drop the ball and said, he was so nervous. Rick Manning made a superb running catch in center. The final out of the game was a flyout caught by Rick Manning in short center field. On May 15, 1981, Len Barker of the Cleveland Indians threw a perfect game against the Toronto Blue Jays at Cleveland Stadium, the tenth perfect game in Major League Baseball history. Barker was traded, along with Bobby Bonds, from the Rangers to the Indians for Jim Kern and Larvell Blanks on October 3, 1978. [2] Barker never once reached ball three against any Blue Jay hitter. The final out of the game was a fly ball caught by Rick Manning in short center field. Joe Tait (L) with fellow Cleveland Indians broadcaster Bruce Drennan, called the play-by-play at Cleveland Municipal Stadium. Barker then retired Lloyd Moseby and George Bell to end the first. Least of all could Indians starting pitcher Len Barker. Len Barker being mobbed on the field, the Cleveland Indians win it, 3-0. I say, 'No, it's something to be proud of.' Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. The battery mate for Barker that evening was Ron Hassey, who went on to catch another perfect game later in his career with pitcher, Dennis Martinez, in 1991. More Local News to Love Start today for 50% off Expires 3/6/23. More From This Game. Watch. He spent his first 8 years of his 13-year Major League career with the Indians (1975-83), where he won the Gold Glove in 1976. Manning has the longest tenure of any television announcer in team history. He has been at the school since 2010, when he started as pitching coach. Some teammates called him Large Lenny.. More than 700 games weren't played for two months that summer as players and owners wrestled over free-agency compensation. Barker pitched for the Texas Rangers (197678), Cleveland Indians (197983), Atlanta Braves (198385) and Milwaukee Brewers (1987). Barker did not pitch as well after the new contract was signed. At that time it was our job to get people in the park, and it still is.". He struck out on three pitches. He was so nervous. He completed eight of 36 starts. Ron Hassey singled home Hargrove for the second tally; both runs were unearned. In the seventh inning, Kuiper went to his left, took three steps, and then threw to first base to nip the speedy Griffin. Overall his 1982 season was probably his best, when he went 15-11 with a 3.90 ERA (106 ERA+). He was released at the end of 1986 spring training with three years remaining on his contract. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. "[5] The Indians have the longest active no-hitter drought in MLB. The Barker family currently resides in Geauga County east of Cleveland. Barker, however, basically flamed out. Barker throwing a no-hitter wasnt a huge surprise. Indeed, he had flirted with two no-hitters in 1980 before they were broken up late. His elbow also was starting to bother him. Tag: Len Barker Perfect Game FOD Fireballs Observations of the Day May 10th through 18th 2021. There's great footage here, including announcer Bruce Drennan interviewing Barker as a team rejoices. In his 30 seasons since 1990, Hamilton has called all 92 postseason games the Guardians have played over that span, including three World Series' (1995, 1997, 2016). Moseby was credited with a double. I was thinking about going up and pointing to center field to show Barker where I was going to hit the ball, said Whitt. The 1981 Blue Jays may have had a lot of easy outs in that lineup, but they had no easy-out pitchers. Barker was a hard thrower, who early in his career struggled with his control. Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Flipboard (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window). The celebration ensued. Barker had his perfect game. Associated Press file Len Barker signs autographs for fans on May 16, 1981, the day after he pitched a perfect game against the Toronto Blue Jays. As Ohio Governor Mike DeWine noted in a tweet offering condolences to Tait's wife Jean and family, Tait called Len Barker's perfect game in While Tait was best known for doing NBA basketball and Major League Baseball, he also called TV broadcasts of football games at University of Mount Union, and called some high school basketball games on Elyria radio station WEOL. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. Hassey, speaking to Sports Illustrated in 1981: By the fifth inning his breaking ball was so good we figured thats what wed pretty much stay with. The Indians havent completed a no-hitter since Len Barkers perfect game in 1981, the longest current drought in the majors. Thank you, Joe, for the decades of joy you have brought Cleveland sports fans, the Indians said in a posting. There's great footage of the Strat-O-Matic game held in the stadium - a creative response to the strike but a move not seen as favorable by league officials. On that cool night in Cleveland, Barker shut down the Blue Jays. 6-11-81 New York at White Sox (Last game before labor strike) WGN-TV broadcast. I helped do the work. Underwood cut his teeth on sports docs with his "Addie Joss: Revealed," in 2017, a brilliant short film detailing the well-liked Indians pitcher who threw the first perfect game in team history. 1981 LEN BARKER PERFECT GAME (DOWNLOADED with Black Border 7/10. Dave Garcia replaced left fielder Joe Charboneau with rookie Larry Littleton in the bottom of the ninth inning. Original Len Barker Perfect Game FULL TICKET 5/15 1981 Cleveland Indians Unused See original listing Condition: -- Ended: Feb 11, 2023 , 2:51PM Price: US $499.99 Best offer accepted Shipping: $9.85 Expedited Shipping Located in: Niles, Ohio, United States Seller: ( 20416 ) | Seller's other items Sell one like this Related sponsored items But my knees went. In December 2010, both Kuiper and Krukow signed six-year extensions to continue as Giants announcers. He signed with the Montreal Expos a few weeks later and spent the season with their top affiliate, the Indianapolis Indians. Meanwhile, Indians public-relations man Bob DiBiasio had his own challenges. On May 15, 1981, Manning caught Ernie Whitts fly ball, the final out of Len Barkers perfect game, in one of the most memorable images in Cleveland sports history; the In 1981 when Len Barker pitched a perfect game for Cleveland, Duane Kuiper was the second baseman. The slugger hit .274 with 32 homers and 97 RBIs in 160 games last year. Nick Chubbs contract extension: Browns fans gotta love it! He started out slow, Duncan said, but as he went along, his curve-ball got better and better. He followed that up by allowing one run in a complete game victory over the White Sox on May 2 and and allowed one run over eight in a no-decision on May 9. Cleveland hasnt had a no-hitter since Len Barker threw a perfect game against Toronto on May 15, 1981. Thank you, Joe, for the decades of joy you have brought Cleveland sports fans, the Indians said in a posting. In 1978, yet a third memorable wild pitch landed halfway up the screen behind Fenway Parks home plate. Bert Blyleven won 11 games and John Denny 10. The next two outs were groundouts. It wasnt breaking much, but the rotation was so tight it was almost the perfect curve.. He was anxious about his older brother, Chuck, who was flying in from Fort Lauderdale. Len Barker pitched the 10th perfect game in Major, Last edited on 20 February 2023, at 03:28, "Cleveland's Len Barker promised only a no-hitter", "Pitcher Perfect: Len Barker tosses MLB's ninth perfect game", "Thirty years later, Len Barker recalls perfect game", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Len_Barker%27s_perfect_game&oldid=1140450387, This page was last edited on 20 February 2023, at 03:28. Still, the night made him a legend here. He also has three children, Carly, Troy and Lyle with his previous wife, Bonnie. 1985. It was a mental thing. He then became a free agent. "It was sort of a coming-of-age time for me, the first time I recognized baseball was actually a business and not just a game.". Len Barker Cleveland Indians pitcher, pitched perfect game May 15, 1981 1979-1983 Municipal Stadium was largely empty the night Indians pitcher Len Barker blanked the Toronto Blue Jays. I had just picked up a writing award when someone came to our table and said, Its the seventh inning, Barkers got a no-hitter going. Meanwhile, Barkers father-in-law, Bill Elwell, was having trouble picking up the broadcast of the game at his home in Norristown, Pennsylvania. Twenty-three up, twenty-three down. The Indians havent completed a no-hitter since Len Barkers [] Wish You Were Here Productions and The Don Larsen Foundation held a "Perfect Evening" supporting The Don Larsen Foundation and celebrating the 50th anniversary of Don's legendary World Series Perfect Game. Mike Hargrove reached first on a fielding error by first baseman John Mayberry. In 1981, Pluto was in his second year writing for The Plain Dealer. After his playing career, Barker returned to the Cleveland area and founded a construction company with a business partner. Barkers mother, Emogene McCurry, was listening to the game from her home in Trevose, Pennsylvania. Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (each updated 1/26/2023). (Milo Stewart Jr./National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum) He reached a two-ball count on only eight Toronto batters. The Indians finished .500 or better just twice that decade. That was a bit deceptive, however, as his ERA was an unremarkable 4.17 (99 ERA+) and he had also led the league in wild pitches. I really enjoy it.. Why not? thought Barker. 10-3-81 Minnesota at White Sox (Sox win on walk off walk) WGN-TV broadcast (It has become an old wives tale, in a Im happy to say I was not one of the 72,290(!) "Everyone says, 'You're probably tired of talking about it.' Cleveland hasnt had one since Len Barkers perfect game on May 15, 1981, against the Toronto Blue Jays. Indians president Gabe Paul's policy of not allowing women in the clubhouse was broken that night when DiBiasio escorted Toronto sportswriter Alison Gordon into the clubhouse.