The Junkman and two more baseball droids

January 12, 2024

The final day of the 1976 baseball season was very exciting for the eight-year old that I was at the time. It was my first full season following the Cubs, whenever I could as the games were broadcast on WGN in Chicago. Baseball on TV generally wasn’t available in those days, aside from the Saturday “Game of the Week” on NBC. Seriously, there was a game on TV on a Saturday afternoon, and that was it. Except for the Cubs, and that’s what made me into a fan.

The team itself wasn’t too good that year, but a bright spot came in the form of third baseman Bill Madlock. He won the National league batting title in 1975, but entered the last day of the 1976 a few points behind Ken Griffey of the Cincinnati Reds. Griffey was sitting at .338, and Madlock was at .333.

The Reds, at the peak of their “Big Red Machine” days, had already wrapped up a division title. They had little to play for on a Sunday afternoon at home, and when Ken Griffey was left off the starting lineup that day, it seemed like he had the batting title in hand. At least until he didn’t. Madlock won four batting titles in his career, but the second one was by far the most dramatic one. And he, like John Milner, won a World Series ring with the 1979 Pittsburgh Pirates. Happy 73rd birthday to him today.

Also, I wanted to add a word about the card shown above. It was included in a set of cards that were available inside bags of Crane Potato Chips. I had it signed by Bill Madlock at an event long ago, but anytime I can present a card that wasn’t produced by Topps, I’m going to do it. The fact that the card is from 1976—the year of the batting title story told here—is accidental, but still pretty cool when you think about it.

Speaking of the 1976 season, the pitcher of the year, at least in the National League, was Randy Jones of the San Diego Padres. He won the National League’s Cy Young award that season, but it came with a price. When he took the mound for the final time that season, his team was 30 games behind Cincinnati and was just a game ahead of Atlanta for last in their division.

Is it any wonder that, after more than 310 innings pitched that year, “The Junkman” had to leave the game in the second inning that day? Or that he never again had a winning record for the seven seasons he pitched after that? Or that he’s the only Cy Young winner to retire with a losing record for his career? Still, that’s one more Cy Young Award more than I (and everyone else who reads this) will ever win. Happy 74th birthday to him today.

And lastly, Paul Reuschel occupies a singular place in baseball history. When he came on in relief for the Cubs in a game against the Pirates during his rookie season of 1975, his team trailed by the score of 22-0. His younger brother Rick Reuschel had started the game, and lasted a third of an inning while giving up eight earned runs. Other Cubs pitchers hadn’t fared much better, but at least Paul Reuschel wasn’t scored upon that day.

But Reuschel also faced Rennie Stennett, the Pirates’ leadoff hitter who was already 6-for-6 on the day. Stennett then tripled to right field, becoming the first (and still the only) major leaguer to collect seven hits in a nine-inning game. And just as nobody else had collected hit number seven, so too had nobody surrendered hit number seven, before Paul Reuschel. He had a five-year run in the majors and pitched for the Cubs as well as the Cleveland Indians. He finished with a 16-16 record for his career. Happy 77th birthday to him today.

That’s all for today. Until tomorrow…