Saberhagen Gets Some Good Advice, Then Let’s It Slide

Anyone who watched him at Cleveland High School wasn’t surprised by the base-running skills of Bret Saberhagen in his 11-0 World Series masterpiece.

In 1982, when he threw a no-hitter to beat Palisades, 13-0, in the City championship game, Saberhagen batted leadoff, scored twice and stole a base. That year, also playing shortstop, he hit .362.

In Kansas City’s six-run fifth inning Sunday night, Saberhagen bunted into an apparent double play, but his speed got him to first before the throw. After he reached base, first base coach Jose Martinez said to him, “Whatever happens next, don’t slide.”

No way, Jose.

Lonnie Smith followed with a double and Saberhagen raced all the home to score--on a slide, naturally.

Dizzy Dean, an 11-0 winner for St. Louis in the seventh game of the 1934 World Series against Detroit, made his mark on the bases in the fourth game when he was inserted as a pinch-runner.

Running to second on an apparent double-play ball, he was hit on the head by the throw of Detroit shortstop Billy Rogell and had to be carried off the field.

Said the headline the next day: “Dizzy Hit on Head; X-Rays Show Nothing.”

For What It’s Worth: Lonnie Smith, who played for Philadelphia in 1980 and St. Louis in 1982, is only the fourth player to play on World Series winners with three different franchises. The others were first baseman Stuffy McInnis, pitcher Joe Bush and catcher Wally Schang. All three played for the Philadelphia A’s in 1913 and Boston Red Sox in 1918. Bush and Schang played for the 1923 New York Yankees, and McInnis played for the 1925 Pittsburgh Pirates.

Trivia Time: Name a player who played for three different franchises that all lost in the World Series. (Answer below.)

When the World Series checks are delivered, look for Mrs. Lonnie Smith to remind her husband of what he said in June, a month after he had been traded from St. Louis to Kansas City.

“The American League stinks,” he said. “The pitchers are afraid of a challenge. They try to finesse you to death. I’d like to be back in the National League. I didn’t want to leave St. Louis. My wife had to talk me out of retirement.”

Noble Saberhagen of Reseda was delighted last Saturday when he heard that brother Bret had become a father, but he still blushes when people call him “uncle.”

Noble is 10 years old.

Now-it-can-be-told dept.: George Brett revealed that he and St. Louis Manager Whitey Herzog sat together Sunday at the football game between the Kansas City Chiefs and Denver Broncos at Arrowhead Stadium. They were guests of one of the Chiefs executives in his luxury suite.

“I left early,” said Brett, “because I wanted to get in some extra batting practice.”

That night, Brett got four hits, only one less than Whitey’s entire team.

Trivia Answer: Eddie Stanky. He was a three-time loser with the 1947 Brooklyn Dodgers, 1948 Boston Braves and 1951 New York Giants. Also, Fred Merkle, with the 1911-12-13 New York Giants, 1916 Brooklyn Dodgers and 1918 Chicago Cubs.

Quotebook

Lou Piniella, new manager of the New York Yankees, recalling an argument he had with umpire Armando Rodriguez: “I cussed him out in Spanish, and he threw me out in English.”