Spuds Is a Hero to Some

Remember Dave Bresnahan? You know--”Spuds” Bresnahan, former catcher for the Class AA Williamsport (Pa.) Bills, a Cleveland Indians farm club.

At the end of last season, the Bills were 27 games out of first place and Bresnahan was hitting about .148 and was not much longer for baseball.

What the heck, he thought, let’s have some fun.

A Reading Phillie was on third when Bresnahan took the pitch, stood and, in an apparent pick-off attempt, fired what appeared to be the baseball over the third baseman’s head and into left field.

The runner bolted for home, where Bresnahan, with the real baseball, tagged him out.

Everyone was amused except the umpire, Bresnahan’s manager and the parent Cleveland Indians. The run scored and Spuds was benched immediately, fined $50 and, two days later, released.

Monday night they made him a hero.

The Bills retired the former catcher’s number in ceremonies that drew a capacity crowd of 3,500 people who paid $1 and a potato for admission. They saw a re-enactment of the play and read tributes to Bresnahan, who signed potatoes.

Bresnahan’s number, 59, will be the only number to hang on the outfield fence at Bowman Field.

“Baseball purists asked why,” Bills General Manager Rick Mundean said. “He made a travesty of the game. But we think Dave did something that is the essence of baseball: He had fun with it. At a time when the business of baseball dominates the headlines, he brought baseball back to the field.”

Would you believe it?: The Baltimore Orioles were averaging 20,466 after the first 20 home dates. The Cleveland Indians, playing .600 ball and among the leaders in the American League East, averaged 12,494 in their first 19 games at home.

You make the call: Adrian Dantley of the Detroit Pistons was trying to inbound the ball with an alley-oop pass to John Salley near the basket with 50 seconds remaining and the score 78-78 against the Boston Celtics Monday.

Salley leaped for a tip but the pass went into the basket.

Did it count? (Answer below.)

This has been a historic day in baseball.

In 1925, Lou Gehrig of the Yankees batted for Pee Wee Wanninger in the eighth inning and replaced Wally Pipp at first base to start his streak of 2,130 consecutive games.

In 1951, Cleveland’s Bob Feller pitched his third career no-hitter, beating the Detroit Tigers, 2-1.

In 1975, Nolan Ryan, then of the Angels, pitched his fourth career no-hitter, tying Sandy Koufax’s record and beating the Baltimore Orioles, 1-0. It also was Ryan’s 100th major league victory.

You-make-the-call answer: It was quickly ruled no basket by the officials and Boston received possession and won, 79-78.

“I’m glad the officials saw it,” Celtic forward Larry Bird said. “That’s a play you definitely don’t want to beat you.”

If the National Basketball Assn. championship series goes the full seven games, it will end June 21. Last year’s final between the Lakers and Celtics ended in six games on June 14, the latest any NBA season has concluded.

Don’t make any plans.

Quotebook

Larry Nelson, the 1987 PGA champion, on why pro golf hasn’t had a major drug scandal: “You can’t make a 30-footer at Muirfield on drugs.”