The only MLB pitcher to record 100 saves and 100 complete games

[Diamond_Dog]

Dennis Eckersley

https://www.mlb.com/news/dennis-eckersley-top-career-moments?partnerId=zh-20220228-553338-mlb-1-A&qid=1026&utm_id=zh-20220228-553338-mlb-1-A&bt_ee=VWVAmogXogA8AKPm6Uxh8%2BmFGPRxTf8ZOJERAjcMMNGyp5jptgu%2BaRZJmph5d2dD&bt_ts=1646060304201

[Auggie]

1. He almost broke Ty Cobb's record for consecutive hitless innings

https://www.mlb.com/news/longest-hitless-innings-streaks-in-mlb-history

Cobb's record? 24 consecutive hitless innings.

Eckersley went 21, 9 of which consisted of that no-hitter.

From the link:

Eckersley’s most dominant years were still down the road in Oakland, but to the hitters who faced him in late May 1977, Eck was stifling enough as it was.

Cleveland’s third-year righty channeled Young and the pitchers of yesteryear in a 12-inning complete-game win over the Mariners on May 25, holding Seattle hitless for the last seven frames of the ballgame. Eckersley returned to the Cleveland Stadium mound on May 30 and spun a no-hitter against the Angels, allowing only two baserunners via a walk and a dropped third strike. In his follow-up four days later at the Kingdome, Eckersley was channeling Vander Meer and on pace for back-to-back no-nos until Seattle’s Ruppert Jones finally homered with two outs in the sixth inning. Eck’s stretch got the nation’s attention, and helped earn him his first All-Star Game invitation.

I was following from college, not quite out of range of the mighty 50,000 watt WWWE, hanging on every pitch as described by Indians' play-by-play man Joe Tate. Fans wanted this soooooo bad.

Box score (no-hitter): https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/CLE/CLE197705300.shtml
Box score vs. Seattle: https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/SEA/SEA197706030.shtml

[Diamond_Dog]

3. Joe Tait on 3WE

When I was a kid I would listen to Tribe games on the radio with my dad out on the back porch on many a summer evening. Once I drew a picture of the two announcers as what I thought they looked like broadcasting a game. (Tait and Herb Score). I was probably around 7 or 8 Well my dad sent the drawing to Joe Tait without me knowing and he wrote me a very nice letter thanking me for the drawing. I wonder whatever happened to it, my mother probably threw it away!

Anyway … this brought a chuckle:

Fellow Hall of Fame pitcher Goose Gossage once said Eckersley “could hit a gnat in the butt with a pitch if he wanted to.”

Thank you for the box scores, Auggie. Exciting times.

[Bleacher Creature]

2. I would have guessed John Smoltz, but Eck makes just as much sense.

I want baseball back!!!

[Diamond_Dog]

4. My hubby guessed Smoltz first as well.

Think we’ll get to see Opening Day on time this year?

[rampartc]

5. eckersley was a great closer

one summer it seemed like every highlight show featured eckersley saving yet another game. here is the last batter he pitched to that year ......

[kairos12]

6. Excellent Trivia.