Monday, June 15, 2015

Did Reggie steal on his own?


Yesterday at church the pastor used an illustration about Reggie Jackson stealing second base without Earl Weaver's permission. Reggie saw the opportunity and took it, but it didn't fit in with the manager's plans.  Lee May, the next batter, was walked.  The following batter wasn't strong so a pinch hitter was put in place, depleting Weaver's bench strength for the rest of the game.  You can read the illustration at SermonSearch.com, SermonCentral.com, and Bible.org.

The baseball side of my mind started to think.  This story could be verified.

Reggie Jackson stole 28 bases in 1976, the only year that he played for Earl Weaver.  I looked at RetroSheet.org and found those games.  Lee May only walked 41 times that season.  Found those games.  There were only eight games where they both happened.  Let's see if I can find the game.

For clarity I've highlighted in blue Reggie's steals and in yellow May's walks.

May 22, 1976
ORIOLES 3RD: Belanger tripled to right; R. Jackson was hit by a
pitch; L. May struck out; R. Jackson stole second; Muser singled
to center [Belanger scored, R. Jackson scored]; Singleton
singled to center [Muser to second]; CRAWFORD REPLACED COLEMAN
(PITCHING); Grich grounded into a double play (shortstop to
second to first) [Singleton out at second]; 2 R, 3 H, 0 E, 1
LOB.  Tigers 3, Orioles 4.

ORIOLES 9TH: SUTHERLAND REPLACED MEYER (PLAYING 2B); Mora
singled to left; BLAIR RAN FOR MORA; Belanger out on a sacrifice
bunt (pitcher to second) [Blair to second]; R. Jackson popped to
third in foul territory; L. May was walked intentionally; HARPER
BATTED FOR MUSER; Harper walked [Blair to third, L. May to
second]; Singleton homered [Blair scored, L. May scored, Harper
scored]; 4 R, 2 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Tigers 4, Orioles 8.

August 1, 1976
ORIOLES 4TH: R. Jackson walked; R. Jackson stole second; L. May
popped to catcher in foul territory; Singleton grounded out
(second to first) [R. Jackson to third]; DeCinces popped to
first in foul territory; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Tigers 0,
Orioles 1.

ORIOLES 8TH: MANUEL REPLACED OGLIVIE (PLAYING 2B); Grich walked;
Hiller threw a wild pitch [Grich to second]; R. Jackson struck
out; L. May was walked intentionally; Singleton flied out to
right; DeCinces made an out to shortstop; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 2 LOB. 
Tigers 3, Orioles 3.

August 31, 1976
ORIOLES 3RD: Bumbry singled to center; Bumbry stole second;
Grich struck out; R. Jackson grounded out (shortstop to first)
[Bumbry to third]; L. May walked; Singleton singled to right
[Bumbry scored, L. May to third]; Crowley flied out to right; 1
R, 2 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Royals 1, Orioles 3.

ORIOLES 5TH: Bumbry flied out to center; Grich flied out to
center; R. Jackson walked; R. Jackson stole second [R. Jackson
to third (error by White)]; L. May flied out to center; 0 R, 0
H, 1 E, 1 LOB.  Royals 1, Orioles 3.

September 4, 1976
ORIOLES 1ST: Belanger made an out to shortstop; Grich doubled to
right; R. Jackson grounded out (third to first); L. May walked;
Singleton walked [Grich to third, L. May to second]; Mora flied
out to right; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 3 LOB.  Yankees 0, Orioles 0.

ORIOLES 7TH: Belanger made an out to first; Grich lined to
right; R. Jackson singled to left; R. Jackson stole second; L.
May singled to left [R. Jackson scored]; Singleton flied out to
right; 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Yankees 2, Orioles 2.

September 11, 1976
ORIOLES 1ST: Bumbry grounded out (second to first); Grich popped
to catcher; R. Jackson homered; L. May walked; Rodriguez threw a
wild pitch [L. May to second]; Singleton walked; Crowley popped
to third; 1 R, 1 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Orioles 1, Brewers 0.

ORIOLES 3RD: Bumbry grounded out (second to first); Grich struck
out; R. Jackson singled to left; R. Jackson stole second; L. May
singled to center [R. Jackson scored]; L. May was caught
stealing second (catcher to shortstop); 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. 
Orioles 2, Brewers 1.

September 12, 1976
ORIOLES 2ND: L. May walked; Singleton grounded into a double
play (third to second to first) [L. May out at second]; Mora
grounded out (shortstop to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. 
Orioles 0, Brewers 0.

ORIOLES 9TH: R. Jackson singled to right; R. Jackson stole
second; L. May popped to catcher; Singleton singled to shortstop
[R. Jackson to third (error by Yount)]; BUMBRY RAN FOR
SINGLETON; Mora forced Bumbry (shortstop to second) [R. Jackson
scored]; DeCinces singled to right [Mora to second]; CASTRO
REPLACED AUGUSTINE (PITCHING); Dempsey forced DeCinces
(shortstop to second); 1 R, 3 H, 1 E, 2 LOB.  Orioles 3, Brewers
1.

September 14, 1976
ORIOLES 1ST: Bumbry struck out; Grich singled to third; R.
Jackson walked [Grich to second]; L. May flied out to right
[Grich to third]; R. Jackson stole second; Singleton lined to
third; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Tigers 0, Orioles 0.

ORIOLES 8TH: LAXTON REPLACED HILLER (PITCHING); Blair doubled to
left; Grich grounded out (shortstop to first); R. Jackson was
called out on strikes; L. May was walked intentionally;
Singleton walked [Blair to third, L. May to second]; DeCinces
flied out to center; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 3 LOB.  Tigers 7, Orioles 9.

September 21, 1976
ORIOLES 4TH: R. Jackson singled to center; R. Jackson stole
second [R. Jackson to third (error by Munson)]; L. May grounded
out (shortstop to first) [R. Jackson scored]; Singleton grounded
out (shortstop to first); Muser popped to third; 1 R, 1 H, 1 E,
0 LOB.  Orioles 3, Yankees 7.

ORIOLES 6TH: Bumbry grounded out (second to first); Grich
doubled to right; R. Jackson struck out; L. May walked;
Singleton flied out to left; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Orioles 3,
Yankees 7.

So, based on that data, the event never happened.  Nice illustration or anecdote, but I can't prove it.

The story was originally part of  Thomas Boswell's 1983 book How Life Imitates The World Series.

1 comment:

  1. I wonder if the "real" event was in the 9th inning of that first game - did Weaver try to give Reggie a take sign, and he swung away? May was intentionally walked, then the following batter was pinch hit for... The only problem is that for the story to work, it would need to be earlier in the game, so the manager would be stuck with a short bench for the duration.
    A take sign is something I think Reggie would just laugh at.

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