|
June 9, 1968 By Keith Thursby
Tony Taylor scored on a sacrifice fly in the fifth for the first run against Drysdale after 58 2/3 scoreless innings. Drysdale’s streak would stand until 1988, when Orel Hershiser was on the mound and Drysdale in the broadcast booth for the Dodgers. The game featured a protest by future Angels Manager Gene Mauch, who was running the Phillies in 1968. He wanted Drysdale checked to make sure he wasn’t putting anything on the baseball. Umpire Augie Donatelli looked at Drysdale’s wrist and hair and warned him not to touch the back of his head the rest of the game. A few days later, The Times published photos of Don Sutton and Drysdale being checked by umpires. Manager Walt Alston complained that his pitchers were being singled out. After Tom Seaver and the Mets blanked the Dodgers, 1-0, Alston wondered why Seaver wasn’t given the same treatment Drysdale and Sutton received. "[Umpire Ed] Sudol said it is up to the umpires as to who’ll they’ll check," Alston said. "He said it’s up to them to decide whether a pitcher is throwing a sinker or a splitter. "They had better get some experts umpiring behind home plate if they’re going to distinguish between the two pitches. I don’t think they’re qualified to do it." |
ladailymirror.com 