I’m going to break character today and tomorrow as they are two special days. Today I am posting this at 8am even though the game “hasn’t happened yet” but I don’t want to be behind everyone else’s black cat story. For those not hip to this…
The incident that earned this game a place in baseball lore happened in the top of the fourth inning. The Cubs put themselves in a good position to score a run after Glenn Beckert hit a double to center field. With Billy Williams at the plate and Ron Santo on deck, the game was interrupted when a black cat showed up on the field. The cat walked behind the on-deck circle where Santo was standing and then paraded in front of the Cubs dugout before disappearing under the stands. Ron Santo said in an MLB article that appeared years later that the cat “looked right at [Cubs manager] Leo [Durocher] and went underneath the stands.”1 No one thought much about it at the time. The Mets’ Ed Kranepool said that cats were frequently found at Shea since “we had a lot of rats there.”2 After the cat disappeared, the game continued. The Cubs scored their lone run of the game when Santo singled in Beckert. (Via SABR.org)
OK back to the bit. If you’re new to Gil Must Go, I have been recapping the 1969 season in my style…the conceit being that I think Gil sucks, Seaver is overrated and Koosman is the best pitcher on the team. I’m just making fun of myself and kinda-sorta everyone’s mood swings.
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Call the Bumper Sticker Guy and get some Black Cat Stickers going!
What a game! Fergie Jenkins vs. Tom “Terrific” Seaver. Look, I have killed Seaver all summer but I gotta eat crow on this one. This was Majorly Manly. This was a HUGE game (obviously) and Tom responded with 9 innings of 1 run ball. Gotta respect that.
And did you see the cat thing? That was pretty funny.
So Mets fans….um….the Mets are half a game out….and…..tomorrow could be pretty special…..the Mets play Montreal….unfortunately the Cubs get the dopey Phillies…but yo HALF GAME OUT!
