September 15, 1971: The Atlanta Braves beat the Houston Astros, 4-2 at the Astrodome in Houston. Phil Niekro outpitched Jack Billingham. Hank Aaron hit his 636th career home run.
But this game is best known for a player who was in it, but not in it. How is that possible?
On September 2, Larry Yount, a 21-year-old righthanded pitcher from the suburbs of Los Angeles, was called up to the Houston Astros from their top farm team, the Oklahoma City 89ers. But before he could get into a game, his U.S. Army Reserve unit called him up for a week's service. He later claimed that this caused his elbow to tighten up.
In the top of the 9th inning, with the Braves leading, 4-1, Astro manager Harry Walker called Yount in to pitch. The umpiring crew was informed of his entry into the game, and so was the crowd, over the public-address system. Wearing the Number 31, he began warming up, but he felt his elbow stiffen up: "I went to the mound and took a couple of tosses, but it continued to hurt, so I came out."
Major League Baseball rules state that any pitcher announced as being in the game must face at least one batter, except in case of injury. Since he was announced, Yount was credited for having played that one game, even though he did not actually face a batter.
Through September 15, 2022, Yount is one of 31 pitchers, including Hall of Fame batter Stan Musial, to pitch at least one game in the major leagues with zero innings pitched; that is, they did not retire a batter. In addition, Yount is the only pitcher in major league history to be credited with zero batters faced. To put it another way: He came closer to playing in the major leagues than anyone who actually did not. Or, another: He is the only player announced to play who did not.
He went back to the bench, then back to the minors. In Spring Training in 1972, he was one of the last players cut. He continued to play in the Astros organization until the end of the 1973 season. At the end of Spring Training, 1974, he was traded to the Milwaukee Brewers, but didn't make the team. He retired in 1976, after 8 minor league seasons, later becoming a successful real estate developer in Arizona.
Had he made the '74 Brewers, he would have become a teammate of his younger brother, Robin Yount, who collected over 3,000 hits, and is a member of the Baseball Hall of Fame.
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September 15, 1971 was a Wednesday. Actor Josh Charles was born on this day. He has 2 sports connections: He was one of the stars of the ABC comedy-drama Sports Night, and narrates for NFL Films.
These other Major League Baseball games were played that day:
* The New York Yankees beat the Baltimore Orioles, 4-2 at Memorial Stadium in Baltimore. Steve Kline outpitched Mike Cuellar. Ron Hansen and Bobby Murcer hit home runs. Brooks Robinson went 3-for-4 with a solo home run. Frank Robinson went 1-for-4 with an RBI. It was useless: The Yankees were 16 1/2 games behind the Orioles in the American League Eastern Division, and the O's would win their 3rd straight AL Pennant.
* The New York Mets were swept in a doubleheader by the Chicago Cubs, 6-2 and 3-2 at Shea Stadium. Bill Hands outpitched Jerry Koosman in the opener, despite a home run by Ed Kranepool. Billy Williams won the nightcap with a home run off Danny Frisella in the top of the 9th inning ruining a nice, and rare, start for Tug McGraw. Burt Hooton got his 1st major league win, allowing just 3 hits, walking 2, and striking out 15. Ernie Banks, in his last month as an active player, did not play in either game.
* The Montreal Expos beat the Philadelphia Phillies, 1-0 at Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia. Ernie McAnally pitched a 4-hit shutout, outpitching future Expo Woodie Fryman. The only run of the game came in the 8th inning, on a sacrifice fly by former Phillie Bobby Wine.
* The Pittsburgh Pirates beat the St. Louis Cardinals, 4-1 at Three Rivers Stadium in Pittsburgh. Dock Ellis outpitched Steve Carlton. Roberto Clemente went 1-for-3 with an RBI and a walk. Willie Stargell did not play.
* The Boston Red Sox beat the Cleveland Indians, 6-5 at Cleveland Municipal Stadium. Carl Yastrzemski did not play.
* The Detroit Tigers beat the Washington Senators, 4-2 at Tiger Stadium in Detroit. Al Kaline struck out as a pinch-hitter.
* A doubleheader was split at Comiskey Park in Chicago. Reggie Jackson went 2-for-4 in the 1st game, which was won by the Oakland Athletics, 3-2; then was sat for the 2nd game, which was won by the Chicago White Sox, 7-3. I wonder if there's a connection.
* The Minnesota Twins beat the Milwaukee Brewers, 1-0 at Milwaukee County Stadium. Steve Braun tripled Harmon Killebrew home in the top of the 9th to win it, as Bert Blyleven and Skip Lockwood both went the distance. Killebrew went 0-for-1 with 3 walks. Rod Carew went 1-for-4.
* The California Angels beat the Kansas City Royals, 6-2 at Kansas City Municipal Stadium.
* The San Diego Padres beat their arch-rivals, the Los Angeles Dodgers, 2-1 at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles.
* And the Cincinnati Reds beat the San Francisco Giants, 4-2 at Candlestick Park in San Francisco. Pete Rose went 1-for-4 with an RBI. Johnny Bench went 0-for-4. Willie Mays did not play, but Willie McCovey and Dick Dietz hit solo home runs, for the Giants' scoring.
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