Fabian Ardaya watches Nolan Ryan's near no-hitter 7/13/79

[mpcincal]

I'm enjoying these watch-alongs with Ardaya. The latest is when Ryan almost no-hit the Yankees on national TV on July 13, 1979. Reggie Jackson broke it up with a single in the ninth, although there was a very questionable official scorer's ruling earlier that kept the no-hitter alive. It was also the opener to a very memorable (for us "old-timers") three-game sweep.

https://theathletic.com/1692179/2020/03/23/how-close-did-nolan-ryan-get-to-his-record-setting-fifth-no-hitter/

Some observations:

Keith Jackson on play-by-play. Though known for college football, I thought he was very good on baseball. Unfortunately, he always had Cosell constantly talking over him on the broadcast.

Oh, and Bob Uecker was in the booth also. With most knowing him for his self-deprecating humor and role as Harry Doyle in "Major League," most baseball fans today who don't get the Brewers broadcast don't realize that he has been a really good announcer.

That official scorer's ruling (in the eighth inning, I believe): Yankees' Jim Spencer hits a liner to center that CF Rick Miller can't get to. It went off his glove, but would have been a very difficult play to make. I was an 11-year-old biased Angel fan who really wanted to see the no-hitter, but even I was like "how could he call that an error?"

The night after this game, the Angels came back from a 6-0 deficit, with Don Baylor hitting a three-run homer in the ninth to force extras, and won 8-7 in the 10th. The Sunday game, which I actually attended, saw Bobby Grich drive in all five runs, including a walk-off two-run homer, in a 5-4 Angels win.

Thanks to Fabian for these articles. Some great strolls down memory lane.

[Angel Oracle]

Two years earlier, I went to the home opener against the expansion Mariners (1977), and saw Ryan pitch a one-hitter in that game.   Former Dogs player Bob Stinson's single in the fifth was the only hit off of Ryan.

Ryan shut out the M's in his first two starts ever against them.

Edited March 24, 2020 by Angel Oracle

[LAA Road Tripper]

I was at this game as a kid. I was a big fan of Rick Miller, too and thought he could have made the catch. However, it was a bit of a stretch calling that an error. Anyway, the next night was Baylor’s tying home run off the left field foul pole in the ninth and Merv Rettenmund hitting the walkoff in extras. Finally, with two out an no one on in the bottom of the ninth it looked like the Yankees would salvage the last game going into the All Star break. But a walk brought Grich to the plate and Bobby hit a fly ball to right that just sneaked over the fence. I remember my brother and me swimming in our pool at our home in Fullerton listening to the game on KMPC going nuts after they won. That was the catapult to the division championship 2 1/2 months later. 
 

That and the KC series the last week of ‘82 were a couple of the best regular season series I can remember.

[mpcincal]

19 hours ago, Angel Oracle said:

Two years earlier, I went to the home opener against the expansion Mariners (1977), and saw Ryan pitch a one-hitter in that game.   Former Dogs player Bob Stinson's single in the fifth was the only hit off of Ryan.

Ryan shut out the M's in his first two starts ever against them.

One year after, early 1978, I was in attendance when Ryan one-hit the Indians. I believe he gave up the lone hit in the fifth inning in that game also. I like to tell people I would have seen Ryan's fifth no-hitter live if it wasn't for that damn Duane Kuiper.

[Angel Oracle]

16 hours ago, LAA Road Tripper said:

I was at this game as a kid. I was a big fan of Rick Miller, too and thought he could have made the catch. However, it was a bit of a stretch calling that an error. Anyway, the next night was Baylor’s tying home run off the left field foul pole in the ninth and Merv Rettenmund hitting the walkoff in extras. Finally, with two out an no one on in the bottom of the ninth it looked like the Yankees would salvage the last game going into the All Star break. But a walk brought Grich to the plate and Bobby hit a fly ball to right that just sneaked over the fence. I remember my brother and me swimming in our pool at our home in Fullerton listening to the game on KMPC going nuts after they won. That was the catapult to the division championship 2 1/2 months later. 
 

That and the KC series the last week of ‘82 were a couple of the best regular season series I can remember.

Dick Enberg’s call of Baylor’s HR:

”He hit the foul pole!   He hit the FOUL POLE!  My oh My!”