May 25, 1975 – At Cleveland Stadium, Cleveland Indian’s rookie Dennis Eckersley shuts out world champion A’s in his first major-league start as he hurls a 3-hit shutout in beating Oakland 6-0. The game was the first game of a doubleheader and it was an extremely warm day, 87 degrees for this time of year.
By the fourth inning, the Tribe was already up 3-0 after a Buddy Bell homerun but Eckersley was beginning to feel the effects of the heat. He was routinely given ammonia capsules, oxygen, and an iced towel in an effort to cool him off. “I was giving them my fastball until I began to feel a little dizzy from the heat,” said Eckersley. “My stomach cramped up, too. Then I went to my sinker. It sank more, the more tired I got. So I stayed with it the rest of the way.”
Cleveland continued to tack on runs against the World Champs, and Eckersley went all nine innings, striking out six and walking two. “The kid has got it right here,” said his manager Frank Robinson, pointing to his heart. “He was worn out in the fifth inning by the heat. He hasn’t pitched that long in a year.”
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