1972

1972 – Roberto Clemente’s batting practice moon shot again comes close to Wrigley Field’s scoreboard. Bart Ripp, writing in Sport Magazine, recalls Clemente’s confrontation with 6′ 7″ Jim McKee, a young, fireballing, Pirate pitching prospect who has just made Richie Hebner, Al Oliver and Willie Stargell look foolish: “Clemente dusted his hands, then took his usual righthanded stance deep in the box, as far from the plate as possible. Standing still, Clemente heard the first pitch go by, then primly stuck his bat out over the plate at the next three. Each time, the ball hit the club, then pirouetted to the grass, just fair, and there they stuck as if they had landed in wet cement. Roberto then took three swings, but did not move his legs or hips, just the arms and wrists – he was merely getting his eye in. The result was three line drives – to left, to center, to right. All base hits in any game. Clemente slowly hauled out his familiar swing: the front leg lifted and cocked to the catcher, his torso leaping at the ball, the swing ending with his back foot hanging in the air. He proceeded to undress the rookie, smacking severe line drives all over old Wrigley Field. Not paying any respect to a god, Hebner shouted taunting encouragement to Clemente, ‘Come on, take one more swing.’ Clemente motioned to the pitcher, wiping the side of his hand across the letters of his uniform. McKee put it right there, right on the outside corner, and Clemente swung once more. The ball nearly tipped the button of McKee’s cap, then once past second began to rise on a straight line. It was still rising when it struck the bleachers just below the scoreboard, 500 feet away. The people around the cage surveyed the landing site for a few seconds, then closed their mouths and looked back into the cage. It was empty, as Clemente walked back to the dugout, rolling his head about to relieve a crick in his neck.”

The Reds’ Johnny Bench hits a 2-run homer in the bottom of the 10th to beat the Braves, 8 – 6. He hit a grand slam yesterday in a 7 – 5 win over Atlanta, and he’ll have 11 homers and 33 ribbies for September.

Frank Howard, who is not playing regularly for the Tigers, hits a 3-run homer off Dave McNally of the Orioles for a Detroit victory. It is his 13th career four-bagger off his favorite pitcher. He had hit one with the Rangers on July 18th, and 11 with the Senators from 1965 to 1971.

In his final appearance in a big league uniform, 29 year-old right-hander Denny McLain, who will finish his ten-year career with a 131-92 record, is tagged with the loss when he gives up three runs in the ninth inning without retiring a batter in the Braves’ 7-5 loss to Cincinnati at Atlanta Stadium. The last batter the one-time 30-game winner, rumored to have been involved with gambling and bookmaking during his time in the major leagues, will face is Pete Rose, who will be banned from baseball for life for wagering on the game.

1972 – Dick Allen’s club record 34th home run gives the White Sox their only two runs as they beat Kansas City, 2 – 1.

In the first game of a doubleheader with the Cardinals, the Mets win, 8 – 2, as John Milner collects a homer, double, and three singles in five at-bats. Milner had another home run in the 1st inning of game 2, but the Cards turn around, using a pair of homers in the 13th to win, 9 – 4.

Pirates manager Bill Virdon posts his 100th different lineup in the 131st game of the season. The starting nine for the eventual NL Eastern Division winners beats the Expos in the second game of a doubleheader at Jarry Park in 12 innings, to complete the sweep of the twin bill, 4-2.