COOPERSTOWN, N.Y. — Jim Kaat pitched in practically 900 video games over 25 seasons within the huge leagues, the vast majority of them as a starter.
Kaat, a 283-game winner who will probably be inducted into the Corridor of Fame on Sunday, additionally made 43 reduction appearances and one begin for the Yankees in components of two seasons, in 1979 and 1980. The longtime Yankees announcer recalled his pinstriped debut on Saturday.
“The Phillies weren’t utilizing me very a lot, and out of desperation they needed to deliver me in throughout an extra-inning sport in San Diego, and I needed to pitch three or 4 innings and we gained that sport,” Kaat mentioned. “Birdie Tebbetts was within the stands scouting for the Yankees, so the subsequent day the final supervisor calls me and tells me I’m going to the Yankees.
“So I caught the red-eye that evening, and bought in early within the morning and needed to go proper to the ballpark. [Manager] Bob Lemon is sitting together with his ft up on the desk, smoking a heater and mentioned, ‘Welcome to the Bronx Zoo. Are you able to pitch?’ I got here into the sport that day with the bases loaded, and of all issues, I bought my good buddy and [former Twins] teammate Rod Carew to hit right into a double play.”
The 83-year-old Kaat, who was elected by the Golden Period committee, additionally performed for Billy Martin, each with the Yankees and earlier in his profession with the Twins.
“Billy was such a fantastic sport supervisor, when you may have simply locked him in his room at evening and simply put him within the dugout,” Kaat mentioned. “I cherished him as a sport supervisor and cherished him from a pitching standpoint, as a result of he allow you to pitch till you drop.”
Derek Jeter initially was on a listing of Corridor of Famers anticipated to be in attendance Sunday, however a Corridor spokesman mentioned the previous Yankees captain and 2020 honoree was a last-minute scratch. Fifty-two of the 75 residing Corridor of Famers are anticipated to be on the ceremony, together with Dodgers legend Sandy Koufax.
ESPN baseball insider Tim Kurkjian — previously of The Dallas Morning Information, The Baltimore Solar and Sports activities Illustrated — was honored Saturday with the Baseball Writers’ Affiliation of America’s Profession Excellence Award for meritorious contributions to baseball writing.
“The day after I gained the award, Johnny Bench referred to as me at my home. Johnny Bench. And he mentioned, ‘Congratulations, Tim, welcome to the membership. You’re certainly one of us now,’ ” Kurkjian mentioned. “Let’s be clear, I’m not certainly one of them. I’m not of their membership. However the biggest catcher of all time referred to as me to congratulate me. It doesn’t get any higher than that.”
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