Dock Ellis

On this date in 2008, Dock Ellis passed away at age 63.

"I didn't see the hitters. All I could see was if they were on the right side or the left side." - on allegedly throwing a no-hitter while high on LSD in 1970

Dock Ellis

On this date in 1970, Dock Ellis of the Pirates, allegedly under the influence of LSD, no-hits the Padres 2-0.

"The ball was small sometimes, the ball was large sometimes, sometimes I saw the catcher, sometimes I didn't. Sometimes I tried to stare the hitter down and throw while looking at him. I chewed my gum until it turned to powder. I started having a crazy idea in the fourth inning that Richard Nixon was the home umpire, and once I thought I was pitching to Jimi Hendrix who to me was holding a guitar and swinging it over the plate."

Dock Ellis

Born today none other than pitcher Dock Ellis.

You can't think about Dock Ellis without cracking a smile. At least a little one. You can't.

We know that he pitched many, many games sober and not under the influence of any mind-altering chemicals but all anybody remembers is.......well that one game.

People are funny that way, you know.

RIP, my friend.

Dock Ellis' no-hitter

Over at Slanchreport.com, they are publicizing an online petition they have put together asking MLB network to air footage of the no-hitter that Dock Ellis threw on June 12, 1970 against the San Diego Padres. This is the infamous game where Dock Ellis allegedly pitched while under the influence of LSD.

I know that it is pretty universally accepted that Ellis did throw this no-hitter while tripping on acid but frankly I still have nagging doubts about the veracity of this claim.

As background, here are some quotes from Dock Ellis from Wikipedia on his condition while pitching that game, "The ball was small sometimes, the ball was large sometimes, sometimes I saw the catcher, sometimes I didn't. Sometimes I tried to stare the hitter down and throw while looking at him. I chewed my gum until it turned to powder. I started having a crazy idea in the fourth inning that Richard Nixon was the home umpire, and once I thought I was pitching a baseball to Jimi Hendrix, who to me was holding a guitar and swinging it over the plate."

Whoa!

Do you know how hard it is pitch a no-hitter sober? Dock Ellis pitched one in this condition? If we take him at his word, he thought he was pitching to Jim Hendrix with a guitar and Richard Nixon was calling balls and strikes. Was Spiro Agnew catching? Was Jim Croce on deck?

I want to believe this because it is such a great story but I am a little skeptical. How awful were the Padres that day to get no-hit by a guy having an acid trip? Have you ever seen that Woodstock movie? Do you think those people could throw a baseball....... or even bat around a beach ball? Some of them are still coming down.

Actually, there is a better Dock Ellis game that the MLB network could show.

In 1974, Dock Ellis thought that the Pirates had lost their aggressiveness that drove them to three straight division titles from 1970 to 1972 and were intimidated by the Cincinnati "Big Red Machine". Dock Ellis was determined to do something about it.

"Cincinnati will bulls..t with us and kick our ass and laugh at us. They're the only team that talk about us like a dog. We gonna get down. We gonna do the do. I'm going to hit those mother.....rs."*

On May 1, 1974, Dock Ellis attempted to hit every batter in the Reds lineup. He hit Pete Rose who led off the game, then Joe Morgan and then Dan Driessen who followed. He then threw at clean-up hitter, Tony Perez who was successful in avoiding the beanballs and Perez took a walk. Johnny Bench then came up and saw two pitches right at his head. Ellis then was removed from the game by manager, Danny Murtaugh.

And Ellis did all of this (presumably) without dropping any acid!

That is the game I want to see. You only have to watch a half-inning of it too.

The MLB network should make it happen.

*baseballreliquary.org/ellis.htm