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Ellis was more than just a character, though: He was a key part of the 1971 World Series champion Pirates and the '76 Yankees, who won the pennant, and started the '71 All-Star Game for the National League opposite Oakland's Vida Blue-the first time two pitchers of color had ever started the Midsummer Classic. And he had to be expressly told by Commissioner Bowie Kuhn in '73 not to wear hair curlers onto the field. Another time, as a member of the Athletics in '77, he he took pitching charts he'd been ordered to fill out and burned them in the locker room, setting off the sprinklers. Once, in 1974 against the Reds, he made it his mission to plunk every Cincinnati batter in an attempt to intimidate the nascent Big Red Machine he got five hitters into it, nailing the first three and throwing over the heads of Tony Perez and Johnny Bench, before he was pulled. As a player, Ellis was equal parts ferocious and flamboyant. After Ellis fired two pitches at Johnny Bench‘s head, he was removed from the game, posting one of the oddest stat lines in baseball history.Nonetheless, it's an incredible story attached to an incredible career and life-one unfortunately overshadowed somewhat by the no-hitter. He drilled Pete Rose, Joe Morgan and Dan Dreissen, with Tony Perez avoiding his throws and drawing a walk. He made up his mind to drill every batter he faced, and on May 1, 1974, took literal aim at the Reds. However, this time, he had determined to drill members of the Cincinnati Reds, the chief rivals for the Pittsburgh Pirates in the mid 1970’s. He certainly was not in any frame of mind as to be able to say what was happening, and chances are, those watching his performance had no idea that they were about to see one of the more interesting no hitters ever pitched.Įllis also tried pitching while on LSD a second time. Unfortunately, as the MLB has yet to make the video from that game available, no one can really say what Ellis was like on the mound. Of course, eyewitnesses have a different take as to the events on the mound that day. I jumped, but the ball wasn’t hit hard and never reached me. He attempted to hit the 4th batter (Tony Perez) as well, but Perez dodged 4 straight pitches, including one behind him which the catcher barely saved from being a wild pitch, and Perez took the walk. I remember diving out of the way of a ball I thought was a line drive. TIL Dock Ellis once hit the first 3 batters of a game intentionally. I chewed my gum until it turned to powder. They say I had about three to four fielding chances. Sometimes, I tried to stare the hitter down and throw while I was looking at him. The ball was small sometimes, the ball was large sometimes, sometimes I saw the catcher, sometimes I didn’t. I remember hitting a couple of batters, and the bases were loaded two or three times. I can only remember bits and pieces of the game….I was zeroed in on the glove, but I didn’t hit the glove too much. He also mixed in six strikeouts, with plays by Bill Mazeroski and Matty Alou preserving his outing.Įllis himself gave quite the interesting account of his game, or at least what he could recall of it. Yet, through it all, Ellis managed to keep the Padres off the board, throwing a no hitter while walking eight and hitting a batter. He barely had any control, and even stated that he had issues seeing the catcher or knowing what size the ball was. Then, Ellis pitched what must have been one of the more entertaining games to watch. Boston Red Sox: David Ortiz should be in HOF for saving Boston baseball.Freddie Freeman’s words to Ronald Acuña Jr.Baltimore Orioles in difficult spot with Trey Mancini.MLB trade thoughts: Looking at potential trade pieces for every team.New York Yankees reliever Zach Britton, two other players on state of MLB lockout.Taking a 3:00 PM flight, Ellis arrived at the park at 4:30 for the game that was to start within an hour and a half. As it turns out, Ellis was slated to pitch that day, and only remembered because his friend’s girlfriend reminded him. He claims to have taken a couple of hits of LSD, and at noon on Friday, took another tab since he thought it was Thursday. The Pirates had gone to San Diego to face the Padres, and with that being the case, Ellis went to visit a friend in Los Angeles on Thursday. That includes his performance on this day in 1970. He was also known for his various substance abuse problems, as he admitted that he never took the mound without being on something. He was a solid pitcher, playing primarily for the Pittsburgh Pirates, and was known for his advocacy for player’s rights and for African Americans. Yet, Dock Ellis did just that on this day in 1970.ĭock Ellis was an interesting player. Pitching a no hitter is difficult enough, but trying to pitch a no hitter while contemplating the follies of the universe at large and trying to pitch to a melting catcher’s mitt must be virtually impossible.