Two outs, bottom of the ninth, Pirates 11, Phillies 0, public address announcer Dan Baker proclaims, "now batting for the Philadelphia Phillies, pinch-hitter Sil Campusano."
At this point, the game is a lost cause, but electricity is in the air - not because Campusano could hit an 11-run HR to tie the game, but because the .188-hitter is sent up to the plate to bat for the team's best hitter, Lenny Dykstra. To this point, the Phils had posted a big zero in the hits column through 8 and two-thirds innings.
Plus, Dykstra had broken up a John Smoltz no-hit bid with one-out in the ninth earlier in the season (May 27 at Veterans Stadium).
So here it is, finally, a gift from the Baseball Gods. At 19, I had never witnessed a no-hitter in-person but now was my chance. Surely, Doug Drabek mows down Campusano and it's an even more memorable night than we had already planned.
In a pre-game ceremony that evening, the Phillies had a 10-year reunion of the club's 1980 World Championship team. Of course, Mike Schmidt was still on the roster but others returned to the Vet. Tug McGraw, Larry Bowa, Bake McBride, Greg Luzinski, Garry Maddox, and many more.
Not only were the heroes of my childhood there, but I was finally going to witness a piece of history, something I had never seen before - a no-hitter.
Alas, with the count full, Campusano lines a ball into right center field, and promptly boos rain down upon him, none more heartily than those from section 613 in the upper deck along the first-base line. Poor Sil proudly stood on first base with perhaps the most memorable hit of his career in a meaningless game (the Phillies were in fourth place and 11 games back in the standings) during the dog days of summer, and he's getting an earful.
To this day, any of the six of us who ventured out to the Vet that night can simply mention the name Sil Campusano and instantly relive a memorable night.
» Not only has Mike still not seen a no-hitter, he awaits the day that he sees the Phils win another World Series, although his patience is wearing thin.
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Copyright © 2004 by Mike Shute. Posted February 8, 2005.
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