Thomas Heats Up Home Run Derby
On a day that warmed up to 102 degrees, Frank Thomas started slowly and sort of gathered steam as he went along.
“I like hitting here, and I like hitting when it’s hot,” said the Chicago White Sox slugger, a fact that was fairly obvious to those in the paid crowd of 47,697 who sat and watched him outlast Albert Belle to win the Home Run Derby Monday in The Ballpark at Arlington.
In three rounds, Thomas dropped 15 shots into the seats - including seven that were measured between 442 and 470 feet - to win a trophy that he said “carried a lot of pressure, because of the occasion.”
Belle, the Cleveland Indians’ slugger who became a replacement entry for injured Oakland Athletics standout Mark McGwire, actually hit more home runs - 16 - but only two came in the final round when the two finalists were each given five “outs.”
Old-timers game
Bert Campaneris and Willie Randolph paced the American League to a 1-0 victory in the oldtimers game.
The duo began a double play to end the top of the first, then combined again in the bottom of the inning for the game’s only run when Campaneris singled and Randolph drove him in with a double.
The hour-long, three-inning game was played when temperatures on a press box thermometer were highest. It was 112 in the first inning and 114 when the game ended.
“It was cooking,” said former Oakland outfielder Joe Rudi. “You get a bunch of old guys not used to running and they’re liable to have a heart attack. You’ve just got to take it easy and remember you’re not 25 anymore.”
Team loyalty
Gaylord Perry wore the logos of all eight of his former teams on his uniform during the Legends game. The first pitch the former spitballer threw had so much moisture on it that water could be seen spraying off the ball as it covered the first 10 feet toward home plate.
Hopping mad
Philadelphia Phillies owner Bill Giles was incensed after learning that his two all-stars, catcher Darren Daulton and center fielder Lenny Dykstra, had failed to appear for Monday’s team workout.
“It’s embarrassing to me personally, and embarrassing to the organization, and I don’t like it,” Giles said.
Dykstra later telephoned to say he had been attending to personal business but the National League never heard from Daulton.
Fear factor
In the N.L. clubhouse, much of the talk focused on facing Randy Johnson and his 99 mph fastball.
One player anticipating it more than others was Tony Gwynn, who said he has never faced Johnson.
“A strikeout is just a game of catch between the pitcher and catcher, and you can’t have that,” Gwynn said. “I’ll try to get the ball on the bat. You know it isn’t going to be easy, but that’s the challenge of putting a bat in your hands.”
Durwide Merrill
The home plate umpire for today’s game will be Durwood Merrill, and Nolan Ryan thinks that might increase the number of strikeouts.
“I think Durwood will have a pretty good strike zone,” Ryan said. “I always enjoyed having Durwood working my games. And he’s a Texan, too, and there’s nothing wrong with that.”