1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:07,000 This is Retro Sports Radio. Visit RetroSeasons.com for more sports history. 2 00:00:07,000 --> 00:00:14,000 This is Herb Scorer of the Cleveland Indians. In a few moments I'll tell you about my greatest sports thrill. 3 00:00:14,000 --> 00:00:39,000 This is Harry Wismer. What you're about to hear is a transcribed story of one of baseball's outstanding pictures and an event our special guest Herb Scorer considers his greatest sports thrill. 4 00:00:39,000 --> 00:00:48,000 And Herb himself is here to tell us all about it. But first, here is Bill Raddick with a message of interest from your United States Air Force. 5 00:00:48,000 --> 00:00:56,000 In baseball, a hit or cake sign can mean the ball game. And for this reason, the coaches take pains to cover up every signal they flash. 6 00:00:56,000 --> 00:01:04,000 But the Air Force is transmitting a loud, clear signal to all former servicemen right now. And it may be an opportunity for you. 7 00:01:04,000 --> 00:01:10,000 You see, the age of space is here, and ex-servicemen with certain valuable skills are critically needed. 8 00:01:10,000 --> 00:01:14,000 That's why the Air Force is offering special benefits to these important men. 9 00:01:14,000 --> 00:01:20,000 If you qualify, you'll receive good starting rank plus a chance for valuable career training. 10 00:01:20,000 --> 00:01:28,000 In addition, you'll get steady advancement, a guaranteed annual income, and 30 days paid vacation every year. 11 00:01:28,000 --> 00:01:34,000 Get the full story on dependents' benefits and all the other outstanding Air Force extras real soon. 12 00:01:34,000 --> 00:01:39,000 See your local Air Force recruiter while your prior service and skills are at their highest value. 13 00:01:39,000 --> 00:01:47,000 You'll agree that today and tomorrow, you're better off in today's space age Air Force. 14 00:01:47,000 --> 00:01:49,000 Now back to Harry Wismer. 15 00:01:49,000 --> 00:01:55,000 What is the score on Herb Scorer, the sensational young southpaw of the Cleveland Indians? 16 00:01:55,000 --> 00:01:59,000 Did getting hit by a vicious line drive change this pitcher's bright career? 17 00:01:59,000 --> 00:02:06,000 What kind of a boy is this spectacular hurler, who with just two and a half years of major league experience behind him, 18 00:02:06,000 --> 00:02:12,000 already has been called a second lefty grove, a left-handed Bob Feller, a future Hall of Famer? 19 00:02:12,000 --> 00:02:20,000 So great was Herb Scorer's potential that one club, the Boston Red Sox, made a staggering offer of a million dollars for him, 20 00:02:20,000 --> 00:02:25,000 a cash bid believed to be the largest ever made for a ball player. 21 00:02:25,000 --> 00:02:30,000 Equally fantastic was the quick rejection of the offer by the Cleveland Indians. 22 00:02:30,000 --> 00:02:37,000 Even before Herb Scorer delivered his first big league pitch, he was heralded as a sure fire star. 23 00:02:37,000 --> 00:02:41,000 Then he went out and proved how deserving he was of that distinction. 24 00:02:41,000 --> 00:02:47,000 The big kid with the fireball powered his way to 245 strikeouts in 1955, 25 00:02:47,000 --> 00:02:54,000 his first season, to become an overwhelming choice as the rookie of the year in the American League. 26 00:02:54,000 --> 00:03:03,000 He was even better in 1956, his second year, winning 20 games and increasing his strikeout total to 261. 27 00:03:03,000 --> 00:03:13,000 This established him at the ripe old age of 24 as the strikeout wizard of the majors, the best to come along since Bob Feller. 28 00:03:13,000 --> 00:03:19,000 The handful of men in the Cleveland organization who saw Herb Scorer throw for the first time knew little about him, 29 00:03:19,000 --> 00:03:26,000 except that he apparently had an arm the likes of which is attached to no more than one human shoulder in any generation. 30 00:03:26,000 --> 00:03:33,000 They didn't know the important things about his heart and his willingness to make the sacrifices that success demands. 31 00:03:33,000 --> 00:03:40,000 They didn't know about his personal habits or how he would react to the public acclaim that were certain to be his lot. 32 00:03:40,000 --> 00:03:43,000 And still, they foresaw greatness for him. 33 00:03:43,000 --> 00:03:55,000 If he does nothing else, Cleveland Herb Scorer in 1955 would have won recognition for his speed of breaking in as a member of baseball's greatest pitching staff on his very first try. 34 00:03:55,000 --> 00:04:01,000 With their famed big three of Bob Lemon, Early Wynn, and Mike Garcia backed by Bob Feller and Art Hudeman, 35 00:04:01,000 --> 00:04:07,000 and with Ray Naleski and Don Massey in the bullpen, the Indians offered little opportunity for a youngster. 36 00:04:07,000 --> 00:04:13,000 But Herb Scorer couldn't be ignored. His record-breaking 1954 season at Indianapolis, 37 00:04:13,000 --> 00:04:24,000 plus some notably good pitching against the Giants and Cubs in spring exhibition games, demanded that he be given a chance, and a chance was all score needed. 38 00:04:24,000 --> 00:04:32,000 Herb Scorer won his first 1955 start, beating Detroit 7-3, striking out 9 and walking 9-2. 39 00:04:32,000 --> 00:04:38,000 His wildness had him in constant trouble, but he also showed something else that few suspected. 40 00:04:38,000 --> 00:04:43,000 He had a curveball that was almost as effective as his fastball. 41 00:04:43,000 --> 00:04:51,000 In his third Major League game, Herb Scorer pitching the second half of a doubleheader against the Red Sox after Bob Feller had hurled a one-hitter, 42 00:04:51,000 --> 00:04:59,000 tossed a three-hitter at the Bull Sox, and struck out 16 men, two short of Feller's all-time record. 43 00:04:59,000 --> 00:05:09,000 That was just the beginning. Scorer went on to rack up a 16-10 season and the astounding total of 245 strikeouts. 44 00:05:09,000 --> 00:05:17,000 In 1956, Cleveland saw no reason to proceed with caution. Herb Scorer was now a starter, pitching in regular rotation. 45 00:05:17,000 --> 00:05:25,000 A stomach ailment slowed him down early in the season. He was hospitalized for two months and didn't pitch a complete game until June 29th. 46 00:05:25,000 --> 00:05:33,000 His record on the 20th of June was 8-6, and it was generally agreed that he had only a slim chance of reaching 20 victories. 47 00:05:33,000 --> 00:05:42,000 But in the second half of the campaign, Scorer racked up 12 wins while losing only three to finish the season with a 20-9 record. 48 00:05:42,000 --> 00:05:50,000 He led the American League pitchers and shutouts with five, and here are some of his other 1956 accomplishments. 49 00:05:50,000 --> 00:05:57,000 Scorer defeated the New York Yankees four times and in one game had a no-hitter going against them for eight innings. 50 00:05:57,000 --> 00:06:05,000 Against the First Division clubs, the Yankees, White Sox and Red Sox, he was the Indians' most effective performer with an 8-3 mark. 51 00:06:05,000 --> 00:06:14,000 On May 19th, Herb Scorer fanned 15 Washington batters and went on to whiff a total of 263 for the 1956 season, 52 00:06:14,000 --> 00:06:24,000 to average more than nine strikeouts a game for the second year in a row. An indication of how brilliant this feat is attested by the fact that no other pitcher in baseball history 53 00:06:24,000 --> 00:06:34,000 has been able to average as many as nine strikeouts per game in any season. Herb Scorer did this his first two seasons in the big leagues. 54 00:06:34,000 --> 00:06:42,000 It was at Lake Worth, Florida, Policeman, who first saw Herb Scorer pitch and told Sy Slapnicka, the Cleveland Indians' chief scout, about him. 55 00:06:42,000 --> 00:06:51,000 Sy Slapnicka says he was impressed the first time he set eyes on the sandy-haired left-hander, but he had to wait until June 7th, 1952, 56 00:06:51,000 --> 00:07:01,000 to get him to sign on the dotted line for a bonus of $60,000. The baseball experts all predicted greatness for this brilliant young left-hander. 57 00:07:01,000 --> 00:07:09,000 Twenty-two years have gone by since Bob Feller first appeared on the Cleveland scene to write the original strikeout story. 58 00:07:09,000 --> 00:07:16,000 As a result of Herb Scorer, the tribe may have the young man who is destined to author a revised edition. 59 00:07:16,000 --> 00:07:25,000 That is, if he can erase the vision of a line drive off the bat of Gil McDougal. Only time will tell. 60 00:07:25,000 --> 00:07:31,000 Now, before you meet our special guest, Herb Scorer in person, in an interview from Municipal Stadium in Cleveland, 61 00:07:31,000 --> 00:07:39,000 about his greatest sports thrill, here is a message of interest to all young men who want to go places faster. 62 00:07:39,000 --> 00:07:49,000 Former servicemen, careers is the name of a popular new game. In careers, just as in real life, opportunities and experience lead the way to success. 63 00:07:49,000 --> 00:07:56,000 Well, your career is no game, but you do have an opportunity to use your past experience to gain success. 64 00:07:56,000 --> 00:08:03,000 In today's age of space, the United States Air Force urgently needs men with certain technical skills. 65 00:08:03,000 --> 00:08:09,000 If you qualify, you can gain priceless training and the guarantee of a promising future. 66 00:08:09,000 --> 00:08:16,000 Just think, your background may entitle you to advanced training in jet mechanics, missiles, radar, or electronics. 67 00:08:16,000 --> 00:08:23,000 Then, too, you may receive surprisingly good starting rank, plus the chance for travel and adventure. 68 00:08:23,000 --> 00:08:33,000 Don't play games with your career. See your local U.S. Air Force recruiter and see how valuable your service experience really is. 69 00:08:33,000 --> 00:08:38,000 Join the Space Age Air Force today for a brighter tomorrow. 70 00:08:38,000 --> 00:08:40,000 And now back to Herb Wisner. 71 00:08:40,000 --> 00:08:43,000 Herb Scorer, what was your greatest sports thrill? 72 00:08:43,000 --> 00:08:51,000 Well, Herb, it would be very difficult to say what thrill, among the many I've had since I've been in baseball, would be the greatest. 73 00:08:51,000 --> 00:08:58,000 You know, each time I put on a uniform, I think it's a thrill because there are only 400 major league ballplayers in the country, 74 00:08:58,000 --> 00:09:01,000 out of all the many who would like to play in the big leagues. 75 00:09:01,000 --> 00:09:04,000 And so, for me, it's just the thrill of being in the big leagues. 76 00:09:04,000 --> 00:09:09,000 And each succeeding game adds another thrill in my life, so it would be very tough to say. 77 00:09:09,000 --> 00:09:13,000 I think the greatest sports thrill is just being able to play baseball. 78 00:09:13,000 --> 00:09:19,000 Herb Scorer, what player, coach, or manager has been most influential in your development as a pitcher? 79 00:09:19,000 --> 00:09:23,000 Harry, in our career, we have many people that help us. 80 00:09:23,000 --> 00:09:30,000 You know, I think we tend to forget the fellows who help us along the way, but no ballplayer makes the major league without some help. 81 00:09:30,000 --> 00:09:32,000 Now, for me, I've had very excellent coaching. 82 00:09:32,000 --> 00:09:37,000 Right now, we have probably the finest pitching coach in baseball, Mel Hodder. 83 00:09:37,000 --> 00:09:46,000 Mel's been working with me now since I've been with the ball club, and each succeeding day or each succeeding week or year, I seem to learn something more from Mel. 84 00:09:46,000 --> 00:09:49,000 I think his greatest attribute is his patience. 85 00:09:49,000 --> 00:09:52,000 That's what makes a great coach, and Mel is certainly the finest. 86 00:09:52,000 --> 00:09:55,000 He's improved my curveball, I think, about 900 percent. 87 00:09:55,000 --> 00:09:58,000 Before that, in the minor leagues, I had very great coaching. 88 00:09:58,000 --> 00:10:02,000 I had a fine-managed Kirby Farrell when I played at Reading and at Indianapolis. 89 00:10:02,000 --> 00:10:10,000 But at Indianapolis in 1954, I came across a man named Ted Wilkes, who was a relief pitcher with the Cardinals for a few years, 90 00:10:10,000 --> 00:10:13,000 and then with the Cleveland Ball Club at the end of his career. 91 00:10:13,000 --> 00:10:21,000 He was coaching at Indianapolis, and I think he's the fellow that I am really strictly responsible of my being in the major leagues. 92 00:10:21,000 --> 00:10:25,000 He coached me every day, and I can remember the first day he started to coach me. 93 00:10:25,000 --> 00:10:30,000 I'd walk seven men in a row. I threw 40-something balls and four strikes. 94 00:10:30,000 --> 00:10:34,000 And he came up to me after this game. It was an exhibition game at Daytona Beach. 95 00:10:34,000 --> 00:10:39,000 He said, Herb, he said, you've been doing a lot of pitching on your own now, and you're still wild. 96 00:10:39,000 --> 00:10:41,000 He said, how about let me help you? 97 00:10:41,000 --> 00:10:47,000 And the only thing I'm going to ask you is that you give me a chance and never give me any buts or ifs and ands or what you want to do. 98 00:10:47,000 --> 00:10:50,000 You do what I say. And I said, OK, Ted, I'll try it. 99 00:10:50,000 --> 00:10:57,000 Well, that year I ended up 22-5, and I'm quite sure without Ted's help, I'd still be in the minor leagues. 100 00:10:57,000 --> 00:11:02,000 Herb, do you recall the first time you ever walked out to the mound in a big league baseball game? 101 00:11:02,000 --> 00:11:05,000 Oh, boy, do I remember the first game I ever pitched in a big league. 102 00:11:05,000 --> 00:11:12,000 It was a rainy day in Detroit in 1955. I remember the first hitter I pitched to was Harvey Keene. 103 00:11:12,000 --> 00:11:18,000 And I can remember talking before the ball game with the fellas, and they were saying, well, there's one thing you don't have to worry about. 104 00:11:18,000 --> 00:11:21,000 You never walk this fella because he swings at everything. 105 00:11:21,000 --> 00:11:26,000 And I remember going to three and two on him. And I said to myself, well, they say I can't walk him. 106 00:11:26,000 --> 00:11:32,000 And I didn't. He got a base hit right cleanly through a shortstop. I struggled long for the rest of the nine innings. 107 00:11:32,000 --> 00:11:39,000 I ended up walking nine men and striking out. And we won the ball game. And that was the start of my career in a big league. 108 00:11:39,000 --> 00:11:44,000 Is there any one pitch or ball game that you wish you could play over again if you had the chance? 109 00:11:44,000 --> 00:11:50,000 Well, it's hard to say if there would be one pitch or a ball game that I could play over again. 110 00:11:50,000 --> 00:11:56,000 I think there are many times that we throw the ball and the fella hit it and say, oh, if we can only throw that one again. 111 00:11:56,000 --> 00:12:00,000 Of course, it's too late. Hindsight is wonderful, but foresight's a little bit better. 112 00:12:00,000 --> 00:12:06,000 I remember I won 10 innings in Detroit in 1956. Let's see now. I had nothing, nothing ball game. 113 00:12:06,000 --> 00:12:13,000 I'd given up two hits until the 10th inning. And the two out in the 10th inning, I threw the first pitch to a fella named Tuttle. 114 00:12:13,000 --> 00:12:17,000 And bang, that was the end of the ball game. They beat me one to nothing. 115 00:12:17,000 --> 00:12:21,000 I probably would like to throw that pitch over again. When you're out there, you throw the pitch you think is right. 116 00:12:21,000 --> 00:12:24,000 And if it's wrong, why, then you suffer the consequences. 117 00:12:24,000 --> 00:12:30,000 Herb, have you ever talked to a manager out of taking you out of a ball game and with what results? 118 00:12:30,000 --> 00:12:34,000 Well, I've heard of people talking managers and I've read about it. 119 00:12:34,000 --> 00:12:40,000 I have never done this because all the managers I've had have never said anything when they come to take you out. 120 00:12:40,000 --> 00:12:45,000 They walk out there, they say, well, give me the ball. It's tried hard. And that's all. 121 00:12:45,000 --> 00:12:51,000 Some fellas, Al Lopez, I think this is the best way to be. He used to walk out there. He'd never say a word, put out his hand. 122 00:12:51,000 --> 00:12:56,000 You'd give him the ball and you'd walk off the mound. He'd pat you on the back and say, better luck next time. 123 00:12:56,000 --> 00:13:01,000 He never gave you a chance to talk him out of it because his mind was always made up, which is probably the best thing. 124 00:13:01,000 --> 00:13:06,000 Herb, have you found that batter's weaknesses will change from one season to the next? 125 00:13:06,000 --> 00:13:10,000 That's true. A batter's weakness does change from one season to the next. 126 00:13:10,000 --> 00:13:18,000 If you will remember, for a while, Mickey Mantle, if they got two strikes on him, why, you could throw balls away from them or fool them with curveballs. 127 00:13:18,000 --> 00:13:26,000 You might lunge and swing at them. Nowadays, you get two strikes on Mickey Mantle, he's just as good a hitter as he was when he didn't have any strikes on him. 128 00:13:26,000 --> 00:13:32,000 He's learned a lot in the season he's played. And of course, that's not too good for the pitchers because he's gotten better and better. 129 00:13:32,000 --> 00:13:41,000 But I think a lot of hitters are that way. You'll notice from season to season, one fella may move up in the box or back in the box or get further away from the plate or closer to the plate. 130 00:13:41,000 --> 00:13:51,000 They do it even during a ballgame. If they see a pitching them outside, for instance, they may move up on the plate. So hitters are out there thinking just as the pitchers are. 131 00:13:51,000 --> 00:13:55,000 And every once in a while, you get to thinking why it's nothing but a big guessing game. 132 00:13:55,000 --> 00:14:00,000 Thank you very much, Herb Sporer, the Cleveland Indians, one of baseball's outstanding pitchers. 133 00:14:00,000 --> 00:14:12,000 Music