No-hitter etiquette

Tonight, I'm covering a Minor League game where a no-hitter is in progress through seven. As a former pitcher and also someone that hears the idiocy of Michael Kay and John Sterling on a regular basis, I know very well the rule that you are NOT supposed to mention that a no-hitter is in progress. Since I'm not at the ballpark, I call the PR guy for the team that is throwing a no-hitter & leave a message since he's doing the broadcast, too. Once the half-inning is over, he gives me a call and tells me in a pissed-off tone of voice, "Thanks for blowing our no-hitter."

After explaining to him that I know what the protocol is, I tell him that whenever any pitcher is throwing a no-no, I have to contact his team to set up an interview once it goes past the 6th. He says he'll get me the guy, but then strongly asks if we can call him AFTER the game is over if the no-hitter goes through.

Is it just me, or do you guys also think this guy is being a jerk-off?

 

Fuck that guy.

 

I'd ask him: Do you really think anything I say has an effect on the game? And then explain to him that you have a job to do, regardless of stupid superstitions.

 

Even on the message, I say that the "pitcher has a very interesting game going on and could I talk to him, regardless of the outcome." For cryin' out loud, I didn't even mention the words "no" or "hitter." Calm the fuck down, though guy.

 

You have my vote.

 

The guy is a tool.
We had this debate lately. Recently, we had a guy in our town throw a no-hitter but if you were listening to the radio broadcast you wouldn't know it because the two former ballplayers who were announcing didn't want to "jinx" the no-hitter by talking about it.
But unless you'd heard every batter you had no way of knowing it was a no-hitter.
Kind of defeats the purpose of tuning in if the guys broadcasting won't tell you what's going on.
You aren't playing anymore, fellas. Inform and entertain.

 

There is no reason to believe that mentioning a no-hitter is going to blow it. That's just silly.
I covered a perfect game a few years back and I asked the kid if his teammates followed the etiquette.
He said, "Hell no. They were in the dugout in the fourth inning going, 'There's no way you can keep a no-hitter going.'"
It didn't seem to bother this kid much on the way to his first perfect game (first no-hitter, in fact).
Screw that P.R. guy.

 

how do you cover a game that you're not at?

 

The internet is a wonderful thing.

 

Here's my answer:

Good enough for Vin Scully, good enough for me.

Here's the <a href="http://www.salon.com/people/feature/1999/10/12/scully_koufax/">transcript</a> of that ninth-inning call, and here's the <a href="http://www.doubledogmusic.com/baseball/Scully_Koufax_Perfect.mp3">audio</a>.

 

the question isn't whether the media relations guy is a jerkoff, the question how can you justify saying you're "covering" a game when you're not even at the ballpark? you weren't covering jack.

 

dig

following a game online or on TV isn't "covering" it