RIP Rick Camp

Dead at 60:

http://www.ajc.com/news/news/breaking-news/former-braves-pitcher-rick-camp-dead-at-age-60/nXXhs/

An otherwise un-noteworthy pitcher in the 1980s with the Atlanta Braves, he hit one of the most famous home runs in baseball history during a 19-inning game between the Braves and Mets on July 4-5, 1985. His homer — the only one he hit in his 9-year career — tied the game at 11 in the bottom of the 18th.

The Mets went on to win 16-13, with the game ending at around 4:15 a.m. due to multiple rain delays. The Braves shot off Fourth of July fireworks afterward, and supposedly some local residents awoke thinking the city was being bombed.

Braves broadcaster Skip Caray had the best line about that game, saying "It was the only time I ever came home at dawn with a clear conscience."

 

That was one of the most famous home runs in history?

I couldn't have named that home run with a gun to my head.

 

RIP to a TBS legend.

Went to jail a few years ago for fraud, I believe.

 

Maybe most improbable then, if not necessarily famous.

 

Ruth's called shot
Maz in 1960 series
Bucky Dent
Kirk Gibson
the third of Reggie's 3 HRs in 1977 WS
Maris' 60th
Reggie's off the light pole in 71 ASG
Hank Aaron 715
Hank Aaron 714
Bonds' record breaker
Joe Carter's WS winner

 

Has anyone called Preston Hannah to see if he is OK?

How about Freddy "Buddy" Solomon?

 

"Baseball history" is a bit of a stretch, but Camp's home run is definitely one of the most famous in Braves history. It was a signature moment of the dismal 1980s run.

I think Camp was also voted by his teammates as "Most likely to murder a drifter with his bare hands":

 

I prefer this card...



Before Greg, Tom and John, did the Braves limit their scouting to local hunting and fishing clubs?

 

Yes.



The funny thing is, they had one of the highest payrolls in baseball for a while in the late '70s or early '80s ... and the worst winning percentage.

 

I watched all 19 innings on WTBS, waiting through the rain delays. I remember he came up again in the 19th in pretty much the same situation — 2 out, needing to homer to at least keep the rally going, if not necessarily to tie — but that he struck out to end the game. The Braves had no players left other than starting pitchers. Camp had to pitch until the very end, whenever that was going to be. He could have probably gone longer since he was a part-time starter.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/ATL/ATL198507040.shtml

Apparently, the punishment for Mets picthers who blew a save that night was to go out there and pitch some goddam more until they got it right. Doug Sisk blew a save and pitched four more innings. Then Tom Gorman blew a save that would have resulted in Sisk getting the win and pitched five more innings.

 

For years and years after that, and for all I know still today, the Braves' announcers would make reference to the Rick Camp home run game. If not one of the most famous home runs, it's certainly one of the more surreal.

 

Oh, I would almost guarantee Powell and Sutton will reference it on the radio tomorrow night (they're off today.) And Fox Sports South will probably show the replay three times, too.

The Rick Camp homer is indeed one of the most memorable in Atlanta Braves lore, though certainly not baseball history.