RIP Dock Ellis (the dude who pitched a no-hitter on acid)

[MetroStyles]

A colorful personality to say the least.

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3782859


From http://www.sirbacon.org/4membersonly/docellis.htm:

Los Angeles, April 8, 1984- Former Pittsburgh Pirates' pitcher Dock Ellis says he was under the influence of LSD when he pitched a 1970 no-hitter against the San Diego Padres.

Ellis, now co-ordinator of an anti drug program in Los Angeles, said he didn't know until six hours before his June 12, 1970 no hitter that he was going to pitch.

"I was in Los Angeles, and the team was playing in San Diego , but I didn't know it. I had taken LSD..... I thought it was an off-day, that's how come I had it in me. I took the LSD at noon. At 1pm, his girlfriend and trip partner looked at the paper and said, "Dock, you're pitching today!"

"That's when it was $9.50 to fly to San Diego. She got me to the airport at 3:30. I got there at 4:30, and the game started at 6:05pm. It was a twi-night doubleheader.

I can only remember bits and pieces of the game. I was psyched. I had a feeling of euphoria.

I was zeroed in on the (catcher's) glove, but I didn't hit the glove too much. I remember hitting a couple of batters and the bases were loaded two or three times.

The ball was small sometimes, the ball was large sometimes, sometimes I saw the catcher, sometimes I didn't. Sometimes I tried to stare the hitter down and throw while I was looking at him. I chewed my gum until it turned to powder. They say I had about three to four fielding chances. I remember diving out of the way of a ball I thought was a line drive. I jumped, but the ball wasn't hit hard and never reached me."

The Pirates won the game, 2-0, although Ellis walked eight batters. It was the highpoint in the baseball career of one of the finer pitchers of his time, and arguably,one of the greatest achievements in the history of sports.

From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dock_Ellis:

Attempting to hit every batter in the Cincinnati Reds lineup on May 1, 1974. In an effort to prove a point to teammates, Ellis hit Pete Rose, Joe Morgan, and Dan Driessen in the top of the first. The clean-up batter Tony Perez avoided Ellis' attempts, instead drawing a walk, and after two pitches aimed at the head of Johnny Bench, Ellis was removed from the game by manager Danny Murtaugh. Ellis' box score for the game reads: 0 IP, 0 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 0 K.

 

[redcaimen]

Originally Posted by MetroStyles

A colorful personality to say the least.

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3782859


From http://www.sirbacon.org/4membersonly/docellis.htm:



From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dock_Ellis:

RIP

 

[romafan]

Whoops - almost started a new thread

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/21/sp...20ellis&st=cse

I was reminded of this yesterday while reading whnay's thread.....

 

[Bhowie]

One of the craziest stories I had ever heard.

 

[Dakota rube]

I cannot ******* imagine trying to pitch a baseball game on acid. Sometimes it is hard to walk across the room.

 

[romafan]

Originally Posted by Dakota rube

I cannot ******* imagine trying to pitch a baseball game on acid. Sometimes it is hard to walk across the room.

Not to mention a perfect game. Dock must've been in 'the zone'....

 

[MetroStyles]

Originally Posted by romafan

Not to mention a perfect game. Dock must've been in 'the zone'....

I think it was one of those things where his mind just shut off and his body did what it does best - pitch. Sometimes a pitcher's worst enemy is his own mind.

 

[lawyerdad]

You're assuming he's telling the truth, which some former teammates/coaches have disputed.

Err, I guess "telling" isn't the right tense, given the context. But you get the point.

 

[MetroStyles]

Originally Posted by lawyerdad

You're assuming he's telling the truth, which some former teammates/coaches have disputed.

Err, I guess "telling" isn't the right tense, given the context. But you get the point.

With no way to know for sure, why not take the funner story and run with it?

Besides, acid is not that crazy after the first 5 or so hours, so I'm sure he wasn't "tripping balls" either way.

 

[Bhowie]

The account I read talks about him taking a lot of other types of drugs to counteract the acid. Again the truth of it I don't think anyone will know, but if he was under the influence of any drug that makes it that much more of an amazing deed.

 

[lawyerdad]

Originally Posted by MetroStyles

With no way to know for sure, why not take the funner story and run with it?

Besides, acid is not that crazy after the first 5 or so hours, so I'm sure he wasn't "tripping balls" either way.

I agree that it makes for a great story, which is worth at least 25 truthiness points in my book.