When I was a kid and listening to the Minnesota Twins games on the radio, I remember doubleheaders. Two games on one day and the batteries on my transistor radio running down by the time the eighth inning of the second game rolled around.
This was before 100 mile/hour fastballs. Before every single pitch was clocked, much less the exit speed of balls blasted out of the park. Before there seemed to be a limit on how many pitches one could expect from a starter, back when it wasn’t uncommon for a starter to pitch the whole game. Nor was it considered unreasonable for a team (well all but the pitcher) to manage two games in a day. One was normally in the afternoon with the second following a couple of hours later in the evening. After all, when you think about it – a tie game that runs 14-18 innings is just about the same thing.
Rather than give all the details here – I will just refer you to the excellent article in Wiki which is obviously labeled – DoubleHeader – Baseball. I hadn’t been aware that there were so many varieties. This particular pair of games was occurring because of a game rained out earlier this spring. That is right – rained out in Oakland. Two games – one ticket. The only down side that any of us could see was that the Food Trucks were going to have to clear out by 1730 due to a later scheduled concert at the Oracle Arena.
It was a great day for baseball – sun, friends (many of whom unfortunately indulged in a little too much beer) and a pair of wins by the A’s. Part of it was excellent defense and hitting on the part of the As. Part of it, frankly, is that I think the Astro’s would have much rather been home in Houston.
