Chisolm

(#22)

It was spring of 1979 and the Magnolia Academy Raiders were leading arch-rival Brandon Academy Rebels 2-0 in the bottom of the seventh inning on the road in Brandon.

Magnolia ace right-hander Ricky Chisolm was on the mound. He was on cruise control, dominating the Rebels, pitching a 2-hit shutout, with no walks and 12 strikeouts through six innings.

Ricky would go on to win 13 games that season and the Raiders would finish 31-3 and win their first of three consecutive MPSA AA State Championships.

After striking out the first two hitters in the bottom of the seventh (14 total Ks), he walked his first batter of the game on four pitches. After throwing 8 consecutive balls and walking two hitters with two outs, I made a trip to the mound and reminded him, in a nice way of course, that it was only 2-0 and not to let them back in the game with walks.

He had that look on his face that I had seen many times and wouldn’t even look at me. It usually meant, “I hear you, but go away and let me pitch.”

I did, of course. I had no intention of going to the bullpen.

Four balls later, that’s 12 straight balls, the bases were loaded with two outs. The tying run was at second base and the winning run was at first. A base hit, even a broken bat, bloop single could tie the game, and the Rebels could win with an extra base hit.

The rest of the story….

Stepping to the plate was a hitter we will call Mike. When the bottom of the seventh got underway, the Rebels dugout came alive with every player standing in front of the dugout with their rally caps on and yelling obscenities to the top of their lungs. Most of the trash talk was directed at Chisolm. It wasn’t the first time. Most of it I can’t print here. 🙂

Mike was probably the most animated and vocal of the mob. He could do this because the chances he would have to bat and back up the trash talk were pretty slim.

But after five batters, two strikeouts and three consecutive, can we say, “intentional” walks, it was Mike’s turn to step up to the plate with the winning run at first base. And suddenly he got very quiet and looked very pale.

Strike one at the knees, strike two at the belt and strike throw above the letters.

Good morning, good afternoon, and goodnight!

Just like the great Joe McCaskell used to do to me in high school.

After 12 straight balls, Chisolm threw three straight strikes, one a little higher than the previous one and Mikey didn’t have a chance. And everybody, on both sides, could see it coming.

We won 2-0! Chisolm went the distance, pitched a 2 hit shutout, struck out 15…. and walked only three.

No one considered Ricky to be a mathematical genius, but he was quite the savvy and ballsy competitor. His Magnolia Academy addition and subtraction skills were good enough for him to know that after two outs, he could walk three batters in a row and get a chance to face Mike and shut him up.

And he did.

Chisolm never had a doubt and losing the game never entered his mind.

I’ve coached a lot of great pitchers through the years, including three who pitched in the “big leagues,” but with everybody in their prime and just one game on the line, Ricky Chisolm would start and finish that game… and we would win, again.