TODAY IN BASEBALL HISTORY

April 28 , 1965 — New York broadcaster Lindsay Nelson calls the Mets’ 12-9 loss to Houston from the gondola at the top of the Astrodome, located 208 feet above second base . The umpires tell Met skipper Casey Stengel that any ball which might hit Nelson would still be considered in play. That doesn’t occur but a lot does as the two teams trade the lead. Bob Aspromonte’s bases-loaded single delivers the game-winner.

When the Mets reached the Astrodome for a two-game series April 27 and 28, their radio producer, Joe Gallagher, noticed a gondola above the field attached to the dome’s roof and inquired as to whether it was possible to broadcast from there. Houston officials told him that the gondola could be raised and lowered like an elevator, broadcasts could be done from there, and that the gondola was strong enough and secure enough to hold several adults.

Why would a gondola have been added to what was called at the time the “Eighth wonder of the world”? According to the Houston Post, the gondola was installed to provide a sound system and lighting for planned boxing matches, basketball games, and concerts to be held on various floor stages.

The gondola took 45 minutes to come down, and Lindsey Nelson and Joel Nixon ascended to 208 feet above the above second base in the Astrodome, in four minutes. Note that Joe Gallagher, who originated the idea, stayed on the ground.

As lineups were exchanged and ground rules discussed prior to the game, Mets manager Casey Stengel proactively asked home plate umpire and crew chief Tom Gorman, what the ruling would be if a batted ball hit “my man Lindsey?” Gorman looked up to see Nelson, over 200 feet above him and replied, “Well, if the ball hits the roof, it’s in play, so I guess if it hits Lindsey, it’s in play, too.”

The Old’ Perfessor exclaimed to the press after the game, “How about that? That’s the first time my man Lindsey was ever a ground rule.”

Nelson was provided a walkie-talkie to communicate with Ralph Kiner and Bob Murphy. However, the walkie-talkies were on the same frequency as a Houston taxi firm. Sometimes Nelson heard Bob Murphy describe a play as the play-by-plan man; other times he heard requests to pick up passengers.

The vantage point also proved a detriment to helping Lindsey describe the action to fans and his fellow announcers. As he offered to the press after the game, “I couldn’t see anything except a lot of tiny figures. Everybody looked the same height, everybody looked short. You couldn’t tell a line drive from a pop fly.”

The featured image for this article was the view Lindsey had of the field that day.

As for the game itself, the Astros beat the Mets 12-9, with Tug McGraw getting the loss. The Astros would finish their first season in the Astrodome in ninth place, but with the second best attendance in the league. The Mets went 50-112, finishing in 10th place, and with the third best attendance in the league.

The gondola out-lasted Lindsey Nelson’s time with the team. While Nelson left after the 1978 season, the gondola stayed in place until a study was conducted in 1980 that concluded it was too heavy on a long term basis to keep it up there. It had already been hanging there for 15 years, but was removed in 1981 as part of a number of stadium renovations.

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April 28, 1934 — At Navin Field, Goose Goslin grounds into four consecutive double plays. The Tiger outfielder’s lack of offense doesn’t matter, as Detroit beats the visiting Cleveland Indians, 4-1. Tommy Bridges picks up the win for the Tigers and Charlie Gehringer went 4-4 for the Tigers.

April 28, 1949— A New York Giants fan charges Leo Durocher with assault after the Giants lose, 15 – 2, to the Brooklyn Dodgers. Commissioner Happy Chandler suspends Durocher, who is absolved on May 3rd. Chandler criticizes teams for lax security that allows fans on the field.

April 28, 1956, Cincinnati Reds rookie Frank Robinson hits the first home run of his Hall of Fame career. The 20-year-old Robinson connects against Paul Minner of the Chicago Cubs, helping the Reds to a 9-1 victory at Crosley Field. Robinson will hit 586 home runs during his major league career, ranking him fourth on the all-time list…Wally Post hits four home runs in a doubleheader sweep for the Redlegs.

April 28, 1961, At County Stadium, 40-year-old Warren Spahn becomes the second oldest man to pitch a no-hitter in major league history. He is only behind Cy Young’s performance at the age of 41 years and three months. The Milwaukee Braves’ ace masters the San Francisco Giants, 1-0, for his 290th career win, 52nd shutout and second career no-hitter. Spahn strikes out nine batters and walks only two. Fellow Hall of Famer Hank Aaron drives in the game’s lone run with a single in the first inning off hard luck loser Sad Sam Jones.

April 28 , 1965 — New York broadcaster Lindsay Nelson calls the Mets’ 12-9 loss to Houston from the gondola at the top of the Astrodome, located 208 feet above second base . The umpires tell Met skipper Casey Stengel that any ball which might hit Nelson would still be considered in play. That doesn’t occur but a lot does as the two teams trade the lead. Bob Aspromonte’s bases-loaded single delivers the game-winner.

April 28, 1966, the Cleveland Indians tie a modern day major league record by winning their 10th consecutive game on Opening Day. Sonny Siebert, a 16-game winner in 1965, defeats the California Angels, 2-1

April 28, 1978 — Rookie Ozzie Smith, a future Hall of Famer due to his defensive prowess at short, makes what he will rate as his best play ever when he dives to his left to field a grounder hit by Jeff Burroughs of Atlanta. Although the ball takes a bad hop and scoots behind the ‘Wizard’s’ head, he promptly sticks out his bare right hand, snagging the ball before popping to his feet to get the out at first base.

April 28, 1982 — Pete Rose of the Philadelphia Phillies goes 5 for 5 against the Los Angeles Dodgers, tying Max Carey for the most five-hit games in National League history. Rose’s latest five-hit performance helps the Phillies to a 9 – 3 win.

April 28, 1985, the New York Yankees hired Billy Martin as their manager for the fourth time. The fiery Martin, one of George Steinbrenner’s favorite managers, replaces Hall of Famer Yogi Berra, who has fired just 16 games into the season.

April 28, 1989 — At Yankee Stadium, Rickey Henderson of the New York Yankees sets a major league record when he leads off a game with a home run off Shawn Hillegas of the White Sox, it is the 36th time in his career, breaking a tie with Bobby Bonds. The Yankees will win the game 3-1 behind Andy Hawkins and Dave Righetti will pick up the save.

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