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Take a group of young men ages 18-22, put some money in their pockets and then send them to Reno, Nevada.
What could go wrong?
Unfortunately, in the case of the Reno Padres, an entire baseball season could go wrong!
The city itself was suffering as well. From a tragedy much worse than a bad baseball season.
Four months prior, on January 21, Galaxy Airlines Flight 203 crashed shortly after takeoff. The plane had left the Reno-Canon Airport but crashed on South Virginia Street. 70 people died.
Puts things like a baseball game into perspective.
But a baseball game we would still play.
My debut at the Moana Stadium. The first look Reno fans, all 4,000 (if that many) of them. They were probably looking at their programs saying "who?"
We were facing the Visalia Oaks. We had beaten them the night before 12-1. Our starting pitcher had gone 9.0 innings, allowing 1 run on 8 hits, walking 2 and striking out 5.
A solid performance and one that would be tough to follow.
A switch was made and John Carlson, normally a third baseman, would be my catcher for this game. I was less than pleased. I preferred Sandy.
I had spent some time between starts getting to know Sandy. He was a second generation player and also had a brother playing for the Baltimore Orioles.
"Your father had played for the Texas Rangers?"
That's where I knew that name! The Rangers were my favorite team as a kid. Well, the Rangers and Astros both. We actually got more exposure to the Astros because of where we lived in Texas. Just a couple hours south down Highway 59. I had even attended a game at the Astrodome and got to see Nolan Ryan pitch.
Needless to say, I would wear number 34 all through high school.
But the first team I ever rooted for was the Rangers.
Sandy talked about the pressure of being a second generation player with a brother in the majors at age 17. And his own frustration at the experts saying he himself would never get out of the minors.
"You listen to the experts?"
"My dad is one of them."
Sandy Alomar Sr just happened to be a coach with the Padres.
"Have you heard about me?" Why did I ask that question....
"They say you should have as they call it an illustrious career. Future winner of many awards."/
Oh. That's all? No pressure.
Back to the game against the Oaks.
The second innning again.
I set them down in order in the first. But the second started with a double and then our first baseman booted a grounder. They got in a run but I had a chance to get out of the innning with runners at first and second and two out. But a walk was followed by a 2-run single and it was 3-0.
At least it wasn't 6 runs like in my first game, right?
A run followed in the third and two more in the fifth.
And then I was told my day was done. We trailed 6-0 at that point and went on to lose 7-3. Their third baseman went 4 for 5 with a double (off me), an RBI and he scored twice.
As for my line? 5.0 innnings. 6 runs (4 earned) on 9 hits, 2 walks and 2 strikeouts.
The Reno Padres were 11-27 as the month of June began.
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