Intentional Strikeout

November 13, 2009 – Deceased former Twins manager, Cal Ermer speaking: “We have a play now that we used to use in Chattanooga in 1952, with two strikes, we begin to walk a batter intentionally. After three balls, the catcher is at the side again to catch a wild pitch, but on a signal, the pitcher fires it over the middle. We got big Frank Howard on this. He chased our catcher with a bat. Bob Oldis was a wizard at this play. We pulled it some in 1952.”

Bob Montag, who was listening to Ermer and played for Atlanta that year, spoke up, grinning, with, “Yeah, he pulled it on me.” — Wirt Gammon in the Chattanooga Times.