This Date In Royals History--1984 Edition: July 5

One strike away from a win, the Royals can't get the game official before the rain starts.

Oof. The Royals, one strike away from making the game official, instead saw their 2-1 lead over the Baltimore Orioles wiped out after a rain delay of more than two hours. Instead, the entire game was scheduled to be made up as part of a doubleheader on July 7.

The Royals took a 2-0 lead into the bottom of the fifth, needing three outs for an official game. Starter Mark Gubicza retired the first batter but then hit Mike Young with a 2-2 pitch. Rich Dauer followed with a run-scoring double. After Rick Dempsey grounded out, the rains that had been promised all evening arrived in force. Gubicza got to an 0-2 count on Al Bumbry, who fouled off the third pitch of the plate appearance. But before Gubicza could throw another pitch, crew chief Don Denkinger called for the grounds crew to cover the infield. Although the rain was expected to end around 10:15 pm local time, it was still pouring when the game was called at 11:30 pm.

Manager Dick Howser could have been upset, but seemed calm when interviewed after the game.

“We didn’t do what we had to do to get the game in. If we had, the umpires wouldn’t have been in that position. I don’t think our pitcher and catcher (Don Slaught) did a very good job moving through that inning. They should have stepped up the pace. They’re just young players, that’s all.”--Howser, quoted by the Associated Press, July 6, 1984

Denkinger called his decision “very difficult.” He added:

“It looked like we wouldn’t have been able to get the tarp on and protect the field. You can’t look back. You’ve got to handle the situation at the time it happens. If we lose the field, I know we can’t continue.”--Denkinger, quoted by the Associated Press, July 6, 1984

Off the field, the All-Star Game pitchers and reserves for both leagues were announced. The only Royal selected was pitcher Dan Quisenberry, marking the third time he had been chosen for the game. Other AL pitchers included Mike Boddicker (Baltimore), Bill Caudill (Oakland), Richard Dotson (Chicago), Willie Hernandez (Detroit), Jack Morris (Detroit), Phil Niekro (New York), and Dave Stieb (Toronto). The 45-year-old Niekro became the second-oldest player chosen for an All-Star Game, behind only Satchel Paige, who was 47 (or thereabouts) when he made the 1953 AL team. Position players for the AL were outfielder Tony Armas (Boston), third baseman Buddy Bell (Texas), first baseman Alvin Davis (Seattle), catcher Dave Engle (Minnesota), second baseman Damaso Garcia (Toronto), outfielder Rickey Henderson (Oakland), first baseman Don Mattingly (New York), first baseman Eddie Murray (Baltimore), outfielder Jim Rice (Boston), first baseman Andre Thornton (Cleveland), shortstop Alan Trammell (Detroit), and catcher Jim Sundberg (Texas). Mattingly was actually selected as a reserve outfielder despite playing most of his games in the 1984 season at first base.

The National League pitchers included Joaquin Andujar (St. Louis), Dwight Gooden (New York), Rich Gossage (San Diego), Al Holland (Philadelphia), Charlie Lea (Montreal), Jesse Orosco (New York), Mario Soto (Cincinnati), and Bruce Sutter (St. Louis). Position players included catcher Bob Brenly (San Francisco), outfielder Chili Davis (San Francisco), catcher Jody Davis (Chicago), first baseman Keith Hernandez (New York), outfielder Mike Marshall (Los Angeles), outfielder Jerry Mumphrey (Houston), catcher Tony Pena (Pittsburgh), outfielder Tim Raines (Montreal), shortstop Rafael Ramirez (Atlanta), second baseman Juan Samuel (Philadelphia), third baseman Tim Wallach (Montreal), and outfielder Claudell Washington (Atlanta). At age 19, Gooden became the youngest All-Star ever chosen.

1984 news: Good economic news, as the unemployment rate dropped to 7.1 percent, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. That was the lowest mark since April 1980. It also showed a promising recovery since unemployment peaked at 10.7 percent in November 1982. 

Today’s birthdays: Doug Bochtler (1970), Nick Anderson (1990)