A Legendary Lewis Baseball Game

“It was the greatest individual pitching performance, and the greatest game pitched in Lewis College history.” 

 Coach Gordie Gillespie on pitcher Bob Bachman’s masterpiece. 

Unfortunately, Coach had to watch the last five innings of the 13-inning game from the stands, having been ejected along with two Flyer players in the 8^th inning. Instead of being in the dugout and coaching at 3^rd base, Gordie was just one of the few spectators for Lewis’ most spectacular contest.

The Scene: 1962 in St. Joseph, Missouri

It was the first time that the Lewis College baseball team ever made the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) baseball tournament.  The 1962 team comprised of three seniors, five transfer students, and some talented underclassmen had accomplished a dream for Coach Gordie Gillespie.  This group had set a high standard for future great Lewis teams that culminated 12 years later with NAIA championships for three consecutive years, 1974, 1975, and 1976.

We lost the first game 4-1 to the top seed, Sam Houston State (SHS), and found ourselves instantly on the doorstep of elimination with one more loss. We bounced back with a win over Florida A&M, 5-4, with shortstop Tony Delgado stealing home for the winning run. Next it was again Sam Houston State who also had lost one game, leaving both teams facing elimination.

Rain storms for the next two days delayed the tournament and it seemed possible that teams with even one loss would be sent home with only the undefeated teams continuing the tournament. But the rain let up enough for the directors to schedule an 11:00 pm start for the game, using only two umpires rather than three. Thus began one of the memorable baseball games in Flyer history.

“Bachman, get ready to pitch”

Coach Gillespie knew that Sam Houston State had seven left-handed hitters when they beat us and a lefty pitcher might be an effective antidote. The problem? We had no left-handed pitchers. Magician Gordie, with one wave of his wand, transformed our center fielder into a pitcher.

Bob Bachman threw lefty but had pitched exactly one (1) inning all season and Bob couldn’t be in pitching shape. But, Gordie took a risk in starting Bob, hoping he could pitch as many innings as possible and then go to the Lewis bullpen. 

The Drama

Bachman’s pitching performance began in a spectacular way.  Through seven innings, he shut out Sam Houston, but we weren’t able to get any run support for him, and neither team had scored going into the 8^th inning.  After each inning, Gordie would check with Bob to see if he could go one more inning. “Maybe one more, Coach,” a statement that would be repeated for 12 innings.

In the top of the 8^th, SHS had runners on 2^nd and 3^rd with two outs, when the next hitter lined a ball deep into right center, past a light pole, when our outfielder Chuck Schwarz made a diving catch.  Inning over and the shutout was preserved.

Wrong!

Neither umpire made a call, while SHS runners were circling the bases.  We had started going back to our dugout for our at bats assuming the inning was over, but then we realized that no ruling that the “catch” had been made. SHU had scored three runs, and we were in shock.

Chuck never threw the ball in, but instead ran in, showing ball in glove, waiting for the out sign. No sign. 

“Honest to god, ump, I caught the ball, I caught the ball.” Chuck Schwarz

Gordie raced onto the field while Chuck was literally on his knees, pleading with the head umpire who refused to accept the idea that the ball caught.  Coach was hot.  In the process of “discussion and persuasion,” Gordie, 2^nd baseman Ken Mularski, and catcher Ray Coughlin were ejected.  

At that point, the two umpires finally convened and agreed that neither one had seen the play, assuming that the third (missing) umpire would have witnessed the catch. They made the decision…the ball was caught!

I argued with both umpires to reverse the ejection of our guys reasoning that Gordie had been correct, but my argument was rejected.

Of course, it was mayhem part two when SHS realized that the game would be continued.

Redemption

Somehow, Bob Bachman labored on through the 12^thinning without allowing any runs, but he was finished and returned to the outfield.  Tom Dedin, who was the losing pitcher in our first game, pitched the 13^th inning and continued shutting out SHS.

Bottom of the 13^th inning.  I was the first hitter and reached base on an error by the SHS 2^nd baseman. After Eddie Spiezio line out to right field, Tom Thillens blooped a single to right center and I was able to reach third.  With one out and runners on first and third, Bob Bachman hit a line drive base hit into center field, and I start toward home with the winning run.

Wait. The center fielder was playing shallow and actually made the catch.

Far up in the stands, a voice rang out, “Tag up, Tom! Tag up!” It was the voice of ejected Coach Gordie Gillespie. I returned to the bag, tagged up and was going to be out at home… but the throw was off target.  We won, 1-0. It was about 2:30 A.M. and there were only three spectators left in the stadium. Gillespie, Mularski, and Coughlin.

The Irony

Center fielder Bob Bachman had just pitched a master piece, a 4-hit shutout, drove in the winning run, and didn’t get credit for the win.  Tom Dedin was the winning pitcher despite pitching only one inning. That’s baseball.

The Flyers went on to beat Winona State 5-3, but then were eliminated by Portland State. It was a season to remember for all the players and Gordie. In their first NAIA tournament, the Flyers brought home a 3^rd place NAIA trophy. Lewis would return four more times before winning the championship in 1974, 1975, and 1976.

Coach Gillespie had a hunch and bet on Bob Bachman.  Bob came through and Gordie was again the magic man. 

Continuing Question

The question that has always remained in my mind, even 60 years later, “What was it that ultimately changed the umpires’ minds to make a belated out call? Did they finally realize that they had shirked their responsibilities? Or were they ultimately convinced about the absolute sincerity of Chuck Schwarz and concluded that no fielder would run the ball in from the outfield, rather than throw it, unless he had made the catch?” 

The Lewis heroes in this remarkable game were Coach Gillespie for his calculated risk, Bob Bachman for his pitching and hitting, and Chuck Schwarz for his dramatic catch and equally dramatic persuasiveness.  

The Players

Essentially, Coach Gillespie knitted together an unlikely group of local athletes into the first Lewis team to reach the NAIA championship tournament. (Only listed those who played in this game.)

• Tom Dedin: senior transfer from Loras College, baseball pitcher and basketball player
• Chuck Schwarz: senior, outfielder and basketball player
• Tom Kennedy: senior, first baseman and basketball player 
• Ed Spiezio: junior transfer from Illinois, 3^rd base (Tourney MVP)
• Ken Mularski: junior transfer from Eastern Illinois, 2^nd base
• Bob Bachman: sophomore, outfielder and basketball player
• Ray Coughlin: freshman, catcher and basketball player
• Bob Calamari: sophomore, pitcher and sometime outfielder
• Tom Thillens: sophomore, outfielder
• Tony Delgado: freshman, shortstop and basketball player
• Ron Fordonski: junior, catcher, and Joliet Herald-News sports writer