RIP 1984 Cy Young/MVP winner Willie Hernandez

[garrow]

My first editor's high school nickname was Willie because of his slight resemblance to Hernandez. My editor graduated high school in 1984 and became a lifelong Tigers fan even though he was from Reading, PA.

RIP.

(Also, I probably had one Glenn Wilson card for every team he played for in the 80s).

 

[maumann]

The '84 Tigers gave us the wave?

Thankfully, no. Krazy George Henderson had A's fans doing The Wave as early as 1981. But it was being done in NHL arenas a couple of years before that.

Washington may have been the first university to do it in football. Michigan were doing it at football games by 1983.

However, the 1984 World Series was apparently the first instance of it being televised live nationally.

 

[ChrisLong]

Krazy George was at the SJSt.-SDSt. game last Saturday.

 

[Starman]

I'm pretty sure The Wave started in college football stadiums in the mid-late Seventies.

 

[maumann]

Krazy George was at the SJSt.-SDSt. game last Saturday.

Guy looked 70 years old in 1978.

 

[YMCA B-Baller]

I liked Glenn Wilson. He had a rifle arm.

The late 70s/1980 Cubs had Bruce Sutter, Willie Hernandez, Bill Caudill and Donnie Moore in their bullpen.

If today's pitching principles would have been applied, they could have been a force of nature if they had hung on to them. But they all peaked at different times, so it doesn't work like that of course.

 

[BYH 2: Electric Boogaloo]

"Glennbo" was a fun player on those bad mid-80s Phillies teams. Had one of the best outfield arms in the majors for a few years and led MLB in outfield assists twice.
Once or twice a season somebody would hit a hard groundball that got through to him in right field, and he'd rush up to get it and throw the guy out at first. The first time he did it (I think it was Ryne Sandberg that he caught), nobody really knew what happened. Then after he did it again you always kept an eye out for it. Not sure I've ever seen anyone since who made a conscious effort to try and make that play on the regular like he did.

Also a sneaky great Immaculate Grid pick. Had 100 RBIs & made the All-Star team with the Phillies. A fun zag when everyone else is zigging to Mike Schmidt or Ryan Howard. And he also spent time w/the Tigers, Mariners, Astros & Pirates. (I knew this all off the top of my head, how, I have no idea) Crosses off a lot of boxes at 2% or lower.

 

[Junkie]

The '84 Tigers gave us the wave?

Well, if not, they certainly popularized it. First time I ever saw it and they did that shirt like every half-inning.