Page 22 THE STAR NEWS Thursday, July 2, 2020 SPORTS Reminded of two great moments in Brewers history that almost never happened I’m just as sick and tired of watching classic sports in the bullpen, to face Cooper. That’s a move any man- games as the next guy is while the coronavirus crisis ager in the last 30 years would’ve made. But baseball approaches the end of month number four. was different in the early 1980s. You didn’t see many But I found in the last few days there’s still a soft spot Matt’s pitching changes being made one hitter at a time back for anything that involves the 1982 Brewers, as their big Bleacher Shots then. October games were recycled yet again on Fox Sports Had won the 1982 , there’s no Matt Frey Wisconsin. doubt the franchise’s top half-inning of all time would’ve I’m also pretty much done with any kind of all-time been the bottom of the seventh in Game 4 against the St. ranking or silly brackets trying to determine every- scored two runs on ’s two-out, opposite- Louis Cardinals. Down 2-1 in the series and 5-1 in the thing from best all-time team, best all-time uniform, fi eld single to left with the bases loaded, but those runs game, the Brewers were in danger of losing a second best all-time mascot or best all-time left-handed start- turned a 3-2 defi cit into a 4-3 lead, which, of course, was straight game at home in a series where they already er for an expansion team. It feels like there’s nothing the fi nal score and the win sent the Brew Crew to their had home-fi eld disadvantage. popped sports-related left to rank on social media. only World Series. out on the fi rst pitch and the boo birds rained from the But then it dawned on me Sunday night while watch- But do you remember that Cooper would’ve never crowd of over 56,000. ing some stretches from a couple of 1982 Brewers Clas- batted that inning had ’s infi eld blooper followed with a bouncer to fi rst baseman sics that I might be reliving the two greatest half-innings with one out carried an inch or two further? It’s a play , who made a perfect fl ip to pitcher in team history. Has anyone done that ranking yet? you’d never remember 38 years later. Then you re-watch and former Brewers prospect Dave LaPoint, who was a Those October moments from 1982 still bring back Game 5 and see it and it makes you say, “wow, that was tick late in covering fi rst base. LaPoint dropped the ball fond memories for fans old enough to have seen them close.” Moore’s little looper was correctly ruled by the and Oglivie was safe. If LaPoint catches it, there’s two the fi rst time. For the record, I was 10 and in fi fth grade. umpires to have been trapped by California second outs and nobody on. While Don Money followed with a Now that you see them again, you realize how close they baseman , but not by much. Instead of two , the third out would’ve theoretically come next on were to never happening. outs and nobody on, Moore reached with one out. Jim Moore’s pop-up to shortstop . During the World Series telecasts, NBC’s Joe Gara- Gantner singled but popped out for what But the baseball gods punished the Cardinals in a giola mentioned that Brewers manager hypothetically would’ve been the third out had Grich big way and it nearly catapulted the Brewers to cham- called baseball a game of inches, it just depends on who caught Moore’s ball. pionship. Gantner doubled to the gap in right-center, those inches favor. On at least two occasions that Octo- It’s also kinda forgotten that fouled off Molitor walked and, in what could’ve become one of ber, he was right. some pretty tough pitches by Angel pitcher Luis San- the most epic moments in Brewers history had they Because the Brewers won the series, I guess you’d chez before drawing a walk that got Cooper to the plate. won the series, Yount hit a check-swing line drive that have to put the bottom of the seventh inning in game To this day, the ultimate “what if” of the moment was found the perfect spot between fi rst and second base fi ve of the Championship Series what would’ve happened had Angels manager Gene and scored two runs. Cooper’s sharply-hit grounder to against the California Angels as the greatest half-in- Mauch made the decision to replace the right-handed third went for a game-tying infi eld single. ning in the team’s soon-to-be 50-year history. They only Sanchez with left-handed Andy Hassler, who was ready was walked intentionally after a wild pitch to bring up Thomas who laced a to left-center to bring in the go-ahead runs in a 7-5 win. DNR wardens join local boat patrols for July 4 weekend Do I remember watching that inning way back when? You bet. Do I remember Yount’s check swing hit? Yes Boaters and paddlers enjoying Wisconsin’s waters When impaired by alcohol, boating accidents are more sir. Did I remember the that made it all possible? during the July 4 weekend will see more state conser- likely and deadlier for both passengers and boat opera- Heck no. vation wardens and local boat patrols spreading educa- tors, many of whom capsize their vessel or go overboard. The Brewers won the next day to take a 3-2 lead in tion and enforcing the state’s safe boating laws as part Boaters should take a boating safety education the series, but, as we painfully know, the Cardinals won of the annual national Operation Dry Water. course before getting on the water and everyone on games six and seven in St. Louis to win the series. That The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources’ board should always wear a life jacket while near or on “what if” that sticks in Brewers fans minds is what Bureau of Law Enforcement will join local law enforce- the water. might’ve happened had Hall of Fame reliever Rollie Fin- ment agencies, the U.S. Coast Guard and the National “We want all boaters to enjoy their time on the water gers been healthy, especially when they lost a late lead Association of State Boating Law Administrators to in a way that allows everyone to return home safely,” in game two. help keep Wisconsin’s water safe this holiday weekend. Dombrowski said. But you’re always reminded in sports there’s never Launched in 2009, Operation Dry Water is an aware- Outreach partners and volunteers will be out on the just one “what if,” and the separation between oppo- ness and enforcement campaign to educate boaters water and at marinas during Operation Dry Water, nents is rarely as wide as one thinks. about the dangers of boating under the infl uence of al- working collaboratively with law enforcement to edu- cohol and other drugs. Held annually during the July 4 cate boaters about safe boating practices. Law enforce- Matt Frey is the Sports Editor at The Star News. holiday, the campaign is not limited to these few days. ment also will be detecting and removing impaired op- “Alcohol use continues to be a leading known con- erators from the water. tributing factor in recreational boater deaths and a In 2019, Wisconsin DNR offi cers contacted 2,410 ves- leading contributor in boating accidents,” said captain sels, 6,801 boaters, issued 202 boating citations and re- April Dombrowski, of the DNR Bureau of Law Enforce- moved 25 impaired boaters from the water. For the 2019 ment Recreation Safety and Outdoor Skills Section. calendar year, 254 citations were issued for alcohol vio- Trap League “The mission of Operation Dry Water is a year-round lations statewide. In 2019, there were 82 reportable boat theme to keep all waters safe for all enjoying being on incidents, 50 people injured and nine fatalities. Wisconsin’s many waters. This also means avoiding al- Boaters can learn more about boating under the in- cohol or other drug use prior to and while boating.” fl uence by visiting operationdrywater.org. Operation A boat operator or passenger with a blood alcohol Dry Water is coordinated nationally by the National Range Boys Trap League Week 4 concentration above the legal limit runs a signifi cantly Association of State Boating Law Administrators (NAS- Short Lane Classic, 4-0; Short Lane Elite, 4-0; Wild Thing’s Taxi- increased risk of being involved in a boating accident. 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