Frank Tanana--1978
Scout Tales... Frank Tanana
Waiting for another game in the press
box, talk amongst the Midwestern scouts
was the oddity of high school ball in the
Catholic League of Detroit, Michigan.
While scouting for the Florida Marlins in
the 1990s, I covered Tennessee,
Kentucky and Ohio until the later half of
the decade. It was then when many
scouting territories were gradually
expanded throughout organizations in a
cost cutting maneuver by Baseball.
As a result, I added the Southern
two-thirds of Indiana and the Detroit area
of Michigan to my three state
responsibility.
It was in Detroit that I was exposed to the
Catholic High School programs and their
"3-2" baseball. In 1971, the Detroit area
Catholic schools decided to amend
traditional baseball rules by making three
balls a walk and two strikes a strikeout in
an effort to speed up the game--- thus,
"3-2" baseball. With two strikes, batters
were allowed an extra strike on bunt
attempts. Interesting...
By doing so, the Catholic schools could
easily complete double-headers during
the short sunlight days of Springtime in
Michigan.
Well, one nameless scout (he's media
shy) who played high school ball in
Detroit back in the early 1970s related
the story that "3-2" baseball almost died
after just a few games because of Frank
Tanana.
With a sizzling fastball and only two
strikes needed as a high school senior at
Detroit Central Catholic in '71, Tanana is
reputed to have fanned 40 of the first 42
hitters he faced in his first two games.
Because of the left-handers' dominance,
the coaches in the league discussed
going back to traditional rules---
however, they ultimately decided to stick
with the "3-2" baseball--- that remains to
this date.
Michigan High School records are
sketchy and we haven't been able to
confirm Tanana's accomplishment... but
then again, that's why this is a "Scouts
Tale".
Editor's Note: Tanana would be the No.
1 pick of the Angels in 1971 (13th
overall) despite having shoulder
problems during his senior season. He
would go on to post 240 wins and 2,773
strikeouts during his 21-year big league
career, which would include being named
to three All-Star Squads. The lefty would
lead the AL with 269 strikeouts in 1975,
all of the three-strike variety.
(4/13/11)
Waiting for another game in the press
box, talk amongst the Midwestern scouts
was the oddity of high school ball in the
Catholic League of Detroit, Michigan.
While scouting for the Florida Marlins in
the 1990s, I covered Tennessee,
Kentucky and Ohio until the later half of
the decade. It was then when many
scouting territories were gradually
expanded throughout organizations in a
cost cutting maneuver by Baseball.
As a result, I added the Southern
two-thirds of Indiana and the Detroit area
of Michigan to my three state
responsibility.
It was in Detroit that I was exposed to the
Catholic High School programs and their
"3-2" baseball. In 1971, the Detroit area
Catholic schools decided to amend
traditional baseball rules by making three
balls a walk and two strikes a strikeout in
an effort to speed up the game--- thus,
"3-2" baseball. With two strikes, batters
were allowed an extra strike on bunt
attempts. Interesting...
By doing so, the Catholic schools could
easily complete double-headers during
the short sunlight days of Springtime in
Michigan.
Well, one nameless scout (he's media
shy) who played high school ball in
Detroit back in the early 1970s related
the story that "3-2" baseball almost died
after just a few games because of Frank
Tanana.
With a sizzling fastball and only two
strikes needed as a high school senior at
Detroit Central Catholic in '71, Tanana is
reputed to have fanned 40 of the first 42
hitters he faced in his first two games.
Because of the left-handers' dominance,
the coaches in the league discussed
going back to traditional rules---
however, they ultimately decided to stick
with the "3-2" baseball--- that remains to
this date.
Michigan High School records are
sketchy and we haven't been able to
confirm Tanana's accomplishment... but
then again, that's why this is a "Scouts
Tale".
Editor's Note: Tanana would be the No.
1 pick of the Angels in 1971 (13th
overall) despite having shoulder
problems during his senior season. He
would go on to post 240 wins and 2,773
strikeouts during his 21-year big league
career, which would include being named
to three All-Star Squads. The lefty would
lead the AL with 269 strikeouts in 1975,
all of the three-strike variety.
(4/13/11)
