Greg Myers--1996
One can only imagine the feeling
Minnesota catcher Greg Myers had
when he saw big Cecil Fielder
standing on second base after a
successful stolen base attempt on
April 2, 1996. After all, wasn't April
Fool's Day just the day before.
It was the ninth inning of the
Twins-Tigers game, when the
Detroit first baseman finished his
day at the plate with a lead off walk
from Twins hurler Dan Naulty. With
a 9-6 lead, Fielder danced off first
base as designated hitter Eddie
Williams fanned. Then with Melvin
Nieves at the plate, big No. 45
would steal second base for his first
career stolen base. It was the
1,097th game of his career.
Later that season, there also must
have been something in the air on
July 3, 1996, as Fielder would swipe
the second and final stolen base of
his career. That one came off
Milwaukee hind snatcher Jesse
Levis with Nieves also at the plate
in what would be an 8-2, Tigers
victory.
After five unsuccessful attempts
spread out over the first ten years
of his career, the 32-year-old
Fielder brought out the speed
aspect of his game during 1996,
much to the surprise of Myers and
Levis. Fielder would attempt one
more stolen base during his career,
in 1998 while with the Anaheim
Angles, his final season.
(4/2/10)
Minnesota catcher Greg Myers had
when he saw big Cecil Fielder
standing on second base after a
successful stolen base attempt on
April 2, 1996. After all, wasn't April
Fool's Day just the day before.
It was the ninth inning of the
Twins-Tigers game, when the
Detroit first baseman finished his
day at the plate with a lead off walk
from Twins hurler Dan Naulty. With
a 9-6 lead, Fielder danced off first
base as designated hitter Eddie
Williams fanned. Then with Melvin
Nieves at the plate, big No. 45
would steal second base for his first
career stolen base. It was the
1,097th game of his career.
Later that season, there also must
have been something in the air on
July 3, 1996, as Fielder would swipe
the second and final stolen base of
his career. That one came off
Milwaukee hind snatcher Jesse
Levis with Nieves also at the plate
in what would be an 8-2, Tigers
victory.
After five unsuccessful attempts
spread out over the first ten years
of his career, the 32-year-old
Fielder brought out the speed
aspect of his game during 1996,
much to the surprise of Myers and
Levis. Fielder would attempt one
more stolen base during his career,
in 1998 while with the Anaheim
Angles, his final season.
(4/2/10)
