Herb Washington---1975
Back in the day when Herbie the Love Bug was all the rage at the movie
theaters, another Herb with a little gitty-up made a splash at the major league
level.
Herb Washington was a world class sprinter who held the indoor record for the
50-yard dash (5.0 seconds) and 60-yard dash (5.8 seconds). He became one of
Oakland owner Charlie Finley’s brainstorms—a designated runner—even
though he had not played baseball since his sophomore season of high school.
Washington spent the 1974 season with the A’s and served as a pinch runner
on 92 occasions. He scored either the tying, go-ahead or winning run on 13
occasions. He also ranked seventh in the American League in stolen bases with
29 after getting caught four times in his first five attempts. Washington served as
a pinch-runner three times in the 1974 World Series, yet was picked off first by
Los Angeles pitcher Mike Marshall in Game 2. He then played in just 13 games,
scoring four times, in 1975 to end Finley’s latest experiment.
(7/11/08)
theaters, another Herb with a little gitty-up made a splash at the major league
level.
Herb Washington was a world class sprinter who held the indoor record for the
50-yard dash (5.0 seconds) and 60-yard dash (5.8 seconds). He became one of
Oakland owner Charlie Finley’s brainstorms—a designated runner—even
though he had not played baseball since his sophomore season of high school.
Washington spent the 1974 season with the A’s and served as a pinch runner
on 92 occasions. He scored either the tying, go-ahead or winning run on 13
occasions. He also ranked seventh in the American League in stolen bases with
29 after getting caught four times in his first five attempts. Washington served as
a pinch-runner three times in the 1974 World Series, yet was picked off first by
Los Angeles pitcher Mike Marshall in Game 2. He then played in just 13 games,
scoring four times, in 1975 to end Finley’s latest experiment.
(7/11/08)
