Tom Browning---1992
Being on a losing club stinks. Lost
amongst the large paychecks and
semi-glamorous lifestyle of being a
professional ballplayer is the fact that
players like to win.
There's an old saying in the big
leagues, that "The beds are softer,
the planes are faster and the
post-game beer tastes better when a
team is winning." And it is true, that
when you are on that 10-game road
trip, things go much smoother when a
team is winning.
The date was July 7, 1993 and the
Cincinnati Reds were in Chicago, a
game under .500 in a season that
had been a major disappointment for
Reds fans. The ever-popular former
Big Red Machine icon Tony Perez
lasted just 44 games (20-24) as
manager before he was let go in
favor of veteran skipper Davey
Johnson. The club was just a couple
of seasons removed from their
shocking 1990 World Championship
over the Oakland A's; but the team
was going nowhere fast.
The lineup featured speed from
Barry Larkin, Bip Roberts and Reggie
Sanders. The power was supplied by
Kevin Mitchell and Chris "Spuds"
Sabo. Jose Rijo, John Smiley and
Tom Browning anchored the rotation,
while closer Rob Dibble was hanging
on to the remaining small amount of
"nastiness" he had left in his arm.
Yet, it was one of those seasons that
nothing went right for the Reds.
The ever-competitive Browning in
attempt to keep the guys loose,
snuck out of Wrigley Field and joined
fans on the rooftop of 3643 N.
Sheffield in full uniform. Browning,
with his feet dangling over the roof
just beyond right field, was just
hanging out with the fans as most of
Wrigley Field focused on him, rather
than the game being played by two
losing clubs. Browning waved to his
teammates, high-fived with the fans
on the roof and just had a good time
for an inning.
It was vintage Browning, who had
long been known a great clubhouse
guy and a bit of a character. He
received a $500 fine from Johnson
for leaving the stadium; but the stunt
helped unite the club, giving the
players and fans something to talk
about for days.
In the end, the Reds faltered, pushed
under .500 for good by a mini-slump
in August; as the nails were driven
into the coffin by a 12-game losing
streak in September. They finished
the season 73-89, in 5th place in the
NL West 31 games behind the
Atlanta Braves.
Reds fans remember Browning, who
was inducted in the Reds Hall of
Fame in 2006, for his 1988 perfect
game (the only one in Reds history)
and his rooftop exploit of 1993, when
he brought smiles to both Reds and
Cubs fans, in a move that we will not
see in today's baseball world.
(7/7/08)
amongst the large paychecks and
semi-glamorous lifestyle of being a
professional ballplayer is the fact that
players like to win.
There's an old saying in the big
leagues, that "The beds are softer,
the planes are faster and the
post-game beer tastes better when a
team is winning." And it is true, that
when you are on that 10-game road
trip, things go much smoother when a
team is winning.
The date was July 7, 1993 and the
Cincinnati Reds were in Chicago, a
game under .500 in a season that
had been a major disappointment for
Reds fans. The ever-popular former
Big Red Machine icon Tony Perez
lasted just 44 games (20-24) as
manager before he was let go in
favor of veteran skipper Davey
Johnson. The club was just a couple
of seasons removed from their
shocking 1990 World Championship
over the Oakland A's; but the team
was going nowhere fast.
The lineup featured speed from
Barry Larkin, Bip Roberts and Reggie
Sanders. The power was supplied by
Kevin Mitchell and Chris "Spuds"
Sabo. Jose Rijo, John Smiley and
Tom Browning anchored the rotation,
while closer Rob Dibble was hanging
on to the remaining small amount of
"nastiness" he had left in his arm.
Yet, it was one of those seasons that
nothing went right for the Reds.
The ever-competitive Browning in
attempt to keep the guys loose,
snuck out of Wrigley Field and joined
fans on the rooftop of 3643 N.
Sheffield in full uniform. Browning,
with his feet dangling over the roof
just beyond right field, was just
hanging out with the fans as most of
Wrigley Field focused on him, rather
than the game being played by two
losing clubs. Browning waved to his
teammates, high-fived with the fans
on the roof and just had a good time
for an inning.
It was vintage Browning, who had
long been known a great clubhouse
guy and a bit of a character. He
received a $500 fine from Johnson
for leaving the stadium; but the stunt
helped unite the club, giving the
players and fans something to talk
about for days.
In the end, the Reds faltered, pushed
under .500 for good by a mini-slump
in August; as the nails were driven
into the coffin by a 12-game losing
streak in September. They finished
the season 73-89, in 5th place in the
NL West 31 games behind the
Atlanta Braves.
Reds fans remember Browning, who
was inducted in the Reds Hall of
Fame in 2006, for his 1988 perfect
game (the only one in Reds history)
and his rooftop exploit of 1993, when
he brought smiles to both Reds and
Cubs fans, in a move that we will not
see in today's baseball world.
(7/7/08)
