50 years ago today: Dock Ellis pitches no-hitter on LSD

[GregPersons]

 

Are you familiar with one of the legend of Dock Ellis and the greatest no-hitter game of all time? Today is the 50th anniversary. 

 

Here's an animated re-telling of that fateful day. 

 

 

 

Truly one of the funniest and best baseball stories I've ever heard.

[Johnny Hammersticks]

I betcha a lot of other athletes during this time were playing in games high out of their skulls.  This is a really cool story.  Love the animation.

[GregPersons]

Just now, Johnny Hammersticks said:

I betcha a lot of other athletes during this time were playing in games high out of their skulls.  This is a really cool story.  Love the animation.

 

I know probably the least about baseball than any sport but there's a history of that right? Like wasn't Babe Ruth drunk during games? Idk if that's true or something I just feel like I maybe heard

[Johnny Hammersticks]

19 minutes ago, GregPersons said:

 

I know probably the least about baseball than any sport but there's a history of that right? Like wasn't Babe Ruth drunk during games? Idk if that's true or something I just feel like I maybe heard

 

Yeah, I think the 70’s/80’s in particular were a hot time for speed, cocaine and hallucinogens.  I think Dock even said as much in the video, like “everyone was doing bennies.”  Just part of the sports culture during that time.

[4_kidd_4]

Damn, and I thought it was quite an achievement when I could make it outta my dorm room when I was tripping, let alone throw a baseball.

[Johnny Hammersticks]

7 minutes ago, 4_kidd_4 said:

Damn, and I thought it was quite an achievement when I could make it outta my dorm room when I was tripping, let alone throw a baseball.

 

I gave a presentation my sophomore year of college while I was wrecked on Peyote.  My roommate ate some with me, but he refused to throw up (part of the process) before he went to class.  He ended up tossing his cookies all over the hall way.  I don’t think I have ever sweat so badly in my life.  My professor must have known something was up.

[GregPersons]

23 minutes ago, Johnny Hammersticks said:

 

Yeah, I think the 70’s/80’s in particular were a hot time for speed, cocaine and hallucinogens.  I think Dock even said as much in the video, like “everyone was doing bennies.”  Just part of the sports culture during that time.

 

Oh yeah for sure, no doubt about that. I just meant as in it's more of a tradition in baseball moreso than like football or basketball or hockey, I would think, to play inebriated? Because the game requires a lot less overall physical movement

6 minutes ago, Johnny Hammersticks said:

 

I gave a presentation my sophomore year of college while I was wrecked on Peyote.  My roommate ate some with me, but he refused to throw up (part of the process) before he went to class.  He ended up tossing his cookies all over the hall way.  I don’t think I have ever sweat so badly in my life.  My professor must have known something was up.

 

What grade did you get? Also what was the presentation on / what class? lol

[Johnny Hammersticks]

5 minutes ago, GregPersons said:

What grade did you get? Also what was the presentation on / what class? lol

 

It was a public speaking class, actually ?

 

I can’t remember what the presentation was all about, probably something stupid, but I do remember that I got a passing grade.

[Augie]

42 minutes ago, Jaraxxus said:

 

That's like going to family dinner baked.

 

"Why's everyone looking at me?"
 

 

They admire your appetite? They want some of what you’re having? What is that smell?  Why won’t he stop watching the goldfish? What is that giggle all about??? So many possibilities.......

 

[4_kidd_4]

1 hour ago, Johnny Hammersticks said:

 

I gave a presentation my sophomore year of college while I was wrecked on Peyote.  My roommate ate some with me, but he refused to throw up (part of the process) before he went to class.  He ended up tossing his cookies all over the hall way.  I don’t think I have ever sweat so badly in my life.  My professor must have known something was up.

 

This is fantastic stuff right here.

[4_kidd_4]

1 hour ago, Johnny Hammersticks said:

 

Yeah, I think the 70’s/80’s in particular were a hot time for speed, cocaine and hallucinogens.  I think Dock even said as much in the video, like “everyone was doing bennies.”  Just part of the sports culture during that time.

 

80s + NHL + cocaine + amphetamines.

 

Probably the greatest substance to sports equation of all time. Look no further than some of those Canadiens v. Nordiques battles from back then ha.

 

 

[T&C]

4 hours ago, 4_kidd_4 said:

Damn, and I thought it was quite an achievement when I could make it outta my dorm room when I was tripping, let alone throw a baseball.

Usually we had one person who was just smoking weed or hash just to keep an eye on things... no one turning into a bird and flying off of the roof... stuff like that. I really doubt this story, the flashing alone would keep anyone from concentrating on anything, much less pitching a MLB game. Best example I can think of flashing is Grace in the Uncle Sam Blues  vid from Woodstock. 

 

 

 

[bbb]

8 walks and a hit batsman?!?  What - was he high?!?  

[ExiledInIllinois]

2004 BoSox.

[Fr. Jerk]

[The Dean]

Pirate fan here (was a HUGE Pirate fan in my youth) and this is one of my favorite stories. I too had a hard time believing it, but I think it is probably true.

 

Remember Jim Bouton's story about Mickey Mantle?

 

Quote

 

"We have been out the night before, having a few drinks, and Mickey came to the clubhouse the next day, and he was a little hung over. So, you know, Ralph Houk said, 'Don't worry about it. Sleep it off in the trainer's room. We'll put somebody else in center field.' Anyway, the game goes extra innings. We need a pinch-hitter in the 10th. Somebody went to wake up the Mick. He comes out, put a bat in his hands. He walks up to home plate, takes one practice swing and hits the first pitch into the left field bleachers, a tremendous blast.

 

"Guys are going nuts. He comes over, crosses home plate. Actually, he missed home plate. We have to send him back for that. He comes over to the dugout, and he looks up in the stands, and he says, those people don't know how tough that really was. Then after the game, the sportswriter said, 'Mick, how did you that?' ... And he said, 'Well, it was very simple. I hit the middle ball.' "

 

 

This is a recounting of the story in Ball Four. What's missing is they claimed publicly  Mickey was missing the game because he had bruised ribs. So the reporter was interested in how Mickey could hit the HR with damaged ribs.

 

Not the same as pitching on acid, though.

[Nextmanup]

19 hours ago, 4_kidd_4 said:

 

80s + NHL + cocaine + amphetamines.

 

Probably the greatest substance to sports equation of all time. Look no further than some of those Canadiens v. Nordiques battles from back then ha.

 

 

I can think of some fights with the likes of John Kordic or about a million with Bob Probert that went on a really long time.

 

Hockey fighting is utterly exhausting.

 

As the fight went on and the opponent got totally gassed, guys like Kordic and Probert actually seemed to get stronger, fighting with increased intensity.

 

Looking back and knowing what we now know, It had to be purely a function of coke.

 

Folks talk about the '70s as the golden era for fighting in the NHL, but it wasn't.  Look at the stats and numbers.

 

It increased up until the end.  The 1990s were the best decade.

 

I wonder how many fights Rob Ray engaged in while he was on something, or his opponents were.

 

I listen to Rayzor all the time on WGR-550 and he seems like a great guy.  He is very honest and open in his stories.  I have never heard him reference taking drugs, so he may well not have.  But what about his opponents?

 

He mentioned how before games, Brad May would get incredibly nervous, sometimes to the point of vomiting, knowing that he had to get in a fight in that night's game.  He would nervously tell Rayzor, "Let me go first, let me go first!" because he just wanted to get it over with and then play hockey.

 

But now I'm digressing and that stuff is more a topic for a different thread.

God how I miss fighting in NHL hockey, as well as the complete collapse of the "North American Style" of the game.

 

NHL is pretty f-ing boring most of the time now; regular season is usually unwatchable.

 

 

[bbb]

On 6/12/2020 at 9:32 PM, T&C said:

Usually we had one person who was just smoking weed or hash just to keep an eye on things... no one turning into a bird and flying off of the roof... stuff like that. I really doubt this story, the flashing alone would keep anyone from concentrating on anything, much less pitching a MLB game. Best example I can think of flashing is Grace in the Uncle Sam Blues  vid from Woodstock. 

 

 

 

 

What is flashing?  

[T&C]

13 minutes ago, bbb said:

 

What is flashing?  

Watch the video and look at Graces eyes... constantly blinking. Thank Owsley for that lol. No way that guy pitched a no hitter or even made it to the stadium on a true hit of acid. Maybe the day before and took a couple of christmas trees/greenies that day. I call this a bogus story.

[The Dean]

11 minutes ago, T&C said:

Watch the video and look at Graces eyes... constantly blinking. Thank Owsley for that lol. No way that guy pitched a no hitter or even made it to the stadium on a true hit of acid. Maybe the day before and took a couple of christmas trees/greenies that day. I call this a bogus story.

 

 

People have varying individual reactions to psychedelics. There is no "one response". If you'd done enough, with enough people, you'd already know that. I've had many different reactions myself. 

 

With that said, I question it too.