1986 San Francisco Giants team film

Candlestick Park the final day of the 85 season gene Garber of Atlanta gets the last out and with it the San Francisco Giants lose 100 games for the first time in team history by the following spring it seemed as though that might be the last game ever played at Candlestick there was talk that the team would move plans to build a new stadium collapsed it was a time of turmoil and doubt and that is the 1986 season approached the concern and confusion were dramatically erased good morning San Francisco bright and early Mike Clary with you on KNBR 68 a great day it is and to make the day even more beautiful news now that the Giants are staying they've just announced they'll play the season at Candlestick so go get them Giants [Music] the ballgame is over and the Giants have won goodness hensley to the plate and Craig swings light [Applause] Oh you gotta like this team the story of the 1986 San Francisco Giants spring training opened with considerable relief in Scottsdale Arizona but giant general manager al Rosen knew what kind of team he was coming to when he took the job at the end of 85 a team that needed help a team that had to be completely reevaluated from a talent standpoint many players would have to go many would have to stay and trying to get the players who stayed to understand what was meant by by competitiveness spirit the spread of core pride in the uniform pride in being a senseless go giant Rosen's first move of 86 was bringing back giant Hall of Famer Willie Mays and Hall of Famer to be Willie McCovey as spring training instructors but his biggest move was hiring manager Roger Craig at the end of 85 we have a very positive attitude the players have had a tough spring training but they seem to like it seemed they felt if they feel that they need it and I think we're gonna see a lot of good results from San Francisco closed out spring training with a record of 15 and 12 it was becoming clear as the Giants headed north for the regular season but this team was different in large part because three youngsters would begin the season with starting assignments [Music] hi I'm Bob Mellon San Francisco Giants hi I'm Robby Thompson the second baseman for the San Francisco Giants believe me I'm here to stay hi I'm will Clark number 22 first baseman for San Francisco Giants and glad y'all watch it opening day in Houston where the Giants rolled to an 8 to 3 victory an impressive sign of things to come especially when rookie will Clark became the 53rd player ever to hit a home run in his first big league at-bat Nolan Ryan was the victim I'm walking up to the plate going well you know I'm just gonna look for his fastball because I've never seen anything that fast before in my life so first pitch to me was a curveball and like really surprised me and I started giggling a little bit and I actually catch a hot seat throw me a curveball he says just switching things up and you know two pitches later I got one of my fastballs and when I hit it I hit it good but I didn't know he was going out I was hoping that would hit off the wall something then it got out and I was just ecstatic coming all the way back to home plate and every time my mom and dad in the stands when I hit a home run I'll point to him just to say thank you for being here and that's what I did that day Clark's attitude and enthusiasm typify des favorite phrase of Roger Craig a phrase that quickly came to symbolize the new spirit of the 1986 Giants hum baby a phrase used all season long by everybody on the team but just what exactly does hum baby mean you know that was my interpretation hum baby could apply to anything it's an adjective to use for a great play or a great hit or a great pitching performance or a pretty girl or a nice car I think it's right up there with have a pitch and summer hum baby it's kind of like a little man sits here on your got a bad one over and your left shoulder and a good one on your right shoulder hum baby is a good one on your right shoulder never giving up always thinking that we're in a ball game and always having the ability explode I got a lot of home babies on my club hum baby what an April the Giants had taking 12 out of 20 games for a winning percentage of 600 and racing off into second place Roger Craig had everybody playing aggressive baseball taking chances and succeeding the Giants were the surprise team of the majors never giving up and always giving everything they had in every game no matter what the odds [Applause] [Music] [Applause] why ball left center field of deep [Applause] famous is coming the ballot running out in turn of the [Applause] home run for a row Clark the kid is absolutely amazing prior it is a squeeze this time the ballgame is over and the Giants have won Giants fans were in a frenzy because after several seasons of losing winning was fast becoming a habit a major reason for the success early on was a vastly improved pitching staff and credit for that goes primarily to the split fingered fastball as taught by Roger Craig a former big league pitcher and pitching coach Craig is the Guru of baseball's latest pitching rage I think I'd be a decent manager of pitching coach without the split singer but I think it has really helped all of my pictures are throwing it now they all got better once they got more comfortable with this and learn how to throw it in the right situation last I was you know afraid to throw it in games this was the only games on the line with Roger here you get a chance to throw it a lot more so I will throw it more occasion the split-finger helped Mike Lacoste go nine and three through the first half of the season with an ER a of two point seven six Mike Krukow used the split finger to become one of the most dominant pitchers in the majors in 86 I always had a breaking ball two types of breaking ball stud on a curveball so I was a little reluctant to using it and I didn't really put it into my repertoire - last year this year I wasn't throwing hard enough Roger sort of took it one dimension farther another added dimension that helped the Giants take off in the spring was defense slick feeling shortstop josé a rebase sparkled easing the pressure on his new DoublePlay partner right now I wouldn't want to play with another shortstop in this league really I have a lot of respect for Jose we've worked hard together ever since spring training and I tell you right now he's one of the better shortstops in the league and I just really enjoy it's a tremendous feeling playing with him with Dan gladden playing centerfield the Giants posted solid defense all the way through the middle despite an injury shortened season on offense gladden did all the little things a team needs from its leadoff hitter in left-field Jeffrey Leonard emerged as a true leader in 86 the team's heart and soul despite nursing a tender wrist that would eventually require surgery Leonard was posting mvp-type numbers early on ranking among the league leaders in batting average home runs and RBIs through may also red-hot was right feeler chili Davis a switch hitter who stood with Leonard among the league leaders in almost every hitting category through the spring overall the teams play into late May was a positive prelude to the first east coast road trip of 86 which began at Philadelphia's Veterans Stadium it did not go well for the Giants in Philly they were swept in three games raising gold and all-too-familiar doubts among the fans then it was on to New York where in Game one disaster struck in the last of the night hopped it up Uribe and Thompson and the ball drops the ball other giant teams might have collapsed after a play like that and four straight losses but not the 86 Giants in game 2 the culprits of the night before came right back to turn four double plays and the team ran off with a seven to three victory the Mets met their match once more in the finale as San Francisco again won seven to three next stop Montreal where the Giants won both games to show their true character and moved within a game and a half of first place closing out the road trip in stunning fashion [Music] there was a price to pay however because both will Clark and Dan gladden went down with injuries but stepping in to take their place were two more of those likeable kids hi I'm Michael dready my friends call me Mario the Stanford graduate paid immediate dividends filling in at first base hi I'm Randy cutter and I've been in the minor leagues for seven years and I'm happy to be here Kocher hammered seven home runs in his first 25 games to keep the Giants riding high in to late June when Candlestick Park hosted a crucial series against the Western Division leading Houston Astros [Music] in Game one by two blue had one of his best outings of the season striking out six and giving up just two hits through seven innings hitting all the right notes in relief was wond berenguer who had been contributing big out of the bullpen all spring Berenguer got the save and got another the next day's the Giants pulled it within a half game of first place going into a Sunday doubleheader the attention was focused on Chris Brown on the first game Brown went 2 for 4 with a double driving home a pair of runs and San Francisco scored 4 in all [Music] Candlestick was wild with anticipation because Mike Krukow was cruising up by two runs with one out left [Applause] let's listen to this [Applause] Giants fans kept on rockin through the second game because the Astros went down again Craig swings lights at the part [Applause] a dramatic four-game sweep of the Astros for a game and a half lead on the rest of the West Giants fans just had a like the feeling the next day pitcher Mike Lacoste unloaded a homerun against San Diego in an 18 to 1 demolition of the Padres the most runs scored by a Giants team in one game since 1965 San Francisco was simply sizzling and the Giants were not only the talk of the town they were the talk of the majors alright San Francisco this afternoon big over San Diego 18 to 1 over the National League the Giants beat the Padres 18 to 1 couple of big scoring games and the nationally eighteen to one San Francisco for San Diego the Giants clobbering San Diego today 18 to one now two games ahead of Houston up north the Candlestick the Giants beat the Padres 18 to 1 the Giants were sky-high at the all-star break in Houston where three players represented the team [Applause] 39 pitcher Mike Krukow for cuoco a baseball dream was finally fulfilled wait tenders do this the Giants were among the elite teams in baseball while their three all-stars were among the game's individual elite and even the country's political elite took notice Mike Krukow proved he belonged by pitching a perfect ninth inning against Cal Ripken Jesse Barfield and Frank white while Chris Brown would 1 for 2 with a double although the American League won the game 3 to 2 Browns all-star appearance was well-deserved a key spark on offense he led the team and finished fifth in the league with a batting average of 317 in 1986 while on defense Brown was a cool customer at the hot corner [Applause] [Applause] Chris Brown he knocks it down a third a lobby for why the first base Chris Brown has done it again [Applause] quite simply Chris Brown emerged as one of the best third baseman in baseball no wonder Candlestick Park was alive once again with excitement and exuberance more than 1.5 million fans turned out in 86 almost doubling the figure for the previous season yes indeed the stick was shaken but suddenly the dog days of summer blues set in and the Giants began to slump from late July through late August the team lost 17 out of 28 and struggled to stay in contention it was a frustrating time a melee in st. Louis cost the services of Mike Krukow for three starts while Jeffrey Leonard finally succumbed to his injured wrist and was sidelined for the rest of the season a devastating loss but then along came two more kids to pick things up downs won four games down the stretch and posted a 2.75 er a I'm tearing my heart Mulholland gave his all as a spot starter every time out giant fans got another lift when the team signed a not-so-young Steve Carlton who broke his code of silence I like to climb it out here I don't care for the wind per se but I like the colder weather it's a helluva City I've always liked n Francisco the man who ranks 10th career winds made history in a Giants uniform against Cincinnati here's the face registered is 4000 Major League strikeout but the Giants released Carlton shortly thereafter because their success in 1986 had been based on a Fountain of Youth both in the field and on the mound example Scott Burrell who returned to the bullpen and regained his status as one of the top relievers in the league meanwhile by mid-august will Clark had come back from injury to reclaim first base a welcome return because every time Clark took the field he displayed character determination and a winning attitude where only at work I guess you'd say two three hours a day and I try to put all I have into that ballgame you know it's a lot of adrenaline going it's a lot of emotion for me and I take a lot of pride in my ball games so does Robbie Thompson both at the plate and in the field Thompson came through in spectacular fashion with relentless Drive and spirit every manager should be blessed with Robbie Thomas he's a scrappy type player he plays when he's hurt and never complains gives you 150 percent to me he's I'm reliable player I feel I have a lot of confidence in myself and when I want a job I came up I felt like I could play up here with these guys I've accomplished some goals that I set and that was to try to be as consistent as possible and try to do some things to contribute to help this ballclub win Thompson certainly did that as he jumped right from double-a ball to the major leagues he led all National League rookies in four categories including hits and RBIs and at season's end he was named the Rookie of the Year by the Sporting News rookies like Thompson and Clark helped Giants fans recall a former Rookie of the Year from 1959 Willie McCovey who was given a special day at Candlestick before his official induction in early August into baseball's Hall Fame at Cooperstown New York one reason it seems so right today because it's the summertime and it's Sunday Sundays and summertime all they means two things to me that means it's a time for baseball it's a time for families and now I have become a player on the most distinguished team of all McCovey was a towering giant for 19 seasons the most productive left-handed home run hitter in national league history with 521 and one of only five players ever to win back-to-back home run and RBI crowns it was only fitting that mcguffey's last at-bat in candlestick was a pinch hit to beat the Dodgers pinch-hitting was also a key for the 86 Giants who had the most productive bench in the major leagues Joel Youngblood delivered 16 base hits in the pinch with 10 RBIs while Harry Spillman batted 406 as a pinch-hitter and drove in nine runs all season long the giant bench was deep and lethal as Roger Craig used all 24 players effectively but emerging as most effective was candy maldonado a team record 17 pinch hits plus four home runs go out there try to relax you know you have to do a job that they want you to do that particular time I look forward to being that situation where there's a minute third then I can go out there and definite first pitch and see the winning run score holy cow the Giants have just taken the lead candy maldonado has unloaded I always would like to be a complete ball playing work to be a complete player [Applause] I get a big thrill if I do something to help the ballclub window game after the ballgame is over shake hands so you be part of the team and you'd be part of something that we've done and it's a great feeling candy had a storybook season but other Giants wrote chapters in 86 that were strange indeed just like Terry Mulholland didn't plan on making one of the most unusual plays in major league history in early September Keith Hernandez was batting for the Mets at Shea Stadium in the bottom of the third inning and anybody who saw the play will never forget it reach for the ball pulled out my glove and I really didn't feel it there so I had to take a look at the glove itself and you know I found out the ball was caught between the fingers of the glove tough time getting it side to side well I better get the ball over somehow but as I looked at him running towards me I noticed he had his glove in his throwing hand and that stumped me for a moment and then I saw him throw the glove and I did I guess what anybody would do I made a basket catch like I was making a fair catch on a putt and if I would have been thinking at the time I would have gone ahead and throw him the glove and the ball and everything on around the horn and never missed a beat but for once in my life I was caught by surprise and I was pretty much dumbfounded over there didn't know what to do Brenly was equally dumbfounded ten days later in a home game against Atlanta [Music] be an error I have a way to make things difficult down there third-base so that was just pretty much a routine boot so I got to on that play gave me a total of three for the inning and right about now things got a little hazy I was I think I left my body or something I was circling around above the stadium somewhere I'm on the mound and I'm saying to myself he made in there I mean I know bob brenly's night he was supposed to be a third base so I'm trying to do him a favor and not let him hit the ball there but I got another fairly easily hit ball to third base booted it and it trickled out behind me a little bit there and picked it up and I finally did show a little disgust with the last air but knowing the kind of guy Roger Craig is I realized he was gonna leave me in the ball game come hell or high water so I better regroup and go out there and try to make up for it in any way I could next time up I hit a solo home run to lead off and hitting to put us on the board give us our first run later in the game I came up with the bases loaded and we were down by two runs and I drove them both in with a single and then it's kind of like I was on a mission in the last of the ninth mission accomplished [Music] [Applause] you talk about us Bob Brenly mate [Applause] shot two left the Giants would that would be my home baby in 1986 but in late September at Houston the Astros ended San Francisco's bid for a flag with a hum baby of their own a division clinching no-hitter by Mike Scott who ironically learned the split-finger fastball that made him one of baseball's best from Roger Craig he's over three swinging a bouncer it was painful for the proud young Giants to watch Houston tape the crown but they still had some sweet hon babies left in there the team came home for Fan Appreciation Day against Los Angeles and played one of the most compelling games in memory some babies it was a hum baby indeed Joel Youngblood tied the game at three all with a double that drove home two runs in the bottom of the ninth but that was only the beginning of a wild series of events that had everybody wondering how it would all end 52 players were used in the game including pitchers who were roaming the outfield the Dodgers took a two-run lead in the 14th inning but the Giants came right back to tie it again and the madness continued witness for example outfielder first baseman Harry Spillman making a nifty play at second base or pitcher Greg Minton getting his second base hit of the game a double in the bottom of the 16th inning Minton's unlikely hit set the stage for the game-winner by Bob Brenly [Music] [Applause] it meant the Giants would take the season series from LA and also finish ahead of the Dodgers for the first time in 15 years you just had a like this team and all season long you had to like Mike Krukow who went after win number 20 in San Francisco's next series against Houston Kruk fell short but that could never discount his outstanding performance as the unquestioned ace of the Giants staff in 1986 Mike Krukow had a fantastic year in there before that this day he makes me a good manager because the way he goes about a job I never saw a guy that could block everything out of his mind regardless of who the opposition is who the opposing pitcher is he just goes out there and playing one on one with a hitter for two hours or three hours or whatever it takes and just puts up a tremendous battle I pitched out of a real consistent mechanical groove all year long and I just got at the hitters to take advantage of defense and I've never felt that we were gonna do able win Krukow was a winner in every sense of the word he was tops on the team and among the league leaders and starts complete games and ER a and he beat the Mets four times so it was only fitting that he get a chance to go for number twenty one more time pitching with only three days rest on the final day of the 86 season in Los Angeles candy Maldonado gave cuoco all the support he needed [Applause] is back he is at the fancies looking up Grand Slam oh my goodness way to treat your former teammates and so Mike Krukow would have his 20th victory and San Francisco would have 83 wins and a season to be proud of one that began in turmoil and ended in triumph one in which the foundation was laid for a team that should be solid as a rock in the seasons to come [Music]

Channel: Classic SF Giants

Views: 3,096

Rating: 5 out of 5

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Id: hSXAPtGzEvw

Length: 29min 32sec (1772 seconds)

Published: Tue Nov 27 2018