Grand Entrance

Sporting News, The, July 26, 1999 by Leslie Gibson McCarthy, Mike Nahrstedt, Ron Smith, Mark Bonavita

The eyes of baseball will focus on Cooperstown this weekend when four great players of the modern era take their places beside the immortals of the game

We knew them by their first names-or their nicknames: Nolan. George. Robin. Cha-Cha. Although home run totals and trade rumors dominate baseball headlines this time of the season, the game takes a collective breath Sunday in a small town in upstate New York to reflect on its glorious past.

This year, the past seems ... well, not that long ago.

Has it really been almost six years since Nolan Ryan recorded his last strikeout? Wasn't it just yesterday when George Brett was digging in at home plate in Kansas City, or Robin Yount was riding his motorcycle around the field in Milwaukee's County Stadium? Ryan, Brett and Yount were elected for induction in January on their first ballot by the Baseball Writers Association of America. They'll join Orlando Cepeda, selected by the Veterans Committee, whose induction was long overdue.

Umpire Nestor Chylak, baseball executive Frank Selee, and "Smokey" Joe Williams of the Negro Leagues also will be inducted.

Here's a look at the careers of Ryan, Brett, Yount and Cepeda. The one thing they have in common: legions of passionate fans. You can bet Cooperstown will be hopping all weekend.

A Royal treat

Five moments that define George Brett's career:

1. In Game 3 of the 1980 ALCS, Brett hits a towering three-run home run off Goose Gossage and wipes out years of frustration against the Yankees, vaulting the Royals into their first World Series.

2. On July 24, 1983, at Yankee Stadium, Gossage and Brett hook up for another memorable moment-the infamous Pine Tar incident. When the Yankees challenge umpire Tim McClelland to check out Brett's bat for pine tar after his ninth inning homer--and McClelland calls Brett out-Brett explodes out of the dugout and a controversy is born.

3. A 5-for-5 effort on August 26, 1980, lifts Brett to .407, his late-season peak in a bid to top the magical .400 mark. He stands at .396 as late as mid-September before settling for .390.

4. Brett's eighth-inning, three-run homer off Yankees lefthander Grant Jackson ties Game 5 of the 1976 ALCS, 6-6, and vaults Brett into national prominence. The Yankees prevail on Chris Chambliss' ninth-inning homer.

5. Brett hits two homers, a double and a single and saves a run with a great defensive play in the Royals' 6-5 Game 3 ALCS win over Toronto in 1985. The crucial victory cuts the Blue Jays' series lead to 2-1 and sends the Royals on their way to their first-and only-World Series title.

--Mike Nahrstedt and Ron Smith

Brett's milestone hits

   No.   Date       Opponent         Pitcher             Hit

     1   8/2/73     at Chicago       Stan Bahnsen        Single
   100   9/3/74     vs. Chicago      Jack Kucek          Single
   500   8/22/76    at Milwaukee     Jim Slaton          Single
 1,000   7/23/79    at Texas         Ferguson Jenkins    Single
 2,000   5/25/86    vs. Chicago      Joel Davis          Single
 3,000   9/30/92    at California    Tim Fortugno        Single
 3,154   10/3/93    at Texas         Tom Henke           Single

A Latin beat

Five moments that define Orlando Cepeda's career:

1. With a .325 average, a league-leading 111 RBIs and 25 homers, Cepeda is a unanimous selection for National League MVP in 1967.

2. The "Baby Bull" is named N.L. Rookie of the Year in 1958 as a member of the Giants. He bats .312 with 25 home runs and 96 RBIs.

3. Although Cepeda contributes little to the Cardinals during the 1967 World Series (3-for-29), he dearly is the heart and soul of "El Birdos." After nearly every victory, Cepeda climbs onto a trunk or table and leads his teammates in cheers or cranks up Latin music on a record player. Says teammate Dal Maxvill: "Even if he's gone 0-for-4, and we win, he gets on the trunk and leads the cheers."

4. Cepeda hits a career-high and league-leading 46 homers for the Giants in 1961. He also contributes a league-leading 142 RBIs.

5. Cepeda throws out the first pitch in the 1989 NLCS to wild cheers of 62,056 in Candlestick Park. His life has come full circle-from his rookie season to his falling out with the Giants' organization to his success in St. Louis to his troubles off the field after he leaves me game.

--Leslie Gibson McCarthy

Cepeda's home runs

Total: 379

The thirteen pitchers who surrendered the most home runs to Cepeda:

Lew Burdette               10
Warren Spahn-x, y          10
Curt Simmons-y              9
Bob Purkey                  6
Ray Sadecki-y               6
Claude Osteen-y             6
Bob Friend                  5
Sandy Koufax-x, y           5
Vern Law                    5
Johnny Podres-y             5
Roger Craig                 5
Tony Cloninger              5
Ken Holtzman-y              5

x-Hall of Famer; y-lefthander

Throwing heat

Five moments that define Nolan Ryan's career:

1. On August 22, 1989, Ryan records his 5,000th strikeout. Most 42-year-old pitchers rely on off-speed pitches and breaking balls to get outs, but not Ryan, the all-time strikeouts leader. He pumps a screaming fastball past Rickey Henderson to record No. 5,000.