1978 Yankees Red Sox

[Always Wright]

When I got home from work today i tuned into the MLB network and they were showing the Yankees Red Sox playoff game from 1978. It brought back fond memories. I cut class that day (senior year in college) to watch the game. It was three years before I started my umpiring career. Some random observations:

1. Umpiring crew for the game was HP-Don Denkinger; 1B-Jim Evans; 2B-Al Clark; 3B-Steve Palermo

2. I don't think Ron Guidry came to a stop the entire game while in the stretch and not a single balk was called. I remember that being quite common back then.

3. Clark worked to the outfield side of 2B the entire game, even with runners on 1st and/or 2nd. That was the old AL system.

4. The game moved at a much faster pace than today. Pitchers and batters didn't waste as nearly as much time as today's players do.

5. There was no appeal on check swings. In the 2 or 3 innings I watched, I saw 4 check swings tht would have surely been ruled strikes today called a ball with no appeal.

6. The catchers - Thurman Munson and Carlton Fisk - did not move around behind the plate like today's catchers do. They gave the target by simply moving their mitts rather than shifting their entire bodies. They gave the plate umpire a much better view of the pitch.

7. Umps on the bases got much closer to the play than they do today.

Just thought I'd share some observations on how the game has changed in 30 years. Man, I'm getting old.

Chris Wright
Brooklyn, NY