I had a summer job at Associated Press, and sometimes that involved putting together the box scores. One night, a horrible horrible mistake was made, and was not caught before it hit the wires and misled the public.

If you ever see the Mets game featuring "KHeranndez," that was me.

I had a summer job at Associated Press, and sometimes that involved putting together the box scores. One night, a horrible horrible mistake was made, and was not caught before it hit the wires and misled the public.

If you ever see the Mets game featuring "KHeranndez," that was me.

August 4, 1987?

Earl Weaver tells a story about sending fake box scores to the higher-ups when he was a minor league manager, because the bosses wanted one of his outfielders to be converted into a third baseman, but Earl, trying to win the pennant, was playing him in the outfield. (I believe Pete Ward was the player in question.)

I dunno if it really happened quite the way Earl says. But in any event, it's funny to think of such a thing happening now. That was professional baseball! Nowadays, you apparently can't even get away with it at the amateur level...

I think the best thing about this story here is that it was the president of the league.

I think the best thing about this story here is that it was the president of the league.

And a member of the City Council...

August 4, 1987?

Oh man. From the linked newspaper, in the "Tomorrow's Games" section: Minnesota (Carlton 5-9) at California (Sutton 7-9).

That makes my brain hurt.

August 4, 1987

I'm more intrigued by the fact that a Monday night game at Shea between the second-place Mets and fifth-place Phillies drew 50,297. I'm guessing it was the scintillating pitching matchup of Don Carman vs. Don Schulze.

WHICH DON WILL PREVAIL?!?!?!

And even with a lineup of Wshgtn, GWard, Mtngly, Winfield, Easler, Pglrulo, Salas, JBonill, and Tolleson, the Yankees had the second-best record in baseball.

If you ever see the Mets game featuring "KHeranndez," that was me.

Nicce gam, prettty boi!

Plainfield Teacher's College is unimpressed.

The best scam of all along these lines is when Ty Cobb sent anonymous glowing reports of his minor league feats to Grantland Rice in Atlanta, and Rice passed on the false info in his column. Cobb didn't own up to it for many years afterwards.

Plainfield Teacher's College is unimpressed.

The Johnny Chung story! Excellent!

August 4, 1987?

That's the one. My glorious contribution to the fourth estate. The speed with which you found that fills me with both reverence and alarm.

My dad was stationed in Korea around 1960, writing sports stories for his cavalry newspaper (many of which were syndicated to the Far East Stars and Stripes). He'd get boxscores of various troop baseball and basketball games come in to his office, none of which had first names of the players involved. So in the game summary writeups, he just made up first names or nicknames for them. Nobody ever caught on.

Some colleagues of his at Stars & Stripes, however, were drummed out of the service after blatantly making up stories -- one was about an Army dog with over 40 years experience, who'd allegedly served under Pershing. They found a stray mutt and kicked dirt in its face, snapping a photo as it instinctively raised its front paw to its face. The subsequent caption read, "Veteran K-9 officer automatically salutes." One of these errant reporters, incidentally, wound up writing for NBC's "Today Show" in the late 1960s.

Plainfield Teacher's College is unimpressed.

One of the first "wacky sports stories" books I read as a kid mentioned that hoax. Funny story.

Plainfield Teacher's College is unimpressed.

One of the first "wacky sports stories" books I read as a kid mentioned that hoax. Funny story.

Some jerk even wrote a Wiki article about it!

EDIT: OK, for some reason, Wiki won't let me link to the proper page (because of the apostrophe, I think). So just Google it and look for the Wiki article. You'll be glad you did.

I'm more intrigued by the fact that a Monday night game at Shea between the second-place Mets and fifth-place Phillies drew 50,297. I'm guessing it was the scintillating pitching matchup of Don Carman vs. Don Schulze.

Defending World Champion Mets. That's your answer.

There's a famous Ronald Reagan story about his days as a radio broadcaster, describing actions from hundreds of miles away that came via teletype (or whatever they called the primitive devices then).
Only once the machine broke - so Reagan, according to the likely-exaggerated tale - cooked up a story about how amazing it was that so many consecutive foul balls were being hit.

"a Monday night game at Shea between the second-place Mets and fifth-place Phillies drew 50,297."

yes, more and more young baseball fans are not aware that the Mets owned NYC at that time, significantly more popular than the Yankees. I guess it would seem hard to believe if you're under 30, come to think about it. But so it was...

I'm more intrigued by the fact that a Monday night game at Shea between the second-place Mets and fifth-place Phillies drew 50,297. I'm guessing it was the scintillating pitching matchup of Don Carman vs. Don Schulze.

You have to say it like Harry Kalas -- "Donnnn Carmannnn."

As for Plainfield Teachers College, I believe Mary Livingstone was its most famous alum until Johnny Chung enrolled.