Eric Stephen, Mythbuster

Loved this tidbit from Eric Stephen at True Blue LA:

"There's Your Run"

I watched Prime 9 on MLB Network this morning, and the starting lineup of the 1960s was chosen. Maury Wills was picked as the shortstop, and he shared this anecdote:

When I'd score that one run, if it was in the first second or third inning, we'd go to Sandy Koufax and say, 'There it is, Sandy. There it is, your one run.' I always wanted to be that guy that got that one run he needed.

I have heard Wills talk about this so many times, it is burned in my memory. I decided to check just how often it actually happened.

And he does just that. The results may surprise you, but Eric's research may be emblematic of why some old-school baseball people are leery of blogs. Why let the truth get in the way of a good story?

I don't respect Wills any less because of Eric's discovery. If anything, Vin Scully's stories have helped reinforce my respect for Wills. And, as Eric notes, "I'm sure there were games when Wills would score the first run for Koufax, then say 'there's your run,' but the Dodgers would go on to score more runs."

Sometimes it's possible to enjoy a good story and know the facts at the same time. This is one of those times.