While most of these things change from player to player there’s one thing that every player, fan, coach, and announcer knows….You DO NOT mention a no-hitter until either the pitcher accomplishes the feat, or gives up a base-hit. There is nothing more defeating than the “No-Hitter Jinx”.
Well, during last evening’s Yankees contest color guy Bobby Murcer made a triumphant return to the booth after a battle with a brain tumor. It’s a great story, and the night was going well until….I’ll let reader Chris explain…
During YES’s telecast of tonight’s Yankees/Rangers game, Phil Hughes was twirling a no-hitter through 7 1/3 innings. Bobby Murcer had just come back; this was his first game broadcasting since his surgery. And honestly, I thought he sounded better than ever. He was even cracking decent jokes! But from the 6th inning on Murcer refused to stay quiet about Hughes’ no-hitter. It even got to the point where his boothmates Kenny Singleton and Joe Girardi were telling him to stay quiet about it. So what happens soon after Murcer mentions the no-hitter? Hughes jams his foot on the mound during a pitch, blows out his hamstring, and the Yanks are down yet another arm.
Just another lesson for the young announcers that read the site. Stop jinxin’!
Welcome back Bobby…you’re a fighter and AA likes that. But come on….you know that rule, you played the damn game.