Revisiting Baseball's Perez Brothers after Pasqual's Death
November 1, 2012 10:35 AM   Subscribe

"My best start I win one-nothing," he recalls. "I have single, double, two RBI." A quote from Chi Cho Perez, father of the Perez brothers, chronicled in this classic 1990 Sports Illustrated article. Soberingly, Pasqual Perez, famous for among other things missing a start because he was circling Atlanta repeatedly, was found murdered in the Dominican Republic today.
posted by mcstayinskool (15 comments total) 1 user marked this as a favorite
 
.
posted by IvoShandor at 10:40 AM on November 1, 2012


On my eighth birthday my father took me to go see the Atlanta Braves. I loved baseball, and the Braves were my favorite team since we lived in Kingsport Tennessee and had TBS. I watched the Braves religiously.

After Dale Murphy, Pasqual Perez was my favorite Brave. I remember my dad telling me the story of PP circling the city because he couldn't find the ballpark and thinking it was one of the funniest things I'd ever heard. Anyway, I don't remember who the Braves played that day but it was over 100 degrees and the Braves won 12-4. I also remember that my father had bought me a large foam finger and a man behind me told me at one point to sit down because I was blocking his view too much. He didn't say it nicely. I've held a grudge ever since. Let a fucking eight year old going to see his first baseball game get excited with his foam finger, asshole. Anyway, Pasqual Perez pitched that day and it was an awesome birthday. Thanks for that memory, Mr. Perez.
posted by josher71 at 10:42 AM on November 1, 2012 [7 favorites]


I hope his funeral procession takes a lap around I-285.
posted by Frank Grimes at 11:04 AM on November 1, 2012 [4 favorites]


.

Some people might have trouble having sympathy for somebody who was well compensated for "just" playing a sport ending up in a bad place post-professional career, but not me. I wish the major leagues (of any major sport) would spend maybe 1% of their profit on helping prep athletes to live their lives after they retire.

Maybe I'm just much too naive, but more and more, the difference between professional sports today and gladiator contests of yore just feels like the timing when they get thrown to the animals.
posted by MCMikeNamara at 11:12 AM on November 1, 2012 [4 favorites]


.
posted by bearwife at 11:22 AM on November 1, 2012


.

At his best, he was an amazing pitcher. Saw him throw an eephus once. Sad news.
posted by steambadger at 11:39 AM on November 1, 2012


Oh no, this is terrible. I was an Atlanta teenager when he made his storied journey on I-285, and it always brought a smile when I thought of it.
posted by thelonius at 12:02 PM on November 1, 2012 [1 favorite]


.
posted by jquinby at 12:50 PM on November 1, 2012


R.I.P. Pasqual. Please ask Skip about the infield-fly rule for me.

.
posted by ob1quixote at 1:13 PM on November 1, 2012


As the sister of someone with a mediocre baseball card collection, I mainly remembered Pascual for his hair.

Nobody's life should end this way, Soul Glo or not.

.
posted by Madamina at 1:29 PM on November 1, 2012


.

I always would use Pascual as the example of my non-bandwagon Yankees fandom, by pointing out he was the ace on their staff when I first became a fan of the team. In fact, I mentioned him just yesterday in a conversation. Poor guy.
posted by grubi at 2:37 PM on November 1, 2012


Anyway, I don't remember who the Braves played that day but it was over 100 degrees and the Braves won 12-4.

The Phillies. Sunday, July 24, 1983.
posted by zamboni at 2:58 PM on November 1, 2012 [3 favorites]


Wow, Pete Rose? Crazy. Thanks a million for looking this up, Zamboni.
posted by josher71 at 3:29 PM on November 1, 2012


.

At his best, he was an amazing pitcher. Saw him throw an eephus once. Sad news.
posted by steambadger



I'm not a religious man, but I know without a doubt that anyone who throws an eephus in earnest is going straight to heaven.
posted by Divine_Wino at 4:24 PM on November 1, 2012




« Older Wax Tailor/Dusty Rainbow from the Dark   |   What About Asstrology? Newer »


This thread has been archived and is closed to new comments