Bruce Sutter HOF Induction

[NCCubFan]

Today (or tomorrow, depending on your time zone) is the Hall of Fame induction ceremony with Bruce Sutter being inducted. It will be telecast on ESPN Classic at 1:30 P.M. Eastern time.

[Stu]

I remember the summer of '77 like it was yesterday. That was the first year we got cable and it had Channel 9. The Cubs had a pretty good team that year and Sutter emerged as a filthy closer. I remember that splitter. It would roll up there across the middle of the plate and you could see hitters salivating over what they thought was a big fat meatball. And then boom, it would just disappear and they would swing over it. It looked like a ball being rolled off the edge of a table, that;s how severe the drop was in that pitch.

 

Remember when the organist used to play the Alka Selzer theme song whenever Sutter came in? "Plop, plop fizz, fizz, oh what a relief he is..."

 

Great memories.

[Cubzfan64]

Too bad there aren't more Cub fans from the 70's posting here. I'd like to congratulate Sutter for turning his career around by bringing to the big leagues a pitch that just hadn't been seen much if at all.

 

I agree with you Stu - I can very vividly remember Sutter coming in and watching hitters swing wildly trying to hit that pitch as it darn near dropped into the dirt.

 

Sutter imho was a key person in baseball history - every time you hear of a pitcher throwing a split finger fastball, a picture of Bruce wearing his Cubs hat and his ugly beard should pop into your head.

 

Grats Bruce!!! Wish you could have gone in as a Cub, but it's certainly understandable considering the highlights of your career were with the Cards. Oh, the other part of Bruce's memorable history also revolves around the Cubs, but it happened one day when a young kid by the name of Ryne Sandberg captivated a national audience by homering off him (twice wasn't it?) to win a game in extra innings during the game of the week.

[NCCubFan]

Oh, the other part of Bruce's memorable history also revolves around the Cubs, but it happened one day when a young kid by the name of Ryne Sandberg captivated a national audience by homering off him (twice wasn't it?) to win a game in extra innings during the game of the week.

Yes, it was twice; both times it tied the game. The actual game winning hit was by Dave Owen. Sutter had a quip about it during his induction speech.

[NorthsideAvenger]

I know he went in as a Cardinal (WE CUBS FAN know who he REALLY belongs to), and I know he has the Cubs mention on his plaque....but to me, and the Cubs fans in Alabama, that know, Bruce Sutter will ALWAYS be Cub. We recognize what he did for the Cardinals, but he will ALWAYS be a Cub first or foremost.

 

Thank you for the memories, Bruce.

[mjohnson71]

I still remember my dad calling me into the room whenever Sutter would come in to close the game for the Cubs. He kept pointing out how Sutter's pitches just dropped like a stone at the last moment.

 

An article I saw said that Sutter picked the Cardinals cap because that's what his kids remember most; they were too young to remember his time with the Cubs. I guess I can accept that.

 

Glad he got in when he did. Sounds like his wife has be putting up a good fight against that b*tch called cancer that last few years.

[mjohnson71]

One other thing: the Cardinals have announced they will retire his number 42. Since I know the unwritten rule in major sports is that teams retire numbers in the reverse order of where a player served, I wonder if the Cubs will retire his number next?

[CubColtPacer]

It is a perfect situation for the Cardinals and Cubs-they can honor Bruce and not lose 42 because it has already been retired throughout the league anyway for Jackie Robinson.

[Ding Dong Johnson]

One other thing: the Cardinals have announced they will retire his number 42. Since I know the unwritten rule in major sports is that teams retire numbers in the reverse order of where a player served, I wonder if the Cubs will retire his number next?

 

Of course they'll retire 42 -- it's already been done by MLB (Jackie Robinson).

[mjohnson71]

One other thing: the Cardinals have announced they will retire his number 42. Since I know the unwritten rule in major sports is that teams retire numbers in the reverse order of where a player served, I wonder if the Cubs will retire his number next?

 

Of course they'll retire 42 -- it's already been done by MLB (Jackie Robinson).

 

I was just wondering because the Cubs aren't as free and easy with retiring numbers as some other teams are.

[Garwilly]

One other thing: the Cardinals have announced they will retire his number 42. Since I know the unwritten rule in major sports is that teams retire numbers in the reverse order of where a player served, I wonder if the Cubs will retire his number next?

 

Of course they'll retire 42 -- it's already been done by MLB (Jackie Robinson).

 

I was just wondering because the Cubs aren't as free and easy with retiring numbers as some other teams are.

 

I would bet no.

[Backtobanks]

One other thing: the Cardinals have announced they will retire his number 42. Since I know the unwritten rule in major sports is that teams retire numbers in the reverse order of where a player served, I wonder if the Cubs will retire his number next?

 

Of course they'll retire 42 -- it's already been done by MLB (Jackie Robinson).

 

I have a question, How come Mariano Rivera wears #42? Was he "grandfathered in" because he already had the number?

[Garwilly]

One other thing: the Cardinals have announced they will retire his number 42. Since I know the unwritten rule in major sports is that teams retire numbers in the reverse order of where a player served, I wonder if the Cubs will retire his number next?

 

Of course they'll retire 42 -- it's already been done by MLB (Jackie Robinson).

 

I have a question, How come Mariano Rivera wears #42? Was he "grandfathered in" because he already had the number?

 

Exactly.

[goonys evil twin]

One other thing: the Cardinals have announced they will retire his number 42. Since I know the unwritten rule in major sports is that teams retire numbers in the reverse order of where a player served, I wonder if the Cubs will retire his number next?

 

Of course they'll retire 42 -- it's already been done by MLB (Jackie Robinson).

 

I have a question, How come Mariano Rivera wears #42? Was he "grandfathered in" because he already had the number?

 

Yes, Mariano, and others, were allowed to keep the number until they retired.