Pacifics Celebrate Return of Bill "Spaceman" Lee
Published on August 14, 2013 under North American League (NAmL)
San Rafael Pacifics News Release
SAN RAFAEL, Calif. - Bill "Spaceman" Lee made history last August 23, 2012. Instead of cashing in on his newfound senior citizenship discounts, the 65-year former Major Leaguer took the mound and threw a complete game for the San Rafael Pacifics independent minor league baseball team.
In doing so, the Marin native, who won 119 games in 14 seasons for the Boston Red Sox and Montreal Expos, became the oldest person to earn the win in a professional baseball game, a record which he had set two years earlier at age 63.
Lee will be back in uniform for the Pacifics in 2013 and he has something else up his sleeve this time.
Lee, who crafts his own baseball bats, will swing his own lumber on Tuesday, August 20 when he's inserted into the lineup of the first-place Pacifics as the team's designated hitter.
Then, on Wednesday, August 21, Lee will take the field for the Pacifics. He'll be at first base base. He'll be behind the plate. He'll be on the mound. Actually, Lee has tasked himself with playing all nine positions that night, ending on the mound pitching in the ninth inning. He may be in line for a save opportunity, or maybe even the win again.
The list of players who have played nine positions in a career is short, though current Pacifics catcher Matt Kavanaugh can claim that on the back of his baseball card. Even rarer is to do it in one season, let alone one game. The last major leaguer to make an appearance at every spot in one game was the Detroit Tigers' Shane Halter on Oct. 1, 2000, less than a month after Texas Rangers utility man Scott Sheldon became the first person to do it in 32 years. Bay Area baseball fans may recall when Bert Campaneris did it for the Oakland A's, but that was way back in 1965.
Capping off the Return of the "Spaceman" is Bill Lee Bobblehead Night, presented by Bradley Real Estate. The first 500 fans at the Thursday, August 22 game will receive a commemorative Lee bobblehead clad in his San Rafael Pacifics jersey, which was sent to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown after his record-setting performance.
Tickets for all three nights are currently available but are moving quickly. Tickets are available at www.pacificsbaseball.com.
North American League Stories from August 14, 2013
- Pacifics Celebrate Return of Bill "Spaceman" Lee - San Rafael Pacifics
- Pacifics Shutout Vallejo Behind Whitmore's Complete Game Effort - San Rafael Pacifics
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