Hank Aaron, the greatest home run hitter never to use performance-enhancing drugs, could have added to his historic total if not for an unusual call in a 1965 game against the Cardinals.
In 1965, it wasn’t much anticipated that Aaron, 31, would break Babe Ruth’s career home run record of 714 in 1974 and finish with 755. (The mark stood until Barry Bonds, likely aided by performance-enhancing drugs, eclipsed it in 2007 and finished with 762).
On Aug. 18, 1965, the Braves and Cardinals played at St. Louis. With the score tied 3-3 in the eighth, Aaron stepped into the batter’s box to face Cardinals starter Curt Simmons.
Aaron had popped out to the catcher, singled and flied out to center field in three at-bats against Simmons that night.
Now, with one out and no one on base, Simmons teased Aaron with a change-up so high and so slow it seemed much like a blooper pitch. The ball must have looked like a balloon to Aaron. The Braves slugger stepped forward, swung and lifted a high fly ball onto the pavillon roof in right field for an apparent tie-breaking home run.
Instead, Aaron was called out by home plate umpire Chris Pelekoudas for being out of the batter’s box when he connected with the ball, nullifying the home run. Pelekoudas, in his sixth season as a National League umpire, ruled that Aaron’s left foot was in front of the batter’s box and thus Aaron had hit the ball illegally.
“It’s the worst call I’ve ever seen,” Aaron said to the Associated Press afterward. “I did the same thing the time before and popped up, and he (Pelekoudas) didn’t say a word. I always hit Simmons that way.”
Braves manager Bobby Bragan argued against the call and was ejected.
“It was either a grudge call, or he wanted to get his name in the paper,” Bragan told the Associated Press. “I’ve never seen such a call.”
Said Pelekoudas: “Bragan’s protest was strictly on judgment. His only argument was about a grudge _ and that is stupid. I didn’t hesitate in making the call.”
In the ninth, with Ray Washburn pitching in relief of Simmons, the Braves sent Don Dillard to pinch-hit with a runner on base and two out. Dillard delivered a home run _ his only homer of the season and the last of his big-league career.
In a fitting twist, the Cardinals argued that the ball hit by Dillard didn’t clear the wall and shouldn’t have been ruled a home run. But the Cardinals lost that argument and the game, 5-3. Boxscore
Previously: Jaime Garcia matches Joaquin Andujar, Curt Simmons
I remember listening to this game on the radio and how ticked I was about the call. I tell this story often, but have never seen it referred to anywhere else before. I’m so happy to finally see it in print here.
Thanks for your comment. It was fun to research this and be able to tell the story.
I was a young Cards’ fan in Oklahoma listening to Harry Caray on the radio describe this play, and it has stuck with me all these years as a strange and unique moment. Tonight I called in to a local Des Moines radio show hosted by MLB umpires Tim McClelland and Eric Cooper to tell them about it. Afterward it was only natural to try to confirm my memory. Thanks for your research and entry.
Thank you for your comment, Michael. I’m glad to help Cardinals fans connect in these ways. It would be great if a recording of Harry Caray calling that play existed.
I was there. I remember nobody around me could understand why he was out! Then the announcement…..
Thanks, Jean. Very special to get insights from an eyewitness.
I was also at the game with my Dad and called it immediately. I remember yelling at my Dad that Aaron was out of the batters box when he hit it. Aaron could not hit that lollipop pitch and even swung twice on the same pitch. He finally out of desperation took three or four steps towards the ball and connected for the home run. As the umpire called Aaron out as he was approaching 2nd base Aaron charged in to argue. The umpire walked in front of the batters box and drew a line and pointed to it letting Aaron know exactly how far out of the box he really was. It wasn’t even close.
Larry: Thank you for a richly detailed eyewitness account. You really helped enhance the historical record.
I too was at that game, one of the most memorable I’ve ever seen. I was 14 and with my Dad, sitting in General Admission seats down the 3rd base line. Simmons so frustrated Hank Aaron with at least 10 pitches, each one a change up. Aaron was quite visibly angry and got so damn mad at Curt over the continued marshmallow pitches. He finally decided to just smack the heck out of the one he hit onto the right field roof and onto Grand Ave, but it was even clear to us when he swung, his lead foot came so far forward you could see it was over the chalk line of the batters box. Aaron argued vehemently with the umpire but to no avail. It wasn’t until just a few years ago during an interview I saw with Hank Aaron during a Cards rain delay that when asked who was the hardest pitcher he ever faced, his immediate response was “Curt Simmons!”. “Why?” asked the interviewer. “Because all he ever threw me was s*#it!” was his response. I just smiled, remembering the vivid truth of that from that night at Sportsmans Park in 1965!
Thanks, Gerry. That’s a terrific description you offered of what happened that night. The term “marshmallow pitches” paints a memorable picture.
I was at the game that night with my Dad & Grandfather, my first Major League Baseball game…I was 13 years old. I remember my Grandfather immediately saying that Aaron was out because he was not in the batter’s box when he hit the ball. Both me and my Dad laughed at that, but then noticed the commotion around home plate…quite an amazing scene for those days. I will never forget that night at the old Sportsmans Park in STL……
Thank you for sharing this remembrance, Wayne. Fantastic. Your grandfather sure knew baseball! What a special night. I can relate. My grandfather and dad also took me to my first major-league game, Cardinals vs. Mets. Baseball bonds that way.