(Updated Oct. 10, 2020)
Hank Aaron could have added to his home run total if not for an unusual call in a game against the Cardinals.
Aaron, who would break Babe Ruth’s career home run record of 714 in 1974 and finish with 755, hit a home run against the Cardinals in 1965 that didn’t count toward his total.
On Aug. 18, 1965, at St. Louis, Aaron came to bat for the Braves against Cardinals starter Curt Simmons with the score tied 3-3 in the eighth.
Simmons teased Aaron with a changeup so high and so slow it seemed much like a blooper pitch. The ball must have looked like a balloon to Aaron. He stepped forward, swung and lifted a high fly ball onto the pavillon roof in right field for an apparent go-ahead home run.
Instead, Aaron was called out by 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 Aaron’s left foot was in front of the batter’s box.
“It’s the worst call I’ve ever seen,” Aaron said to the Associated Press. “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 with the umpire and was ejected.
“It was either a grudge call, or he wanted to get his name in the paper,” Bragan said. “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.”
Cardinals catcher Tim McCarver said Aaron stepped out of the box and, “I expected (Pelekoudas) to call it.”
Cardinals coach Joe Schultz told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, “You’ve got to give the umpire credit for having the nerve to call it.”
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 outs. Dillard delivered a home run _ the last of his big-league career.
In a fitting twist, the Cardinals argued 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
Umpire Bill Jackowski said the ball hit the top of the wall, caromed off a fan in the stands and bounced back onto the field.
The Post-Dispatch reported the ball Dillard hit “came straight down and hit the outfield wall padding before bouncing onto the field.”
“I came very close to catching the ball,” Cardinals center fielder Curt Flood said to the Post-Dispatch. “I thought it was a big can of corn. There was no way for the ball to come down the way it did if a fan had touched the ball.”
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.
I have a question. Is it true that Hank Aaron ending up blaming Bob Uecker for influencing Pelekoudas to make the call that he did? I looked at the box score of that game and Uecker didn’t play. Did he come running out of the dugout like a madman?
I checked the archives of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch for its coverage of the game, and I also checked The Sporting News archives for its coverage of the Chris Pelekoudas ruling, and neither publication made any mention of Bob Uecker being involved.
Not to my knowledge. Aaron ran back from near 2nd base to the plate jumping up & down & screaming at the plate umpire. His mgr. came running out of the dugout. I thought McCarver caught. It was a site to see. Fans had to wait a bit to understand the call at the plate. Aaron was rounding first towards 2nd when he realized he was out! :)
Great to have an eyewitness account. Thanks!
According to this article, Aaron put the blame on ueker in Aaron’s 1991 biography.
https://theundefeated.com/features/the-day-hank-aaron-had-a-home-run-taken-away-by-the-plate-umpire/
Thank you very much. This answers the question. Well done.
Aaron may want to blame a different Cards catcher (Bob Uecker) however Uecker did not play in that game, check the box score! Perhaps Hank remembered a different game so many years later, or maybe he had issues w/ Uecker’s snide comments or chuckles behind him at times when he batted, I don’t know. But McCarver caught and the only ones jumpin round the plate after that hit were Aaron & his manager. I can say that for sure. I know: I was there. 😏
Thanks, Gerry,