Do you know about Mel Famey? He was a great pitcher in the major leagues back in the Roaring 20’s. Famey was an incredible talent, his fastball was legendary, no one liked facing him. He had a wicked breaking pitch, and a change up that was devastating to batters. His control was pin point on all three pitches and his arm was never sore.
One year, on the next to the last day of the season, he pitched a shut out and won, to put his team in a tie for the league championship. After the game, Mel and some of his friends went out to celebrate. And that was always a problem for Mel Famey. He did not know when to quit drinking. He loved his beer. When his teammates went back to their hotel to get ready for the final game of the season, which would determine the championship, Famey continued his binge. After all, he would not pitch the next day. Or so he thought.
Famey came to the stadium the next day with a ringing hangover. He felt awful and was hardly aware that the game was a real battle. His team was ahead by one going into the ninth inning. But the opponents were able to get a couple of runners on base. Mel’s manager called for him to get loose. He wanted his best pitcher on the mound to put down the rally and secure the championship. He was unaware that Famey had really tied one on the night before.
By the time he got his arm loose, the bases were loaded with two out. So Mel came to the mound needing just one out to be a hero. But it was not to be this day. Famey walked in the tying run and the winning score. He never regained his success.
In an interview with the winning team’s manager, a newspaper reporter asked what had happened. The manager knew Famey’s reputation as a heavy drinker. He told the reporter what he believed, “It was the beer that made Mel Famey walk us!”
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