That time in 1989 when Pirates broadcaster Jim Rooker made a 300-mile unintentional walk from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh after the Pirates blew a 10-0 lead

24 comments
  1. Shippensburg is my hometown and I currently live in Philly. That drive is boring enough. Walking it would be torture. And then you’re not even close to done.

  2. I was listening to this game on the radio. Turned it off after the top of the first. Turned it back on around the 6th to see how bad things had gotten. One of the few highlights in a very forgettable season.

  3. Favorite part of the story is the next time the pirates when out to a 10-0 lead early he said “If the pirates lose this game… our away record will be 24-18”

  4. If the Pirates make the post season, I’ll recreate this walk, going from the parking lot where Three Rivers used to be, all the way to whatever is where Veterans stadium is.

  5. No one asked, but there have been eight home runs by pitchers in Royals history. Rooker hit five of them

  6. This is awesome.

    I think SD broadcasters Don Orsillo & Mark Grant did something similar but far less crazy a few years ago. In a game against the Nationals they were down 8 runs and they said something about walking to the stadium (from their houses) if the Padres won. The Padres did win, in large part thanks to the [Slamarena](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hTz4wpZVdmg) when a relief pitcher hit a grand slam off of Max Scherzer. I think I heard they did the walk in the offseason.

  7. Ah man, I love it. No one likes to follow through on their dumb pronouncements anymore.

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