#ThrowbackThursday: That Time When a College Baseball Pitcher Threw 19 Innings in One Day
Kerr Family (John on the right), Photo Credit Derek Kerr
That’s right, you read that headline correctly. I couldn’t believe it for myself when I first heard about this. During Game 1 of the College World Series on Monday night between the University of Michigan and Vanderbilt, the camera kept flashing to an older guy in the stands with a Michigan hat on. Come to find out, his name was John Kerr, the grandfather of Jimmy Kerr who was playing first base and having quite the College World Series (.389 avg., 3 home runs, and 8 RBI at the time). But the story revolved around the elder Kerr.
John Kerr played baseball for the University of Michigan from 1960-1962, and was part of the last Wolverine team to win the College World Series, in 1962. On the road to their ’62 championship in the District 4 Regional, the Wolverines faced off against the University of Illinois. Kerr started the game on the mound and proceeded to throw a complete game, getting the 5-1 victory. With the win, they were scheduled to play another game that same day. After throwing a complete game on the mound, John Kerr told his coach that if he needed him, he still had more left in the tank. So, Kerr was the starting pitcher for Game 2 of the doubleheader as well. Now here’s the crazy part. He went on to throw ANOTHER complete game, ten innings because the game went to extras, getting the 3-2 victory over Western Michigan. When his day was done, John Kerr had tossed 2 complete games, 19 innings, and 313 pitches, getting two victories to push his team closer to the College World Series. And if that isn’t enough, it was Kerr who hit the game-winning sacrifice fly in the 10th inning.
When I heard this story on Monday during the College World Series, like everyone else I was stunned. 19 innings? 313 pitches? If a pitcher at any level throws more than 110 pitches in a game these days, he’s getting five days rest and his arm will be carefully recuperated like he’s on the verge of needing major arm surgery. MLB starters throw 5 or 6 innings now and that’s considered a day’s work. I remember when NC State threw Carlos Rodon 132 pitches several years ago in the postseason and many people were criticizing their coach for over-throwing him. Giants’ pitcher Tim Lincecum threw a no-hitter against the Padres in 2013, needing 148 pitches to do so, and many people were complaining that his manager should’ve taken him out of the game before his pitch count could elevate that high, even with his no-hitter. I could go on and on. What John Kerr was able to do almost seems impossible. It’s definitely the stuff of legends, and in my opinion, John Kerr is a legend.
Garett