Glen Wunderlich Starting Pitcher at Tiger Stadium, August 1994

After hearing an ad on radio station WJR relative to the first-ever Field of Dreams to be held at Tiger Stadium in Detroit, I, signed up. It meant anyone with $600 could play with ex-Tiger stars Jim Northrup, Jim Price and Willie Horton. It was to be two games - one on Saturday and one on Sunday, although we played a double-header on Sunday. Coincidentally, Major League Baseball was on strike August 1994, so this event became the only game in town. TV cameras were there from channel 4 and Bob Trimble of Channel 50 played second base for the team I was on. Teams were chosen at random.

Willie Horton was my coach and Jim Northrup coached the other team. Each team had 23 players, so it would be difficult to get any length of time playing. However, all players batted, whether they played in the field or not.

My dream was to play outfield. But, when I saw all the volunteers to play outfield, I kept my hand down. They called for pitchers and wanted three for the game but only two hands went up. I made it three.

It had been 28 years since I had played baseball as a teen. Back then I pitched and caught. But, it was 28 years! I warmed up early with our catcher and when the weather became threatening, it was "Play Ball!" I was the only pitcher ready, so onto the mound I went.

Willie Horton was warming me up, while our catcher was putting on equipment. The first pitch caught him where it can sting the hand. Watch Willie shake it off with his fielder's glove. I was wild! All I could think of was that I was going to hit someone when they stepped up. Nope. Only one hit and no walks and a shut-out half inning. I even remembered to cover first on the last out. Funny, how the old training kicked in.

As it turned out, our catcher pulled a hamstring muscle on a run to first and was out of the event. I was the only volunteer to take his place - not only for the rest of game one but for the entirety of games two and three. I still had the second inning to pitch, before our catcher had to leave. I was the only player to play each minute of each game - only because nobody else on our team was prepared to get behind the plate.

I hope to post some more of game one in a future video. For sure, the second inning.