Most of the time, immortality is a surprise party,
An unplanned celebration, serendipity, and what
Follows is no exception. Rarely does a player
Smoothly transition from average to exceptional
With two swings of his bat – but that’s what
Happened to – or is it by? – Joel Youngblood.
It was the 4th of August, 1982. Our momentary hero
Was a New York Met, playing against the Cubs. He
Went one for two in the day game, a single; the Mets
won. In the fourth inning, he was told he had been
traded to the Expos, who were playing a night game
against the Phillies. Youngblood left immediately.
He flew from Chicago to Philadelphia, got into the
Night game as a pinch hitter in the seventh inning
And promptly singled – leaving him with the feat
Of getting hits for two different teams in the same day
– hits against two future Hall of Famers: Ferguson
Jenkins of the Cubs and Steve Carlton of the Phillies.
Youngblood helped win a World Series in ’76 and was
an All-Star in ’81 but right up there with those feats and
A 14-year career in the Majors was his unplanned-for
Achievement on August 4, 1982. It was never done
Before and has never been replicated.