Last call: Rick Dempsey's rain delay extravaganza

Tonight's rain delay in the World Series brings one name to the mind of most baseball fans: Rick Dempsey.

When I was a kid, "This Week in Baseball" hosted by Mel Allen would occasionally show how Rick Dempsey entertained fans during rain delays during baseball games. Dempsey would wait until the tarp was nice and drenched, like a giant Slip-N-Slide. He would go from the clubhouse to the dugout, where he would take off his cleats, stuff a pillow under his jersey and head to the approximate area of home plate.

There, he would pantomime Babe Ruth hitting a home run, complete with called shot. He would even pantomime the pitching. He then did an exaggerated Ruth home-run trot around the bases, sliding into each base and falling when rounding third. Then, about halfway down the third-base line he would start his slide, which would hydroplane him down the tarp and across home plate, where he would call himself safe.

If you ever saw it, you'd never forget it.  Fox ought to track down footage of it and show it during Game 5 on Tuesday, which is also expected to be rained out.

-- Houston Mitchell

P.S.-- Don't forget, there's still time to vote in the "12 greatest L.A. Dodgers of all-time" balloting, results of which will be revealed Friday night. Just e-mail your list of the 12 greatest L.A. Dodgers, ranked in order, to houston.mitchell@latimes.com

Comments

[Tony S.]

The Saturday night game was the true travesty. Not starting a game until after 10pm! It appeared to me that the late night start harmed the Ray's pitcher. He never seemed in gear. That late at night is when the starting pitcher is usually finishing his work and handing it over to a reliever-not just starting to work. Let's face it, Selig is not the kind of guy who thinks quickly on his feet. Stopping the All Star game for a tie, letting the Saturday night game begin after 10 and allowing last night's game continue in the rain is just poor decision making. Now the Rays are hold up in Deleware waiting to hear if they are going to play tonight or Weds. And if Weds., will it be in Tampa (not likely) or Phillie? Well, at least starting the game in the 7th inning should mean that those of us in the east coast will be able to finally see the end of a W.S. game.

[joe]

Ironically, Rick Dempsey is being inducted into the Crespi HIgh School Hall of Fame this Saturday. He's an overall great guy no matter what the weather.