Thirty-seven years after Jim Deshaies made history by striking out the first eight batters in a game, the former pitcher has an idea for a new collectible involving him and three current stars who have come close to matching his feat. Deshaies hopes to have a baseball signed by himself, Jacob deGrom, German Marquez, and Pablo Lopez, who are among the only four pitchers in modern history to begin a game by striking out at least eight straight batters. However, their exclusive club was almost expanded when Tigers’ Jack Flaherty and Pirates’ Paul Skenes each struck out seven batters in a row earlier this season.
Deshaies’ incredible performance took place on September 23, 1986, when he struck out the first eight Dodgers he faced while pitching for the Astros. This broke the previous record set by Joe Cowley just months earlier. Deshaies, who was not known as a big strikeout pitcher, only surpassed 150 strikeouts in a season once during his 12-year career. However, his record-setting game remains a memorable moment in baseball history and has now been approached and matched by more recent stars like deGrom, Marquez, and Lopez.
Despite not being a standout strikeout pitcher, Deshaies managed to hold onto his record much longer than he held the spotlight, as his teammates Nolan Ryan and Mike Scott quickly overshadowed his accomplishment with their own impressive performances. Deshaies donated his cleats and received the milestone baseball, which is now in the Hall of Fame. He was also commemorated on baseball cards by companies like Donruss, Topps, and Sportflics alongside legends like Mike Schmidt and Don Sutton.
Deshaies reflects on the irony of his record-setting game, considering he was typically a slow starter and not a high strikeout pitcher overall. He finds it amusing that he, a relatively pedestrian player, is now associated with elite pitchers like deGrom, Marquez, and Lopez. DeGrom, a two-time Cy Young Award winner, Marquez, and Lopez, who have each made All-Star appearances, have achieved great success in their careers, adding to the significance of their feat.
Deshaies jokingly laments the fact that his record has been matched and surpassed, as he held onto it for so long. Despite this, he is proud to be included in the company of such talented pitchers and sees it as a fun and unexpected connection in the world of baseball. He still enjoys the game as a broadcaster for the Cubs and looks forward to potentially adding the signatures of deGrom, Marquez, and Lopez to a baseball collectible, creating a new piece of memorabilia that ties together past and present achievements in the sport.
