I’ve read a bunch of articles about this incident but the No Mas TV peeps have done a terrific job telling the story in a creative and fun way. Here’s what No Mas has to say about the clip:
In celebration of the greatest athletic achievement by a man on a psychedelic journey, No Mas and artist James Blagden proudly present the animated tale of Dock Ellis’ legendary LSD no-hitter. In the past few years weve heard all too much about performance enhancing drugs from greenies to tetrahydrogestrinone, and not enough about performance inhibiting drugs. If our evaluation of the records of athletes like Mark McGwire, Roger Clemens, Marion Jones, and Barry Bonds needs to be revised downwards with an asterisk, we submit that that Dock Ellis record deserves a giant exclamation point. Of the 263 no-hitters ever thrown in the Big Leagues, we can only guess how many were aided by steroids, but we can say without question that only one was ever thrown on acid.
Sadly, the great Dock Ellis died last December at 63. A year before, radio producers Donnell Alexander and Neille Ilel, had recorded an interview with Ellis in which the former Pirate right hander gave a moment by moment account of June 12, 1970, the day he no-hit the San Diego Padres. Alexander and Ilels original four minute piece appeared March 29, 2008 on NPRs Weekend America. When we stumbled across that piece this past June, Blagden and Isenberg were inspired to create a short animated film around the original audio.
If you want to find out more about No Mas check out their website and Facebook page.
Thanks to Slog tipper J-Mo!
That was hilarious! I’ve been tripping a few times and have to say I would probably have run screaming off the field in a paranoid streak. That was definitely a feat.
That was fuckin’ rad.
The 1970s were Major League Baseball’s true golden era, perfectly representative of the decade at large. Holding an overall laid-back demeanor, making horrible uniform fashion choices, everyone vaguely lumpy and hairy yet still in shape. Oh, and stoned to the fucking tits 24/7.
Tangentially, it’s also funny that Bonds, Canseco, McGwire, Gooden and Clemens all made their debuts in 1985-86 or so, and were hailed as baseball’s young saviors (including to young worshipers like myself). Fast-forward 2 decades and they represent the overall decline and downfall of baseball since that time, discredited to a man.
Ellis, D.
If you want an in-depth look at the madness of 70s baseball, Dock Ellis, and the Pirates in general, check out a book called “Out of Left Field: Willie Stargell and the Pittsburgh Pirates” by Bob Adelman — sort of an oral history of those acid-drop days.
Barbara Manning wrote a nifty song entitled “Dock Ellis” with her group SF Seals which is worth seeking out.
I thought it was Vida Blue.
Just the narration itself was fantastic. Of course, I’d heard of the LSD no-hitter, but I’d never heard Dock himself describe it.
Thumbs up.
This is pretty ballsy too:
“Ellis attempted to hit every batter in the Cincinnati Reds lineup on May 1, 1974 in an effort to prove a point to teammates. Ellis hit Pete Rose, Joe Morgan, and Dan Driessen in the top of the first. The clean-up batter Tony Perez avoided Ellis’ attempts, instead drawing a walk, and after two pitches aimed at the head of Johnny Bench, Ellis was removed from the game by manager Danny Murtaugh”
Beaning Rose, and almost beaning Tony Perez and Johnny Bench, in 1974? I’m surprised Ellis made it to his car after the game.
@10 Yet a Cincinnati band named themselved Dock Ellis within 10 years. Everyone in Cincy hates the Steelers, not the Pirates.
@10 That dude was crazy!
Totally excellent, thanks for the post.
Enigma, I just imagined your post as read by Tracy Morgan, and couldn’t help but giggle.
Great animation, fantastic narration. Thanks, NPR, you win again. I think I will have to contribute and get a coffee mug.