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Wake-Up Call: Mitchell's Schuster hurling at history

Tribune file photo (2007)

After pitching three straight no-hitters, Schuster became a national curiosity through ESPN and the Web.

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By JOEY JOHNSTON | The Tampa Tribune

Published: April 20, 2009

Updated: 04/20/2009 02:22 pm

The Wake-Up Call greets you each weekday with news, views and a few Tampa Bay area sports offerings to anticipate for the day and night. We encourage suggestions and contributions.

Good morning!

Twenty-two years ago, Sam Militello, a pitcher for Jefferson High School, pitched three consecutive no-hitters, tying a state record.

Twenty-four years ago, Ben Webb, a senior for Gonzalez Tate High School in the Florida panhandle, was the first to pitch three consecutive no-hitters.

"Honestly, I never thought that would happen again," Webb said.

It has happened.

And tonight, when Mitchell Mustangs left-hander Patrick Schuster takes the mound at home against the Pasco Pirates, that improbable mark could be surpassed.

In less than three weeks, Schuster, a senior who signed with the University of Florida, has become a national curiosity. With three straight no-hitters — against Land O'Lakes (April 3), River Ridge (April 8) and Clearwater Central Catholic (April 13) — Schuster has tied the record of Militello and Webb.

Friday afternoon, Schuster appeared live on ESPN's "First Take" program, expressing amazement over what has happened and sharing his most recent superstition (he hasn't shaved since allowing his last hit, prompting some modest stubble).

Militello, now the associate head coach at the University of Tampa, his alma mater, got a fair amount of media exposure in 1987, when his no-hit streak reached three straight. On April 14, 1987, Militello went for his fourth no-hitter — but it was broken up by the leadoff batter, Hillsborough's Kiki Jones, who singled on a 2-and-0 curveball.

Militello ended up pitching a complete-game 13-hitter in a 13-6 victory.

Militello had a distinguished baseball career, earning the NCAA Division II player of the year in 1990 for UT. He also played in the major leagues for the Yankees (winning his first start, allowing one hit in seven innings) and Marlins.

He's on the local scene, where Schuster's exploits have been exhaustively reported. Somehow, news of Schuster's three consecutive no-hitters eluded Webb — until he was contacted by a reporter.

"You're kidding," said Webb, 41, now a salesman with Buffalo Rock Beverages and Food Services, a distributor of Pepsi-Cola products in Pensacola.

Nope.

"The odds of it happening must be astronomical," Webb said. "All it takes is a bloop single in one game, let alone three. I still can't believe it happened for me.

"It's not something I talk about. And I'm sure if I did, with somebody I didn't know that well, they'd say, 'Three no-hitters? No way. You never did that.' It's hard to believe. But you are bringing back some great memories."

When Webb was a senior, the Tate Aggies were one season removed from a 38-1 Class 4A state championship season. In fact, the Aggies were voted mythical national champions.

Webb, a 5-foot-10, 170-pound hard-throwing right-hander, already had signed with Mississippi State when he registered the three no-hitters. Professional scouts starting buzzing in greater numbers, but he never wavered from his college plans.

After a transfer to Chipola Junior College, Webb was a fifth-round draft choice (112th overall pick) by the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1987. But in six minor-league seasons, Webb never advanced past Double-A. He was in Zebulon, N.C., in 1992 — with a wife, two children and flickering hopes of a major-league career - when he quit to come back home.

"I have no regrets," said Webb, who occasionally works out with Tate players and still sees many of his old teammates at Aggie games. "I didn't have the quality breaking pitches that you need to get to the big leagues. I gave it a shot and had a chance, which is more than most guys ever get.
"And I've got some great memories."

Webb was featured in Sports Illustrated's "Faces in the Crowd." Upon request, he donated his jersey and the game balls from his three no-hitters to an amateur baseball hall of fame, but now he can't even remember its location.

"All that stuff is kind of fleeting," Webb said. "When it happens, you just run with it. It's something that happened a long time ago, but I guess it's nice to be remembered."

Thanks to the World Wide Web, the name of Ben Webb has been remembered plenty in the last week. Sam Militello is also on that stage. Now Patrick Schuster is front and center.

Does Webb have any advice to pass along?

"Good luck, man. Hey, I hope he does it again."

Sheffield across America

New York Mets OF Gary Sheffield (Hillsborough High) hit his 500th career home run - a seventh-inning shot as a pinch-hitter - on Friday night against the Brewers.

Sheffield has hit homers with eight different teams - the most for a member of the 500-homer club, surpassing five-team stars Eddie Murray (Orioles, Dodgers, Mets, Indians, Angels) and Frank Robinson (Reds, Orioles, Dodgers, Angels, Indians).

Here is Sheffield's team-by-team homer breakdown:
• Dodgers (129).
• Marlins (122).
• Yankees (76).
• Braves (64).
• Tigers (44).
• Padres (43).
• Brewers (21).
• Mets (1).

Joyce homers for Durham

OF Matt Joyce (Armwood), a starter for the Rays on Opening Day, hit an 11th-inning home run for Triple-A Durham in Sunday's 5-4 victory against Charlotte. The game required 12 innings and Durham turned on the power. Down to its last out in the ninth inning, Durham got a game-tying solo homer from Ray Sadler. Reid Brignac homered in the 10th (and it was answered by Charlotte), then Joyce homered in the 11th (again, Charlotte answered) before Jon Weber's game-winning homer in the top of the 12th.

Burgess breaks out

OF Michael Burgess (Hillsborough), the former first-round draft pick mired in a 2-for-34 season-opening slump, went 2-for-4 with Class A Potomac on Sunday, smashing a double and a three-run homer in an 11-4 victory against Myrtle Beach.

Lockwood's streak at 80 games

USF's 6-4 baseball win at Villanova, which put the Bulls (24-14, 12-3) in first place in the Big East Conference on Sunday, saw sophomore OF Ryan Lockwood (Jesuit) reach base in his 80th consecutive game. The Bulls travel to Florida on Wednesday night at 6:30.

LaCrosse tied for third in Big East

University of Louisville senior Cindy LaCrosse (Plant), with a 2-under-par 70 on Sunday afternoon, is tied for third place in the Big East Conference women's golf tournament at Lake Jovita Golf and Country Club. Louisville has a 16-stroke lead over Notre Dame in the team competition.

The USF women are tied for fifth place. In the men's competition, also at Lake Jovita, USF is also tied for fifth with Louisville leading Seton Hall by three strokes.

Second-round play begins this morning at 8.

Arenas honored at Alabama

After the University of Alabama's A-Day spring football game, which drew 84,050 fans, rising senior CB Javier Arenas (Robinson) was presented the annual Sylvester Croom Commitment to Excellence Award. Arenas, one of the nation's top return men, should be a preseason first-team All-SEC selection.

Allen impresses at Georgia Tech

Junior transfer RB Anthony Allen (Jesuit) had 69 yards to tie for game-high rushing honors in Georgia Tech's spring football game on Saturday in Atlanta. Allen played his first two seasons at Louisville.

Liepkalns excels at Emory

Emory University crew captain Jim Liepkalns (Gaither), in the 4-boat, helped his team win titles in the United Rowing Association Championships at Butler, Pa., the Southern Intercollegiate Championships at Oak Ridge, and the John Hunter Classic Regatta in Roswell, Ga. In the latter event's championship race, Emory defeated rival Georgia Tech by an 11-second margin.

Byrd to Old Dominion

Former Lakewood High School girls basketball player Kquanise Byrd, who averaged 24.3 points per game (third nationally among junior college players) for Miami-Dade College, has signed with Old Dominion University's nationally prominent women's program.

Birthday wishes

Happy birthday to Chicago Bears TE Desmond Clark, a graduate of Lakeland's Kathleen High School. Today, Clark turns 32.

The Answer Man

Here's the answer to Friday's trivia question:

Roberto Hernandez (43 in 1999) and Danys Baez (41 in 2005) are the only two Rays' relievers to have 40 or more saves in one season.

Monday trivia

Here's our daily sports trivia question, featuring a Tampa Bay/Florida spin. Try your luck by commenting below.

Gary Sheffield has hit home runs with eight different teams, but he'll need to change uniforms a few more times to tie the major-league record. Who hit homers for 11 different major-league teams?

Check for the answer in Tuesday's Wake-Up Call.

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