Take the long way home

Jim Rooker in retirement

Today marks the 35th anniversary of one of baseball’s greatest comebacks, as well as one of the most braggadocio of bets of all time.

As the Pittsburgh Pirates – losers of six straight games – are sending 16 batters to the plate and scoring 10 runs in the top of the first inning at against the Phillies at Veterans Stadium, longtime Pittsburgh pitcher-turned-broadcaster Jim Rooker boldly announces that if the Pirates end up losing the game that, well, he will walk back to Pittsburgh.

Naturally, the Phillies rally to win the game 15-11 as Von Hayes and Steve Jeltz each hit two homers and combine for nine runs batted in before a Thursday night crowd of 18,511 in South Philly.

Yes, really, that Steve Jeltz, owner of five homers in 2,041 career plate appearances.

Rooker, then 46, pays off the bet after the season, walking 327 miles from Philly to Pittsburgh to raise a reported $100,000 for the Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh and Bob Prince Charities.

On the 1989 trek he calls “Rook’s Unintentional Walk,” Rooker averages 24 miles per day after beginning his hike on Oct. 5 from Philadelphia and arriving just before 1 p.m. on Oct. 17 at Three Rivers Stadium.

“I’m OK from the ankles up,” Rooker tells The Sporting News, “but from the ankles down I feel like I’ve been stabbed with ice picks.”