The endless night

Today marks the 43rd anniversary of the longest day – not to mention, longest night and longest early morning – in the playing career of journeyman catcher Dave Huppert.

A prospect then in the Baltimore Orioles' system, Huppert is the starting catcher on this night in 1981 for the Class AAA Rochester Red Wings in a game at Pawtucket – a game that lasts a record 32 innings before being suspended at 4:07 a.m. in the early morning of April 19, 1981.

The game resumes six weeks later for a 33rd and final inning, in which Pawtucket finally scores the winning run.

Huppert is behind the plate for the first 31 innings and goes 1-for-11 before Ed Putman pinch hits for him in the top of the 32nd.

Oh, by the way, the game features two future Hall of Famers – Wade Boggs, who goes 4-for-12 for Pawtucket, and Cal Ripken Jr., who has just one hit in his 12 at-bats.

“They pinch-hit for me in the 32nd inning, then I couldn't play when they resumed, because I’d already been in the game,” Huppert says years later.

“I might as well have finished it,” Huppert says. “Actually, I was well rested. I hadn’t played in a week because of a hyperextended knee. After it got going, you just forgot about everything and kept playing.”