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Calvin Schiraldi
A win seemed inevitable as "Congratulations Boston Red Sox, 1986 World Champions," flashed on the Shea Stadium scoreboard. He had recorded the final out for the Red Sox in Game 7 of the ALCS against the Angels and now had the Mets down to their final out in Game 6 of the World Series. The champagne was ready in the Sox clubhouse. Keith Hernandez, who made the second New York out in the bottom of the tenth inning, retreated to the Mets' clubhouse to avoid having to watch the Red Sox, standing on the top step of the dugout, break The Curse in his home stadium.
And although the face of that Game 6 loss will forever be Bill Buckner on wounded knee(s), the record book shows that Calvin Schiraldi suffered the unthinkable defeat. And when the Mets drove the final nail in Boston's coffin it was Schiraldi again who was blasted for the loss by permitting the New Yorkers to score 3 runs in an inning for a second straight game. Etched in the record book after the 1986 Series under the name Schiraldi is the hard-to-bear 0-2 record, and the 13.50 ERA that made it possible. Yes, the name Calvin Schiraldi forever conjures up the memory of what could have, and should have been. After his breakout regular season in 1986 when he finished the year as the Sox closer after compiling 9 saves and a 1.41 ERA in 51 innings, Schiraldi would never again finish with an ERA under 3.51 for a full season. The 1987 season was his last in a Red Sox uniform and his 8-5 record that year would be the last time in his career that he would finish a year with more wins than losses. Following the '87 campaign Schiraldi was sent along with Al Nipper to the Chicago Cubs for closer Lee Smith. In 1988 Schiraldi won a career-high 9 games (along with 13 defeats) while starting in 27 of the 29 games he pitched. But the following year he returned to bullpen only duty and near the end of that season he was shipped to San Diego, spending his final full season in the big leagues there in 1990. After appearing in only 3 games in 1991 for the Texas Rangers, Schiraldi's major league career had expired. Although Schiraldi couldn't close the deal on that fateful October night at Shea, he did enjoy a tremendous amount of success as a pitcher at the University of Texas from 1981-83. After leading the Longhorns to the 1983 College World Series Championship he was named the Series MVP and bestowed with the title of Baseball America College Pitcher of the Year. The school recognized his accomplishments as a Longhorn when they inducted him into its Hall of Honor in 1997. Currently, the 38-year old Schiraldi is a teacher and baseball coach at St. Michael's High School in his hometown of Austin, Texas. He is also on the coaching staff of the Austin Slam Sox, a local Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) team. After coaching a year of American Legion ball, Schiraldi has helped handle the Slam Sox pitchers since 1996. Schiraldi says he has no intention of moving up the coaching ladder, as he prefers to coach high-school aged players.
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