| Ever hear that saying about a bird flapping its wings in Japan creating a tornado in Kansas? It could be said that this play set into motion a chain of events that culminated in the 2004 pennant.
Probably no play from Marinelli Field has been reproduced in stills and video as much as this May 29, 2003 home-plate collision. The catcher is Dave Bernstein. The Gateway baserunner is Doug Schutt. Schutt does not attempt to slide, but rather to make a direct collision with Bernstein and try to knock the ball loose. Bernstein stays on his feet throughout the collision, while it is Schutt who is knocked down. Because of this play, Bernstein is given the nickname "the Wall" by P.A. announcer Scott Bentley. Schutt is injured on the play, and because the league had no disabled list at the time, Gateway released him. Within a month, Schutt joined the RiverHawks. In 2004, Schutt became the center fielder and leadoff hitter. He became a catalyst for the team's second-half run to the division title and the league championship.
The following five pictures are also from this play. |
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