Researching Ty Cline

Cline was born in Hampton, South Carolina and went on to play college baseball for Clemson University, in the Atlantic Coast Conference, for three seasons. In 1960, following his junior year, he left Clemson, signing a professional baseball contract with the Cleveland Indians. Cline attained All-American status during his college career, while appearing as both an outfielder and a starting pitcher.

Cline was instrumental in helping the Cincinnati Reds defeat the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 1970 National League Championship Series, tripling and scoring the winning run in the 10th inning of the first game. He went on to score the game-winning and pennant-clinching run, after an eighth-inning walk in game three.

Cline appeared as a pinch hitter in each of the first three games of the 1970 World Series against the Baltimore Orioles, his lone hit being a leadoff single off reliever Moe Drabowsky, in the seventh inning of Game 2 at Cincinnati’s Riverfront Stadium. Cline also set into motion the most controversial play of the Series: In Game 1, he pinch hit for Woody Woodward, with Tommy Helms at first, Bernie Carbo at third, one out, and the score tied at three, in the sixth linning. Cline reached safely on a Baltimore chop. Orioles’ starter Jim Palmer, while running toward home plate, immediately signaled to catcher Elrod Hendricks that Carbo was trying to score from third. Hendricks fielded the ball barehanded, spun around to his left and lunged toward an oncoming Carbo in an attempt to tag him out, but collided with umpire Ken Burkhart who, while positioning himself to judge whether the batted ball was fair, accidentally blocked the runner's path to home plate. Carbo slid around Burkhart on the outside but missed touching the plate. With his back to the play and after being knocked down, Burkhart ruled Carbo out even though Hendricks made the tag with his mitt while holding the ball in his bare hand. Having not been properly tagged out, Carbo unknowingly stepped on the plate as he was arguing, but the play was dead, as soon as Burkhart made his call.

Cline officially retired from baseball following the 1971 season. In retirement, he owned and managed a Baskin-Robbins ice cream restaurant franchise.