Gene Bacque Night TONGHT

[NewsCopy]

Tonights night’s home opener against Southern Miss is ‘Gene Bacque Night’. Louisiana will honor the former baseball player and coach, who later became one of the best players in Japanese Baseball history... Bacque will sign posters and baseball cards near the front of "The Tigue" prior to the game. Five hundred (500) baseball cards and 1,000 posters will be distributed to fans... Bacque, a native of New Iberia, lettered one season for the Cajuns in 1957 and later went on to play minor league baseball in the Detroit Tigers organization... Bacque struggled in the minor leagues, finishing his six-year stint with a 34-52 career mark. After being released by Detroit in 1962, he earned a tryout with the Hanshin Tigers of Nippon Pro Baseball...In 1964, he posted one of the best pitching seasons in Japanese baseball history, going 29-9 with a 1.88 ERA. Bacque tossed 353 1/3 innings, leading the league in victories and finished second with 200 strikeouts... He tossed a league-best 24 complete games and later became the only American ever to win the Sawamura Award - the Japanese equivolent to MLB’s Cy Young Award... He would become a five-time All-Star with the Tigers and pitched no-hitter against the Yomiuri Giants in 1965. He spent three more seasons with the Tigers before being traded to the Kintetsu Buffaloes in ‘69...He finished with Joe Stanka for the most career wins among non-Japanese players (100). RaginCajuns.com

[DeadRed]

Native of New Iberia? He grew up across the street form the old Sam's behind what is now known as Cowboys.

If you see him, ask him about the time he broke his hand on Sadaharu Oh's head during a brawl during a game. Apparently Oh didn't like the high tight heat.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sadaharu_Oh

[cajunhawk]

Gene is a great guy. Ive known his son John for a while now and they are just good people. Congrats to Gene, its his night tonight.

[RaginCajun2010]

Has anyone gotten word on where at the tigue Diamond Club members can pick up their packages for joining?

[Membertou]

Gene won Japanese Cy Young award in 1964, 29-9, 1.89 ERA, 200 strikeouts, 353 1/2 innings pitched. Won 4 games in last week of regular season to wipe out a 3.5 game deficit and took Hanshin Tigers to the pennant.

[cajundiehard]

Has anyone gotten word on where at the tigue Diamond Club members can pick up their packages for joining?

They were handing them out last home series vs. ULM... I would imagine that they will have players deliver the ones that weren't picked up... (as they have in the past) Or, you could email or call Debbie to make other arrangements.

[Turbine]

They were handing them out last home series vs. ULM... I would imagine that they will have players deliver the ones that weren't picked up... (as they have in the past) Or, you could email or call Debbie to make other arrangements.

Is this like one of those message in a bottle discovery replies?

[DieHard1280]

What the...

[CajunJeaux]

Gene is a great and kind man....was/is a superstar in Japan...saw pictures from when he got off the plane one time...those Japanese swarmed him and showered him with gifts...unreal the career he had over there...

[Crowley Cajun]

Is this like one of those message in a bottle discovery replies?

Talk about a slow internet connection. lol.

[Crowley Cajun]

Gene is a great and kind man....was/is a superstar in Japan...saw pictures from when he got off the plane one time...those Japanese swarmed him and showered him with gifts...unreal the career he had over there...

Mr. Bacque is one of the nicest people. I had him in Industrial Arts in 8th grade at Scott Elementary. Bellowing voice when he fussed, usually at Blake Soileau for cutting up. LOL. Good times.