#13 RICK CAMP

FAVORITE BRAVES PLAYERS OF THE 1980'S

#13 RICK CAMP

ATLANTA BRAVES 1977-1985

Rick Camp 1982

Rick Camp of Trion, Georgia spent his entire big league career as an Atlanta Brave. He had a couple of good seasons as a closer, saving 22 games in 1980. He was converted to a starter in 1982, when he won 11 games during the Braves division winning season. Unfortunately, his only post season game was pretty ugly: one inning, four earned runs, 36.00 ERA.

But Rick is best remembered by many for his performance on July 4, 1985 at Atlanta Stadium in what is know by many (and me) as the Rick Camp game. A wild game against the Mets that was 8-8 at the end of nine innings. The Mets scored two in the 13th, but the Braves came back to tie in the bottom of that inning. It was also a game that had several rain delays and by the time Rick Camp came into the game, he was the seventh Brave pitcher. Camp gave up a run to the Mets in top of the 17th and the Braves made two out in the bottom of that inning. Rick Camp had to hit for himself as the Braves were out of pinch-hitters. Rick was one of the worst hitters in the game, having only eight hits at that point for his entire eight-year career. Met pitcher Tom Gorman got two strikes on Camp before Camp got a hold of the next pitch and incredibly lifted it over the left field wall for a game tying home run!

The story really stops there, as the Mets hit Camp hard in the 18th, scoring five runs on their way to a 18-13 victory that ended at about four in the morning to a very, very late fireworks display.

Rick finished his major league hitting career with 13 hits and  a .075 average.

Rick died at the age of 59 in Rydal, Ga.

Rick Camp about to unload on July 4, 1985