“Olerud had NBC’s Finest Game”

Originally published in the 1990 NBC World Series program

Toronto rookie sensation John Olerud, NBC Graduate of the Year who is as personable as he is talented, will never forget the game. In a fourth round contest in the 1988 NBC World Series Olerud had, arguable, the finest single-game performance in the history of the event. Pity 1988 Kansas champion Lawrence Maupintour Travelers. “I had never had that kind of night,” Olerud said recently. “It was my best night ever as a hitter and then to be on the mound made it even more special.”

Olerud, a 6-foot-5 Washington State University junior at the time, was a tournament star on the talent-rich Kenai, Alaska, Oilers team. “We had a really good team with both good pitching and hitting,” Olerud remembers. “And, it was a fun team to be with.” Against Lawrence, Olerud was about all the Alaskans needed.

The Bellevue, Wa., native established a NBC World Series record with 15 total bases in the 12-3 victory. Son of a former NBC player in the mid-1960’s, he became only the sixth person in NBC history to hit three home runs in one game and added a double and single to join 15 others with five-for-five single game hitting performances.

Kenai’s regular starting first baseman, Olerud got his only tournament pitching assignment that night against the Kansans. In the run-rule shortened seven-inning contest, Olerud pitched the distance, striking out seven and scattering seven hits. Pac-10 Conference Player of the Year the preceding spring as a pitcher and first baseman, Olerud had no hint that a special night was at hand.

“Before the game I just tried to get myself ready to pitch,” he said. “Then once it started it was just one of those things. My first two times at bat I hit one out over left and then the next one over right-center. Then my third time up I pulled a brushback pitch to left for a double. I was even able to get out in front of a pitch like that. It was like I could read the lettering on the ball. I couldn’t do anything wrong.

Olerud, who has hovered around the .270 mark much of the 1990 American League season, has happy memories of Wichita. “I’m surprised I did as well as I did because of the heat,” he recalls. “Everyone told me that if I had a chance to play in Wichita to be sure to do it. My dad had played there in the 1960’s. He and others said it was important. But, I wasn’t used to that kind of heat. Growing up in Seattle and playing around the Northwest where it is mild, you’re just not prepared for how hot it can be out there.”

Olerud’s father, John E. Olerud, was a catcher with Washington state champions Everett (1963) and Bellingham (1964) in the NBC World Series before being selected in the initial major league draft of 1965 and playing as high as Class AAA from 1965-1970 in the organizations of the California Angels, Montreal Expos and St. Louis Cardinals.

The younger Olerud, John G., made the Wichita trip after an outstanding 1988 summer in the NBC Alaska League.

“It was lucky I got to Wichita,” He said. “I had played in the Alaska League that summer with Palouse, Wa. Kenai won the league and asked me to join the team for the NBC. It was great. We thought we had a chance to win it.” Kenai finished in a final tie for third place with a 5-2 record.

Olerud must have gotten arm-weary toting home his awards in the 1988 event. Selected to the All-America team as a first baseman, he was also named Baseball America Major League Prospect of the Year while batting 483(14 for 29) with six home runs and 13 RBIs.

“That tournament was important for me,” says Olerud. “There were a ton of scouts there and it is a great place to show your ability. It was also important for me to see how I matched up. In addition to top college guys you really get to see how you do against players who have pitched and hit in pro ball. You find out a lot about your ability in that kind of situation.”

“I’ve really had a lot of good things happen to me,” he continued. “Having my dad as my first coach and working with me gave me good foundation. Then in high school (InterLake in Bellevue, Wa.,) I had a real good coach in Bob Levitin. At Washington State Bobo Brayton was a big influence.”

Washington State was a positive experience for Olerud. “It wasn’t until my junior year in high school that I began to think I might be good enough to get a college scholarship. Some pro scouts began to look at me when I was a senior and that gave me a big boost, but I knew there was no way I was ready to be on my own in pro ball coming out of high school. But getting a scholarship where my dad had played (WSU) was just perfect. It gave me time to develop and mature being around people I respected.”

Olerud’s other major college memory is a frightening one. He suffered a seizure during the winter of 1989. “I had an aneurysm at the base of the brain on Jan. 11,” Olerud recounts. “I had surgery on Feb. 27 and was ready to play by April 15.1 knew I needed time to recover and rebuild my game. I told everyone I wasn’t going to sign because I wanted to get back into playing shape around people like Bobo Brayton who would allow me to come back at my own speed and wouldn’t rush me. I wanted to prove to everyone I was the same player. Toronto drafted me in June and I wasn’t going to sign. I was playing with Palouse again and over the summer became more and more impressed with the Toronto organization.”

Olerud says some people automatically believe it was the reported $1 million contract that changed his mind, but that there were other and perhaps more important considerations.

“I was impressed with the Toronto people I met. They really worked hard to make me feel good about the situation. They have a good reputation within baseball. What finally convinced me was when they offered to bring me up in the middle of a pennant race. So I singed the end of August and they called me up in September.” Olerud hit .375 in six games with the Blue Jays late last summer. “I still have a real good feeling about the organization. The Toronto fans are terrific and I love the Sky Dome. It’s a good place and I’m happy.’

“I didn’t really think anything like this could happen to anyone, let alone to me. Now I just have to work hard to stay up here.”

NBC owner Bob Rich could not have been more pleased with Olerud’s selection. “One of our priorities has been to continue to strengthen our summer league program to feed in to our state events and the World Series. To know that players like John Olerud are coming through that system is a great feeling. Here is a player that was in our Alaska program and Wichita just two summers ago and now he is a regular on a pennant contender.”