Roosevelt High School Baseball

Roosevelt's pitching staff threw an incredible seven no-hitters over a three season span from 1968 to 1970. This no-hit feat becomes even more impressive when the short 14 game schedule teams played in those days is taken into consideration.

The no-hit campaign started when first Bob Nelson (RHS '68, Washington pitcher) and later Steve Schwager (RHS '68, Stanford pitcher) pitched complete game no-hitters during the regular season. Nelson came back in the Metro League Championship game to throw another no-hitter, this time 10 innings, against West Seattle at Sicks Stadium to win the Pennant for the Riders.

The 1969 campaign was a slow year for Rider no-hitters as Ron Jeffries (RHS '69, Major League draftee) rung up Roosevelt's only no-hitter against an extremely strong Ingraham team.

The no-hitter barrage reached its zenith on May 1, 1970 when Rider pitchers pitched not one, but two no-hitters on the same day. Tom Ostrom (RHS '70, Edmonds Community College pitcher) registered a no-hitter in a 1-0 victory over Lincoln, again at Sicks Stadium. The game was Roosevelt's first appearance at Sicks since Nelson threw his no-hitter two years earlier. While Ostrom was pitching his no-hitter, Charlie Kirkwood (RHS '71) was pitching a no-hitter for the Rider Jayvees, also against Lincoln. (Obviously this was not one of Lincoln's better days.)

Later the same season Ostrom and Kirkwood combined to throw a 4-0 no-hitter against Garfield in varsity action.

So what's it like to throw a no-hitter? For Tom Ostrom throwing the Lincoln no-hitter at Sicks Stadium was the highlight of his career. The no-hit bid almost ended on the game's first pitch when the Lincoln lead-off hitter laid an excellent bunt down the third base line. The Riders third baseman bobbled the ball, and the lead-off man was aboard on an error. After that play Ostrom was able to put the game in cruise control until the game's final batter. Lincoln's last batter hit a blooper to shallow Center Field. The Riders Center Fielder, Duane Covey, charging hard was able to make a shoe top catch to save the no-hitter. For his catch Covey was given life time bragging rights for his no-hit saving efforts. For his efforts, Rider Legend Tom Ostrom was given a great life time memory.