Ron Robinson's nickname was “The True Creature.” The Reds' right-handed pitcher was so dubbed by manager Pete Rose, who no doubt based it upon something he had seen on television, in a movie or on a T-shirt. These were Rose's best sources of material for nicknames, and he had some good ones.

        Among them: Paul O'Neill was “Jethro” (after Jethro Bodine in the Beverly Hillbillies); Tom Browning was “Puggy” or “Otis” (after a character on the Andy Griffith show), Kurt Stillwell was “Opie,” also an Andy Griffith Show character, and Chris Sabo was “Spuds,” after Spuds MacKenzie, the dog on the Bud Light commercials.

        But on May 2, 1988, Robinson's nickname should have been “Nails,” because that is what he was as. He retired the first 26 Montreal Expos, and had a 2-2 count on the next (and what had to be the last) one for perfection, but pinch-hitter Wallace Johnson singled and Tim Raines homered. Reds reliever John Franco recorded the last out, as the Reds hung on to win 3-2.

        And here's the surprising thing: Robinson won only one more game that season, finishing 3-7.

Athletics 10, Reds 3 Reds box, runs Reds Q&A Cardinals pitcher Darryl Kile found dead Baseball stunned by Kile's death Kile's death hits hard for Reds, Athletics Quotes on Darryl Kile Cinergy Moment No. 22 - May 2, 1988 Reds chatter Surprise '90 Series sweep of A's defined team effort Top draft pick gets a taste of Cincinnati Around the majors Indians' Dunwoody on DL; Broussard called up Interleague roundup Notes from Saturday's games Bats 3, Tides 2 Fay's MLB Power Rankings

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Blue Jackets take big forward No. 1
Booker signs seven-year deal with Bears
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South Korea, Turkey advance
Texas wins College World Series
Amateur baseball results
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Enquirer Page Two Top&Bottom Five
Myers, Pliev win LaRosa's honors
Princeton's Russell soars to area pole-vault mark
North wins Ohio All-Stars game
Hallman scores 26 in defeat

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