Greg Perschke bailed out his South Bend White Sox in this late-August 1989 playoff game, The South Bend Tribune wrote.
The relief pitcher came on with two outs in the seventh, got out of a threat, then pitched scoreless eighth and ninth innings for the South Bend win, The Tribune wrote.
"I threw curves and change-ups and a few fastballs,," Perschke told The Tribune afterward. "I had control of my three pitches."
Perschke spoke to The Tribune at the close of his first professional season. He went on to see seven more campaigns. He made AAA, but missed the bigs.
Perschke's career began that year, taken by the White Sox in the 24th round of the draft out of the University of New Orleans.
Perschke started with the White Sox at short-season Utica and single-A South Bend. He went 0-2, with a 2.41 ERA and 10 saves between them.
He made high-A Sarasota and AA Birmingham in 1990. He went 10-4 that year, with a 1.49 ERA in 46 outings, 14 starts. He also saved nine.
Perschke made AAA Vancouver for 1991 and 1992 and served as a full-time starter. He went 7-12 his first year there and 12-7 in his second.
He recorded his ninth win for 1992 in an August game as he didn't allow a hitter past second until the eighth, using what he called an improved fastball and slider, The Albuquerque Journal wrote.
"Before," Perschke told The Journal, "my best pitch was my curve. Now, I'm throwing a slider that's a lot tougher to hit. It's working fine."
Perschke moved to the Cubs system and AA Orlando and AAA Iowa for 1994, then the Indians and six appearances between both levels for 1995. He's last recorded as playing nine final games with the White Sox at Birmingham for 1996 to end his career.
Perschke has since returned to Indiana, where he grew up and, in 2002, became the head baseball coach at Trine University in Angola. He continues in that role, as well as assistant athletic director, in 2022.
"There is so much emphasis on getting bigger, stronger and faster, and that is true. But we have to learn how to play the game first," Perschke told KPCNews.com upon being hired in 2002. "We have to run on and off the field every inning. We have to run down to first base hard all the time. We have to dive back to first (on every throw by the pitcher). You have to attack, understand the game and respect the game for the game."
- South Bend Tribune, Aug. 31, 1989: Perschke bails out White Sox for playoff win
- Albuquerque Journal, Aug. 8, 1992: Stingy Canadians Pitchers Leave Dukes Hanging 3-2
- KPCNews.com, March 16, 2002: Thunder looking to get back to basics under new skipper
Made the Majors:1,286-33.7%
Never Made Majors:2,533-66.3%-X
5+ Seasons in the Majors:526
10+ Seasons in the Minors:321
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