Rick Camp

Rick Lamar Camp (June 10, 1953 – April 25, 2013), was an American professional baseball pitcher who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for a total of nine seasons with the Atlanta Braves between 1976 and 1985.

Biography

Camp was born in Trion, Georgia, and was best known for hitting a game-tying 18th-inning home run on July 5, 1985, against the New York Mets with two outs and an 0-2 count off Tom Gorman; this was the only home run of his nine-season career. Representing the tying run in the 19th inning, Camp struck out to end the game and was the losing pitcher. The Braves had run out of position players and had no choice but to let Camp bat in the 18th and 19th innings, even though his career batting average was .074. The game started on July 4 at 7:05 pm, but due to extra innings and three long rain delays, it did not end until 3:55 am on July 5, the second latest any major league game has ever ended. (After the last out, the night still wasn't over: the Braves gave their fans a promised fireworks show at four in the morning.)

In September 2005, Camp was sentenced, along with four other people, including former Georgia State Representative Robin L. Williams to a term in federal prison for conspiring to steal more than $2 million from the Community Mental Health Center in Augusta, Georgia. Camp received a three year sentence, while Williams got ten years. Camp remained friends with fellow conspirator Chad Long, grandson of Georgia Speaker of the House Tom Murphy, even after their conviction for trying to embezzle money together. Camp died on April 25, 2013 at his home at the age of 59.