Usually I write things that hopefully bend toward some weight and eternal
relevance. Not that they will last or affect anything past the reading, but the words are intended to create thought and consideration.
This one is nothing of the sort.
I really believe that Lou Brock was safe as he attempted to score from third, and beat Willie Hortons throw from left in Game 5 of the 1968 World Series.
The Cardinals would have had a 3-1
Game lead….had he scored… and most likely defeated the Tigers for their 3rd Series win in 5 years… and second of a back to back.
Had he slid there would have been no question of being safe, but his foot was squarely on the plate between Bill Freehan’s legs before he was tagged.
I saw it.
I disagree with Vlade Divac that Robert Horry’s shot was lucky.
After Kobe Bryant drove and missed, Shaquille O’Neal hit the rebound rather than grabbing it, the ball bounced out to the top of the key where Horry was positioned.
He caught the ball in his shooting motion and drained a 3 pointer to give the Lakers a big come-from -behind win to tie the 2002 Western Conference Finals at 2 games apiece.
Had Horry missed, the Lakers would have been down 3-1 and their 3 peat most likely would have been over.
It was not.
It was almost unbelievable that the Patriots recovered from the third circus catch that seemed to cost them a third Super Bowl victory.
After David Tyree’s helmet catch,
Mario Manningham’s ballet dance to keep his feet in while his body was flying toward the sideline, while he caught a perfect throw from Eli Manning, a Russell Wilson pass bounced three times off of a falling receivers hands before being caught inside the 5 yard line to give Seattle a perfect opportunity to win the 2015 Super Bowl.
The Patriots did recover because a back up defensive back remembered Belicheck’s instruction and intercepted Wilsons pass at the goal line.
And, a few years before, Manning would have been whistled down because he would have been “in the grasp” of the defensive lineman, before getting off the pass to Tyree.
These are really “important” things.
I believe that if ESPN had not fallen in love with Robert Griffin Iii in late October, Trent Richardson would have won the Heisman Trophy in 2011.
Do you know that an offhand comment from a scout won the 1988 World Series?
In his closing remarks to the hitters
a Dodger scout told them that when the count was 3-2, Dennis Eckersley would throw his back door slider.
Even though he was too injured to run or play, Kurt Gibson recalled that comment as he stood in the batters box with the pitch count at 2-2. Gibson could not run, but Lasorda inserted him on a hunch.
Gibson homered off the pitch he knew was coming and it propelled a rag tag Dodger team to win the Opening Game, and Orel Hershiser
then carried them to an unlikely Series victory against a better Oakland As team.
An incomplete pass to Don Maynard in the first quarter of Super Bowl III, influenced the whole game and brought about the NFL/AFL merger.
Joe Namath threw over Maynard’s head on a deep fly pattern in the opening moments of the 1969 Super Bowl.
That showed the older Colts defense what was possible, they played to stop that for the next two quarters and allowed Namath to hit George Sauer on 6 or 7 key completions, on the Jets way to defeating the Colts, and upending the balance of power in pro football.
Sometimes a great defensive play has unintended consequences.
Jerry West deflected the dribble, the ball bounded away, and it looked like the Lakers would get possession and put the Celtics away for a game seven win in 1969.
However, instead of getting possession, West saw the ball go straight to Don Nelson at the free throw line. He shot it, it hit the back rim,
bounced high above the top of the backboard and came down directly through the net. It was another “bounce” which went Boston’s way and sent the Lakers to another Finals defeat.
Just like Frank Selvys wide open 10 footer bounced away in 1960 or 61.
Another bounce that seemed to be unreal turned the tables in the 2010 Alabama / Auburn game.
As Mark Ingram ran to what seemed
like another touchdown and a 31-0 lead, an Auburn linebacker punched the ball from his arm. The oblong ball bounced freakishly
in a straight line, within two-three yards of the sideline for what seemed to be about 30 yards.
How??
I cannot recall if Auburn recovered or if the ball bounced through the end zone.
But, it turned the game and Auburn went on to a come-from -behind win to secure their undefeated season.
That ball was last seen walking a tight rope / high wire act with Ringling Brothers Circus.
But this was true about that Auburn team. Cam Newton had what was probably the best season anyone there has ever had. I felt that if he played in that game, he would win.
When he threw a touchdown pass near the end of the second quarter to give Auburn their first score for a 24-7 halftime deficit…I told my wife that Auburn would win. I was not pulling for him, but you had to admire what he was doing.
I believe if the Atlanta Braves had not been as good as they were in 1997-1998 they would have won another one or two World Series.
The Braves had Maddux-Glavine-Smoltz and a line up that was unstoppable….for 162 games.
They were so good they knew they would play deep into October every year.
However, in 1997 they played a Marlins team in the NLCS who knew they were to be dismantled after the season. They were desperate.
The Braves were comfortable knowing they were so good that they would ” be there” next year. They were.
They were beaten by the desperate Marlins in 1997, and again beaten by a desperate and inferior San Diego Padres team, led by Ken Caminiti, in 1998.
Had they been not quite as good, they might have been more desperate….and victorious.
Another thing, Bobby Cox was s great manager. But he had a goal each year which was revealing. He wanted to be the best team over the regular season.
What?
That would be like Saban saying he wanted only to have the best team in the Western Division of the SEC.
Shortsighted.
When Reggie Jackson hit three home runs on three consecutive swings in Game Six of the 1977 World Series everyone was in awe.
But another fact is worth remembering.
Jackson also homered on his last swing in Game 5. It was a Dodger win, but he homered in his final swing. No one really noticed.
He did not swing in his first at bat
in Game Six…..
so he homered on four consecutive swings in four at bats In a World Series.
One other ” Reggie ” fact.
In the 1978 playoff between the Yankees / Red Sox, Bucky Dent homered to give the Yankees the lead in that game.
That almost killed the Boston effort.
Dent was hit in the foot by a foul tip, limped around and was almost taken out of the game by Bob Lemon. On the next pitch he hit a three run homer over the left field wall which caused Yaztremski to almost fall to his knees and Red Sox fans to forever give Dent a new middle name.
An inning or so later, Reggie homered to give the Yankees an insurance run.
They needed it.
They beat Boston not on Dents unlikely homer which everyone recalls. They beat Boston on Reggie’s homer no one remembers.
Not really important or of any lasting significance…but these things sit somewhere in my mind, most likely taking up space which could be better used.
Probably more to come later.
Terry
January 2016
Terry Bethea 