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ALL SPORTS ARE GAMES! ALL GAMES ARE NOT SPORTS!
From backgammon to the 3,000 year old Royal Game of Ur., from Oriental kite contests to the universal tit-tat-toe and baseball, games have been, and are played throughout every culture and society known to man.
Where is the line drawn...
Dan - A Great Coach
Dan - A Great Coach My wife, my daughter and I had been eagerly anticipating my daughter’s first lesson with Dan, her new batting coach. Of course, we heard how good he was. Our next door neighbor spoke glowingly of Dan’s expertise as a batting...
Is A Treadmill The Right Exercise Equipment For You?
The #1 fear people have when buying a treadmill is that they won't use it. (That's the #1 fear when buying any piece of exercise equipment). They know that a treadmill can help them lose weight, get fit, burn extra calories and reach their...
No Excuse for Not Exercising
For many people in today's busy world it's quite easy to come up
with an excuse for not being in shape and exercising regularly.
Some of the more common ones are "I'm too busy", "There aren't
enough hours in a day", and "I'm so tired after work...
Real Baseball Players Hit With Wood
Real Players Hit With Wood Let me say this up front… I do not like aluminum bats . . . but I’ll win with them. Practice with wood . . . and you’ll win with aluminum. It’s really very simple. An aluminum bat swing can be mechanically flawed but...
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A Classic World Series - 1975
A Classic World Series - 1975
Cincinnati Reds Versus Boston Red Sox
The 1975 World Series was anxiously anticipated as a battle between two of baseball's greatest teams. The Boston Red Sox featured a unique mixture of true greatness and quirky individualism. Carl Yastrzemski, Calton Fisk, Freddy Lynn, and Jim Rice. Quirky individualism manifested in Bill "Spaceman" Lee. And, "El Tiante" Luis Tiant showed signs of both attributes.
Their National League rivals were the Cincinnati Reds. This team's nickname, "The Big Red Machine" told you all you needed to know. Manager Sparky Anderson penciled in a lineup day in and day out that read like a roll call at Cooperstown. Pete Rose batting with Joe Morgan on deck and Johnny Bench in the whole. Tony Perez followed and was the best RBI man in baseball. With two of baseball's great teams the '75 World Series promised to be a good one.
"El Tiante" shut out the Big Red Machine in Game 1. The wily veteran used all his skills and gyrations to hold Cincinnati to just five hits in a complete game victory over Don Gullett. The Reds scratched out a 3-2 victory over Boston and "Spaceman" Lee in Game 2. Lee had the Reds beat until he was lifted in the ninth. Reliever Dick Drago gave up two runs and the Series was even and headed to Cincinnati's Riverfront Stadium.
Cincinnati won Game 3 in extra innings. This was the game best remembered for Ed Ambrister's sacrifice bunt and subsequent collision with Carlton Fisk. The Red Sox felt Umpire Larry Barnett should have called interference. But there was no such call and the sacrifice stood. The Red Sox got some measure of revenge in Game 4. The ageless Luis Tiant again spun his magic in tossing a 163 pitch complete game 5-4 victory over the Reds. Tony Perez slugged two home runs to lead Cincinnati to a 6-2 Game 5 win.
The series had been a good one up to this point but baseball fans could not possibly imagine what treats were in store for them. But they had ample time to let their imaginations run wild. Game 6 was postponed because of rain three times.
Finally on October 21st, Fenway Park had dried out enough to play host to one of the best baseball games ever. The hometown Red Sox were staked to an early 3 run lead on a home run by the phenomenal Freddy Lynn. Lynn had taken the baseball world by storm winning both Rookie of the Year and Most Valuable Player. Tiant was on the mound again for Boston. This night the Big Red Machine figured him out. He left the game in the eighth behind 6 to 3.
All looked
lost for Boston. Then there was a glimmer of hope as Boston got two men on base in the 8th. With two out and their backs to the wall, Boston manager Darrell Johnson sent super sub Bernie Carbo to the plate. In true Cinderella style, Carbo homered over the centerfield wall to tie the game.
The tension did not let up as first one team then the other threatened to win the game. The Red Sox loaded the bases but the Reds got out of it on a play at the plate. Then in the eleventh inning, the Red's Joe Morgan hit a shot that was headed to the cheap seats. Boston right fielder Dwight Evans raced over and caught the ball at the last possible moment. Then he wheeled and doubled off the runner at first to thwart the Cincinnati rally.
Baseball fans everywhere had been held spellbound by the non-stop drama of this game. What could possibly happen to top this, they asked. They would get their answer soon. Catcher Carlton Fisk led off the bottom of the twelfth. He got hold of the second pitch. It was far enough but would it stay fair? The high fly ball slowly arched down the line. NBC kept it's cameras on Fisk who was jumping up and down trying to will the ball fair. Finally, the ball hit the foul pole and Boston dramatically won this classic game.
But the win only evened the World Series. Game 7 would decided the championship. Boston again jumped out to a 3-0 lead. But the Reds managed to scratch back and the game was tied in the ninth. It was a bloop single by Joe Morgan that made Cincinnati World Champions. Game 7 had been a good one but it's Game 6 that will live in the memories of baseball fans forever. Perhaps Sparky Anderson said it best when he said of his Reds, "We are the best team in baseball; but not by much."
This article was contributed by my buddy Chip Westley
Chip Westley is the host of Home Run Poker, http://www.homerunpoker.blogspot.com, a place for baseball fans that like to play poker.
About the Author
Aron Wallad has been a baseball lover for over 45 years. His passions have included; playing, watching, reading, evaluating, and coaching the game he adores. Do you love inspiring quotes, unusual statistics and most of all, heartwarming baseball stories? If you love baseball you will love his baseball ezine.
Go here right now to join his ezine http://www.baseballsprideandjoy.com/index.php?tag=goart
Contact Aron at aron@baseballsprideandjoy.com
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