In case anyone missed it.
The 1975 World Series pitted the Red Sox against Cincinnati's Big Red Machine. Carlton Fisk, Dwight Evans, Fred Lynn, Carl Yastrzemski, Luis Tiant, and Bill Lee faced off against Pete Rose, Johnny Bench, Joe Morgan, Tony Perez, Dave Concepcion, and Ken Griffey for one of the most exciting series in history.
The Red Sox won the opener 6-0 behind the pitching of Luis Tiant. El Tiante held the Reds scoreless, and the Sox scored six runs in the bottom of the seventh to take a 1-0 series lead. The next night, Bill Lee held Cincinnati to one run for eight innings, but the Reds scored twice in the ninth to take the game 3-2 and even the series at one game apiece. Cincinnati won the third game, 6-5. The game saw six home runs, including one by pinch-hitter Bernie Carbo, and a controversial play, in which a clear case of catcher's interference was called an error and led to the winning run. In Game 4, Tiant threw another complete game, using 163 pitches and beating the Reds 5-4. The next night Cincinnati won, 6-2. After having a day off to travel to Boston, the series was delayed three more days by rain.
And so it was that the two teams met the night of October 21, 1975, at Fenway Park. The four days off meant Tiant was able to face off against Gary Nolan. Fred Lynn got the Red Sox on the board with a three-run homer in the first inning. But Cincinnati scored three in the fifth, two in the seventh, and one in the eighth, to take a 6-3 lead. A win that night would clinch the series for the Reds. But the Sox were not finished yet. In the eighth inning, Bernie Carbo was once again called upon to pinch-hit. With two men aboard, Carbo launched the pitch into the center field bleachers, tying the game at 6. The Red Sox failed to score in the bottom of the ninth, despite having the bases loaded with no outs, and the game went to extra innings.
In the eleventh inning, the Reds had a man on first with one out, when Joe Morgan hit the ball to deep right field. It seemed a sure home run, but Dwight Evans made a spectacular catch, and then doubled up the runner at first to end the inning. In the home half of the twelfth, Carlton Fisk led off. He stepped to the plate at 12:33 am, and hit the second pitch of the inning high and deep to left field, but right down the line. If it stayed fair it was a sure home run, but would it stay fair? Fisk jumped up and down in front of home plate, wildly gesturing toward the ball, waving it fair. The ball smacked off the foul pole. Home run! The Red Sox had won!
Although the Reds went on to take Game 7, 4-3, the Red Sox had won the most memorable and exciting game in World Series history, and Carlton Fisk had won his way into the hearts of all Red Sox Nation. As Fisk himself says, "The Red Sox won that series, 3 games to 4."
wil.
The 1975 World Series pitted the Red Sox against Cincinnati's Big Red Machine. Carlton Fisk, Dwight Evans, Fred Lynn, Carl Yastrzemski, Luis Tiant, and Bill Lee faced off against Pete Rose, Johnny Bench, Joe Morgan, Tony Perez, Dave Concepcion, and Ken Griffey for one of the most exciting series in history.
The Red Sox won the opener 6-0 behind the pitching of Luis Tiant. El Tiante held the Reds scoreless, and the Sox scored six runs in the bottom of the seventh to take a 1-0 series lead. The next night, Bill Lee held Cincinnati to one run for eight innings, but the Reds scored twice in the ninth to take the game 3-2 and even the series at one game apiece. Cincinnati won the third game, 6-5. The game saw six home runs, including one by pinch-hitter Bernie Carbo, and a controversial play, in which a clear case of catcher's interference was called an error and led to the winning run. In Game 4, Tiant threw another complete game, using 163 pitches and beating the Reds 5-4. The next night Cincinnati won, 6-2. After having a day off to travel to Boston, the series was delayed three more days by rain.
And so it was that the two teams met the night of October 21, 1975, at Fenway Park. The four days off meant Tiant was able to face off against Gary Nolan. Fred Lynn got the Red Sox on the board with a three-run homer in the first inning. But Cincinnati scored three in the fifth, two in the seventh, and one in the eighth, to take a 6-3 lead. A win that night would clinch the series for the Reds. But the Sox were not finished yet. In the eighth inning, Bernie Carbo was once again called upon to pinch-hit. With two men aboard, Carbo launched the pitch into the center field bleachers, tying the game at 6. The Red Sox failed to score in the bottom of the ninth, despite having the bases loaded with no outs, and the game went to extra innings.
In the eleventh inning, the Reds had a man on first with one out, when Joe Morgan hit the ball to deep right field. It seemed a sure home run, but Dwight Evans made a spectacular catch, and then doubled up the runner at first to end the inning. In the home half of the twelfth, Carlton Fisk led off. He stepped to the plate at 12:33 am, and hit the second pitch of the inning high and deep to left field, but right down the line. If it stayed fair it was a sure home run, but would it stay fair? Fisk jumped up and down in front of home plate, wildly gesturing toward the ball, waving it fair. The ball smacked off the foul pole. Home run! The Red Sox had won!
Although the Reds went on to take Game 7, 4-3, the Red Sox had won the most memorable and exciting game in World Series history, and Carlton Fisk had won his way into the hearts of all Red Sox Nation. As Fisk himself says, "The Red Sox won that series, 3 games to 4."
wil.
Wil,
I was a high school senior. About killed me. True story, though. My Dad was a big-time baseball player in his day although I was not. After watching the first few rips of Fisk earlier in the game, he told me Fisk was due because he had a tendency to jump on the ball and pull foul but if/when he relaxed, it was gone.
When we sat and watched him wave it fair - too cool for school. stayed up with the old man that nite and skipped school the next day.
like bob hoppe said, "thanks for the memories".
I was a high school senior. About killed me. True story, though. My Dad was a big-time baseball player in his day although I was not. After watching the first few rips of Fisk earlier in the game, he told me Fisk was due because he had a tendency to jump on the ball and pull foul but if/when he relaxed, it was gone.
When we sat and watched him wave it fair - too cool for school. stayed up with the old man that nite and skipped school the next day.
like bob hoppe said, "thanks for the memories".
