World Series Memories - Dave's Midwestern Ohio Memories

Series of Guest Blogs by an out-of-state Fish Report reader originally from this area about fond memories of growing up in Midwestern Ohio during the 50’s & 60’s

World Series Memories

Pirates Bill Mazeroski’s Walk Off Home Run to Win 1960 World Series

With the expansion to 12 playoff teams, the World Series this year is not scheduled to end until early November! That's literally a month later than when the Series occurred during my youth. Of course at that time, there were no playoffs preceding the World Series, as the top team in the American League played the top team in the National League in the World Series as soon as the season ended in late September. Back then all the games were played during the day, however, I can vividly recall the walk off home run by the Pirates Bill Mazeroski in the 7th game at old Forbes Field to win the World Series against the hated Yankees. What a thrill, as I always rooted for the National League team. Here’s a past blog with more memories of that memorable sporting event as well as another historic political event that occurred on the same day.

The very next year in 1961, the Reds won the National League pennant and played the dreaded Yankees who were again in the series. The Reds didn’t do nearly as well as the Pirates, losing to the Yankees in 5 games. My favorite players were St. Henry native Wally Post and Frank Robinson who was traded away to Baltimore a few years later. Big mistake! My hatred for the Yankees originated in the mid-50’s when they won the series seven times during that decade. The only redeeming factor about all those series wins was the baseball cards of the Yankee stars were worth a lot more to my friends than me, as I disliked the Yankee players. That’s why, as my brother reminded me, there’s no way my claim was true in a recent blog that my brother lost a Mickey Mantle rookie card now worth millions of dollars!

My next World Series memory occurred while attending college at General Motors Institute in Flint, Mi when the Tigers beat the Cardinals in 7 games. That’s when I became a Tigers Fan. What a series as the Tigers were down 3 games to 1 with future Hall of Famer Bob Gibson pitching for the Cards. But the Tigers had 30 game winner Denny McLean as well as Mickey Lolich, who won 3 games in the series, including the decisive 7th game against Gibson. Former Yankee Roger Maris was also on that team. Here’s the pitching line from that memorable 7th game. Both pitchers went the full 9 innings.

I watched this game on a small black and white TV in an auditorium classroom with over 200 fellow students all squinting at the small TV. But since the Tigers were winning, we were all ecstatic!

Then came the Big Red Machine in the 1970’s with Pete Rose, Ken Griffey, Johnny Bench and Sparky Anderson. What a team that was; so fun to watch. Books have been written about that team, including the one shown above. Someday, I hope Pete Rose gets into the Hall of Fame. My wife’s family had season tickets during that era, so we were able to attend several games a year, including the playoffs and World Series. What a thrill seeing them in action at the old, but new at the time, Riverfront Stadium. It was especially gratifying in 1976 when the Reds swept the hated Yankees coached by feisty Billy Martin.

But it took them 3 years from 1972-74 to get by the vaulted Oakland A’s with their showman owner Charlie Finley and high prices superstars. Then after getting there in 1975, major disappointment in the 6th game with Boston catcher Carlton Fisk famous “stay fair” gesture during his walk-off homer to beat the Reds. Fortunately, the Big Red Machine came back to win Game 7!

The following year in 1977, Martin lead the Yankees to another World Series, and in Game 6, Reggie Jackson, aka Mr. October, hit 3 home runs to lift the Yanks to the title. That was impressive! If that feat were to be repeated, and Aaron Judge could easily do it, his nickname would have to be Mr. November!

To personally witness the 1984 Tigers winning the series was very special and memorable. Seeing Kurt Gibson go 3 for 4, batting in 5 runs with 2 homers in the decisive 5th game was impressive, especially the home run off of A’s ace reliever Goose Gossage. The Tigers manager Sparky Anderson almost choked on his gum when Gibson hit that right field blast to win the Series.

On that high note, look for the rest of my World Series memories next week, starting with the 1990 sweep by the Red of the A’s along more Kurt Gibson highlights in a Dodger uniform.

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