My All-time Favorite World Series Memories Surprise

World Series Memory We May Never See Again

Having been watching the World Series since 1960, I have some great memories, as all baseball fans do. One stands out, and I am pretty sure it is not the same favorite memory as yours is and mine, we may never see again. Before revealing my favorite, a quick review of some of the runner ups for my favorite World Series moment(s).

1. My first remembrance, and maybe the one that hooked me on a life of baseball, was the first I recall, in 1960. Of course, that would be Bill Mazeroski's series ending home run against the New York Yankees, in which the Yankees had outscored the Pirates tremendously in the series, only to go home the losers. I remember exactly where I was and the picture in my mind of that hit is still vivid.
2. Next, and this is mind-boggling, as I went back and read why this stands out in my mind. In the 1965 World Series, Sandy Koufax threw two shutouts in a row, with the last one a game seven with ten strikeouts, after a game 5 shutout, also with ten strikeouts. As you may have noticed, the seventh game shutout came after only two days' rest. I know, that makes baseball people of today shutter with pitch counts and all, and rightfully so, but how amazing was that.
3. Not much to say here, but the 1969 Miracle Mets World Series win and run up to it, is memorable, as I was a Cub fan at the time and it hurt to see it all.
4. The next two are on everybody's list I suppose Carlton Fisk's and Kirk Gibson's historic post season shots are unforgettable especially with how much those home runs have been replayed over the years, and again, on TV.
5. Another occasion forever etched in my mind is also a common one, the Jack Morris complete 10 inning pitching performance, resulting in a shutout and 1 0 victory. Great finish to series after the game the night before was an 11 inning 4 -3 Twins win, with the Kirby Puckett heroics. So cool, and another reason Jack Morris is a Hall of Famer in my book.

World Series Memory for the Ages

World Series Memories (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Finally, my all-time favorite World Series memory. The 2002 World Series between the Anaheim Angels and San Francisco Giants was another one that had the winning team (Angels) having to win the last two games, to take home the title. However, my all-time favorite memory was game two of that series. In game two the Anaheim Angels, managed by a great former teammate of mine, Mike Scioscia, had exactly zero strikeouts in the game. Let me repeat, they had a great many at-bats in an 11 10 win, and did not strike out once. That fact becomes more and more remarkable with the state of hitting today, when strikeouts are common.A lyric from a famous Simon and Garfunkel song comes to mind, "Where have you gone, Mickey Hatcher, our baseball nation turns its lonely eyes to you," or something like that. Mickey was the hitting coach of the Angels that year. I remind you, I am a hitting coach, and love to see players battle with two strikes, and put the ball in play, making my all-time World Series memory not so surprising, but unlikely to happen again.

__PRESENT