The Most Dramatic Home Run Ever
The 1988 World Series Game 1 LA Dodgers Kirk Gibson HR Drama
The over achieving Los Angeles Dodgers somehow managed to beat the NY Mets in a seven game National League championship series to get into the World Series. The Dodgers had won only one game out of ten against the NY Mets all regular season long. Then they went on to beat the Mets four out of seven games in the post season.
Was this magic? Could the Dodger Blue mystique endure? Game one of the World Series did produce even more magic, which lead to the Dodgers amazing series domination of the unbeatable Oakland Athletics.
The Set Up for Gibson's Home Run
Kirk Gibson, the leading slugger for the Dodgers, was in no shape to play in the first game of the 1988 World Series. He had two bad knees and a hamstring pull. So he was not on the field that night in Dodger Stadium. By the bottom of the ninth inning, the Dodgers were behind 4 to 3.
Onto the mound came Dennis Eckersley, Oakland's premier late inning reliever that year with 45 saves. Usually his arrival is the kiss for death opposing hitters. And so it was for the first two batters. With two outs, Mike Davis stepped to the plate. In the meantime, Tommy Lasorda, the Dodgers' manager, had Dave Anderson on deck as a pinch hitter replacing the pitcher's turn at bat.
Mike Davis's batting average was very anemic that year, and Dave Anderson's batting average was not much better. But Mike Davis had power and Eckersley knew it. One mistake and the game could be tied. Whereas Eckersley felt more comfortable pitching to Dave Anderson. Easy out, as they say.
This setup by Lasorda was to get Eckersly to pitch carefully to Davis, and perhaps even walk him. The real pinch hitter was under the stands in an enclosed batting cage, warming up. That was Gibson, bum legs and all.
Here's how Mike Davis became the supporting hero. He fought off several good pitches by fouling them off, forcing Eckersley to throw too much in a short time, perhaps even tiring him. After a long, tedious at bat and with a full count, Mike Davis got a walk. A walk that he earned by fighting off several of Eckersley's best.
Gibson's Pinch-Hit At Bat
So with a man now on base, the winning run would be the batter. Dave Anderson left the on deck circle, and Kirk Gibson emerged from under the stands with a bat in hand! Oh Tommy, you sneaky devil! More than once during Gibson's tense at bat, he either completely missed or fouled off a pitch and had to use his bat from falling over completely! Kirk was really hurting.
Gibson also managed to get to a full count. Then came a pitch into Kirk's "wheelhouse", where a batter has most of his power. It was met with a swift and perfect swing. Crack! The ball went streaking on a frozen rope line drive toward right field. The fans all rose in unison with a roar as the ball cleared the right field wall. As gimpy Gibson limped around the bases, fist pumping and grinning widely, he was mobbed by his team mates and Tommy. The place went nuts. The TV announcer exclaimed over and over,"I don't believe what I'm seeing!" Later, Gibson revealed a secret.
Aftermath
The emotional and psychological boost from that event took over completely. Dodgers who normally relied on bloopers and dribblers to get hits were suddenly clearing fences! Orel Hershiser continued his pitching mastery, and the Dodgers took the series four games out of five.
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