Bloop Hero
In 2001: The Arizona Diamondbacks stunned the New York Yankees in the bottom of the ninth inning to win the greatest World Series Game 7 in over 40 years. Despite the other three games played at Bank One Ballpark being ridiculously one-sided in favor of the Diamondbacks (they outscored the Yankees 28-3), Game 7 was a tight, low-scoring affair, with each team having only one run through seven innings. In the top of the eighth, rookie Alfonso Soriano?s solo homerun off Series co-MVP Curt Schilling put the Yanks up 2-1, and future hall of fame closer Mariano Rivera (who had converted 23 straight postseason save opportunities) loomed. In the bottom half of the ninth, Mark Grace led off with a single, and Damian Miller attempted a bunt, which Rivera threw into centerfield. Then Jay Bell attempted to sacrifice the runners over, but Rivera got Grace at third. Tony Womack tied it with a double down the right field line, and Craig Counsell was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Although it’s standard baseball strategy to bring the infield in with the bases full and only one out, Yankee manager Joe Torre might wish he had never done so. Arizona’s Luis Gonzalez hit a soft blooper right over the drawn in infield to give Arizona its first championship in only its fourth year of existence. Randy Johnson, the other co-MVP, got the win in relief. Although Rivera was blamed for the collapse, the fact that the Yankees hit only .183 as a team in the Series should not be overlooked. (baseball-almanac.com).
In 1934 and 1942: If November 1 is considered All-Saints Day, maybe the 3rd can be called All-Baseball-Writers-Are-Mush-Brained-Idiots Day. While the 2006 AL and NL MVP races are considered to be very close with many deserving winners, the snubs that Lou Gehrig and Ted Williams suffered in 1934 and 1942, respectively would be considered criminal in today’s sports-crazy, light-up-the-message-boards society. All Gehrig and Williams did was win the TRIPLE CROWN in their leagues, but writers didn?t see fit to award either player. In 1934, Gehrig hit .363 with 49 HR?s and 165 RBI. He somehow finished FIFTH in the voting. Mickey Cochrane won the award with two homers, 76 RBI and a .320 average. In 1942, Williams smashed his way to a .356 average, 36 HR?s and 137 RBI. Then he left baseball for three years to kick some ass in World War II. Probably because of an ongoing feud with the press (who criticized Williams for asking to defer his military duties until the end of the season), Williams finished behind 2B Joe Gordon of the Yankees. Gordon’s impressive season included leading the league in strikeouts, double plays hit into and errors at his position.
