35 years ago tonight.

Because that was his go-to pitch all season. And the Dodgers advance scout told everyone to look for it with two strikes.

 

Sparky always looked like he was 82. I believe he was 37 here in 1984.

For all of the intimidation of Gossage, he gave up some mammoth home runs in big spots. Gibson and two big ones in Yankee Stadium to George Brett (1980 ALCS and the Pine Tar Game).

 

I didn't kick a stray dog ... c'mon now. Though I did encounter one that same night. More on that later.

I was watching by myself in an extra bedroom. Probably said something like, "what a load of fawning shit" on the Gibson slurpage (which was a theme of the '88 season) and went to go do something else. Yes, I was only in high school, but I was an old, grumpy, cynical bastard soul.

I wanted Oakland to win. The A's and LaRussa hadn't properly got on my nerves yet. I think that's part of my annoyance. I didn't like Gibson, that was another part. I didn't like Lasorda, so that was another sin. In hindsight? I have no regrets. Orel Hersheiser and his remarkable end to the '88 season deserves more pub than Gibson did.

Of the World Series walk-offs in my time? Kirby Puckett, Joe Carter and David Freese (barf on the winning team, but an undeniably great game) were all better.

... As for the stray dog? I ran it over with my car.

 

Chet Lemon sighting! He hit a home run in the first MLB game I went to, in 1979 at Comiskey Park. Glad he got off those horrible late 1970s White Sox teams and eventually won a World Series with Detroit.

 

Shouldn’t we be talking about the health of former gold medalists on this thread?

 

My memory of that moment is being the only person in the room actually watching the game and going bonkers when Gibson did his thing. "What's the big deal?" asked one of the other couples there. "It's just a home run." These were the folks who a year later would wonder what all the fuss was about when they were at Fenway and the Twins pulled off two triple plays in a single game.

 

Loved that swinging friar Padres logo.

 

No fucking way. Really? (To that couple seeing two triple plays, not the two triple plays--I knew that)

 

Man, I recall that with the A's in the World Series and the Giants toeing mediocrity, I was at my law school GF's apartment enjoying a home cooked meal and barely watching when Gibby did his magic. Even being a Dodger, that was the most dramatic HR I ever saw in my life.

 

"I never thought I'd be writing you, but I was a law student at a well-known western university..."

 

There should be a thread for SJ posts that read like the start of a Penthouse Forum letter, but ...... aren't even close.

Usually end with "I watched the end of the game on a 13" black and white with a bunch of dudes. "