35 years ago tonight.

[micropolitan guy]

Why did Eck ever, ever throw something off-speed?

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

 

[exmediahack]

Sparky looks like he is coaching little league.

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).

 

[Bubbler]

Look at forking Bubbs pissing all over everyone's fond memories fork OFF BUBS I'M SICK OF YOUR CONTRARIAN TAKES LET'S FIGHT

I think the Gibson HR is a perfect confluence of events. He was the (eventual) MVP, he was so banged up nobody realistically expected him to play and he went from having no prayer at the start of the AB to hitting a walk-off homer off a HOF-bound closer who was the best on the planet that season. I guess if the Athletics came back and won it all, the homer would be a fun & quirky footnote. But the Dodgers beat a far superior opponent in just five games and Gibson wasn't seen again until 1989. It's justified as one of the great where were you when moments in baseball history.

As for where I was, I know you're all curious. Me and a buddy were watching the game at his house. I was rooting for the Athletics (my AL team) and he was rooting for the Dodgers b/c the Athletics had beaten the Red Sox, his favorite team, in the ALCS. But when Gibson homered, we jumped up and started hugging each other. It was just so awesome and so random. Except to Bubs who went and kicked a stray dog!!!!

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 shirt" 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 biscuit 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.

 

[I Should Coco]

The YouTube clip where Sparky is yelling at Gibson "he's gonna pitch to you", and Gossage telling Williams he would get him out.

Edit: here it is, @maumann I am sure you've watched it a time or two. I was a huge Gibson fan as a kid.

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.

 

[Inky_Wretch]

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

 

[doctorquant]

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.

 

[playthrough]

The YouTube clip where Sparky is yelling at Gibson "he's gonna pitch to you", and Gossage telling Williams he would get him out.

Edit: here it is, @maumann I am sure you've watched it a time or two. I was a huge Gibson fan as a kid.

So good. And isn't it fairly remarkable to have that audio in 1984?

 

[BTExpress]

Loved that swinging friar Padres logo.

 

[BYH 2: Electric Boogaloo]

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.

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

 

[qtlaw]

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.

 

[BYH 2: Electric Boogaloo]

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..."

 

[justgladtobehere]

"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. "