October 15, 1988

I'll never forget that night as long as I live, no matter how senile I become, and no matter how much of my hair falls out. I had just begun my 7th grade year at Pine View Middle School seven or so weeks prior and my family had gone up to Fish Lake in central Utah for a night of sitting around doing nothing (I now love Fish Lake for its simplicity and unchanging landscape, but for a 12-year-old kid nothing could be worse than simplicity and un unchanging landscape). As we left the cabin that night, the game--game one of the world series vs. the Oakland A's--was just starting. I talked my dad into listening, much to the dismay of the rest of our family, to it in our old grey and red suburban. The Dodgers got off to a fast start with the light hitting Mickey Hatcher cracking a two-run homer into the left-field pavillion scoring Steve Sax. This is the same Mickey Hatcher who hit one home run the entire year and was only playing because Mike Marshall was injured. The tide quickly turned sour as the A's loaded the bases against rookie Tim Belcher (Orel Hershiser had won game seven of the NLCS against the Mets just two days prior or would have been pitching) with bash brother (and apparant steroid user) Jose Canseco. Canseco proceeded to line a grand slam off the top of the center field camera causing a dent and almost decapitating the camera man. The Dodgers scored one more run in the innings to come cutting the lead to 4-3 but couldn't get much going against Dave Stewart.

As the ninth inning rolled around, my family and I pulled into the garage and I sprinted to the kitchen TV. I knew, having followed baseball very closely this year and every year prior, that Dennis Eckersley was a tough as they came that year as a closer. It was his second full year as a closer and his line that year read: 4 wins, 2 losses, 45 saves, 2.35 ERA, 8.8 strikeouts per 9 innnings, 1.375 walks per nine innings, and a WHIP (walks + hits/innings pitched) of .867--incidentally a WHIP anywhere close to 1 is excellent. With that said, even as a 12-year-old punk, I knew the Dodgers had very very little chance of doing anything in the bottom of the ninth. Mike Scioscia was the first due up and struck out with very little fanfare. Jeff Hamilton followed suit striking out on three nasty pitches. Third up that inning was the dissapointing Mike Davis, who had come over from the A's as a free agent where he hit 22 HR and knocked in 72 the year before. As a Dodger he did very little that season--2 HR, 17 RBI, .196 average. Needless to say, this wasn't someone Eck should have been very afraid of facing. But, on a 3-2 pitch he walked him.

As I watched all this happen, everything seemed to run in slowmotion after that as Kirk Gibson hobbled out of the dugout with two bad knees, a pulled hamstring, and a pulled groin. He looked nearly helpless in the first few pitches from Eckersly. He fouled the first strait back almost falling over. The second dribbled up the first base line about 15 feet. It was evident at that point--watching him run--that he would probably be thrown out at first on a single to left field. Gibson worked a full count after being down 0-2. On the third ball Mike Davis took a chance and stole second base without a throw. All Gibson needed to do was single to the outfield and be able to run to first. As Gibson stood in for the 3-2 pitch he proceeded to step out and collect his thoughts one last time (he later said that as he stood in initially for the 3-2 pitch he remembered a scouting report the team had been told about what Eck loves to do on 3-2 pitches: the backdoor slider).

As Gibson waited I remember Vin Scully saying, "4-3 A's, two out, ninth inning, not a bad opening act!" Jack Buck's call on CBS radio of the homerun was priceless and something that has been etched into my brain for the past 18 years. "But, we have a big 3-2 pitch coming here from Eckersley. Gibson swings, and a fly ball to deep right field! This is gonna be a home run! Unbelievable! A home run for Gibson! And the Dodgers have won the game, 5 to 4, I don't believe what I just saw! I don't believe what I just saw! Bill! Is this happening?"

I remember crying and lauging, jumping up and down and trying to find somebody to hug in my house. What a moment. I still get chills thinking about it. Now 18 years later, I sit waiting for it to happen again.