The 30th MLB Greatest Incidents – Reviewed

The clashes are the matches that book a permanent memory in your mind forever, the ones which are super-heated and one forgets to breathe in the tug of war moments of those point by point or second by second challenge.

Such moments writes and imprints the history of the games in the minds of fans and even players too. The historic fights of Muhammad Ali, none can forget those. Not only do you retain in the boxes of your mind the magic you witnessed taking place anywhere or when they occurred either on the grass, court, ice or else. Even sometimes, you do not forget where you sat and who went to watch with you.

These are the events that have shaped sports history and sometimes even our relationships with one another, transcending statistics and final box scores.

Everyone possesses his own choices. This is mine, and I am aware that my list of some remarkable baseball moments is purely subjective. If it is yours, might be different than mine.

After researching different authentic sources, the following list is highly American centric and it focuses more on some remarkable years of games. I have disregarded notorious incidents that are remembered for the wrong reasons even though I do not think this list is the best one in baseball history. 

Also, you won’t agree with every item on this list, top to bottom.

The moments that follow set standards in baseballs cherished past; they were heart-warming and moving, and they undoubtedly brought many tears. I have emphasized that they are listed in particular order from old to recent incidents.

It’s practically difficult to keep track of all the spectacular incidents and individuals that Major League Baseball has seen since it began almost as long ago as the American Civil War.

This article emphasizes historical moments like Jackie Robinson’s MLB debut and Billie Jean King’s triumph over Bobby Riggs in the “Battle of the Sexes.” It recalls the thrilling ends, such as Christian Laettner’s buzzer-beating shot against Kentucky and Bill Mazeroski and Joe Carter’s walk-off World Series home runs.

The events vary from the tragic to the ridiculous, from the sublime to events of historical significance. The nicest part about this list, in my opinion, is how many players and events were left off and are still up for discussion. Again, this is my list so, you may differ or you can have rearranged it with any other point of view.

1920, Bill Wambsganss’ Unassisted Triple-Play

In a 13-season career, Wambsganss posted a .259 batting with seven home runs and 521 runs batted in. Wambsganss completed the first unassisted triple play in World Series history in Game Five of the 1920 Series at League Park. Earlier in the game Elmer Smith, an outfielder for the Cleveland Indians, had just hit the first grand slam in the first inning with none out, therefore history had already been created.

The fifth inning has begun. Clarence Mitchell stepped up to the plate with Pete Kilduff on second and Otto Miller on first base for Brooklyn to complete the only unassisted play. Brooklyn fell to the Indians in an 8-1 loss.

Otto Miller, who was sprinting to second from first, was confused when Mitchell hit a screaming line drive to Cleveland’s Bill Wambsganss, who cleanly fields it, tags second base, and then tags third base. It was the first triple-play in World Series history to occur without any help.

To honor the unassisted triple play, Clevelnd fans gave Wambsganss a medal following the World Series. The medal was misplaced in the following April when he was travelling by a train.

1932, Babe Ruth And His Shot

The unforgettable incident happened this year still makes most baseball fans grin. There is no way to ever know for sure exactly what occurred because the evidence in the case is so ambiguous.

On October 1, 1932, during Game 3 of the 1932 Fall Classic, one of the most renowned home runs in World Series history occurred.

In Yankee Stadium, the New York Yankees defeated the Chicago Cubs in the first two games. Chicago’s Wrigley Field hosted the third game. The “called shot” by Babe Ruth is one of the most lauded and contentious moments in baseball history.

This is where the fun begins. By all accounts, Ruth received a lot of abuse from Cubs players and supporters during the series. He had been arguing with what appeared to be the whole Cubs bench that afternoon. Many people, like Charlie Root, assert that Ruth was actually aiming the bat towards the opposing pitcher.

Ruth would attest that he correctly predicted the home run. Charlie Root would claim that he was showing the audience two fingers as a sign that he already had two strikes against him and still had one more to come. Many still debate whether or not he was pointing decades later. It will forever be a part of baseball lore.

The Cubs’ catcher Gabby Hartnett, who was the person closest to the action, gave the following version of what happened: “I don’t want to take anything from the Babe, because he’s the reason we made good money, but he didn’t call the shot. He held up the index finger of his left hand … and said, ‘It only takes one to hit.’ ”

Root declared, “I would have put one in his ear and kicked him in the ass if he had made a gesture like that (calling a home run).” Ruth, though, meticulously insisted that he had correctly predicted one of the longest home runs in Wrigley Field history.

1946, The Mad Dash Curse That Lived 86 Years For Enos Slaughter

The Mad Dash, or Slaughter’s Mad Dash, refers to an event in the eighth inning of the seventh game of the 1964 World Series between the St. Louis Cardinals and the Boston Red Sox. Enos Slaughter, a St. Louis outfielder, singled and was kept at first after the following two hitters failed to reach base.

On October 15, 1946, Game 7 was played in Sportsman’s Park. The score was tied 3-3 when Red Sox center fielder Dom DiMaggio scored twice in the top of the eighth inning.

DiMaggio left the game due to a hamstring injury sustained on the play, and Leon Culberson, a pinch runner, took his place. Culberson also took over for DiMaggio in center field in the bottom of the inning.

Enos Slaughter of the Cardinals hit a leadoff single off of Bob Klinger as the pitcher. Slaughter was still at first base with two outs following a botched bunt attempt by Whitey Kurowski and a fly out to left field by Del Rice.

When the count reached two balls and one strike, Cardinals manager Eddie Dyer ordered a hit-and-run as left fielder Harry Walker stepped up to the bat.

Slaughter started the run that would eternally cement him in baseball history when Walker hit the following pitch into left center field. The ball was collected by Red Sox center fielder Leon Culberson, who then passed it to shortstop Johnny Pesky.

Harry Walker went to the bat with one out remaining in the inning. The Cardinals called for the hit and run after bringing the count to 2 and 1.

After rounding third, Slaughter ran straight through the stop sign the third base coach was waving. The Cardinals’ Slaughter slid home, scored the game-winning run, and “The Mad Rush” entered every baseball fan’s lexicon before Pesky could throw to home plate.

1954,  Thousands of Time Seen “The Catch”

Willie Mays’ “The Catch” may not have been his best play, but it is unquestionably his most enduring.

Willie Mays made a defensive play in Game 1 of the 1954 World Series between the Cleveland Indians and the New York Giants that became remembered simply as “The Catch” in the years that followed. Since Mays’ grab in the 1954 World Series, the play has been countless times replayed, but what made it so exceptional was the timing of both the throw and the catch.

There have undoubtedly been millions, if not billions, of catches made in Major League Baseball, many of which were incredible displays of athletic prowess.

Al Rosen, who was on first, remained there , the Cleveland runner at second base, despite Larry Doby, took off as soon as the ball was hit, but he was only able to get to third base when the legendary Mays made the catch of a lifetime. The Giants were able to escape the inning, defeat the Indians in a ten-inning victory, and win the World Series.

In the eighth inning of game one of the 1954 World Series, the play occurred. Giants and Indians were deadlocked 1-1, and the Indians were in the middle of a rally. Vic Wertz hammered a drive over centerfielder Mays’ head with runners on first and second.

The Polo Grounds’ expansive outfield prevented the ball from leaving the stadium despite the projected 420-foot distance it would have travelled.

Mays had to make a running over-the-shoulder catch on the warning track while playing shallow center field to record the out. The Giants were able to win the game thanks to this, and they went on to sweep the Series.

1960, Mazeroski’s Successful Home Run Conquer World Series

A few thrilling walk-off hits have ended World Series games, including Kirk Gibson’s Roy Hobbs moment in Game 1 against the Athletics in 1988 and Joe Carter’s game-winning bomb in Game 6 against the Phillies five years later.

Yet, nothing compares to the game-winning home run Bill Mazeroski hit at Forbes Field in Game 7 of the 1960 World Series against the dominant Yankees. The Pirates won the World Series for the first time since 1925 thanks to the first walk-off home run in World Series history. The Yankees, who were the series favorites, defeated the Buccaneers, 55-27.

 A thrilling series between the Yankees and the Pirates was in the middle of its historic game seven. The Yankees defeated the Pirates handily in all three of their triumphs, while the Pirates prevailed in three nail-biting contests.

At the end of the eighth inning of game seven, the Yankees built a comfortable 7-4 lead, but the Pirates rallied for five runs to grab a 9-7 edge. The Yankees came back with two runs in the top of the ninth to tie it, responding like heavyweights in a brawl.

Pittsburgh and New York fought it out in the championship game. Going towards the bottom of the ninth, the score was tied at nine. Mazeroski was meant to start the game off, but he overlooked the fact that he should have been in the on-deck circle as Yankees right-hander Ralph Terry warmed up.

As the first batter in the bottom of the ninth, Mazeroski quickly performed a miracle. At Forbes Field, there was a raucous celebration after he blasted the second pitch he saw from Ralph Terry over the left-center field fence.

The only walk-off home run in game seven to win the World Series victory is still Mazeroski’s bomb.

1966 – The Revolutionary Labor Economist, Marvin Miller Heads the Players’ Union

Marvin Miller, a 48-year-old assistant to the United Steelworkers of America president, is chosen as the Major League Baseball Players Association’s first full-time executive director on March 5, 1966. Miller, whose position with the United Steelworkers of America includes serving as lead negotiator, assumes leadership at a time when the minimum wage is less than $10,000 and the average annual compensation of an MLB player is only $19,000.

The average MLB player’s pay will be $241,497 by the time Miller, an ardent supporter of the league’s players, retires in 1982.

Red Barber, a Hall of Fame broadcaster who covered baseball from 1934 to 1966 and continued to work after his retirement, once ranked Marvin Miller as one of the three most significant players in baseball history, along with Babe Ruth and Jackie Robinson.

Miller, a labor economist, rose through the ranks of the Machinist Union, United Steelworkers Union, and United Auto Workers Union before assuming leadership of the Major League Baseball Players’ Union.

The era of free agency began when Miller introduced arbitration to baseball and overturned the reserve clause. He oversaw the union during three labour stoppages and completely overhauled the financial management of the game.

While attempting to comprehend Miller’s influence on the game, the average baseball salary serves as a useful yardstick. The average income climbed from $19,000 to $241,000 over his 16-year employment.

1974 – 2^nd Unbreakable Record of Baseball History, The Hank Aaron’s 715th

Hank Aaron smashes his 715th home run, breaking Babe Ruth’s previous mark. Hank Aaron hit the 715th career home run on a fastball that he swung at and drove over the 385-foot line in left center on a 1-0 pitch from Dodgers pitcher Al Downing.

Hank Barry Bonds’ pursuit of Aaron’s record 33 years later is in sharp contrast to Aaron’s pursuit of Babe Ruth’s during his career. While Bonds and Aaron were both after fabled figures and beloved magic numbers, Bonds was criticized for allegedly cheating while Aaron was praised for the manner in which he chased the target.

Aaron started jogging around second base with his head down after that, and two fans actually approached him to give him pats on the back as he made his way to third base. At the conclusion of the 1973 season, Aaron came within two home runs of surpassing Ruth’s record.

On the first day of the 1974 campaign, he hit a home run to break Ruth’s record, and when the Braves returned to Atlanta for their home opener against the Dodgers, Aaron was just one home run away from breaking it.

Hank Aaron would set other records throughout his career, including the most extra-base hits (6856), the extra-base RBIs (2297), and the most total bases (6856). (1477). yet, it was Hammering Hank’s 715th home run that cemented his place in baseball lore.

Several people didn’t expect the celebration that the home run started. Ruth’s 714 was one of the earliest “unbreakable” records and one of the first magic numbers in baseball history.

1974, Tommy John’s Elbow Surgery

Some incidents are always remembered and its one of them. Tommy John, an above-average pitcher who had been acquired by the Dodgers in a deal with the White Sox in exchange for Dick Allen in 1971, was having a successful season in 1974. On July 17, he pitched just two innings against the Expos and left the game with a record of 13-3.

Many people believed John’s career would end there after he felt pain in his elbow that turned out to be a torn ulnar collateral ligament.

Nevertheless, Tommy John had other ideas. In order to prepare for a comeback to the major leagues, he rehabbed alongside former All-Star pitcher Mike Marshall.

Dr. Frank Jobe, however, underwent a bold procedure in which he substituted a tendon from John’s right forearm for the elbow ligament in his pitching arm. John wasn’t anticipated to throw once more, but he would probably be able to live a relatively pain-free and regular life.

Amazingly, John not only came back but also threw well, going 10-10 with a 3.09 ERA in 1976. Even more astonishingly, John pitched until the age of 46 and finished his Big League career with 288 victories. Almost 150 Major League players have undergone the “Tommy John Surgery,” which currently has a success rate close to 90%.

1975, Carlton Waves the Ball Fair

Game 6 of the 1975 World Series took place on October 21, 1975, at Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts, and featured Carlton Fisk’s home run. When Carlton Fisk blasted a home ball in the 12th inning to end what many consider to be the greatest World Series game ever played, the Boston Red Sox upset the Cincinnati Reds, 7-6, forcing a seventh and final game.

It was after midnight and the game was in the 12th inning. Both Fenway Park and television were altered by this event. Before this incident, cameramen would usually just follow the course of the ball on a hard hit pop-fly. With Fisk’s frank display of emotions, TV networks started to pay greater attention to the players’ feelings.

When the game entered extra innings, it stayed deadlocked until Carlton Fisk hit a pitch off of the Reds’ Pat Darcy in the 12th inning.

Before the ball struck the foul pole and was declared a home run, ending the game for Boston, Fisk waved his arms in one of baseball’s most memorable plays.

Satch Davidson, who claimed to have a better view of the ball than the third base and left field umpires, was the one who declared it a home run.

While creating Red Sox history, Catcher Carlton Fisk of the Red Sox started the home half of the inning. The second pitch of the inning was caught by Fisk high and far down the left field line.

The ball appeared to suspend itself in the air as Fisk desperately waved and wished for it to stay fair. The ball sailed off the foul pole in left field a few seconds later, much to the pleasure of Boston Red Sox supporters everywhere (renamed the Fisk Foul Pole in 2005).

1984, Dock Ellis Throws No-Hitter

Dock American professional baseball player Phillip Ellis Jr. (March 11, 1945 – December 19, 2008) was born in the United States. From 1968 through 1979, he pitched right-handedly in Major League Baseball.

He is best recognized as a part of the Pittsburgh Pirates teams that won the World Series in 1971 and five National League Eastern Division championships in six years between 1970 and 1975.

Ellis also played for the New York Mets, Texas Rangers, Oakland Athletics, and the New York Yankees. He amassed a great 138-119 (.537) record, a classic 3.46 earned run average, and 1,136 strikeouts throughout the course of his MLB career.

In baseball, a bad pass occurs somewhat frequently and Dock Ellis made a bad pass in this series. The entire game, according to Ellis, he was allegedly under the effects of LSD. He claimed that until he had used the psychedelic, he was unaware that it was his day to throw.

Despite facing eight walks and six strikeouts, Dock managed to make baseball history. If pitching a no-hitter while under the influence of acid during a Major League Baseball game doesn’t rank among the top moments in history, I don’t know what would.

1985, Pete Rose Hits His 4192nd

There’s a reason why no record should ever be referred to as “unbreakable,” and if Ty Cobb or Lou Gehrig were still living today, they’d undoubtedly concur.

Pete Rose shattered Ty Cobb’s 57-year-old hit record on this particular day. Cobb beat a record in 1928 by 676 hits. Marty Brennaman was best quoted that “Pull the trigger on numbers 41 and 92! Into left-center field on a line drive single! Unblemished base hit!

Rose was a classic athlete who fought tooth and nail for each and every hit he received. He appeared to be a player pulled straight out of the 1910s as he played the game at peak pace every second he was on the field. Rose valued making contact, putting the ball in play, and getting on base even in an era of increased power and sluggers.

He thereby amassed an amazing 3,215 singles during his career .But, Rose achieved something that many people felt was impossible on the evening of September 11, 1985: he passed over Cobb.

At Riverfront Stadium, there is utter chaos! Above fireworks were going off. Cincinnati’s dugout is now empty. The cheers don’t stop coming in! At first base, Rose was fully surrounded by his teammates.

To personally congratulate Pete Rose, Bobby Brown of the San Diego Padres travelled all the way from the third-base dugout.

I don’t think there will ever be another athlete who receives such a show of support! Fighting his way through the crowd was little Pete!

Cobb’s 4,192 career hits mark was never seriously challenged throughout its 57-year tenure. Although the game Cobb played during his career essentially followed today’s standards, playing during the Dead ball Period was very different from playing during the Modern Era.

Many believed Cobb’s record was unbreakable due to the fundamental change in the game and the fact that nobody ever came close to breaking it for decades. Until Pete Rose came along, that is.

Pitcher Eric Show of the Padres allowed Rose to single to left-center field for hit number 4,192.Rose finished his career with 4,256 hits after adding 64 additional hits to his total. It seems indestructible, doesn’t it?

Pete was also carried off the field on the shoulders of two of his teammates, Dave Concepcion and Tony Perez. Two last members of the old guard from the era of Big Red Machine in the 1970s. Now, Reds owner Marge Schott emerges to give Pete a huge hug and kiss as his teammates return to the bench.

There is still a lot of emotion in the air here at the field.

1988, Kirk Gibson’s Walk-off Homer

This incident is noteworthy in the history as everyone was aware that Kirk Gibson was the Dodgers’ top hitter. Nevertheless, he was unable to begin Game 1 of the 1988 World Series against the Oakland A’s because of injuries to both legs sustained during the NLCS.

But the cunning Tommy Lasorda immediately removed Anderson and substituted injured left-hander Kirk Gibson as his pinch-hitter. Gibson stumbled into the plate and Eckersley soon moved the count to 0-2, but Gibson was able to raise it to 3-2.

The Dodgers won after Eckersley pitched a slider to Kirk Gibson, who drove the ball over the right field fence. One of the most cherished moments in Dodgers history and in modern sports television is the telecast of this legendary home run, which features an injured Gibson hobbling around the bases while pumping his arms.

On the other hand Dennis Eckersley, Oakland’s dominant closer, entered the game in the bottom of the ninth with a one-run advantage. Eckersley promptly recorded two outs. He then intentionally walked the following left-handed batter to set up a pitch to pinch-hitter Dave Anderson, who was in the on-deck circle

1989, Bo Knows and Bo Throws, Too

Seattle Mariners played the match against the Kansas City Royals. The score was knotted 3-3 in the tenth inning. Harold Reynolds of the Mariners was at first base when teammate Scott Bradley knocked a double to a young athlete named Bo Jackson in the left field. In order for the runner at first to score the winning run on a hit, the Mariners were committing a hit-and-run.

As he approached the finish line, Reynolds rounded third. His teammates started yelling at him to slide as they frantically waved their arms.

At that time Reynolds didn’t understand and he shouldn’t have had to slide on such a straightforward play, but he accepted that he would have to do the expected “courtesy slide”. Bob Boone, the catcher for Kansas City, was tagging him at that moment.

Bo Jackson hit his catcher right in the chest with a 300-foot throw from deep left. Even the umpires were surprised. The plate umpire took a moment to transition from fan to umpire and declare Reynolds out. Jackson dismissed it as usual. Said Bo, “All I did was catch the ball, turn, and throw. Story over… Avoid making a big deal out of it.”

1905, Born The Father of The Baseball Umpires

William Joseph Klem, sometimes recognized as the “Old Arbitrator” and also known as the “father of baseball umpires,” was a National League (NL) umpire in Major League Baseball from 1905 to 1941.

William Joseph Klem was born William Joseph Klimm (February 22, 1874 – September 16, 1951). His 18 World Series appearances set a major league record. In 1953, Klem received a posthumous induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Since Klem began officiating in 1905, umpires have continued to use some of his innovations. In addition to being the first umpire to stand to the side of the catcher rather than directly behind him, Klem was also the first to use arm signals.

By ten years, Klem began his career before Babe Ruth, and he kept working until Ted Williams and Joe DiMaggio were only beginning their careers. He worked the World Series in 1908, the final season the Cubs won it, and called balls and strikes strikes for Christy Mathewson. After 37 years, he took his retirement in 1941.

Together with his achievements, Klem is credited with elevating the status and respect of the industry. When the game was young, umpires weren’t always seen as impartial arbitrators who handled disputes fairly. But no one questioned Klem’s integrity. Along with Ton Connolly, who officiated games from 1898 through 1931, Klem was the first umpire to be the chosen as the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1953.

1919 – Story Behind The Eight Men Out, The Black Sox Scandal

Despite having occurred almost 100 years ago, the 1919 Black Sox Scandal is still remembered as one of the greatest black marks on sports history. The facts have never been revealed yet. Baseball permanently banned eight Chicago White Sox players for manipulating the 1919 World Series matchup with the Cincinnati Reds.

The scandal’s specifics range from outright admissions of culpability to divergent accounts of who was actually engaged and how much. The scandal’s happenings were much similar with the movie Eight Men Out or is a baseball enthusiast; if anybody has chance to watch that movie.

At the time, Jackson was among the best players in the league and was headed for immortality. After making an admission of guilt, he was expelled. The other seven players all denied Jackson was a part of the plan, despite the fact that Jackson had a fantastic World Series on offence and defense.

The scheme was created as a means of generating extra income as well as a means of humiliating team owner Chalres Comiskey, who was despised by all of his players. Shoeless Joe Jackson was the scandal’s most well-known participant.

1972 – At 37, Roberto Clemente’s Closes Chapter of Life With 3000th Hit

That was a time that seemed destined to happen. The timing of Roberto Clemente’s 3,000th career hit, though, appeared predetermined in hindsight. Maybe more Pittsburgh supporters would have attended the game if they had known what a momentous day September 30, 1972 would be.

In Pittsburgh, the legendary Roberto Clemente tallied his 3,000th career hit in front of just 13,117 spectators. The following New Year’s Eve, Clemente would lose his life in an aircraft crash, making it his last hit.

At 37 years old, Clemente was beginning to physically deteriorate even if he had a great season. He only participated in 102 games in 1972, but he still managed to bat.312 and place 13th in the MVP voting. Against 22-year-old rookie Jon Matlack, who admittedly had no idea Clemente was trying for his 3,000th hit, Clemente recorded the historic hit.

1989 – The Knock of Earthquake Just Before The World Series

San Francisco Giants and Oakland A’s were cross-bay rivals, and the 1989 World Series was dubbed the “Battle of the Bay” because of this. Fans in the neighborhood were getting ready for what they believed to be one of the most significant athletic events of their lifetime as game three was about to begin.

They discovered right before the game began that, regardless of how huge the game is, there are far more significant things in life.

Al Michaels stopped Tim McCarver when the broadcast became choppy during their introduction to the game. I tell you what, we’re having an earth quake, he said before the stadium’s power went out. Less than 15 seconds passed during the stadium’s shaking, but to many present, it seemed like an age.

Southern California was hit by what would later be referred to as the Loma Prieto earthquake, which resulted in 63 fatalities and over 3,000 injuries. When the World Series eventually started after a ten-day delay, the A’s would go on to sweep the Giants.

1993 – Robin Ventura Charges Nolan Ryan’s Mound

President George W. Bush, who was also the owner of the Texas Rangers in 1993, may have summed it up best “Robin Ventura probably wishes he had never stepped foot on the pitch. I had a front-row seat right there. After around two steps towards first base, Ventura turned around and walked towards the mound. So I shared his perspective.

Nolan Ryan appeared to be a bull as he turned around. The Texas Rangers had a great time as Ventura lost his senses. That increased the renown of Nolan Ryan little.”

Standing 6’2″ tall and 46 years old in the opposite corner “Nolan Ryan, a pitcher for the MLB who has made eight All-Star teams and weighs 170 pounds, is a true Texan cowboy. Standing 6’1” and 26 years old in this corner “and hothead who was raised in California who was a three-time All-American at Oklahoma State, weighing 185 pounds… It’s Robin Ventura!

Ventura took offence to a pitch from the soon-to-retire Ryan and attacked the mound. Most likely because Ryan expected him to reveal who the true boss was. The following event became a baseball legend. Ryan grabbed Ventura and started throwing uppercuts at him like a man tackling a calf.

1994 – Entrants Through Wild Card Always Thank Bud Selig

Every time a significant change is made to the game of baseball, baseball purists complain, and when the wild card was introduced in 1994, they complained vociferously.

The MLB playoffs being diluted and the possibility of a team that didn’t even win its own division winning the World Series were topics of discussion among those who were still upset about things like divisional play, the designated hitter, and expansion.

 The first club to win the World Series as a wild card team wasn’t until the Florida Marlins did it three years later, and since then it has happened four more times.

Bud Selig, American Commissioner of Baseball, contended that too many clubs played meaningless baseball all summer because they were out of the running by the Fourth of July. Selig imagined more clubs surviving, more fans remaining interested, and ultimately more people attending games. Once again, Selig was accurate.

The wild card increased the intensity of the season’s final months and offered teams and their supporters hope when there was none left. Some of the greatest baseball moments in history were made possible by it, and it also helped the game advance into the twenty-first century.

The Marlins have actually won two World Series championships, but they have yet to even take home an NL East crown. For that, they can thank Bud Selig and the wild card.

1995 – Cal Ripken Breaks Lou Gehrig’s Record

Which sports records are actually unbreakable is one of the most popular debates among enthusiasts. Lou Gehrig’s record of 2,130 consecutive games played was frequently near the top of the list during the better part of the 20th century.

Even Red Sox supporters find it difficult to hate this Yankee because of his hard ethic, which only serves to highlight his humility. For years, Gehrig was the only student in the class. The illustrious career of the Orioles third baseman and third baseman began in 1981. (However, his streak actually started on May 30, 1982).

For the Orioles, Cal Ripken Jr. was all he ought to have been. He served as a mentor, a pillar of support, a role model, and the team’s hardest worker. Gehrig exhibited every quality that Ripken has.

 Ripken was also beginning to reach the wrong side of 30 and was playing one of the more physically demanding positions on the game.

Yet as the 1990s went on, Ripken continued to show up for work each day, and it started to look like passing Gehrig would actually happen. To track Ripken’s streak during the 1995 season, the Orioles hung several numbers from the B&O Warehouse in right field.

Even though Cal Ripken played every day throughout the 1980s, he was still well behind Gehrig in terms of games played. On September 6, 1995, during a game against the California Angels, Ripken broke Lou Gehrig’s 56-year-old record for the most consecutive games played in front of a cheering Baltimore crowd.

The celebration will forever be a part of baseball mythology as the game continues to rank among the most viewed of all time.

Standing ovations broke out in the stadium when the result of the game was announced, urging Ripken to leave the bench so he could be honored. One of the longest standing ovations ever given to an athlete, the ovation lasted for 22 minutes.

2001 – Randy Johnson Vs. A Rogue Bird

The meaning of the Prince song “When Doves Cry” was expanded upon by this play. A white dove jumped into the path of Randy “The Big Unit” Johnson’s infamous 95 mph fastball as he released it. Feathers then began to soar. Everywhere.

It seems that birds are unable to just “shake it off”. Although the occurrence made Randy Johnson feel bad and was unfortunate for the bird, it still stands as one of the finest moments because it is unlikely to occur again.

2001 – Baseball Brings Normalcy for New York After The Tragic 9/11

Although the impacts of the 9/11 terror assault were felt throughout the nation, New York clearly felt the effects the most. In addition to the shock, grief, and rage, there was a general sense of helplessness in New York. From that moment on, life as everyone knew it changed.

When the attacks occurred, Major League Baseball was in the home stretch of the season, but it was understandable that play would be suspended. On September 21, New York City’s regular season began with the Mets hosting the Atlanta Braves at home. It would be the city’s first significant sporting event following the attacks.

The game began with an emotional ceremony before the Mets and Braves gathered on the field and gave each other heartfelt embraces. Although the teams had been fierce rivals for the previous ten years, that night was not just about baseball.

For seven innings, the game remained tensely tied at one apiece, but New York native and Mets reliever John Franco gave up a run as the Braves edged ahead. Edgardo Alfonzo took a one-out walk in the bottom of the inning to bring up Mike Piazza, the star of the team.

Piazza was already having a terrific night with two doubles, but he responded to the challenge as he frequently did.

Piazza hit a fastball well over the centerfield fence with the count 0-1, giving the Mets a 3-2 advantage. Several people cite that moment as the first sense of normalcy that many New Yorkers experienced since the attacks. The hit sparked a huge celebration at Shea Stadium. Finally, there was cause for celebration in New York.

2001 – Rare Records of Barry Bonds’ 71st Home Run

Without the use of steroids and prior to the 1998 Great Home Run Race, Barry Bonds’ 71st home run would likely rank among the top ten baseball accomplishments of all time. Even among the top five.

Instead, we have a questionable home run record that is most likely unbreakable. On October 5, 2001, Bonds hit a home run off Chan Ho Park to surpass McGwire’s previous mark of 70, and he later added another. On October 7, he hit home run number 73.

2001 – Ichiro Suzuki’s Debut, Let Many Japanese Players To Debute in USA

Many people believed that Ichiro Suzuki’s hoopla when he arrived in America in 2001 would be impossible to meet. He was a skilled baseball player in Japan, but this was Major League Baseball, the top level of competition worldwide. The season was longer, the pitchers were better, and by American standards, his playing style was unorthodox.

Ichiro not only surpassed those goals, he utterly destroyed them. Unexpectedly, Ichiro completely dominated the game on offence, defense, and the base paths. With 242 hits as a rookie, he set a record. He also led the league in batting average (.350) and stolen bases (56). He was the first player since Jackie Robinson in 1949 to hold the top spot in both categories.

Ichiro was statistically the best player in 2001, however his inclusion on this ranking is only due to the fact that he played in the Big Leagues. Ichiro made the transition from the Japanese League to the Major League for the first time in 2001.

His accomplishment demonstrated that Japanese athletes could play professionally in the United States.

In the All Star Game, Ichiro received the most votes of any player, and at the end of the season, he was named MVP and Rookie of the Year. He steered the Mariners to 116 regular-season victories, which is tied for the team record. Ten more position players from Japan have entered the Major Leagues since Ichiro’s debut.

2002 – Sports Illustrated or Juiced Pointed To “Steroids in Baseball”

Although the Mitchell Report and José Canseco’s book “Juiced” are sometimes cited as significant exposes of Major League Baseball’s steroid era, “Sports Illustrated” may have actually taken the lead.

When reporting on the widespread usage of steroids in the sport in 2002, SI used Ken Caminiti’s personal admissions of use as evidence.

Moreover, Curt Schilling and Kenny Rogers provided them with frank analysis while remaining anonymous but sharing vivid anecdotes.

The SI piece came before added three years and five years to the Mitchell Report. In the piece, Caminiti graphically described how he initially used steroids to aid in his recovery from a shoulder injury but then continued to abuse them to the point where they caused some fairly gruesome damage to some delicate bodily parts.

With what we now understand about the use of steroids at the time, the piece is intriguing to read. It especially references Canseco and claims that the slugger believed that 85 percent of players in the Major Leagues were using steroids.

The article continues by stating that Canseco intends to pen a memoir on the matter, which would ultimately become juiced.

A few of the abusers throughout the Steroid Era were made public thanks to seminal works like The Mitchell Report, Juiced, and Game of Shadows. Because they mentioned names, particularly well-known names, they set themselves apart from the SI piece.

One can only speculate as to how quickly all of that information would have surfaced if Sports Illustrated hadn’t taken the initiative and published the first significant article revealing just how pervasive steroid use had grown in Major League Baseball.

Steroids finally entered into the baseball’s banned substance using list in 1991, however testing for major league players could not start until the season of 2003.

There were rampant evidences of steroid usage in the game. However, offensive numbers were really way up. In 1996, the Orioles, Mariners, and A’s surpassed their single season home run records.

2004 – 4-3 for the ALCS

It seems insignificant while winning 4-3 play to end the game.  Apart from you overcame a three-game deficit to defeat the despised New York Yankees to go to the World Series. Until you’ve fought for years to break a 100-year-old “curse,” that is.

Nevertheless you’ve persevered through years of mishaps, mistakes, lucky breaks, and inconsistencies to demonstrate that you already know you’re the best team in the world and want to demonstrate that to everyone else. Unless you’re the group that will “finally do it,” carrying the hopes and dreams of an entire city on your shoulders.

Yes, they are the Boston Red Sox in 2004, who came up with an extreme dynamism.

2005 – “Steroids Like Cup of Coffee” Jose Canseco Tells Congressional Hearings

One of the greatest farces of the Steroid Era was the 2005 Congressional Steroid Hearing. The most famous testimony came from Sammy Sosa, who forgot how to speak English but denied using steroids anyhow, Rafael Palmeiro, who waved his finger before Congress and refused to discuss the past, and Mark McGwire.

Naturally, José Canseco then interjected and claimed that the prevalence of drugs in Big League clubhouses was comparable to that of coffee.

When Palmeiro was punished for using steroids five months after McGwire and Sosa were first accused of using performance-enhancing drugs, it became abundantly evident that any denials would need to be treated with caution.

Finding out the extent of steroid use in Major League Baseball required more investigation than the hearings alone could provide.But, their most enduring legacy was that baseball players were prepared to outright lie about using steroids to anyone’s face, even when sworn in.

2007 World Series Was Not Enough – Bond’s 007 Records of 756th Career Home Run

When suspected cheater Barry Bonds pursued down the storied Hank Aaron in 2007, what should have been a historic pursuit of one of the most revered records in all of sports instead devolved into a display of hostility and dispute.

One of baseball’s “magic numbers,” Bonds was edging closer to Aaron’s record of 755 career home runs, and it appeared like only the San Francisco crowd was rooting for him. The seats in opponent ballparks were adorned with inventive placards about Bonds’ steroid misuse as he was viciously hollered and booed.

In order to tie Aaron on August 4, 2007, Bonds blasted home run number 755, adding to the circus-like atmosphere at Giants games for a few days.

Three days passed before Bonds hit his 756th home run off of Mike Basick of the Nationals. Unrelated to this, Basick’s father unintentionally held Aaron without a home run in a 1976 game after he had hit No. 755.

After the home run, Bonds thanked the audience for their support during a brief celebration. Both Aaron and baseball commissioner Bud Selig were conspicuously absent from the game.

Despite allegations that he wasn’t happy with the attempt to break the home run record using steroids, the gentlemanly Aaron did record a message of congratulations that was aired on the scoreboard.

As an ending note, James Bond (not the Barry Bonds) was a Character in 007 Movie Series of Hollywood, always a suspense thriller. One of its series from the movies was “The World is Not Enough”, James Bond was played by famous star “Pierce Brosnan”.

2010 – Roy Halladay 12-Year Rule & NLDS No Hitter

The most stunning aspect of Roy Halladay’s no-hitter in the 2010 NLDS was perhaps the fact that it was his first postseason start. Halladay had 148 career victories and 12 years of near-dominance, but he played for a Blue Jays team that was perpetually in last place behind the Yankees and Red Sox.

When the game is closely watched, it becomes clear in several ways how dominant Halladay was during his no-hitter. The only thing standing in the way of a perfect game was a walk by Jay Bruce in the fifth inning. He struck out the first 25 of the 28 batters he faced with his first pitch.

Only his own perfect game during the regular season and Brandon Morrow’s 17 strikeout, one hit shutout complete game were bettered in 2010 by Halladay’s game score of 94.

When the Reds’ All-Star second baseman stated, “If he was pitching against the Phillies today, they probably would have done the same thing we did,” he summed it up well.

The no-hitter was the first since Don Larsen’s perfect game in 1956 and only the second postseason no-hitter overall.

2011 – Establishing All Time Great Mariano Rivera

Mariano Rivera had already established himself as the best closer of all time even before 2011. On September 19, 2011, he made it official with a save.

That day, Rivera completed career save number 602 by completing a 6-4 victory over the Twins. With the save, he overtook Trevor Hoffman to take over as Major League Baseball’s all-time saves leader.

Despite the relatively recent development of the closer position in baseball history, Rivera has solidified his place as one of the game’s all-time greats.

2012 – Miguel Cabrera Snatches the Triple Crown

Most people agreed that Miguel Cabrera was the best right-handed batter in the game as the 2012 season began. He was without a doubt the best overall hitter in the game by the time the season was through.

Cabrera became just the 15th player in the modern era to lead his league in home runs, RBI, and batting average. He also became the first Triple Crown champion since Carl Yastrzemski attained the feat in 1967.

Over the course of years, there had been a number of close calls, including last season when Matt Kemp was a legitimate contender heading into the last stretch of the season, but Cabrera went on an amazing hot streak to pull it off.

Cabrera beat Mike Trout for the batting title by.004 points in the final week of the season after batting.333 from September 1 until the completion of the campaign with 11 home runs and 30 RBI. Cabrera helped the Tigers win the American League Central by finishing the season with a.330 average, 44 home runs, and 139 RBI.

2012 – 50 Years & 8020 Games Untill Johan Santana Hurls Mets’ 1st No-Hitter

Johan Santana threw the Mets’ first no-hitter on June 1, 2012, in the 8,020th game in the team’s history. It took an astronomical number of pitches, a dubious foul call, and a historic catch at Citi Field by a Queens’s resident.

Those who were there provided their memories ten years later. (Participants’ duties and positions from 2012 are noted with them.) Today’s baseball fans were unsure whether they would ever witness certain occurrences in their lifetime. The list normally starts out with a 400-hitter, a triple crown, and a 57-game hitting streak.

A no-hitter thrown by a Mets pitcher was one accomplishment that many people believed to be almost as implausible. Until it ultimately happened, the team had been around for 50 years and had played 8,020 games.

Santana used 134 pitches from his surgically repaired shoulder against the World Champion Cardinals, who possess one of the finest hitting lineups in the MLB. Although it was probably just a matter of time before someone stood up for this franchise, it doesn’t lessen the historical significance of the event in any way.

As the Mets’ pitchers threw 35 one-hitters and players like Nolan Ryan, David Cone, Tom Seaver, and Dwight Gooden continued to throw no-no’s after leaving the Mets, frustration increased. The absence of a no-hitter in 50 years was truly anomalous for a team with a long history of excellent starting pitching. In what has already been a happy season for the Amazins, Santana changed all of that.

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