SportsHickey, whose overtime goal on April 5 put the New York Islanders into the Stanley Cup Playoffs, scored at 12:31 of OT on Sunday to give the Islanders a 4-3 win against the Florida Panthers in Game 3 of their Eastern Conference First Round series at Barclays Center.
SportsThe Boston Bruins needed a period-plus to shed the rust from a 10-day layoff. Once they did, they dominated in coming back to defeat the St. Louis Blues 4-2 in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final at TD Garden on Monday.
SportsOctober 5, 1996: 1996 NLDS, Game 3: St. Louis Cardinals 7 at San Diego Padres 5, F -- MVP Ken Caminiti does his best to keep San Diego alive, blasting two homers and making a run-saving play in the field. But Brian Jordan steals the show with some sparkling defense of his own, followed by a game-winning blast off Padres closer Trevor Hoffman. Dennis Eckersley slams the door for his third save of the series as the Cardinals finish the sweep of the Padres.
SportsWith five outs remaining in Game 6 of the 2003 NLCS, a foul ball descended from the cold Chicago sky, seemingly destined for the glove of Cubs left fielder Moises Alou. But a flurry of hands reached up and one hand, belonging to Cubs fan Steve Bartman, fatefully tipped the ball away from a frustrated Alou. Most long-suffering Cubs fans, including a chorus of hostile ones in Wrigley Field, quickly became convinced that Bartman had swatted away Chicago’s chance of advancing to the World Series for the first time 58 years. The mild-mannered Bartman released a sincere public apology, but his fate was already sealed by the Cu
SportsOn October 15, 1988, Notre Dame hosted the University of Miami in what would become one of the greatest games in college football history. The coaches and players open up about the fight that started the game, the highly debatable calls that are still being talked, about and the insensitive aspects of the irresistibly popular "Catholics vs. Convicts" t-shirt.
SportsThe 1986 New York Mets expected to dominate, and over the first half of the season, that’s exactly what they did. A blend of talent and swagger, they stormed through the National League, and became the toast of a city brimming with excess everywhere you turned. They were a team on the edge, just the way New York wanted it.
SportsCleveland Indians 2 at Boston Red Sox 11, F -- The Red Sox are the AL's best as they rode the home crowd and Dustin Pedroia's five RBIs to surge past the Indians. Daisuke Matsuzaka's solid start and a six-out save by closer Jonathan Papelbon bookended Boston's return to the Fall Classic. Boston completed its dramatic comeback from 3-1 down in this series, becoming the first team in Major League history to pull off that feat three times.
SportsBill Cowher had waited a long time for his first Super Bowl title. After failing to win a Super Bowl for the Steelers in 1995, Cowher continued to push his players to someday reach the pinnacle of professional football once again. He got his chance in 2005 and it turned out to be one of the most challenging seasons of his coaching career. Joey Porter, Jerome Bettis, and Bill Cowher himself discuss the 2005 season and the challenges they faced to the franchises fifth World Championship.
SportsIn November of 2007, Michael Vick began serving what would be a nearly two-year sentence for crimes related to his involvement in a dog fighting ring. Vick had gone from superstar athlete to national pariah; from one of the most popular players in the NFL to a man as ostracized as virtually any public figure in America. The full story is chronicled in “Vick,” the two-part 30 for 30 directed by the award-winning documentarian Stanley Nelson. A comprehensive look back at each chapter of Michael Vick’s saga: the incredible rise, shocking fall, and polarizing return.
SportsOctober 28, 1995: 1995 World Series Game 6: Cleveland Indians 0 at Atlanta Braves 1, F -- After losing the 1991 and 1992 World Series, as well as the 1993 NLCS, the Braves (seemingly dubbed "The Team of the 90s" just a tad bit too early) finally put it all together in 1995. Tom Glavine was masterful, allowing just one hit and three walks over eight shutout innings, with Mark Wohlers working the ninth for the save. David Justice provided all the offense Atlanta needs with a sixth-inning solo shot off Jim Poole.
SportsTampa Bay Rays 0 at Seattle Mariners 1 | F -- Felix Hernandez was untouchable, fanning 12 in the first perfect game in Mariners history and the third one of 2012. He got all the run support he'd need in the third, when Brendan Ryan scored on Jesus Montero's single.
SportsJuly 18, 1999: MTL 0 at NYY 6, F -- Before the game, the Yankees honored Yogi Berra, who caught the first pitch from Don Larsen. Almost 43 years earlier, with Berra behind the plate, Larsen pitched a perfect game in the World Series against the Brooklyn Dodgers at the stadium. Fast-forward to that July day and it was -- as Berra might put it -- "déjà vu all over again."
SportsOctober 15, 1988: 1988 World Series, Game 1: Oakland Athletics 4 at Los Angeles Dodgers 5, F -- The Dodgers, already serious underdogs against the A's and Bash Brothers Jose Canseco and Mark McGwire, are given even less of a chance with injured star Kirk Gibson on the shelf. Canseco's second-inning grand slam gives Oakland a 4-3 lead until the bottom of the ninth, when dominating closer Dennis Eckersley comes on to finish it up. But with the tying run on first, Gibson limps up to pinch hit and makes World Series history with a spine-tingling, game-winning two-run homer in his only at-bat of the Series.
SportsIn November of 2007, Michael Vick began serving what would be a nearly two-year sentence for crimes related to his involvement in a dog fighting ring. Vick had gone from superstar athlete to national pariah; from one of the most popular players in the NFL to a man as ostracized as virtually any public figure in America. The full story is chronicled in “Vick,” the two-part 30 for 30 directed by the award-winning documentarian Stanley Nelson. A comprehensive look back at each chapter of Michael Vick’s saga: the incredible rise, shocking fall, and polarizing return.
SportsMarch Madness, 1989. Faced with the last seed in the tournament, sixteen seed Princeton is set to play tournament favorite number one seed in Georgetown. The game was expected to be such a blow out that it wasn’t even originally scheduled to be broadcast on television. Unbeknownst to the Princeton players or their innovative coach, Pete Carril, they were about to play one of the greatest games in college basketball history.
SportsMike Tyson was pound for pound the most dominant boxer during the 1980's. Watch Tyson as he puts fear into his opponents in this edition of Tyson's Greatest Hits, Vol. 2.
SportsWalton reminisces about the glory days of the Blazers – recapping his battles with Houston’s Artis Gilmore and teaming up with the tough-minded Maurice Lucas to form a formidable frontcourt. He visits Lucas’s widow and grows sentimental when he reflects on their friendship. Through the nostalgia of the past, we revisit the Blazers’ magical 1977 playoff run – a testy series with the Bulls, a dispatching of Denver, and a showdown with the Lakers and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Walton outplays Kareem, punctuating the series with an emphatic slam over the Captain as Portland wins the Western Conference; Blazermania takes ov
SportsOctober 25, 1986: 1986 World Series, Game 6: Boston Red Sox 5 at New York Mets 6, F/10 -- Leading 5-4 in the 10th inning, just one out away from their first Championship since 1918, the Red Sox (much to the frenzied delight of the Shea Stadium crowd) watch it all roll slowly away from them... literally. Bob Stanley's wild pitch allows Kevin Mitchell to score the tying run. Then, on the final pitch of a fabulous at-bat, Mookie Wilson fights off a fastball and dribbles a grounder up the first-base line that slips between Bill Buckner's legs and into history. Ray Knight dashes home with the game-winning run, forcing a Game 7
SportsNew York Yankees 4 at Boston Red Sox 5, F/14 -- Fresh off a 12-inning epic the night before, in which the Sox were three outs away from being unceremoniously swept out from the ALCS, Game 5 itself is an all-time playoff classic. Back and forth all game long, the Sox entered the 8th inning down two runs, but stormed back behind a David Ortiz homer and a Jason Varitek sacrifice fly to tie it up. The game would remain that way until the 14th, when Ortiz would again step to the dish...
SportsOct 7, 1952: NYY 4 at BKN 2, F -- Gene Woodling and Mickey Mantle homered, and Billy Martin made a game-saving grab of an infield popup gone awry, as the Yankees recovered from a three game to two deficit to win their fourth of five straight World Series, in seven games over the Brooklyn Dodgers. Mantle's homer in the sixth gave the Yankees the lead for good, and an insurance run in the seventh made it 4-2. With the bases loaded and two outs in the bottom of the inning, Jackie Robinson hit a high pop up that Yankees first baseman Joe Collins appeared to lose it in the sun. But Martin charged in from second base to snatch t
SportsBoston Red Sox 4 at New York Yankees 2, F -- The Bloody Sock: They seemed to be clinging onto fading hopes over the weekend at Fenway Park, as the board on the door exiting the Red Sox clubhouse offered a simple message. "We can change history. Believe it!" Simply by riding Curt Schilling's gritty performance and Mark Bellhorn's three-run homer to a 4-2 victory over the Yankees, the Red Sox were in a class all by themselves in the annals of Major League Baseball history. Of the 25 previous teams that trailed a best-of-seven postseason series 3-0, none had ever forced a Game 7. Until now. The Red Sox hopped on Schilling'
SportsOct 14, 1965: LAD 2 at MIN 0, F -- With a league-leading 26 wins, 2.04 ERA and a then-record 382 strikeouts, Sandy Koufax was unquestionably the best pitcher in all of baseball. But with an advancing case of arthritis in his golden left arm, every breathtaking outing was countered by hours of treatment to keep the barely tolerable pain at bay. Once again, the light-hitting Dodgers had latched on to the most prized pitcher in baseball to carry them into the World Series, and once again, they were forced to rely on heavy innings from their ace to give them a fighting chance. After over 335 innings of labor in the regular sea
SportsOctober 16, 2003: 2003 ALCS, Game 7: Boston Red Sox 5 at New York Yankees 6, F/11 -- All that was on the line was a trip to the World Series. The starting pitchers? Merely two of the greats of their generation in Roger Clemens and Pedro Martinez, who brought a combined nine Cy Young Awards into this epic showdown. The teams? Just the Red Sox and Yankees, epic rivals for decades upon decades. When they met for Game 7 of the American League Championship Series at a juiced-up Yankee Stadium on the night of October 16, it seemed impossible that the Red Sox and Yankees could live up to a game that was hyped like few others. Tru
SportsOctober 21, 1975: 1975 World Series, Game 6: Cincinnati Reds 6 at Boston Red Sox 7, F/12 -- Home runs by rookie Fred Lynn, pinch-hitter Bernie Carbo and the Reds' George Foster made this back-and-forth affair a World Series game to remember through nine innings. Then Carlton Fisk waved, prayed, cajoled and otherwise willed his home run fair down the left-field line in the 12th, making this one of the most memorable games of all-time.
SportsMay 17, 1979: Philadelphia Phillies 23 at Chicago Cubs 22, F/10 -- The Windy City was certainly living up to its name on this mid-May afternoon at Wrigley. The gusty forces blowing through the friendly confines of the quaint old park insured that, as shortstop Larry Bowa recalled, "no lead was safe." So leaving the ballpark or shutting off the television after the Phillies jumped out to a 7-0 lead in the top of the first was a grave mistake. The Cubs came right back with six in the bottom half of the inning, and baseball's second-most offensive game was underway. Eleven home runs, 50 hits and 97 total bases... and the Cubs
SportsWhen Mike Tyson fought Larry Holmes who came out of retirement to face the young champion, many figured it would be the most pivotal test of Tyson's young boxing career. It was Holmes who had already established himself as an all time great heavyweight. However, Tyson clearly passed the test, knocking out Holmes in four brutal rounds.
SportsOctober 8, 1995: 1995 ALDS, Game 5: New York Yankees 5 at Seattle Mariners 6, F/11 -- The Mariners had come back from a 0-2 series deficit to force a deciding Game 5, and were back home in front of a frenzied Safeco crowd with high expectations. Yankees' starter David Cone held a 4-2 lead going into the eighth, but surrendered Ken Griffey Jr.'s fifth homer of the series, and walked in the game-tying run with the bases loaded. Rookie fireballer Mariano Rivera arrived to strike out Mike Blowers to keep the game tied at the end of eight. In the ninth, both Game 3 starters -- Randy Johnson for the M's and Jack McDowell for the
SportsNovember 4, 2001: 2001 World Series, Game 7: New York Yankees 2 at Arizona Diamondbacks 3, F -- A fitting finale to one of the BEST World Series ever. Surviving two stunning losses in Games 4 and 5, the Diamondbacks found their own late-inning magic in the person of Luis Gonzalez. It began with Hall-of-Fame-bound starters Roger Clemens and Curt Schilling trading zeros through six. Schilling was strong on only two days rest, but left trailing 2-1 in the 8th after an Alfonso Soriano solo HR. Out of the bullpen came Game 5 starter Miguel Batista to face one batter; then manager Bob Brenly made the gutsy call to Randy Johnson
SportsMike Tyson produced perhaps the most dominant performance of his career, as he would K.O. Michael Spinks in approximately 91 seconds. This fight was headlined "Once and for All", meaning the winner would be recognized beyond dispute as the real heavyweight champion.
SportsBoston Red Sox 3 at St. Louis Cardinals 0, F -- The Curse, Reversed! 86 years in the making and behind a dominant, three-hit effort by Derek Lowe, the Red Sox completed their World Series sweep of the Cardinals, winning their first title since 1918. Johnny Damon's first-inning home run started the scoring for Boston, and Trot Nixon hit a two-run double in the third. Manny Ramirez was named series MVP.
SportsJuly 13, 1999: National League 1 @ American League, 4, F -- The last All-Star game of the 20th century gathered together baseball's "All-Century" team, the greatest living players of all time. This spine-tingling spectacle was augmented by the appearance of the legend among legends, Ted Williams, on hand to throw out the first pitch. His magnetism led to one of baseball's most spontaneous of magical moments, as the current and All-Century All-Stars gathered around the fragile Splendid Splinter, basking in his greatness for what was perhaps the last time. Finally, the game had to go on; the lovefest was dispersed and Wi
SportsOctober 16, 1969: 1969 World Series, Game 5: Baltimore Orioles 3 at New York Mets 5, F -- Slugger Donn Clendenon and light-hitting Al Weis each homered to back the five-hit pitching of Jerry Koosman as the "Miracle Mets" closed out their first-ever World Series championship with a 5-3 victory over the heavily favored Orioles. A key play in the sixth featured Cleon Jones being plunked on the foot by Baltimore starter Dave McNally. Jones was not originally awarded the base, but manager Gil Hodges retrieved the ball and pointed out the telltale black shoe-polish on the ball as proof. Rattled, McNally surrendered a two-run ho
SportsOn November 22, 1986, Mike Tyson becomes the youngest heavyweight champion in the history of boxing when he delivered a second round TKO, to his opponent Trevor Berbick.
SportsOctober 27, 1991: 1991 World Series, Game 7: Atlanta Braves 0 at Minnesota Twins 1, F/10 -- A classic World Series is capped by a classic Game 7 as the Twins and Braves need extra frames to determine a winner at the Metrodome. Jack Morris goes the distance with a seven-hit, ten-inning shutout masterpiece and a base-running blunder by Atlanta's Lonnie Smith in the eighth comes back to haunt the Braves as they hold the Twins scoreless through nine and might have won had Smith scored in the eighth. Regardless, the "Dome Field" advantage works its magic for the Twins who take home their second title in five years.
SportsOctober 14, 2003: 2003 NLCS, Game 6: Florida Marlins 8 at Chicago Cubs 3, F/11 -- The Cubs, just five outs from their first World Series berth since 1945, allowed eight runs in a wild and wacky eighth inning as the Marlins rallied to take Game 6 of the National League Championship Series, 8-3, at Wrigley Field and force a decisive Game 7. With Mark Prior cruising and the Cubs leading, 3-0, Juan Pierre hit a one-out double in the eighth. Luis Castillo then hit a foul ball on the edge of the seats down the left-field line. Moises Alou reached up to make the catch, but several fans reached for the ball and one knocked it away
SportsOctober 17, 1971: 1971 World Series, Game 7: Pittsburgh Pirates 2 at Baltimore Orioles 1, F -- With four 20-game winners and a powerful lineup featuring Frank Robinson, Brooks Robinson and Boog Powell, the Orioles were expected to dominate. But with the help of a Roberto Clemente home run in the fourth, and a Willie Stargell run in the eighth, Pirates starter Steve Blass went the distance for the World Series champion Pirates.
SportsOctober 2, 1968: 1968 World Series, Game 1: Detroit Tigers 0 at St. Louis Cardinals 4, F -- 1968 was frequently called "The Year of the Pitcher," and that season, few were more dominant than Cards' ace Bob Gibson. The menacing Gibby was in peak form in Game 1, as the NL MVP and Cy Young winner matched up against Tigers' ace Denny McLain, whose 31 regular-season wins were the most since 1931. Gibson was at his best against the Tigers' best hitters, striking out Al Kaline and Norm Cash three times each, and fanned 17 to set a World Series record, steam-rolling to a five-hit shutout.
SportsOct. 6, 1952: NYY 3 at BKN 2, F -- A classic "Subway Series," old-school style. Leading the Series 3-2, Brooklyn rookie Billy Loes battled Yankee veteran Vic Raschi zero for zero for five complete innings. Duke Snider and Yogi Berra exchanged solo shots in the sixth, and young slugger Mickey Mantle's first career World Series home run extended the lead to 3-1. Snider's second HR of the game drew the Dodgers within a run, but Yankees ace Allie Reynolds relieved Raschi and finished off the 3-2 win to send the Series to a seventh game. The Yankees would win that game the following day, leaving the Dodger faithful to, once aga
SportsOctober 15, 1986: 1986 NLCS, Game 6: New York Mets 7 at Houston Astros 6, F -- The Mets faced a must-win situation -- unless they wanted to face Astros ace Mike Scott in Game 7. Starter Bob Knepper shut out New York for eight innings before the Mets broke through to tie in the ninth. They finally scored again in the top of the 14th, then watched as the Astros re-tied the game on a Billy Hatcher homer. In the 16th, the Mets pushed across three more runs, but again the Astros fought back. They scored more two runs to draw within one run before Jesse Orosco struck out Kevin Bass to send the exultant and exhausted Mets to the
SportsOctober 27, 1999: 1999 World Series, Game 4, Atlanta Braves 1 at NY Yankees 4, F -- The Yankees became the first team to sweep consecutive World Series in 60 years -- since the DiMaggio Yankees did it to the Cubs and Reds in 1938-39 - when they beat the Atlanta Braves 4-1 in Yankee Stadium. After a regular season filled with personal tragedies and illnesses, the final game of the decade saw 56,752 fans cheer on Roger Clemens for seven-plus innings as the future Hall of Famer allowed just one run, then sat back and watched as Mariano Rivera finished-off Atlanta and helped the Rocket earn his first World Series title.
SportsHouston Astros 0 at San Francisco Giants 10 | F -- Matt Cain pitched the first perfect game in Giants history and 22nd overall while also tying Sandy Koufax's Major League-record 14 strikeouts in a perfecto. Cain was aided by Gregor Blanco's dazzling catch in the seventh inning and three two-run homers by his teammates.
SportsOctober 14, 1992: 1992 NLCS, Game 7: Pittsburgh Pirates 2 at Atlanta Braves 3, F -- Pittsburgh's ace Doug Drabek was cruising along, holding the Braves scoreless for eight innings, getting out of his only real jam (bases loaded, no out) in the sixth inning. Atlanta's starter, John Smoltz, was similarly solid, with the Pirates scraping together two runs on an Orlando Merced sacrifice fly and an Andy Van Slyke single. The Bucs headed to the 9th inning with a 2-0 lead, just three outs away from the World Series. And that's when it all went wrong. Manager Jim Leyland stuck with Drabek, rather than bringing in a left-hander to
SportsOctober 27, 1986: 1986 World Series, Game 7: Boston Red Sox 5 at New York Mets 8, F -- Both teams were facing their final game in one of the most dramatic postseasons ever: the Mets finally triumphant in an epic NLCS vs. the Houston Astros; the Red Sox fighting the "Curse of the Bambino" and the California Angels in the ALCS… and of course both clubs coming directly off the heels of the infamous "Bill Buckner" Game 6. And so the 1986 season for all the marbles came down to this final game at a packed and raucous Shea Stadium. A rainout of the originally-scheduled Game 7 the day before allowed the pressure to build for an
SportsOctober 2, 1978: 1978 AL East Playoff: New York Yankees 5 at Boston Red Sox 4, F -- For two bitter rivals, it all came down to this one-game showdown at historic Fenway Park. The winner would earn a trip to the ALCS against the Kansas City Royals; the loser would go home with 99 wins, and nothing to show for them. The Yankees, who had mounted one of the most memorable comebacks in baseball history (trailing the AL East-leading Red Sox by 14 games in mid-July), sent wiry lefty Ron Guidry and his 24-3 record out to the mound against former teammate Mike Torrez. Reggie Jackson homered and an unorthodox, but key, defensive pla
SportsOctober 18, 1977: 1977 World Series, Game 6: Los Angeles Dodgers 4 at New York Yankees 8, F -- In a performance as legendary as any Yankee great before him, Reggie Jackson blasted three consecutive home runs on three pitches against three different Dodger hurlers (Burt Hooton, Elias Sosa and Charlie Hough) into the frenzied Stadium throng. It was his defining moment in pinstripes; a dramatic performance that won over the fans, his teammates, (including captain Thurman Munson, with whom he'd had a tumultuous relationship since Reggie claimed he was "the straw that stirred the drink" even before he arrived in New York) and h
SportsOctober 27, 2002: 2002 World Series, Game 7: San Francisco Giants 1 at Anaheim Angels 4, F -- Anaheim completed its magical run to the top of the sport with a 4-1 win over the San Francisco Giants in Game 7 before 44,598 at Edison Field. Third baseman Troy Glaus, who batted .385 with three homers and eight RBIs, was named series MVP. The Angels won the Series, four games to three, bringing the World Series trophy to Anaheim for the first time in the 41-year history of the franchise.
SportsOctober 12, 1974: 1974 World Series, Game 1: Oakland Athletics 3 at Los Angeles Dodgers 2, F -- Reggie Jackson provided the power by opening the scoring with a home run in the second. Ace closer Rollie Fingers provided the pitching, coming on early in relief and earning the win. Staff ace Catfish Hunter closed up shop in the ninth for the save, and the discordant dynasty were on their was to their third consecutive World Championship.
SportsMay 18, 2004: Arizona Diamondbacks 2 at Atlanta Braves 0, F -- The Big Unit did more than turn back the clock on his amazing career, Randy Johnson tossed a perfect game, beating the Braves, 2-0, at Turner Field and proved that this 40-year-old superstar can still dominate an opponent. The Big Unit set down all 27 Braves he faced that night in Atlanta throwing 117 pitches while striking out 13. At 40 years, 251 days he was the oldest pitcher ever to throw a perfect game. Fittingly the final out came when he blew a 98-mph fastball past pinch-hitter Eddie Perez.
SportsOctober 27, 2006: 2006 World Series, Game 5: Detroit Tigers 2 at St. Louis Cardinals 4, F -- Jeff Weaver was astounding, allowing one earned run and fanning nine in eight innings, while Series MVP David Eckstein had two RBIs and scored a run to lead the Cardinals to their first World Series win since 1982. Yadier Molina had three hits and scored twice for the Cards, who were crowned at home in the first season at new Busch Stadium.
SportsOctober 26, 1996: 1996 World Series, Game 6: Atlanta Braves 2 at New York Yankees 3, F -- Having blown a two-games-to-none lead in the series, the Braves needed a win to stay alive. But the Yanks broke through early, scoring three runs in the third inning off ace Greg Maddux. After a Joe Girardi triple got things rolling, Bernie Williams provided a single that scored Derek Jeter with the winning run in the Series' decisive contest. Jimmy Key and a strong Yankee bullpen held off Atlanta, closing things out when Charlie Hayes squeezed Mark Lemke's foul pop for the final out and the end of a dramatic series.
SportsApril 29, 1986: Seattle Mariners 1 at Boston Red Sox 3, F -- A 23-year-old legend-in-the-making, Roger Clemens strikes out the side in the first inning to set the tone for the chilly evening (Fenway held just 13,414 witnesses to history that night), as he becomes the first pitcher in Major League history to strike out 20 batters in a single game.
SportsOctober 21, 1980: 1980 World Series, Game 6: Kansas City Royals 1 at Philadelphia Phillies 4, F -- With the Phillies just one tantalizing out away from a Championship, Tug McGraw got ahead on Willie Wilson, then struck him out swinging at a 1-2 fastball. McGraw threw his arms up, his teammates jumped all over each other, and the franchise had its first baseball championship.
SportsOct 31, 2001: ARI 3 at NYY 4, F/10 -- Under a full moon on Halloween night, the Yankees pulled off one of the most spectacular and dramatic comebacks in history, anointing Derek Jeter with the nickname, "Mr. November." Arizona ace Curt Schilling -- starting on three days rest for the first time in his career -- was solid through seven innings, giving way to closer Byung-Hyun Kim in the 8th. Kim retired the next five batters, and the D-backs were just one out away from taking a commanding 3-1 Series lead. Cue Yankee magic: Tino Martinez, 0-for-9 to this point, clobbers the first pitch for a ninth-inning, two-out, two run b
SportsOct 20, 1982: MIL 3 at STL 6, F -- Clutch hits by Keith Hernandez and George Hendrick backed the gutsy pitching of Joaquin Andujar. When Bruce Sutter recorded the last out to close the door on the Milwaukee "Harvey's Wallbangers" Brewers, St. Louis had won its first World Series title since the Bob Gibson-led 1967 squad.
SportsOct 26, 2005: CWS 1 at HOU 0, F -- Neither Houston starter Brandon Backe nor White Sox hurler Freddy Garcia allowed many scoring opportunities during their seven scoreless innings apiece. Backe gave up five hits and struck out seven, including five straight in the fourth and fifth innings. Garcia allowed four hits and walked three, one intentionally, while striking out seven. But the game's lone run came in the eighth, with two outs, off Houston closer Brad Lidge. Pinch-hitter Willie Harris, opened the frame with a two-strike single to left and was sacrificed to second by Scott Podsednik. Pinch-hitter Carl Everett's ground
SportsSt. Louis Cardinals 0 at Kansas City Royals 11, F -- The "Show-Me Series" came to an end on October 27, 1985 at Royals Stadium when the night after becoming a father, Royals pitcher Bret Saberhagen threw a five-hitter while leading his team to victory. The Royals became the only team to ever come from a three games to one deficit twice in the same postseason to win the World Series.
SportsOctober 9, 1988: 1988 NLCS, Game 4: Los Angeles Dodgers 5 at New York Mets 4, F/12 -- Backed by homers from Darryl Strawberry and Kevin McReynolds, Dwight Gooden and the Mets enjoyed a 4-2 lead in the 9th, and seem poised to take a 3-1 series lead. But Mike Scioscia, who had only three home runs all season, had other ideas, and his two-run homer forced extra frames. Then in the 12th, Kirk Gibson foreshadowed his forthcoming World Series dramatics with a solo, go-ahead dinger off Roger McDowell. But it wasn't over yet. In the bottom half of the inning it looked as though Gibson's heroics might go to waste, as the Mets put t
SportsOctober 26, 1997: 1997 World Series, Game 7: Cleveland Indians 2 at Florida Marlins 3, F/11 -- At first, the 1997 World Series between the powerful Cleveland Indians and the upstart Marlins seemed as if it would be memorable only because it marked the first time a wild-card team made it to the big dance. But as Florida's Craig Counsell touched home plate to end only the third extra-inning Game 7 in Major League history, it became clear that the two teams had played in a modern classic that was as memorable as any of the great Series-ending contests in Octobers past.
SportsBoston Red Sox 4 at Colorado Rockies 3, F -- There was certainly no 86-year wait this time. The Red Sox used two homers and superb pitching to complete a sweep and propel once-title-starved Boston to its second World Series title in four seasons. It all ended with Jonathan Papelbon, the closer who has been brilliant all year and into the postseason, striking out Seth Smith on 95-mph heat. The fiery right-hander tossed his glove high in the air with joy, took his hat off and then embraced catcher Jason Varitek after saving the World Series clincher for left-hander Jon Lester. From there, it was a sea of Red Sox piling on
SportsOctober 17, 1978: 1978 World Series, Game 6: New York Yankees 7 at Los Angeles Dodgers 2, F -- Game 6 turned out to be grand finale for the unlikely heroic duo of Bucky Dent and Brian Doyle. Davey Lopes gave the Dodger home crowd a ray of hope with a leadoff home run off Catfish Hunter. Dent and Doyle put the Yankees ahead in the second; Doyle with a two-run double, Dent with an RBI single. Lopes had an RBI single in the third to cut it to 3-2, but that would be it for the Dodgers. Dent and Doyle pushed the score to 5-2 in the sixth with RBI singles and Reggie Jackson put the final nail in the coffin with a tremendous two-
SportsOct 25, 1987: STL 2 at MIN 4, F -- The 1987 World Series between the Twins and Cardinals brought a whole new meaning to the term "home-field advantage." It marked the first time that the home team won all of its games in a series. It was also the first time that World Series games were played indoors, at Minnesota's Metrodome. Inside were deafening crowds of more than 55,000 screaming fans. The "Homer Hanky" joined the baseball lexicon, as Twins fans waved them with frenzy.
SportsOctober 15, 1970: 1970 World Series, Game 5: Cincinnati Reds 3 at Baltimore Orioles 9, F -- After a rocky first inning, Cuellar silenced the Reds over the final eight frames to earn a complete game, six-hit victory. Cuellar was backed by home runs by Frank Robinson and Merv Rettenmund, which highlighted a nine-run, 15-hit onslaught that saw every Baltimore position but Brooks Robinson either score or drive in a run. Although Robinson was quiet with the bat, his two diving stops to rob Lee May in the fourth inning, and Johnny Bench in the ninth, capped his one-man highlight reel. With the series win, the Orioles were able t
SportsCincinnati Reds 7 at New York Yankees 2, F -- The Big Red Machine rolls over the Yankees to second straight title. On the heels of the high from Chris Chambliss’ Royals-crushing home run in the ALCS to put the Yankees into the World Series, the Yanks crashed right into the steamrolling juggernaut that was the “Big Red Machine” from Cincinnati. With a lineup that boasted George Foster, Johnny Bench, Pete Rose, Joe Morgan, Tony Perez and Ken Griffey, the Reds only allowed the Yankees the lead once in the Series, for the first three innings of this Game 4. Johnny Bench homered twice to drive in four runs, adding to h
SportsSt. Louis Cardinals 1 at Kansas City Royals 2, F -- Tense and scoreless until the eighth inning, Danny Cox and Charlie Leibrandt were locked in a spectacular Game 6 pitchers' duel. The Cards finally broke through in the eighth, as Brian Harper singled home Terry Pendleton. In the bottom of the 9th, with the bases loaded and the Cardinals only two outs away from a World Championship, KC's Dane Iorg looped a two-run single to right, driving in Onix Concepcion and Jim Sundberg to score, giving the Royals life, and forcing a deciding Game 7.
SportsOctober 23, 1993: 1993 World Series, Game 6: Philadelphia Phillies 6 at Toronto Blue Jays 8, F -- Facing elimination, the Phillies trailed by four in the seventh. But they battled back to score five runs -- three of them courtesy of a Lenny Dykstra homer -- to take a 6-5 lead into the bottom of the ninth. That's when the Wild Thing, Mitch Williams, trotted out to close the door on the Jays. Instead, he put two men on for Joe Carter, who slammed the first come-from-behind, Series-winning homer in baseball history.
SportsOctober 11, 2003: 2003 ALCS, Game 3: New York Yankees 4 at Boston Red Sox 3, F -- It was billed as a heavyweight bout: Roger Clemens vs. Pedro Martinez. Yankees vs. Red Sox. The game actually exceeded the hype, as New York prevailed, 4-3, at Fenway Park during an evening that included a benches-clearing incident. During the fracas, Martinez knocked down charging Yankees bench coach Don Zimmer.
SportsOct 5, 2003: CHC 5 at ATL 1, F -- The Cubs, anchored by another stellar performance from Kerry Wood, ended a 95-year drought with their 5-1 Game 5 win at Turner Field. The 3-2 Series win was the Cubs' first postseason series victory since their 1908 World Series win.
SportsOct 11, 1986: HOU 5 at NYM 6, F -- Game 3 in a series tied 1-1 are always critical momentum changers. Mets starter Ron Darling was shaky early, allowing four runs in the first two innings, but settled down after that. The Mets got back into the game in the 6th, tying it on Darryl Strawberry’s three-run shot. Ray Knight committed the Mets' only error of the series in the 7th, allowing the Astros to regain the lead, 5-4, and it stayed that way until the bottom of the 9th. With Astros' closer Dave Smith on the mound, Wally Backman bunted his way on, benefiting from a controversial runner-out-of-the-baseline call. He advance
SportsOctober 22, 2000: 2000 World Series, Game 2: New York Mets 5 at New York Yankees 6, F -- Although Roger Clemens dominated the game with eight two-hit innings, it wasn't his pitching that garnered the postgame headlines. The Yankees seized control of the first Subway Series in 44 years with a 6-5 victory, but the buzz of the game was the "Clemens vs. Piazza Incident." Shattering Mike Piazza's bat with a first-inning fastball, Clemens bounded off the mound, fielded the bat, and oddly flung the broken piece in Piazza's direction. Both benches cleared, and after some tense moments, order was restored and Piazza grounded out on
SportsSeptember 8, 1998: Chicago Cubs 3 at St. Louis Cardinals 6, F -- The single-season home run mark of Roger Maris had stood for 37 years, three seasons longer than Babe Ruth had held it. In the summer of 1998 Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa launched an all-out assault on baseball's most sacred single-season record. Fittingly, Sosa was in right field and Maris' kids were in the stands when McGwire blasted No. 62 over the left field wall to make history.
SportsOctober 16, 1983: 1983 World Series, Game 5: Baltimore Orioles 5 at Philadelphia Phillies 0, F -- Eddie Murray hit a pair of homers and Rick Dempsey added a solo shot to back the five-hit pitching of Scott McGregor as the Orioles wrapped up their first World Series title in 13 years with a 5-0 shutout of the Phillies. Murray and Dempsey hit solo homers off Charles Hudson in the 2nd and 3rd innings, and Murray's two-run shot in the 4th broke the game open. Al Bumbry drove in Dempsey in the 5th to set the final margin, and McGregor took over from there. Picking up where he left off in Game 1, when he allowed only two runs in
SportsOctober 25, 2003: 2003 World Series, Game 6: Florida Marlins 2 at New York Yankees 0, F/16 -- It took Josh Beckett no time at all to prove his manager right. Pitching on three days' rest, it took Beckett 107 pitches to quiet the naysayers, carry the Marlins to a World Series title and garner Most Valuable Player honors for his effort. Beckett threw the first complete-game shutout in a deciding World Series game in 12 years, beating the New York Yankees, 2-0, to send the home team to its first postseason series loss at Yankee Stadium in 22 years. Beckett was brilliant in two World Series starts. In Game 3 on Oct. 21, he all
SportsAnother night, another step closer to the postseason for the red-hot Rays. Alex Cobb allowed no runs and Tampa Bay got 11 hits, but the one New York pitcher the bats couldn't touch was Mariano Rivera, who recorded four outs in his final appearance at Yankee Stadium.
SportsOctober 9, 2005: 2005 NLDS Game 4: Atlanta Braves 6 at Houston Astros 7, F/18 -- The 2005 Houston Astros needed just about everyone on their 40-man roster to land their Wild Card berth, so it is also fitting that the heroics came from a melting pot of Astros players. The Braves were ahead 6-1 in the eighth, when Lance Berkman launched a grand slam, followed by a game-tying solo shot by Brad Ausmus in the 9th. The second half of the game included three innings of relief by Roger Clemens, appearing as a pinch-hitter in the 15th, and pitching in relief for only the second time in his career (and appearing this time only becau
SportsOct 17, 1999: ATL 3 at NYM 4, F/15 -- At five hours and 46 minutes, it is one of the longest games in postseason history -- but this Shea Stadium classic is well worth the wait. Facing elimination, the Mets hang on against the rival Braves until the 15th inning, when the bases fill up for Robin Ventura. Ventura, hitless thus far in the series, belts a grand slam into the right-field seats ... or does he? Because he is mobbed before he even reaches second base, Ventura's game-winner is scored a single.
SportsSt. Louis Cardinals 0 at New York Mets 8 | F -- Johan Santana took the mound Friday night at Citi Field and did something no Mets pitcher had done in the 51 seasons of the franchise, tossing the first no-hitter in club history. The ace struck out eight and walked five while throwing 134 pitches.
SportsOctober 12, 1986: 1986 ALCS, Game 5: Boston Red Sox 7 at California Angels 6, F/11 -- The Angels needed only one more out to earn their first World Series appearance, but it was the Red Sox who had destiny on their side. Angels closer Donnie Moore pushed Dave Henderson and the Red Sox one strike away from elimination, but Henderson earned redemption for an earlier fielding miscue by hitting Moore's second 2-2 pitch over the left-field fence to give the Red Sox a 6-5 lead. The Angels tied the game in the bottom of the ninth, but Henderson's sacrifice fly off Moore in the eleventh gave the Red Sox the lead and they went on t
SportsOctober 9, 1996: 1996 ALCS, Game 1: Baltimore Orioles 4 at New York Yankees 5, F -- Home-field advantage took on new meaning in Game 1 of the 1996 ALCS as the Yankees earned the upper hand in the series. With the Orioles holding a 4-3 lead going to the bottom of the eighth, fate - in the form of 12-year-old Yankee fan Jeffrey Maier - intervened. Yankee rookie Derek Jeter led off the inning with a fly ball to right field, and Orioles right fielder Tony Tarasco appeared to have it measured for the catch, but Maier reached out and snatched it away and over the fence. Bernie Williams led off the bottom of the 11th with a homer
SportsBaltimore Orioles 3 at New York Yankees 7 | F -- Eighty-five years of memorable moments and indelible achievements at Yankee Stadium have been book-ended by Babe Ruth's home run to christen the building and Mariano Rivera's final pitch to close it. Rivera recorded the final out in the history of the Bronx's storied Cathedral on Sunday, inducing a ground ball to first base that put the finishing touches on a 7-3 decision against the Baltimore Orioles, ensuring that Yankee Stadium went out the same fashion it came in -- with a win. "It was emotional -- it was a great night," Rivera said. "It's something that I'll never forge
SportsOctober 20, 1990: 1990 World Series, Game 4: Cincinnati Reds 2 at Oakland Athletics 1, F -- Just as in 1988, the "Bash Brothers" Jose Canseco and Mark McGwire and the rest of the powerhouse A's were supposed to dominate the Series, this time against the overachieving Reds. But while Oakland ace Dave Stewart was sharp, he could not match Reds' starter Jose Rijo, who allowed just one run and two hits in eight-plus innings. "Nasty Boy" Randy Myers came on for the save, and secured the Reds' improbable World Series sweep over the mighty "Bash Brother-led" A's.
SportsOct 13, 2001: NYY 1 at OAK 0, F -- With their backs against the wall for the first time since 1997, the Yankees traveled to Oakland one loss away from elimination. A's starter Barry Zito stifled the Yanks through four innings, until Jorge Posada belted a solo homer in the fifth. Mike Mussina also pitched a gem, the key turning point coming on a bang-bang play in the bottom of the 7th, when Terrence Long drilled a ball into the right field corner. Yankee right fielder Shane Spencer fielded and threw toward the plate, where Jeremy Giambi was trying to score from first without sliding. Shortstop Derek Jeter, up the first base
SportsOctober 24, 1992: 1992 World Series, Game 6: Toronto Blue Jays 4 at Atlanta Braves 3, F/11 -- Dave Winfield picked the perfect moment for his first extra-base hit in twelve career World Series games. With the score tied in the 11th and the Blue Jays one win away from Canada's first-ever World Series title, Winfield burned Charlie Leibrandt for a double down the left field line to put Toronto up 4-2. The Braves mounted a comeback, but ultimately fell short, 4-3.
Sports1999 ALDS, Game 5: Boston Red Sox 12 at Cleveland Indians 8, F -- Ailing Pedro hurls hitless relief. If the Red Sox were going to complete their comeback from an 0-2 deficit, they needed to do it without Pedro Martinez, who pulled out of Game 1 with back problems and had yet to return. But with the deciding game tied in the fourth, Pedro came on in relief, dug deep and threw six innings of no-hit ball. Troy O'Leary, who had hit a grand slam earlier in the game, won it for the Sox with a three-run blast in the seventh.
SportsOctober 21, 2004: 2004 NLCS, Game 7: Houston Astros 2 at St. Louis Cardinals 5, F -- Scott Rolen blasted a two-run homer in the sixth inning to provide the go-ahead runs and Jeff Suppan threw six strong innings to lead St. Louis into its first World Series since 1987.
SportsTB 3 at PHI 4, F -- The Phillies led the Series 3-1 when Game 5 got underway on Monday, October 27. For the third consecutive game, the Phils scored in the first inning, this time on Shane Victorino's bases-loaded two-run single. The Rays got a run back in the fourth and tied it up in the sixth, as the weather grew increasingly worse. By the mid-sixth, the "infield was basically underwater," Chase Utley observed. Rain continued through Tuesday, so the tie game resumed on Wednesday evening, in bottom of the sixth, and the Phils wasted no time taking the lead 3-2. The Rays got the run right back on Rocco Baldelli's solo ho
SportsSt. Louis Cardinals 12 at Milwaukee Brewers 6 | F -- The Cardinals scored eleven times in the first five innings on their way to their 18th pennant, and a date with the Texas Rangers in the World Series.
SportsNY Yankees 1 at Texas Rangers 6 | F --The Rangers head to the first Fall Classic in franchise history, as Colby Lewis defeated the Yanks for the second time in the series and Josh Hamilton was named the ALCS MVP.
SportsOct 19, 2008: BOS 1 at TB 3, F -- Akinori Iwamura stabbed Jed Lowrie's bad-hop grounder, had a moment of indecision about whether to flip the ball to shortstop Jason Bartlett, then he headed to second base. Once his foot touched down on the bag for the force out, the Rays were headed to the World Series, led by American League Championship Series MVP Matt Garza. A raucous celebration on and off the field followed saw Rays principal owner Stuart Sternberg presented the William Harridge trophy for winning the American League pennant. Iwamura moved across the top of the Rays' dugout, slapping palms with fans, and most of the
SportsNew York Yankees 1 at Detroit Tigers 8 | F -- The Tigers got a 10-strikeout gem from Max Scherzer, two home runs from Jhonny Peralta and a homer apiece from Miguel Cabrera and Austin Jackson to cruise to an ALCS sweep of the Yankees and their second trip to the Fall Classic in seven seasons.
SportsColorado Rockies 4 at Atlanta Braves, 0 | F -- Ubaldo Jimenez brought his 96+ mph fastball all night long (three officially clocked at 100 mph), striking out seven Braves en route to the first no-hitter in the Rockies' 18-year history.
SportsCincinnati Reds 1 at Pittsburgh Pirates 0 | F -- Homer Bailey twirled the Reds' first no-hitter since Tom Browning's perfect game in 1988 and the 15th in club history, allowing just two base runners -- on a Scott Rolen error and a walk -- while striking out 10. Todd Frazier drove in the game's lone run with a first-inning sacrifice fly.
SportsMinnesota Twins 0 at Los Angeles Angels 9 | F -- Jered Weaver threw the ninth individual no-hitter (10th overall) in Angels history, allowing only two runners and striking out nine in the 121-pitch effort.
SportsBo Jackson hit 500 ft. home runs, ran over linebackers, and—for a small window—he was the best athlete we had ever seen. You Don’t Know Bo is a close look at the man and marketing campaign that shaped his legacy. Even without winning a Super Bowl or World Series, Bo redefined the role of the athlete in the pop cultural conversation. More than 20 years later, myths and legends still surround Bo Jackson, and his impossible feats still capture our collective imagination.
SportsOn October 17, 1989, at 5:04 p.m. PT, soon after Al Michaels and Tim McCarver started the ABC telecast for Game 3 of the World Series between the San Francisco Giants and the Oakland Athletics, the ground began to shake beneath Candlestick Park. Even before that moment, this had promised to be a memorable match-up: the first in 33 years between teams from the same metropolitan area, a battle featuring larger-than-life characters and equally colorful fan bases. But after the 6.9 Loma Prieta earthquake rolled through, bringing death and destruction, the Bay Area pulled together and baseball took a backseat. Through archival
SportsThe 1986 Mets may have been one of the greatest sports stories ever told, but the roots of their fairy tale lie in a very different time, the late 70s, when they epitomized the hopelessness of New York. Then as the city rose in the early 80s, so too did the team from Queens, thanks to the collection of characters who became the heart of an incredible roster of talent.
SportsFew teams in professional sports history elicit such a wide range of emotions as the Detroit Pistons of the late 1980s and early 1990s. For some, the team was heroic– made up of gritty, hard-nosed players who didn’t back down from anyone. And for others, it was exactly that trait – the willingness to do seemingly anything to win – that made them the “Bad Boys”, the team fans loved to hate. Sandwiched between the Lakers’ and Celtics’ dominance of the 1980s and the Bulls' run in the 1990s, the Pistons’ two titles in 1989 and ’90 are often viewed as a transitional period in NBA history, rather than a dy
SportsOn August 9, 1988, the NHL was forever changed with the single stroke of a pen. The Edmonton Oilers, fresh off their fourth Stanley Cup victory in five years, signed a deal and exported Wayne Gretzky, a Canadian national treasure and the greatest hockey player ever to play the game, to the Los Angeles Kings in a multi-player, multi-million dollar deal. As bewildered Oiler fans struggled to make sense of the unthinkable, fans in Los Angeles were rushing to purchase season tickets at a rate so fast it overwhelmed the Kings box office. Overnight, a franchise largely overlooked in its 21-year existence was suddenly playing to
