Kirk Gibson's Game-Winning Home Run in 1988 World Series

I offer this story of courage, overcoming injury, gamesmanship and brilliant coaching for young players who might not have ever heard or seen highlights of Game 1 of the 1988 World Series. In the 1988 World Series, which pitted the "underdog" Los Angeles Dodgers against the impressive Oakland Athletics, Kirk Gibson, a veteran acquired in the off season from Detroit Tigers, was not expected to play due to injuries to both his legs. How he became a hero of an entire World Series, while only batting one time, adds to the improbability of this story, and the drama that unfolded.


The Back Story (Read this before watching the video). My comments in green

This should motivate you when you have that nagging blister or sore shoulder. Also, I hope you understand from this back story and video how important it is to play and coach this game, intelligently.

Gibson injured both legs during the NLCS and was ill with a stomach virus, and therefore did not start Game 1. Los Angeles took an early lead on a two-run home run by Mickey Hatcher in the first inning. The next inning, however, Canseco hit a grand slam to give Oakland a two-run lead. Oakland's lead was cut to one run when Mike Scioscia hit an RBI single in the sixth inning that scored Mike Marshall.

Unknown to the fans and the media at the time, Gibson was watching the game on television while undergoing physical therapy in the Dodgers' clubhouse.^[3] At some point during the game, television cameras scanned the Dodgers dugout and commentator Vin Scully, working for NBC for the 1988 postseason, observed that Gibson was nowhere to be found.^[3] This spurred Gibson to tell Dodgers manager Tommy Lasorda that he was available to pinch hit.^[3] Gibson immediately returned to the batting cage in the clubhouse to take practice swings.^[3]

With a one-run lead, Oakland closer Dennis Eckersley, who led the AL with 45 saves during the regular season, was brought in to close out the game and seal the win for starter Dave Stewart. Eckersley quickly got Scioscia to pop out to shortstop and struck out Jeff Hamilton. Left-handed Pinch hitter Mike Davis followed; if he got on base the next batter due was the pitcher's spot, which would certainly be filled with a pinch hitter. Not wanting the A's to realize that Gibson was available, Lasorda sent Dave Anderson to the on-deck circle during Davis' plate appearance.^[3] (The Dodger's Coach, Lasorda's decision shows you how baseball can be a thinking man's sport. His gamesmanship here is brilliant. By misleading the pitcher about who was really going to pinch-hit for the pitcher, Lasorda maximized Davis's ability to get on base with the game-tying run) A's catcher Ron Hassey got Eckersley's attention and pointed at Anderson on-deck.^[4] Eckersley, who had seen Davis hit for power in the American League, decided he would rather pitch around Davis, assuming perhaps that the right-handed hitting Anderson would prove to be the easier out. Instead of risking making a mistake that Davis could hit for a game-tying home run, Eckersley pitched carefully and did in fact walk him.

The play

Watch Gibson hobble in pain when he swings - he is truly battling the pain. Instead of sending Anderson to the plate, Lasorda inserted Gibson as his pinch hitter. Gibson hobbled up to the plate with Scully commenting, "Look who's coming up!" Gibson quickly got behind in the count, 0–2, but received two outside pitches from Eckersley and fouled off a pitch to work to a 2–2 count. On the sixth pitch of the at bat – a ball – Davis stole second. Dodger manager Tommy Lasorda later recounted it was pre-planned that if the count got to two strikes on Gibson, they would have Davis steal second, figuring that A's manager Tony La Russa wouldn't elect to intentionally walk Gibson if there were already two strikes against him. Once Davis was at second, Lasorda was just hoping Gibson could muscle a pitch to the outfield for a game-tying single.^[4]

 

Gibson would later recount that prior to the Series, Dodger scout Mel Didier had provided a report on Eckersley which claimed that with a 3–2 count against a left-handed hitter, one could be absolutely certain that Eckersley would throw a backdoor slider.^[3] Gibson said that when the count reached 3–2, he stepped out of the batter's box and, in his mind, could hear Didier's voice, with its distinctive Southern drawl, reiterating that same piece of advice.^[3] With that thought in mind, Gibson stepped back into the batter's box; and thus when Eckersley did in fact throw a backdoor slider, it was exactly the pitch Gibson was expecting. Gibson was at a physical disadvantage, and used his brain to be the game and Series hero.

With an awkward, almost casual swing, Gibson used pure upper-body strength to hit the pitch over the right-field fence. He hobbled around the bases and pumped his fist as his jubilant teammates stormed the field. The Dodgers won the game, 5–4.

Gibson would not have another plate appearance in the World Series. The Dodgers went on to defeat the A's in the World Series, 4–1.