The phrase Game 7 of the World Series evokes special memories for baseball fans. The finality of the season is distilled down to one game with two fan bases hanging on every pitch. There have been 109 World Series played (36 Game 7’s) but only six have ended with a walk-off winner.
6. (1912) New York Giants vs. Boston Red Sox (***Game 2 tied/actually Game 8)
New York Giants infielder Fred Merkle singled home the go-ahead run in the 10th inning. However, the Boston Red Sox rallied for two runs off Christy Mathewson to win the title. This game is ranked sixth because it was actually the 8th game of the series thanks to a Game 2 tie on account of darkness.
5. (1924) New York Giants vs. Washington Senators
Walter Johnson pitched four scoreless innings of relief before Ed McNeely doubled home the winning run in the bottom of the 12th inning. Two costly errors opened the door for the last championship in the nation’s capitol.
4. (1997) Cleveland Indians vs. Florida Marlins
The Cleveland Indians were three-outs away from capturing their first championship since 1948. Florida rallied to tie the game before Edgar Renteria singled home the winning run in the 11th inning. I always felt Charles Nagy should have caught this ball. Jump. It’s Game 7!
3. (1991) Atlanta Braves vs. Minnesota Twins
Jack Morris pitched one of the greatest games in history with a dominant 10-inning shutout. Scoreless through nine innings, Gene Larkin’s game winning hit secured the title for Minnesota. Honestly, the game was phenomenal but the final play was a glorified sacrifice fly over the drawn in outfield.
2. (2001) New York Yankees vs. Arizona Diamondbacks
The New York Yankees were three outs away from their fourth consecutive World Series title. However, the Arizona Diamondbacks rallied for two-runs in the bottom of the ninth, capped off by a Luis Gonzalez single off Mariano Rivera. Dynasty over. Tim McCarver actually sounds like a genius with his analysis.
1. (1960) New York Yankees vs. Pittsburgh Pirates
The only World Series Game 7 to end on a home run was delivered by the Pittsburgh Pirates’ Bill Mazeroski. It was an epic game with multiple lead changes in the 8th and 9th innings. It’s hard to argue with this performance as the greatest ever.
The Kansas City Royals can erase twenty-nine years of futility tonight with a dramatic close to the 2014 season and there’s a chance someone will become an instant legend by providing a game-ending hit.
