TODAY IN BASEBALL HISTORY

The World Series kicks off tonight, so I thought I'd share my top 10 games…

Ten. October 24, 2025 Toronto Blue Jays vs Los Angeles Dodgers - Addison Barger’s pinch-hit grand slam (2025). This was the first pinch-hit grand slam in World Series history. It powered Toronto past the Dodgers 11-4.

Nine. October 23, 2004. St Louis Cardinals vs Boston Red Sox. Mark Bellhorn off Pesky’s Pole (2004). In an 11-9 slugfest, his two-run homer in the 8th clanged off the right-field foul pole at Fenway. It was the start of the sweep that ended the 86-year drought. PS - I was at this game and I was probably 30 feet away from the pole when it hit.

Eight. October 27, 2003. Texas Rangers vs Arizona Diamondbacks Adolis García’s walk-off (2023). Corey Seager tied the game with a two-run homer in the 9th, and García ended it with a homer in the 11th to beat Arizona.

Seven, October 8, 1929 Philadelphia Athletics vs Chicago Cubs. Howard Ehmke’s surprise start (1929). Connie Mack held back his aces and started the little-used 35-year-old. Ehmke struck out 13 Cubs, a Series record at the time.

Six. October 27, 2015 Kansas City Royals vs New York Mets 14-inning marathon (2015). Alcides Escobar hit an inside-the-park homer on the first pitch of the game, Alex Gordon tied it with a homer off Jeurys Familia in the 9th, and Eric Hosmer’s sacrifice fly won it in the 14th.

Five. October 2, 1963 Los Angeles Dodgers vs New York Yankees - Sandy Koufax fans 15 Yankees. He struck out the first five batters and set what was then the Series record. That set the tone for the Dodgers’ sweep.

Four. October 2, 1968 Detroit Tigers vs St Louis Cardinals. Bob Gibson strikes out 17 (1968). Gibson shut out the Tigers 4-0, beat 31-game winner Denny McLain, and set a World Series strikeout record that still stands.

Three October 25, 2024 Los Angeles dodgers vs New York Yankees. Freddie Freeman’s walk-off grand slam (2024). Down 3-2 in the 10th against the Yankees, Freeman hit the first walk-off grand slam in World Series history, off Nestor Cortes.

Two, September 22, 1954 New York Giants vs Cleveland Indians. Willie Mays’ “The Catch” (1954). With two on in the 8th of a tie game at the Polo Grounds, Mays ran down Vic Wertz’s 460-foot drive over his shoulder. Dusty Rhodes then won it with a pinch-hit three-run homer in the 10th.

One. October 15, 1988 Kirk Gibson’s walk-off homer (1988). A hobbled Gibson pinch-hit with two outs in the 9th and a man on, then took Dennis Eckersley deep to beat Oakland 5-4. Vin Scully on TV: “In a year that has been so improbable, the impossible has happened.”

Game 1 Tampa and Milwuakee History:

Click to listen!

Todays Podcast

Brought to you by: This Day In Baseball

This day in baseball has a deeper dive into every event from October 23

October 23, 1935 – Gabby Hartnett is selected by the Baseball Writers Association of America as the National League MVP, with Dizzy Dean the runner-up.

October 23, 1945, Brooklyn Dodgers president Branch Rickey announces the signing of Jackie Robinson to a minor league contract. Robinson, who will debut for the Montreal Royals the following season. The 26-year old Negro League star will be the first black player to play in Organized Baseball since 1899 and the first in the majors since 1884, paving the way for integration. Robinson was not alone as the Dodgers also signed black pitcher Johnny Wright to a contract.

October 23, 1974, the Chicago Cubs a fixture at Wrigley Field for 16 years Billy Williams to the Oakland A’s for infielder Manny Trillo and pitchers Bob Locker and Darold Knowles. Williams will finish his career as a designated hitter in Oakland before retiring after the 1976 season

October 23, 1979 — Billy Martin is involved in a barroom altercation with Joseph Cooper, a Minnesota marshmallow salesman. Cooper requires 15 stitches to close a gash in his lip. The fight will result in Martin being fired as Yankees manager for the second time.

October 23, 1986 – At Fenway Park, Bruce Hurst’s complete-game victory gives the Boston Red Sox a 4 – 2 win and 3-2 lead in the World Series against the New York Mets. Hurst scatters 10 hits with one walk and six strikeouts.

October 23, 1993 The sixth game in the Toronto Blue Jays — Philadelphia Phillies World Series was a rematch between Game 2 starters Terry Mulholland and Dave Stewart. Toronto scored in the bottom of the first on a Paul Molitor triple, Joe Carter sacrifice fly, and Roberto Alomar RBI single. Molitor added a solo home run in the fifth inning while the Toronto fans were chanting “MVP” for Paul, bringing the score to 5–1 for Toronto. Ultimately, Molitor became the first player in World Series history to have at least two home runs, two doubles, and two triples.

In the seventh inning, Philadelphia fought back with five runs to take a 6–5 lead. The big hit of the inning was a Lenny Dykstra three-run homer. The inning brought an end to Stewart’s night, leaving the game with six innings pitched and four runs given up. Philadelphia closer, Mitch “Wild Thing” Williams came on to pitch the bottom of the ninth with his team clinging to a 6–5 lead. After beginning the inning by walking Rickey Henderson, Williams tried to counter Henderson’s speed by using a slide-step pitching delivery. This was the first time in his career he used the slide step and his pitch speed may have been decreased as a result. The walk to Henderson was followed by a Devon White fly out and Paul Molitor would single, moving Henderson to second. Carter came up next and with the count 2–2, he hit a three-run home run to win the game and the World Series crown. That pitch allowed Blue Jays radio announcer Tom Cheek the opportunity to utter his famous quote “”Touch ’em all Joe, you’ll never hit a bigger home run in your life”. Carter joined Bill Mazeroski as one of the only two players to win a World Series with a home run in the bottom of the ninth inning of the deciding game.

This was Toronto’s second straight World Championship. Molitor, who hits .500 (12 for 24), is named Series MVP while Dykstra of the Phillies, who hit .348 with four home runs, did everything except pitch. Following the 2010 season, a panel of experts at the MLB Network will vote this game the 14th greatest of the past fifty years.

October 23, 2002 — In Game 4 of the World Series, Barry Bonds is walked intentionally three times, setting a new record for a Fall Classic game. Angels starting pitcher John Lackey, who issues all the free passes to the Giants left fielder, does not factor in the decision in San Francisco’s 4-3 victory at Pac Bell, which deadlocks the series at two.

October 23, 2010 — The Giants capture their twenty-first National League flag when they defeat the Phillies, 3-2, in Game 6 of NLCS at Citizens Bank Park. The decisive blow is Juan Uribe’s two-out tie-breaking home run off Ryan Madson in the eighth inning.

 ANSWER TO TODAY’S TRIVIA

TRIVIA ANSWER: CARL ERSKINE

Thank you Horsehide Trivia

JOIN CLASSIC BASEBALL BROADCASTS TODAY