Great moments in Sports

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Like many of you I’ve been glued to the television watching the Olympic Games in Beijing.  It’s really been pretty thrilling and last week as Jason Lesak touched the wall to give the USA the gold and keep the dreams of Micheal Phelps (and those of a nation) alive  I jumped from the couch and cheered.   It was without a doubt one the great moments in sports in my lifetime.  That got me thinking about about the other top sports moments of the last 30 odd years.  Here’s a few I came up with. Feel free to chime in with your favorite sports moments.

Oct 15th 1988: Dave Stewart and the mighty Oakland A’s were heavily favored to win the World Series over the Los Angles Dodgers.   But things went  off script starting in game one of the series. The A’s had 4-3 lead going into the ninth on the stength of a Jose Canseco grand slam.  The A’s brought in fearsome closer Dennis Eckersley to close it out for the A’s After retirng the first two batters he faced, Eckersly issued a walk to pinch hitter Mike Davis. 

  Up to the plate hobled Kirk Gibson to pinch hit for dogers relief pitcher Alejandro Pena. Gibson was the bright spot on an Dodgers squad that boasted not a single regualr or back up who hit 300 or drove in more than 90 runs. Gibson’s 25 homers that season led the team, but was only seventh in the leauge.  Added to that was the fact that both of Gibson’s leg’s were injured, he suffered bad knees and bruised hamstring.  It appeared he could barely walk let alone hit.

  After Mike Davis stole second, Gibson fouled off the best Eckersly had to offer before depositing a back door slider into the bleachers to win the game.  It was a Roy Hobbs like moment.  And it galvinized the Dodgers to win the series in five games.  The A’s never recovered from the shock of that single moment.

  Although I’m not a fan of either team it is perhaps the most eduring sporting moment of my childhood, and cemented in me a love for the game of baseball. Even today when I see Gibson’s shot replayed it gives me chills.

 January 22 1989:  Super Bowl XXIII San Fransico 49ers verses the Cincinati Bangals.  Down 16-13 with 3:10 left on the clock Joe Montanta found his team backed up deep in thier own territory. Starting with the ball on the eight yard line, Montana leads his team on a march toward victory that would forever after be known simply as “The Drive.”  Capped by a touchdown pass to John Taylor with 34 seconds left on the clock, it was one of the most thrilling finishes to a Super Bowl ever.

   For me of course this represents one fo the great sports moments of my youth.  The first sports moment that had my adrenilne pumpling and convicned that all hope was lost.  It was watching “Joe Cool” on his improbable run that taught me it’s truly not over until it’s  over.

July 23 1996: 4′9″ 88 lbs and solid gold!  Kerri Strug vaulted her team to Olympic Gold and herself hinto the ethos of sports moments.  Having injured her ankle on her first vault, she sprinted and made a near perfect landing to give the USA women Gymnastics team thier first ream Gold.  Her golden vault was the eduring image of the Atanta Games and one of the most heroic performances ever.

   Like the Gibson moment this one gives me chills whenever i see it replayed.  The 96 games were really the first time I got into the Olympics and I’ve been a fan ever since due in no small part to Keri Strug.

October 19th 2004: Two words: Bloody Sock!   Not to be outdone by Gibson and Strug  Curt Shilling of the Boston Red Sox turned in perhpas the most gritty and couragous perfromences ever. During game six of the ALCS and facing elimination, Schilling  pitched with a torn tendonin in his ankle.  Blood could be seen in his sock as he guttted out a stellar pitching performance defeating the yankess 4-2.    This victory was part of the most amazing comback in sports history as the sox were down 3-0 but came back to win the series. They went on to win Boston’s first World Series title in 86 years with a four game sweep of St Louis.

What can I say it’s the stuff of Legend!

What about the rest of you? Comment and tell me your favorite sports moments of the last 30 years.

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