August 10th, 2010 by admin

I was a Dodger fan from the early 1970′s when the Los Angeles Dodgers were managed by the one and only Tom Lasorda. I can remember the infield of Davey Lopes, Ron Cey, Bill Russell and Steve Garvey. I remember the sun glimmering off the roof in the outfield and the smell of the fresh cut grass.

I was on assignment back in 1988, far away from Los Angeles, when the Los Angeles Dodgers were playing in game one of the World Series. Up against it and trailing, an hobbled Kirk Gibson strolled to the plate with two outs and a man one first.

Gibson barely able to walk to the plate in pain, grimacing with every pitch. Vin Scully making the call with Joe Garagiola. The at bat took forever I remember, nearly ten minutes against premier reliever, Dennis Eckersly. As I watched on a 13 inch black and white TV, Gibson throws his bat at a low outside pitch pulls into left the field bleachers as his teammates rush the field. I remember Scully’s simple call, ‘High fly ball into right field! She is gone!’

As I watch Dodgers games on my direct tv hd in Ohiosatellite TV every night now from my home in Cleveland, I think back to that night. As I watch now I can still see the fresh cut grass so green I can almost smell it.