World Series Game 6: Will the Giants-Royals Add Another Memorable Moment to the List?

Although the folks in New York, Boston and other Eastern metropolises haven’t exactly been glued to their television screens, it’s still been a thoroughly enjoyable World Series this October. Best of all, Madison Bumgarner’s shutout Sunday night took a scant 3:09 to complete.

In turn, the Giants 5-0 win Sunday night sends the Series back to Kauffman Stadium with San Francisco ahead 3-2. Ever the optimist, our resident historian/Royals fan Jason Lisk likes Kansas City’s chances:

Should the Royals come back and win the next two games, perhaps Lisk will send a Christmas card to Twins closer Glen Perkins for saving the All Star Game this summer. Better yet, maybe he’ll mail a box of chocolates to Adam Wainwright for serving up a first-inning cookie to departing legend Derek Jeter in the game, which stupidly decided homefield advantage for the Fall Classic.

Regardless, we’ve still got ourselves a Game 6 Tuesday night in Kansas City and if the last 40 years of baseball history count for anything, we are due for a memorable moment that will work its way into permanent rotation in the October highlight reels. Let’s take a quick look back through the sands of the baseball hour glass at some of these Game 6 moments …

1975: “If it stays fair …”

MLB’s official rule book includes a section that mandates Carlton Fisk’s 12th-inning, walk-off home run for the Red Sox vs. the Reds must be shown 42,108 times each baseball season under penalty of law.

1977: Mr. October

You’d probably never know Reginald Martinez Jackson smacked three home runs vs. the Dodgers in Game 6 of the 1977 Series. He never talks about it. The YES Network never mentions it. Who knew? It’d probably be fun to go back in time to watch a game at Yankee Stadium in the late 70s. (Reggie also hit two home runs in Game 6 of the 1978 clincher against the Dodgers in Los Angeles, hence his nickname.)

1980: Tug McGraw’s fist twirl

Tug McGraw’s pose after striking out Willie Wilson to end the 1980 World Series is an iconic moment in Philly sports history. It also clinched the Phillies’ first World Series since the franchise began back in 1883. (Miss you, Veterans Stadium.)

1985: Don F’n Denkinger

All that matters, 29 years later, is that Jorge Orta will forever be safe and that the Royals would beat the Cardinals in Game 7 the next day.

1986: “It gets through Buckner …”

Perhaps the Game 6, at least for Mets fans. Decidedly less so for anyone from Boston. All these years later, Bill Buckner still shoulders the bulk of the blame for this for letting Mookie Wilson’s slow roller get through his legs in the bottom of the 10th, but in reality it was a total team meltdown by the Red Sox — or a tremendous comeback by the Mets, if you prefer that sunnier perspective.

1991: “And we’ll see you tomorrow night.”

Both Kirby Puckett and Jack Buck delivered with a Game 6 walk-off homer, as the Twins went on to beat the Braves in seven in the worst-to-first Series .

1993: “Touch ’em all Joe!”

Looking back, how many consecutive tweets using some variant “WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” would Joe Carter’s World Series-winning walk-off off Mitch Williams prompt in the social media age?

1995: Dave Justice Solo Shot

The first World Series after the 1995 strike was decided via David Justice’s solo shot off Jim Poole in the sixth. Perhaps it’s not as historically memorable as some of the other moments, but it happened in a Game 6 and gave the Braves at least one World Series crown during the 90s. (The ’95 Indians went 100-44 in the regular season (!!!), which makes that Cleveland squad one of the best to never win a World Series.)

2001: Big Game, Big Unit

Not exactly a specific moment per se, but Randy Johnson pitched seven strong innings in Game 6 to extend the Diamondbacks’ series with the Yankees back in November, 2001. Johnson returned to pitch the next night and picked up the win following Luis Gonzalez’s walk-off hit against Mariano Rivera — the tall lefty’s third ‘W’ of the Series. All told Johnson threw 17+ innings in the Series, allowing two earned runs and 11 baserunners. When you’re that good you can get away with sporting a mullet for the majority of your career.

2002: Spiezio denies Bonds

Barry Bonds still owns some Major League Baseball records. Yes, it’s true. Play the selective memory game if you want, but Bonds still hit a record 762 home runs even it that fact is mostly forgotten inside the walls of Cooperstown. Scott Spiezio hit 119 career home runs, but unlike Bonds won a World Series, two in fact. The Giants had one hand on the 2002 World Series trophy up 4-0 on the Angels in Game 6 before Spiezio’s home run in the seventh changed all that, helping the Angels win their only title in franchise history.

2003: Big Game Beckett

If, for some reason, you have three hours to kill you could watch the entire Marlins clincher in Game 6 over the Yankees on YouTube. Here’s the link. On short rest, the then 23-year-old Beckett shutout the Yankees at The Stadium, which is fairly incredible in retrospect. Should Jack McKeon catch flak for throwing Beckett on short rest? Did it contribute to him retiring at age 34? Those 107 pitches on Oct. 25, 2003 certainly contributed something to his decline, right? Guess it doesn’t matter. The Marlins won. Beckett won a ring and another one with the Red Sox in 2007 and finished his career with earnings over $115 million. You go for the jugular when you can, the future and pitch counts be damned, right?

2011: Best World Series Game Ever?

Facing elimination, the Cardinals scored runs in the eighth, ninth, 10th and 11th to stun the Rangers, who were one strike away from winning until Freese’s two-run double over the glove of Nelson Cruz in right. Freese played here again, with a home run in the 11th which won Game 6 and St. Louis took the Series the next day. I remember watching this game at a bar and nobody paid much attention at the start, but became progressively more-and-more locked in on the TVs as it continued, many with the “holy shit is this actually happening” face for the final three innings. For drama this one is tough to top.

Your move, Royals and Giants.

[Photos via Getty]