The most memorable moment in baseball history
 

There have been innumerable stories in the 150+ year history of professional baseball.

Some of them involve a stretch of time measured in years: Babe Ruth's career, the existence of the Negro Leagues; the Yankees' five straight championships. These are interesting and significant. They are not moments, though.

Other stories focus on a single season or portion thereof: Christy Mathewson's performance in the 1905 World Series; the dominance of the 1927 Yankees; the National League pennant race in 1908. These stories are wonderful; however, they're not about moments, either.

What I'm looking for are moments in time, a minute at most, that endure to this very day.

A few that come to my mind are:

Bobby Thomson's "shot heard 'round the world."
Jackie Robinson takes the field for the first time.
Babe Ruth's "called shot."
"Merkle's Boner."
"Kelly now catching."
Kirk Gibson's home run in Game 1 of the 1988 World Series.
Pete Rose collides with Ray Fosse.

There are many, many more.

What moments in baseball history stand out to you?

How about:

Willie Mays' 1954 World Series catch

Bill Mazeroski's 1960 World Series game 7 walk-off home run

Bill Wambsganns' 1920 World Series unassisted triple play

Babe Ruth's final appearance/speech in a Yankee's uniform in Yankee Stadium

Lou Gehrig's famous farewell speech proclaiming himself the luckiest man on the face of the Earth at Yankee Stadium

Hank Aaron's home run topping Ruth's all-time record

Rose's hit topping Ty Cobb's all-time hits records

Cal Ripken's starting the game topping Lou Gehrig's all time consecutive game record

The last at bat by Joe Dimaggio when the Indians stopped him at his 56 game hitting streak

The final pitch of Nolan Ryan's 7th no-hitter

Bill Buckner's 1986 WS error

The Steve Bartman incident in 2003

Roger Maris hitting the 61st home run during the 1961 season

Aaron Judge hitting his 62nd home run this past season

Mark McGwire hitting his 70th home run in 1998

Barry Bonds hitting his 71st and final 73rd home runs in 2001

The final out of the Boston Red Sox WS clinching game in 2004 breaking the "Curse of the Bambino"

The final out of the 1969 WS clinching game for the Miracle Mets.

The final pitch of the 1956 WS perfect game thrown by Don Larsen

Ichiro Suzuki's hit number 258 for the season in 2004, breaking George Sisler's previous all-time single season hit record of 257 set back in 1920

Carl Mays hitting Ray Chapman while at bat, which ended up killing him

The announcement of Ruth being sold to the Yankees

Raphael Palmeiro's now infamous testimony before Congress denying PED usage - and then also the later moment it was announced he tested positive for using PEDs

The announcement of Pete Rose's permanent ban from baseball due to gambling

Larry Doby's first time taking the field for an American League team the same year as Jackie Robinson's MLB playing debut

Eddie Gaedel's one and only plate appearance on 8/19/1951

George Brett's pine tar bat incident on 7/24/1983

The announcement of the Houston Astros confirmed cheating scandal

The announcement of the permanent ban to the infamous 1919 Black Sox players, including Joe Jackson

The start of the 7/24/1911 memorial game for Addie Joss at Cleveland's League Park, considered by many the de facto first ever MLB all-star game

The 8/4/1993 on-field fight between Nolan Ryan and Robin Ventura


There's a decent start....................................

The first few that come to mind are

Hank Aaron's record setting HR to top the Babe
Bill Buckner's error
The Steve Bartman incident
Willie Mays over the shoulder catch (and the ensuing throw was pretty good, too)

One moment that would make most fans' lists, including your's Eric, is the Babe Ruth called shot. I'd agree that it deserves to be listed, but it's interesting to realize that nobody could 100% definitively say Ruth "called the shot", and the only supposed video footage of the incident is extremely crude. I think it did happen, but it may have never occurred, yet most fans would list it as one of baseball's greatest moments.

Aaron, second place Mazeroski, third place Thomson.

Carlton Fisk's HR Game 6 1975 WS against the Reds.

Chapman beaning:

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...f6381913da.jpg

Two for me both include Nolan Ryan:

7-moments in time, one for each no hitter
The butt whipping that Robin Ventura (26 at the time) took from Nolan Ryan (46 at the time).

Instant classics, each and every one of them.

Brad Ausmus' 2005 NLDS game 4 homer to tie the game with 2 out in the ninth.

Honourable mention-- Rob Manfred's 2017 announcement that the Yankees were fined for inappropriate use of their dugout phone in one of their championship runs prior to 2010 as a result of the investigation of the Red Sox Apple Watch sign stealing allegations by New York.

Everyone will have their own "most memorable moment" and for me it was the first big moment in baseball that I remember: Fisk "willing" the ball fair in the 12th inning of an amazing World Series Game 6 between the Red Sox and Reds.

greatest
 

In no particular order...... Mays catch, Gibsons HR, Ripkens 360 handshakes around the stadium, Gehrigs speech, Ruths called shot ( even if it was a maybe) Jackies first MLB game, Larsens perfecto, Williams last at bat HR, Bobby Thompsons HR, maybe Maz HR also. If you dont count the roids, Big Macs last HR was up there too.

Mazeroski's Game 7 HR 1960 WS
Koufax pitching shutouts in Game 5 & 7 in 1965 WS
Kirk Gibson's HR in game 1 1988 WS
Fisk's HR in game 6 1975 WS
Kirby Puckett's HR in game 6 1991 WS
Don Larson's perfect game 1956 WS
Bill Buckner's error in game 6 1986 WS
Willie Mays catch in 1954 WS
Bobby Thompson's HR in 1951 playoff
Hank Aaron 715
Roger Maris 61

There are many but if I had to narrow down the one for me is

The error by Bill Buckner in the ‘86 World Series

This is the first one I thought of. A big reason is that visual. The TV guys who made the decision to keep the camera on Fisk, rather than just following the ball through the air, created a lasting moment in time. It was TV broadcasting genius.

Aaron broke the most sacred record in baseball, and it wasn't just a moment, it was the climax to a long drama that represented both the best and the worst of America. And the moment itself is visually stunning with the two young men in their enthusiasm running the bases with Hank, and then the mob scene at home plate. Thankfully, Vin Scully was there to memorialize it, one of the great calls of all time as well.

No mention yet of Alexander and Lazzeri?

Thomson's HR, especially in the context of the way the pennant race played out that summer, and Russ Hodges' radio call. would be in my top 3 easily.

The best parts of it are
(1) Alexander supposedly was hung over from celebrating his win the day before and the last thing he expected was to be called on out of the bullpen; and
(2) When Hornsby met him at the mound Alexander explained how he intended to pitch Lazzeri including the pitch two fastball inside, Hornsby protests but then realizes he's talking to a 350 game winner, shuts up, and goes back to second base.

Wasn't one of them slammed over the fence just foul?

On the second pitch, an inside fastball, just as Alexander had predicted to Hornsby, Lazzeri hit a long foul. Not sure if it cleared the fence but it may have. Then Alexander had him perfectly set up for his devastating curve on the next pitch.

It was genius with maybe a bit of luck mixed in as I recall. I remember my parents letting me stay up late to watch the end of that game, and it ended up solidifying my interest in baseball. It's too bad though, that when I finally had the chance to meet Fisk (when he was signing at an exhibitor booth at a convention I attended), he expressed doubt when I told him that that game had hooked me on baseball!

Maybe not as big overall, but two related ones.

The last game of the 78 season at Fenway, watching the scoreboard as Cleveland beat the Yankees and the cheers whenever more Cleveland runs were put up.

Which led to....

Bucky Effin Dent....

Yeah, I know they had lots of blown chances, leaving 9 on base usually isn't good. But a chipshot by a guy with 5 all year...ouch.

Buckner’s error for me but I am definitely biased.

I'm just going to mention moments in my lifetime and memory.

Cal Ripken Jr breaking Lou Gehrig's consecutive games streak and walking around Camden Yards.
Joe Carter GW HR.
1995 Ken Griffey Jr breaks his wrist
1995 Griffey Jr running 1st to home to score and defeat the Yankees.
1995 Braves winning WS after 6 years of futility.
McGwire hitting 62 HR and Sosa congratulating him at home plate.
1997 Florida Marlins winning WS on walk off game winning hit
1999 All Century Team announcements on-field during AS game
2001 Randy Johnson hits a bird
Derek Jeter's HRs to become Mr November
Luis Gonzalez hitting a dying quail over Jeter's head to win 2001 WS
Steve Bartman
Dusty Baker's son getting picked up by JT Snow while retrieving a bat in 2002
Boston winning the 2004 WS
2008 Josh Hamilton HR Derby
David Freese Game 6 HR in 2011
Felix Hernandez throws Seattle's first perfect game 2012
2013 Game 3 game ending obstruction call at 3rd base
2017 Jose Fernandez death

Piniella should get equal credit for that horror show with his brilliant fake out of Burleson in the ninth.

This is the one that came to mind immediately for me.

I disagree on Buckner. It's only in hindsight that it became so momentous. If the Red Sox had won game 7. and they had a 3-0 lead, it would have been a footnote.

I couldn’t disagree with this more having watched it as a young Mets fan but to each his own.

No question it was an epic game and comeback, or from the opposite side an epic blown win. But it didn't end anything, the way Mazeroski and Thomson did. I wasn't even thinking about it watching game 7 and I suspect not a lot of other people were either.

Strange there's no love for Disco demolition or ten cent beer night.
Very memorable, if not the most pleasant memories.

I may be a bit odd in enjoying promotions gone awry.

While I was bit too young to appreciate the momentous nature of the moment, Aaron breaking Ruth's HR record seems to me to have been easily the most significant baseball moment in the last 50-75 years. Front page next morning on every single newspaper in the country. Not true of most of the things identified above.

As a Met fan, I unfortunately have to agree with Peter. Had Mets not won the series Buckner's error would be in the same historical dustbin as Endy Chavez's catch in 2006 NLCS Game 7. A great moment but not historically significant at all.

How many moments have a whole social context layered onto their baseball significance? Not many. Remember, this was an America only 6 years removed from the King assassination and the summer of 1968 riots, and this was a Black man in the deep South breaking the most sacred record of all. Listening to the Vin Scully call should be mandatory.

Right. At the time, I was like oh shit, I hope Hurst has his good stuff tomorrow.

Don't see Johnny Vander Meer's final 3 outs of his second of 2 consecutive (back to back) no-hitters, on the first-ever night game at Ebbets Field. My attention span and eyesight aren't what they once were, so maybe someone already mentioned this. Incidentally, I have Red Barber's re-creation of the radio call. I also have a re-creation of the 1926 World Series game 7 (complete game), when Alex came in and struck out Lazzeri.

Bob, you are always just scratching the surface in your posts. You shouldn't be so selective.

Well, at least no one can accuse me of not trying to be thorough and complete. World might be a much better place if more people were like that, don't you think? :)

Nearing the end of Nolan Ryan's 7th No-Hitter, regular TV programming took a back seat as the game was instantly live televised over the major TV networks.

I am probably missing some similar sports events, but I just can't recall this ever happening in my coherent life ever before.

That's easy:

April 15, 1947 - Jackie Robinson's debut.


IMO, nothing else is close.


.

Aaron 715 is such a fitting bookend to that.

Fisk's home run off the foul pole was my first thought as well.

Martinez' home run off Canseco's melon was my second thought.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PVGWWjD8mI8


It wasn't really, but I never get tired of seeing it. :p

Brought to you by the great baseball promoter/owner Bill Veeck, the last owner to purchase a baseball franchise without an independent fortune, owned at different times the Indians, Browns, and White Sox. As owner of the Indians he signed Larry Doby in 1947 beginning integration in the American League and winning a World Series the following year.

Most Memorable
 

1 in my lifetime... Kirby Puckett hitting the homer to send the Twins to Game 7 in the 1991 World Series. I was 15 years old, living in St. Paul, and a baseball maniac at the time. When Kirby hit that homer was probably the single moment of purest joy in my entire childhood. "And we'll see ya'... tomorrow night!"

1 from before my lifetime... I have always loved the story of Grover Cleveland Alexander coming out of the bullpen with a hangover, as told by Ken Burns, in Game 7 of the '26 Series to strike out Lazzeri with the bases loaded. I picture him moving like Clint Eastwood in A Fistful of Dollars.

I would love to hear that.

Here you go, sir!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aAZeNlTNhHg

Here is where I bought my copy of the 1926 World Series game 7 radio broadcast re-creation. I then just ripped the 2 CD-ROMs off to my hard drive. The whole game is individual innings.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/142799931967

I know this is not a game moment, but I would have to say Lou Gehrig's farewell speech. What a brave man.