Top 10 Most Unbelievable Moments in Baseball
#10: The Long Drought Finally Ends
Top 10 Greatest Moments of Respect in Baseball
2016 In the eyes of many Chicago Cubs fans, the greatest game ever played was on a Wednesday in Cleveland. They may have a case, as few can deny how high the stakes were for the 2016 World Series. And we have to give both teams credit. The then-Cleveland Indians proved to be worthy opponents, taking a 3-1 series lead and even sending Game 7 to extra innings with a do-or-die home run. But as they had all season, the Cubs pulled themselves together, regaining the lead in the 10th inning and tasting gold for the first time in 108 years. It was a victory some had waited their whole lives to see, and we’d be surprised if anyone in the Windy City slept that night.
#9: Willie Mays Makes “The Catch”
1954 A flyout is one of the most routine plays in baseball, right? Well, Giants icon Willie Mays would beg to differ. Heading into the 1954 World Series, the Cleveland Indians were the heavy favorites to win it all. But their momentum came to a screeching halt in the eighth inning of Game 1. Tied at two with men on base, Vic Wertz’s deep fly ball to center field would have given his team the lead had Mays not made an improbable over-the-shoulder catch. Even today, it’s hard to believe that Mays made this play with his back turned. But his unrivaled athleticism undoubtedly saved the day, as the Giants would win the game in extra innings and eventually claim the title.
#8: Bill Mazeroski Walks Off Game 7
Top 10 Funniest Bill Burr Moments
1960 Pittsburgh Pirates fans may call him “The Glove,” but one swing of the bat was all it took to etch Bill Mazeroski’s name into the annals of baseball lore. Deadlocked with the fabled New York Yankees in the bottom of the ninth, any chance the Buccos had of taking Game 7 of the 1960 World Series rested firmly on Mazeroski’s shoulders. And just when the Forbes Field faithful thought all hope was lost, the All-Star second baseman delivered like never before. Mazeroski’s towering drive over the left field wall not only won the Pirates the game, but it also marked the first time a World Series had been won by a home run, a feat that would not be repeated for 33 years.
#7: Cal Ripken, Jr. Becomes the Iron Man
Top 10 Unsportsmanlike Moments in Baseball
1995 One of the greatest shortstops in MLB history, Cal Ripken, Jr.’s storied career is littered with numerous accomplishments. But breaking a record held by the great Lou Gehrig? Now, you’re just showing off! Gehrig’s 56-year-old record of consecutive games played was long thought to be unreachable, but September 6, 1995 saw a changing of the guard that captured the attention of the entire world. Playing his 2,131st consecutive game in front of a crowd that included President Bill Clinton, the Baltimore Oriole was met with a standing ovation that lasted over 20 minutes. The subsequent commemoration for both Ripken and Gehrig became one of ESPN’s most viewed broadcasts ever. Some records are broken through skill, but this one was broken through sheer determination.
#6: Don Larsen’s Perfect Game 5
Top 10 Defining Pop Culture Moments of 2017
1956 For any pitcher, nothing seems quite as impossible as throwing a perfect game. A handful of legendary starters have accomplished this feat, but only one can say they did so during the postseason. On October 8, 1956, Yankees right-hander Don Larsen took the mound for Game 5 of the World Series. Even the team’s most ardent haters have to be impressed by what he did next. With the pressure and intensity of the moment weighing on him, Larsen proceeded to set down all 27 batters he faced. His heroics made for arguably the finest pitched game in baseball history, and the celebratory image of Larsen leaping into catcher Yogi Berra’s arms remains one of the sport’s most indelible.
#5: Hank Aaron Hits No. 715
1974 Major League Baseball’s home run record is one of the sport’s most sacred, especially once it was obtained by the immortal Babe Ruth. This is what made Hank Aaron’s eventual surpassing of Ruth in 1974 such an incredible achievement. Prior to the season, Aaron received death threats from those who would’ve preferred to see the record remain in Ruth’s hands, but Hammerin’ Hank’s quiet work ethic ultimately won the day. On April 8 that year, a crowd of almost 54,000 Atlanta Braves fans watched with bated breath as Aaron hit his record-breaking 715th home run in the 4th inning, cementing his permanent place in baseball history. It was a triumphant moment made all the more sweeter when his mother greeted him at the plate.
#4: The Curse is Broken
Top 10 Craziest Fine 'I’ll Do It Myself' Moments In Sports
2004 Perhaps the most infamous sports superstition ever, the Curse of the Bambino threatened to plague the Boston Red Sox for the remainder of their existence. After trading Babe Ruth to the Yankees in 1918, the team experienced an unprecedented championship drought that lasted more than 80 years. The 2004 American League Championship Series seemed like another inevitable heartbreak for the Sox, as they fell behind 3-0 in the series to their bitter rivals from the Bronx. But with everything to lose, Boston pulled off the unthinkable, winning the next four games to win the pennant. They remain the only team to erase a three-game deficit to win a best-of-seven series, and they rode that incredible high to a World Series win.
#3: “The Shot Heard ‘Round the World”
Top 30 Moments That Made The World STAND STILL
1951 When people say, “It’s hard not to be romantic about baseball,” this moment underscores why. The 1951 pennant race between the New York Giants and the Brooklyn Dodgers is arguably one of the most intense the sport has ever seen. The underdog Giants rallied late in the season to force their cross-town rivals into a playoff series, and it all came down to one fateful at-bat by Bobby Thomson. Down by two in the bottom of the ninth, Thomson laced a three-run jack straight to the left-field stands, punching his team’s ticket to the World Series. Walk-off homers are a dime a dozen, but it was the particular circumstances, and the legendary call from broadcaster Russ Hodges, that truly made this one for the ages.
#2: Jackie Robinson’s Debut
1947 Few moments in sports history have had a ripple effect like this one. As the MLB’s first African American player, Jackie Robinson changed not just the sport as we know it, but became a pivotal figure in American history, as well. Joining the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947, Robinson’s breaking of baseball’s color barrier effectively legitimized the incoming Civil Rights movement. In addition to his headstrong character and defiant use of nonviolence, his spectacular athleticism helped propel the Dodgers to six World Series appearances and a long overdue championship in 1955. For his efforts, Robinson became the first player to have his jersey number retired across the entire league. To this day, all players wear the number 42 on April 15 to honor his game-changing legacy. Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions. Reggie Jackson Becomes “Mr. October,” 1977 Three Consecutive Home Runs on the First Pitch? Can’t Argue With That! Pete Rose Sets the All-Time Hit Record, 1985 This Record May Never Be Broken Again Nolan Ryan’s 7th No-Hitter, 1991 How He Never Won a Cy Young Award is Beyond Us Cleveland Completes a 12-Run Miracle, 2001 Still the Biggest Comeback in MLB History MadBum Saves Game 7, 2014 The Giants’ Third World Series in Five Years is All Thanks to this Guy
#1: Babe Ruth Calls His Shot
What If The Boston Red Sox Never Sold Babe Ruth To The New York Yankees? - Future Considerations
1932 No list of legendary baseball moments would be complete without one of the biggest legends of all. And we mean that literally. Skeptics in the baseball community don’t believe this actually happened. But when it comes to a career as iconic as Babe Ruth’s, we’re inclined to believe in the impossible. In Game 3 of the 1932 World Series, Ruth stepped up to bat and pointed his finger to the center field bleachers. As fate would have it, the very next pitch was a towering drive that landed exactly where he had pointed. Call it luck, call it divine intervention. Heck, call it baloney. All we know is that the Babe’s clairvoyance that day made for one of the most fabled moments in sports history. What baseball moment made you wanna jump out of your seat? Let us know in the comments!
