Mirale in the making
One of the lasting images from Game 4 of the 1969 World Series is right fielder Ron Swoboda's diving catch of Brooks Robinson's sinking line-drive sacrifice fly in the top of the ninth inning of what then becomes a 1-1 tie between the Mets and Orioles 54 years ago today.
The game, in front of a Wednesday afternoon crowd of 57,367 at Shea Stadium, is decided in the bottom of the 10th, starting after Baltimore reliever Dick Hall gives up a leadoff double to Jerry Grote and follows with an intentional walk to Al Weis.
Pinch-runner Rod Gaspar replaces Grote at second before the intentional walk to Weis, left-hander Pete Richert replaces Hall after the intentional walk, pinch-hitter J.C. Martin replaces Tom Seaver at the plate and then all hell breaks loose when Martin drops a sacrifice bunt in front of the plate.
Instead of letting catcher Elrod Hendricks make the easier throw to first base to retire Martin, Reichert grabs the ball, spins around and makes a throw that ricochets off Martin's left wrist, allowing Gaspar to score the winning run to give the Mets a 3-1 lead in the Series.
Never mind that Martin is running inside the baseline when he is hit with the ball (circled in the photo below) and should be called out by plate umpire Shag Crawford for interference.
“You try to do everything you possibly can,” Martin later tells writer Stanley Cohen.
“You know from experience that if run close to the first-base line, the throwing angle is very narrow, particularly if the pitcher is left-handed (like Richert) and has to turn to make the throw,” Martin says. “So, you run as close as you can (to the line). I wasn’t thinking about getting hit or anything. I was just looking to shield the ball from the man covering first.”
By the way, the Oriole covering first on the play is second baseman Davey Johnson.
Johnson also is involved in the final play of the Series the next day as his flyout to left fielder Cleon Jones ends that game and gives the Mets a most improbable World Series victory over the heavily favored Orioles.
