Another visual quiz for baseball fans - again involving a catcher

[Faygo Kid]

Another very famous baseball moment.

Tell me what's happening here, who the players are and why it was a pivotal moment.

Enjoy!

[Parche]

1. The Catcher Is Playing With His Balls?

:shrug::hi:

[Faygo Kid]

3. Err - close. Not quite.

Hint: Detroit-St. Louis World Series game.

[madinmaryland]

6. Nice post, Pev!!

[GOPisEvil]

2. Lou Brock and Bill Freehan

Brock slides, Cards win and win the series. He didn't, they lost the game and the series.

Oh well, at least we got you back in 2006. :P

[madinmaryland]

7. I'd forgotten about Bill Freehan.

:wow:

[GOPisEvil]

8. I can't believe I remembered his name.

But then I did some research before the 2006 World Series and happened to recall it. I don't remember the series itself as I was but a newborn.

I bet Lou still wishes he slid in to this day, but then he has his 1964 championship to fall back on. :D

[madinmaryland]

4. Lou Brock scoring against the Tigers in the '68 World Series?

Don't know the catcher.

Al Kaline in OF. Was Norm Cash the catcher?

[Faygo Kid]

9. Norm Cash was first base. And you are all correct. Great, great baseball moment. Here's the setup

Game 5, a wet and dreary Tiger Stadium. Gibson struck out 17 in game 1; still the most dominant pitching performance in a Series game this side of Don Larsen. Lou Brock setting record after record; 7 steals, over .500 batting. Tigers had won 103 games - many come from behind - to energize a city and state that the year before had experienced the worst "riots" in U.S. history. If Brock scores, Lolich is pulled from the game; he had won one before. Brock doesn't slide. Let me repeat that: Brock doesn't slide. Bill Freehan blocks the plate. The Tigers come from behind to win, 5-3. McLain wins the next day, big time. Sets up game 7 - Gibson unhittable on 3 days rest; portly Mickey Lolich takes the mound on two days' rest. Tigers win, in St. Louis, 4-1, in one of the greatest Series ever. Wow.

As you are appalled by what you hear about Roger Clemens and Barry Bonds, remember when baseball was the best of America. Not just Jackie Robinson. My hero, too (growing up without a Dad, this was my father figure. He never let me down).

[x-g.o.p.er]

5. It's the '68 Series...

Bill Freehan is the catcher, Lou Brock getting tagged out.

If Brock scores there, Cards probably win the series because they go up 4-2 in the game, and they're up 3 games to 1 in the series.

They didn't, Tigers rally to win game and series.

Kind of overlooked because of Curt Flood's slip in the outfield in game 7 with Gibby on the mound, but this is the pivotal moment for the series IMHO.

Edit: Cards got revenge a couple of years ago, though.

Woo hoo!!! Go Cards!!!

[Faygo Kid]

10. You're very close. Cards were already up 3-1. And listen to what I just bought.

This was the fifth game. If Brock scored, Lolich would have been pulled (Tigers Manager Mayo Smith later confirmed it). And this might, like 2006, have been a not very memorable five-game series. But the Tigers won this one - with this as the pivotal moment - then pounded the Cards behind McLain in the next game, to make the Series 3-3 going back to St. Louis for the decisive seventh game.

And the rest, as they say, is history. And yesterday I just bought online the 1993 25th anniversary of 1968 Sports Illustrated cover with Gibson and McLain on the cover. Gibson signed his side "Bob Gibson HOF 1981" and Denny signed his side "Denny McLain 31-6 1968." I had to have it. Here's the cover, without signatures, of course.

May the Tigers and Cards meet again this year, and may it be memorable (and a Tigers win, of course).

[x-g.o.p.er]

11. I'll drink to most of that,

with the exception of the Cards winning. Sadly, though, I don't think St Louis will be a .500 club this year. And in the NL Central, that's saying something.

[Faygo Kid]

12. Hey, they surprised before. Don't give up. Tigers look like Murderers Row.

I admit, I'm fired up about the Tigers lineup. Pure firepower. They also have the starting pitching.

Relief pitching? Not so much. That could be their downfall.

But anyway, good luck Cards. I love the Cardinals; the Tigers-Cardinals history is a great part of baseball.

Starting with the Gas House Gang in 1934. And Commissioner Landis pulling Ducky Medwick when Tigers fans pelted him with bottles and other objects.

Love them Tigers fans, too.