Big Lead Sports Bar

9/25/2008

A NEW CAUSE: BILL MAZEROSKI'S HOME RUN

For the better part of the two-plus years that I've run this site, the case of Ben Roethlisberger has been my biggest cause. But since that seems to finally be behind us (although Mike, Mike, and Mark Schlereth definitively declared Jay Cutler the best QB in the AFC, followed by Philip Rivers), I have something new to turn my attention towards: the continued disrespect of Bill Mazeroski's home run to win the 1960 World Series.
What prompted my ire? Well, it's been brewing for some time, but I was sent over the edge by a recent SI tournament-style bracket to determine "The Top World Series Moments". Amazingly, a walk-off home run by a non-power-hitting second baseman in the bottom of the 9th inning in a game seven was not attractive enough to crack the top 8.
That's right, Maz's David-beats-Goliath moment ranks somewhere behind the World Series heroics of Reggie Jackson, Don Larsen, Josh Beckett, Jack Morris, Joe Carter, Kirk Gibson, Kirby Puckett, and Carton Fisk. Just curious, how many of those guys ended a World Series on a home run in a Game Seven? Oh, that's right...none of them.
Pittsburghers, it's time for us to speak up. Write your Congressman, call a talk show, tell anyone who will listen: we want respect for Maz. This isn't the first time this has happened, either; it's just the latest. If you're tired of seeing "The Shot Heard Round the World" (which merely won a pennant, hence its inclusion from this list) trumpeted as the greatest moment in baseball history, join with me. We've done it before, and we can do it again. Together, we'll make a difference. Maz deserves it. It's one of the few positive memories of the Pirates that most people have.

6 comments:

The Duke from Dukes Court said...

all that poll tells us is how ignorant the people are who are voting in the poll.

AJ said...

The problem is that most of the country is unaware that Pittsburgh still even has a baseball team.

We do still have a team, right?

Deaner said...

Definitely a good cause to take up. You've got to fight for something...

The Professor said...

(paraphrasing here)

when told that 63% of respondents to a poll in the Orlando Sentinel wanted Shaq traded off the Magic, Charles Barkley responded: "That just goes to show you that 63% of the people in Orlando are dumb."

tbart213 said...

I thought Joe Carter actually did end a world series with a homer? Maybe not. Regardless, Maz gets no love, but the plus side is it helps keep the prices of 1960 buc stuff low on ebay. We're Pittsburgh, we don't need no stinkin SI.

Shawn said...

Carter's homer did end a Series,but Maz is the only one to end a Game 7 with a homer.
Carter was Game 6.