Kirk Gibson's Walk-Off Home Run: A World Series Miracle

See, the Dodgers, and specifically Kirk Gibson, was not expected to be on the Dodgers.

See? after the 1987 season with the Detroit Tigers, who he had spent his entire career with and likely would have loved to stay there as he was born in Michigan and went to college at Michigan State.

And in 1984, he led the Tigers to a championship, to a World Series win, and had always been one of their better players.

But he got low-balled by them after their 1987 season, but no one else was offering him a contract.

See, it turns out that team owners had colluded against the players in an effort to lessen the free agency burden on them so they wouldn't have to pay as much to all the free agents.

So when this happened, Gibson was now again a free agent, even though he had just signed a contract with the Detroit Tigers, which meant now he's a free agent again, and the Tigers didn't offer him as much as the LA Dodgers.

So he moved across the country.

where he had a great season with the L.A. Dodgers, batting .290, hitting 25 home runs and 31 stolen bases, and helped the Dodgers, who finished fourth in their division the year before, win the division in 1988. seven games ahead of the next closest team, the Cincinnati Reds, with a record of 94-67.

And they were also led by one of the greatest pitchers at the time, Oral Fersheiser.

But they were facing off against the Oakland Athletics, who had the best record in the major leagues and won 104 games.

On offense, they were led by the Batch Brothers and Jose Canseco and Mark McGuire, as well as Dave Henderson.

And they had a great pitcher on their team as well in Dave Stewart.

They would have to face...

the Boston Red Sox and the ALCS that year where they swept the Boston Red Sox to head to the World Series.

And the LA Dodgers to get there had to go through the New York Mets who had won 100 games that season and had also won 10 of their 11 meetings with the Dodgers.

But Kirk Gibson stepped up in the series, making defensive plays and having a great hitting output.

And the series went to seven games where Earl Hershiser ended up pitching that final seventh game, pitching a shutout and leading the Dodgers into the World Series.

But the problem was, heading into this game, since Earl Hershiser just pitched, they wouldn't have him for game one of the series.

And Kirk Gibson had injured both his legs.

coming into the World Series and did not start in Game 1.

So the Dodgers were coming in hobbled, facing off against a team that was well-rested and could come out with their best shot.

See, the Dodgers, and specifically Kirk Gibson, was not expected to be on the Dodgers.

See? after the 1987 season with the Detroit Tigers, who he had spent his entire career with and likely would have loved to stay there as he was born in Michigan and went to college at Michigan State.

And in 1984, he led the Tigers to a championship, to a World Series win, and had always been one of their better players.

But he got low-balled by them after their 1987 season, but no one else was offering him a contract.

See, it turns out that team owners had colluded against the players in an effort to lessen the free agency burden on them so they wouldn't have to pay as much to all the free agents.

So when this happened, Gibson was now again a free agent, even though he had just signed a contract with the Detroit Tigers, which meant now he's a free agent again, and the Tigers didn't offer him as much as the LA Dodgers.

So he moved across the country.

where he had a great season with the L.A. Dodgers, batting .290, hitting 25 home runs and 31 stolen bases, and helped the Dodgers, who finished fourth in their division the year before, win the division in 1988. seven games ahead of the next closest team, the Cincinnati Reds, with a record of 94-67.

And they were also led by one of the greatest pitchers at the time, Oral Fersheiser.

But they were facing off against the Oakland Athletics, who had the best record in the major leagues and won 104 games.

On offense, they were led by the Batch Brothers and Jose Canseco and Mark McGuire, as well as Dave Henderson.

And they had a great pitcher on their team as well in Dave Stewart.

They would have to face...

the Boston Red Sox and the ALCS that year where they swept the Boston Red Sox to head to the World Series.

And the LA Dodgers to get there had to go through the New York Mets who had won 100 games that season and had also won 10 of their 11 meetings with the Dodgers.

But Kirk Gibson stepped up in the series, making defensive plays and having a great hitting output.

And the series went to seven games where Earl Hershiser ended up pitching that final seventh game, pitching a shutout and leading the Dodgers into the World Series.

But the problem was, heading into this game, since Earl Hershiser just pitched, they wouldn't have him for game one of the series.

And Kirk Gibson had injured both his legs.

coming into the World Series and did not start in Game 1.

So the Dodgers were coming in hobbled, facing off against a team that was well-rested and could come out with their best shot.