I was watching ESPN Classic and they were showing Game 1 of the 1988 World Series. I hate the Oakland A's, and I hate the LA Dodgers even more, but this game had one of the best finishes ever.

This game was great to watch. I saw Mark McGwire before he used steroids. I saw Jose Canseco (still waiting for his book about major leaguers using steroids to be written) hit a grand slam. The ninth inning was why I had decided to watch this game from so long ago. Dennis Eckersely was the best relief pitcher in the league that year. The A's had a one run lead (4-3, all the runs from Jose's slam) going into the 9th, meaning Eck would come in and close out the game. He got 2 outs quickly, then walked a batter. He had only walked 11 batters all year. Then Kirk Gibson came out of the dugout to pinch hit. Gibson was the Dodgers' best hitter by far, but he hurt his right knee and his left hamstring so bad, he was unable to play in the game. So he limps into the batter's box. You could tell how hobbled he was when he hit a foul grounder and tried to run. Gibson could have hit the ball off the wall and been thrown out at first. The runner, Mike Davis, eventually stole second base, so any hit could have tied the game. The game's best reliever vs. a lame (literally) batter. So Gibson just decides to foul off a bunch of pitches until he sees one he likes, and using all the muscles in his arms, hits it over the right field wall for the game winning home run. One of the clutchest home runs ever hit. Number 4 on my list.

Top 5 Clutchest Home Runs Ever According to Cal:

5. Brian Johnson, 12th inning against the Dodgers at Candlestick. This was back in the old days when Giants and Dodger fans got to fight in the stands. The Dodgers loaded the bases in the 9th and 10th innings with less than 2 outs and the Giants still got out of it.

4. Kirk Gibson, 1988 World Series

3. Barry Bonds, number 71. Everyone was expecting him to break McGwire's record and he did it in his first at bat that day. The guy who caught it sat in front of me. I felt much better when Bonds hit number 72 later the same game. Then I wanted to slap the fools who fought over number 73.

2. Roy Hobbs in the Natural (movie version only, as I have heard the book has a different ending) He used the Savoy Special to bring down the lighting in the stadium and lightning from the sky.

(drumroll.........)
1. Todd Pratt, Triple Play 99. Okay, it was only a video game, but Pratt was my backup catcher and pinch hit specialist. Hit a pinch hit grand slam in the last of the 9th to complete my team's 7-6 come from behind victory in the World Series.