Monday, October 24, 2005

Thanks for coming, good night!

Scott Podsednik became the 14th player to end a World Series game with a home run, lifting the White Sox to a 7-6 win over the Astros last night. Of the other walkoff homers, many are memorable -- Bill Mazeroski (1960), Carlton Fisk (1975), Kirk Gibson (1988), Kirby Puckett (1991), Joe Carter (1993) and Derek Jeter (2001) quickly come to mind.

What about the rest?

Tommy Henrich hit the first game-ending World Series homer in 1949 to give the Yankees a 1-0 win over the Dodgers in the opening contest of the series. Henrich's homer came off Don Newcombe, who entering the ninth had given up four hits, no walks and struck out 11, and made a winner of Allie Reynolds.

Game 1 of the 1954 World Series between the Giants and Indians is best remembered for Willie Mays' over-the-shouder catch. But it was a three-run homer by pinch-hitter Dusty Rhodes in the 10th inning that gave NY a 5-2 win.

The rest of the list is Eddie Mathews (1957), Mickey Mantle (1964), Mark McGwire (1988), Chad Curtis (1999) and Alex Gonzalez (2003). As you see, the 1988 Series with Gibson and McGwire is the only one in history to have two walkoff dingers.

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