Summer of '68: The Season That Changed Baseball--And America--Forever (40 page)

139
Smith retools lineup for World Series:
Green, 211–213; Cantor, 166–170; Pattison and Raglin, 159–163, 193–196.

140
“Smith was really ahead of his time”:
Dave Raglin, author interview, July 6, 2011.

141
“asleep at the switch”:
Ibid.

141
Other World Series gambles:
Bill Francis, National Baseball Hall of Fame, author interview, September 10, 2011.

142
“started to practice”:
Horton interview.

PART VI

145
End of year statistics for 1968:
National Baseball Hall of Fame research.

146
“big heart”:
Steve Jacobson, “Perfect Match? Gibson vs. McLain,”
Newsday
, September 28, 1968.

146
“influence of champagne”:
Sporting News
, October 19, 1968.

146
at Gas House Lounge:
McLain, 116; Green, 215–216; Cantor, 183.

148
“Our guys were charged up”:
Sporting News
, October 19, 1968.

148
Gibson Message to Tigers:
Ibid.

148
“just be adequate”:
Ibid; Cantor, 171–175.

149
“lay off his high stuff ”:
Associated Press, “Cards’ Plan,” October 3, 1968.

149
“Surprised?”:
“McLain Stunned at Being Lifted,”
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
, October 3, 1968.

150
Crowd:
“Sinatra Won Crowd, Gibson the Game,”
St. Louis Globe-Democrat
, October 3, 1968.

150
“I read it on the board”:
“Gibson Overwhelms Tigers,”
St. Louis Globe-Democrat
, October 3, 1968.

151
Gibson strikes out Kaline, Cash and then Horton:
Perhaps the best description of this record-breaking sequence belongs to David Halberstam. “Could We Be Friends?”
Parade Magazine
, July 24, 1994.

151
“the toughest pitcher”:
Horton interview.

152
“we can’t beat him”:
“Tigers Impressed,”
St. Louis Globe-Democrat
, October 3, 1968.

152
“wonderful pitcher”:
Sporting News
, October 19, 1968.

152
“guys who swing for home runs”:
“Gibson’s Pitches Slide by Tiger Batters
, St. Louis Post-Dispatch
, October 3, 1968.

152
back at Gas House:
Green, 217.

154
McCarthy roamed the field:
“This time Sen. McCarthy Won’t be Shut Out,” Stan Isaacs,
Newsday
, October 4, 1968; “McCarthy Plays No Favorites,”
St. Louis Globe-Democrat
, October 4, 1968; Special thanks to former scout Phil Pote for the tutorial on fungo bats.

154
“the problem and the attraction”:
Hayden interview.

154
“a little groggy”:
Lolich interview.

155
“until I see a replay”:
Sports Illustrated
, October 19, 1968.

155
“wasn’t my day”:
“Briles Bemoans Home-run Habit,”
St. Louis Globe-Democrat
, October 4, 1968.

156
“we had some fun”:
Brown interview.

156
“my best three arms”:
Green, 220–221.

156
“self glory”:
Sporting News
, October 19, 1968.

156
in the Detroit bullpen:
Warden interview.

157
“None of the Cardinals’ six hits”:
Sporting News
, October 19, 1968.

157
“enjoy days like this”:
Feldmann, 339.

157
“in good shape”:
“Reflecting Tigers Find Themselves,
Newsday
, October 4, 1968.

157
Smith/Horton meeting:
Horton interview; Green 221–222.

158
Curtis LeMay:
“LeMay Joins Wallace,”
St. Louis Globe-Democrat
, October 4, 1968.

158
Riots in Mexico City:
The National Security Archive
, October 10, 2003; Kurlansky, 321–344. I highly recommend both sources for those looking to read more about the student demonstrations on the eve of the Mexico City Games.

159
Detroit preps:
“Detroit Fever High,”
Sporting News
, October 19, 1968.

159
“ Whoever wins today”:
Ibid.

160
“Speed”:
Lou Brock, author interview, July 1999.

161
“play without bases”:
Sporting News
, October 19, 1968.

161
“That’s how quickly”:
Mead interview.

161
Washburn:
Feldmann, 341.

162
“ When it all came together for us”:
Cepeda interview.

162
“cooked”:
Sporting News
, October 19, 1968.

162
Rain:
Brown interview.

163
On . . . campaign trail:
“Nixon Helped,”
Newsday,
October 7, 1968.

163
“they take it away from us”:
“No Authority in Rain Game, Umps Say,”
Sporting News
, October 19, 1968.

164
“I’m not a mudder”:
McLain, 117.

165
“toast is burnt”:
Gibson, 146.

165
Flowers:
Ibid., 203.

166
Sparma:
Pattison and Raglin, 153–157.

166
Rain:
“Fair Weather Fans Dampened: Rain and Tears,”
Detroit Free Press
, October 7, 1968.

167
“trying to stall”:
Sporting News
, October 19, 1968.

167
“In rain or shine”:
“A Clay-Tongued McCarver Immortalizes His Pal Gibson,”
Newsday
, October 7, 1968.

167
“become a farce”:
Green, 226–227.

167
Eckert and steroids:
www.steroidsinbaseball.net
.

168
Brock steals:
Sporting News
, October 19, 1968.

168
“I almost got in”:
Warden interview.

170
“And we aren’t”:
Green, 227.

170
“grasping at straws”:
Horton interview.

171
“The guy on either side of you”:
Lolich interview.

171
Jose Feliciano’s rendition of the national anthem:
“Fans Irate Over ‘Desecrated’ Anthem,” Barbara Stanton,
Detroit Free Press
, which later was republished in
Sporting News
, October 19, 1968; McLain, 118–119; Lolich interview.

172
“we would wrap it up”:
Cepeda interview.

172
“I was in control”:
Briles interview.

173
“wasn’t the game plan”:
Lolich interview.

174
“He’s not Carl Yastrzemski or Reggie Jackson”:
Feldmann, 351.

174
Play at the plate:
Horton interview;
Sporting News
, October 19, 1968; Green, 229–231; Cantor, 197–198; Feldmann, 351; Gibson, 203–204; Bob Broeg, author interview, August 2, 1996; National Baseball Hall of Fame, archived interview. As you can see, everyone weighs in on this crucial play, the one on which the 1968 Series turned.

175
“Some superstitions die hard”:
Horton interview.

176
Feliciano backlash:
Cantor, 196–197; Feldmann, 349; Green, 229; McLain, 118–119.

177
“ What made this wait so acute”:
Ibid, 149–150,

178
McLain’s preparation:
Sporting News
, October 19, 1968; McLain, 119–120; Mead interview.

178
“The rules for Denny”:
Freehan, 35.

179
“lie and lie”:
Brown interview.

181
Jack McKeon/Josh Beckett:
“McKeon, Beckett: Old Man & The MVP,”
Hartford Courant
, October 26, 2003.

182
“just like college to us”:
Horton interview.

182
“Cheeseburger, fries, vanilla shake”:
Lolich interview.

182
Northrup’s grand slam:
Sporting News
, October 19, 1968.

183
“He was the emotional backbone”:
Detroit Free Press
, June 12, 2011.

184
“better pitcher with a lead”:
Gibson, 205.

185
“I didn’t hate Denny, no”:
Cantor, 188; McLain 120–121.

185
“Lolich was so miserable”:
McLain, 121.

186
“There wasn’t a lot of love lost”:
Warden interview.

186
“the last guy”:
McLain 98–99.

186
“ We battled back”:
Sporting News
, October 19, 1968.

187
“didn’t have to prove a goddamn thing”:
Green, 236.

188
Tigers clubhouse:
Feldmann, 356.

188
“comedy act”:
Green, 240.

188
“not a good psychologist”:
Ibid.

188
“down to me and Lolich”:
Gibson, 205.

188
“I felt fine”:
Lolich interview.

189
shock-wave machine:
“Add a Machine to Tiger Heroes,”
Newsday
, October 11, 1968.

189
“get to Lolich”:
Gibson, 205.

189
“I wasn’t feeling good really”:
Lolich interview.

190
Hamburger conversation:
Freehan, 77–78.

191
Picking off Brock, then Flood:
Feldman, 356–357; Green, 240–241;
Sporting News
, October 19, 1968.

191
“had to navigate”:
Gibson, 205.

191
“in my ear”:
Horton interview.

192
two pedestrian singles:
“‘68 wasn’t for the Bird,”
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
, October 21, 2005.