The similarities between Freeman’s Tenth-inning grand slam and Kirk Gibson’s ninth-inning residence run in 1988 had been putting.
Each had been slugged by injured hitters basically enjoying on one leg. Each had been smashed with their group one out from defeat in Recreation 1 of the World Collection. Each deflated the opposition such that the sequence basically ended on the spot.
“Everything was the same outside of the fist pumps,” Roberts stated.
Really, there was one main distinction, that being the standard of the opposition. Gibson hit his homer off future Corridor of Fame reliever Dennis Eckersley and the closely favored Oakland Athletics whereas Freeman hit his homer off demoted starter Nestor Cortes and the underdog New York Yankees.
This form of comparability has sparked a debate about which homer was larger, resulting in the request by lifelong Dodgers fan Bryan Cranston throughout a SiriusXM City Corridor occasion through which he stated, “Can’t they live side by side?”
As one who personally witnessed each, I’m good with that. The Gibson second was — to paraphrase Vin Scully — essentially the most inconceivable, unattainable factor I’ve ever seen on a baseball area. However I nonetheless get chills from the Freeman second, nonetheless bear in mind the bursting firecracker sound of the hit, nonetheless bear in mind his memorable waving of the bat within the air like a wand.
Watching the video for the umpteenth time, what I’ve come to like most is the sudden soundtrack “I Love L.A.” blasting by the audio system earlier than Freeman had reached first base, eternally turning his home-run trot right into a wondrous music video.
Whereas the ball from Gibson’s residence run was by no means discovered, Freeman’s blast was corralled by 10-year-old Zachary Ruderman, whose household offered it at public sale for $1.56 million, a shred of its intrinsic worth.
Freeman’s miracle was actually essentially the most priceless Los Angeles sports activities second of 2024.
Possibly ever.
