Also Read:
The Greatest
Game Ever Lost
The Cards
and Sox. Again (1946).
A Lesson from
Nuf Ced
1967
After we finished last in 66, young Tony
Conigliaro led the league in
homers until he was beaned and almost killed in August. Jim Lonborg, our
ace, pitched and won the final game of the season to put The Impossible
Dream team in the Series.
With a healthy Tony, we would have clinched
the pennant error and rested Jim for the
Series.
Instead, while Jim took a much-needed day of rest, Cardinal ace Bob Gibson
(recovered from a broken leg) won the first game
2-1.
Lonborg won the second with a one-hitter. Four days later, after Gibson
pitched a shutout, Lonborg beat Steve Carlton 3-1 with three hits. That's
18 innings, four hits, one
run.
That brought them down to game 7 - Gibson on three days rest, Lonborg
on two. I had seats in rightfield. Tony C took the field with his teammates
before the game and waved his cap with a radiant grin that was matched by
the warmth of our applause. If he had not
been beaned, the Sox would have won the pennant comfortably and Lonborg
would not have had to pitch the last game of the season.
Not only would he be rested, but Tony might have won one or
more games with his bat bat in the Series.
Bob was tired and gave three runs. Jim was exhausted and was
bombed for
seven.
