The Greatest World Series Game Ever Played

By 1975, the Cincinnati Reds organization was starting to feel the pressure of unmet expectations. Yes, the Big Red Machine had averaged almost 95 wins over a five-year stretch. Yes, they'd won three National League West division titles and two NL pennants. But they hadn't won it all, and even they were beginning to wonder if they ever would. To add to the pressure, they were picked by The Sporting News to win the 1975 World Series.

Their pitching staff was finally healthy. Gary Nolan (15–5, 1.99 ERA in 1972) had recovered after missing most of two seasons with shoulder problems. Don Gullett, still just 24, was maturing into one of the league's best left-handers. Veterans Jack Billingham, Fred Norman, and Clay Kirby served as a durable back half of the rotation, and a deep bullpen let manager Sparky Anderson earn his "Captain Hook" nickname on an almost daily basis.

The lineup would be largely the same as it had been to close 1974, with young Ken Griffey (who hit .282/.368/.418) in right field, allowing César Gerónimo to move back to his natural center, and Pete Rose in left.

The sole question mark was third base. The Reds hadn't been happy with third baseman Dan Driessen's 24 errors in 122 starts in 1974. General manager Bob Howsam explored trading first baseman Tony Pérez and moving Driessen across the infield, but Howsam wanted a slugging third baseman in return. After a trade for the Yankees' Graig Nettles fell through, the Reds started the season with light-hitting, but slick-fielding John Vukovich at third — Howsam and Anderson figured the Reds had enough offense that they could carry a weak hitter. With every returning starter carrying an OPS better than the league average, they were right. In short, the Reds were loaded.

With all that, they started the season just 12–12, and fell four games behind the Dodgers by May 2. There were good signs — backup outfielder George Foster was murdering the ball in limited duty (.308/.333/.769) — but Vukovich wasn't working out at third.

So Sparky tried one of the gutsiest moves in managerial history. He asked Pete Rose to move from left field to third base, which would solve the Reds' third base problem and get Foster's bat into the everyday lineup. Rose, an aging star battling to stay at the top, agreed.

It was a deal built on years of trust between these two unique, competitive men. "I just want Pete to be adequate," Anderson said at the time. "I don't want him to be spectacular."

With hard work, Rose made himself adequate defensively, but the change made his team spectacular. From Rose's debut at third base until the All-Star break, the Reds went a mind-boggling 49–17, and turned a four-game deficit into a 12.5-game division lead. They ultimately won the NL West by 20 games, and then steamrolled the Pirates in the NL Championship Series, outscoring Pittsburgh 19–7 in a three-game sweep.

The Reds were highly favored over the Boston Red Sox in the World Series, and they grabbed a 3–2 series lead after a Game 5 blowout in Cincinnati, behind Tony Pérez's two home runs. Needing just one more victory, the Reds returned to Boston for Saturday's scheduled Game 6. A seemingly endless rainstorm delayed the game for three days, but finally, the teams took the field at Fenway Park on a soggy Tuesday night.

The Reds started the classic "Big Red Machine" lineup against Boston's Luis Tiant, who was riding an absurd hot streak. Tiant — the "Cuban of a Thousand Windups" — was already 3–0 in the postseason, including wins in Games 1 and 4, and had allowed only one earned run in his last 45 innings pitched at Fenway Park. He'd given up just 20 hits and eight walks over that stretch, while striking out 33. The Fenway stands were filled with "El Tiante" and "Tiant for President" t-shirts and signs. "Loo-eee, Loo-eee" chants echoed throughout the night.

Nolan got the start on the mound for the Reds. Anderson decided to go with his 15-game winner, even though it was Billingham's "turn" to start. The travel day, plus the three-day rain delay, gave Sparky the option of choosing any of his four postseason starters. Billingham wasn't happy with the decision, but he also knew that Sparky planned to go to the bullpen early if Nolan got into trouble.

After quickly retiring Cecil Cooper and Denny Doyle in the bottom of the first, Nolan allowed singles to Carl Yastrzemski and Carlton Fisk. Fred Lynn followed with a long home run to right-center. Boston 3, Cincinnati 0.

It didn't take Sparky long to show the 70 million television viewers just how he'd earned the nickname "Captain Hook." Both Billingham and Fred Norman were warming up in the bullpen in the first inning; Sparky pinch-hit for Nolan the first time his spot came up in the batting order. The Reds eventually used a then-record eight pitchers in the game, saving only Clay Kirby and ace Don Gullett for Game 7.

The Reds offense got rolling in the fifth. With one out, Tiant walked pinch-hitter Ed Armbrister, who had hit only .185 for the 1975 season. Rose was next. After fouling off several pitches with a full count, Rose drilled a single to center, raising his Series average to .381. Armbrister hesitated rounding second, but then raced to third,...