Read Summer of '68: The Season That Changed Baseball--And America--Forever Online

Authors: Tim Wendel

Tags: #History, #20th Century, #Sports & Recreation, #United States, #Sociology of Sports, #Baseball

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.