“Exactly” 56 Years Since The Cards’ World Series 7th Game Win At Boston, Vs The “Impossible Dream,” Red Sox

It was exactly 56 years ago, another Thursday October 12th, this with a day off from school on the actual Columbus Day, that the St. Louis Cardinals prevailed (7-2), in game 7 of the 1967 World Series, vs the upstart/100 to 1/ “Impossible Dream,” Boston Red Sox.

It was the Cardinals, behind the incomparable Bob Gibson’s third World Series win, in a game vs Jim Lonborg, who dropped to (2-1) in that memorable World Series, that won the title repeating a 7 game triumph, vs Boston in 1946.

Let me cite Curt Flood, (Al “Grampa” Lewis on my show, regarding what all the subsequent players OWE Curt Flood) for his great contributions as a player, among the biggest, a 2 out hit to give the great Gibson, the lead after both Gibson on a lineout and another great, Lou Brock failed to get Dal Maxvill home, after his triple opened T3.

Later in the frame, Roger Maris, he still not in the so diminished Hall of Fame, now nearly 38 years after his death, singled Flood to third, from where he scored, when Lonborg uncorked a wild pitch.

Mr. Gibson hit a solo home run and also T5, Lou Brock singled, stole second and third, the latter as Flood walked. Orlando Cepeda, the ’67 N.L. MVP “tuned” Lou with a sacrifice fly.

Julian Javier’s 3RHR in the next inning essentially iced the game and the World Series title for St. Louis.

A truly great season, in sharp contrast to the fiasco playing out now (next post), an inspirational underdog Red Sox team led by Carl Yastrzemski, winning the pennant, battling back from a (3-1) W.S. deficit to force the above written about #7, only to lose making it 49 years sans title on the way to 86 years, with horror 1986 World Series loss included.

Yet that team, that season, that day at “Silly Boh Pavillion” (my name for Santasieri residence at “25”) are part of great memories, of a once not only great sport, but one though even then and always a business, was conducted with some dignity and produced as almost always manifested, a true result, with a deserving champion, in that case, an excellent 1967 St. Louis Cardinals’ team.

The great player and activist (his cause was correct but now the pendulum has swung far too great a distance in favor of largely unappreciative players, however, again Curt for what he tried and accomplished, enduring great personal sacrifice), Curt Flood pictured above.