1975 World Series – Game 2
Game 2
October 12, 1975 Fenway Park Attendance: 35,205 Game Time Temp: 54-degrees Starting Pitcher (Boston): Bill Lee Starting Pitcher (Cincinnati): Jack BillinghamIn a pregame interview we learn that Red Sox manager Darrell Johnson pronounces Cincinnati, “cincinnat-uh.” The Big Red Machine will use this as inspiration going into Game 2.
Just as the game begins the cameraman spots Ted Kennedy and Henry Kissinger in the crowd. The announcer sees this and responds, “that’s what baseball is all about, folks.” Substitute Kennedy and Kissinger today for Damon and Affleck and the same statement rings true.
Reds pitcher Jack Billingham does his best Gary Majewski impression in the bottom of the 1st inning, but manages to only give up a very un-Majewski-like one run. Red Sox lead 1-0.
The announcer says that Carl Yastrzemski is a “climax player” – something else you couldn’t get away with saying on TV today.
In the top of the 4th inning Tony Perez scores Joe Morgan on a force out, tying the game 1-1. Meanwhile, Perez’s 6-year-old son Eduardo sees his daddy drive in the run and says, “I can do that,” and dreams one day of being a Major League Baseball player.
Unfortunately, young Perez doesn’t say, “I wish to be as good as my daddy someday,” so Eduardo’s career turns out to be very unspectacular.
Here’s another picture of Sherlock Holmes in front of a green screen that makes the final scene from The Hunt From Red October look good:
We learn that Boston Red Sox (Sock?) Rico Petrocelli has an inner ear problem that almost ended his career, but he’s on medication now and he’ll have it checked out after the season is over. Keep him in your thoughts and prayers.
Boston takes the lead 2-1 in the bottom of the 6th inning.
*RAIN DELAY*
Stay tuned after the game for Grandstand where they’ll be discussing the upset-in-the-making of the Baltimore Colts over the O.J. Simpson-led Buffalo Bills (Colts lead 21-17 at the end of the 3rd quarter).
Top of the 9th inning. Johnny Bench leads off with a double, Perez and George Foster get out. Two down, the crowd is on their feet at Fenway. Up comes Davey Concepcion, he singles, scoring Bench. The crowd returns to their seats. Game is tied 2-2. Ken Griffey doubles with two outs to score Concepcion – Reds lead 3-2.
Bottom of the 9th, Rawly “The Witches of” Eastwick comes in for the 1-2-3 inning…
…and this one belongs to the Reds!
A happy Pete Rose had this to say after the game:
“I told you we’d win four games in this World Series. We won the game today, so that means if we win three more my prediction will come true. I was born on the day Lincoln was shot and the Titanic sank.”
World Series tied 1-1
As I recall, this was the game which included a return-from-commercial-break where the announcers promoted “a brand-new show coming up this weekend, called NBC’s Saturday Night, a live comedy show from New York, guest-hosted by George Carlin.”