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Three Home Runs

© Harold Friend

Carlton Fisk hit one of the most dramatic home runs in baseball history to win Game 6 of the 1975 World Series. Fisk hit the home run in the bottom of the twelfth inning at Fenway Park, and the image of his attempting to keep the ball fair as it went down the left field line is one that will never be forgotten. The home run tied Boston and Cincinnati at three games each and set up a dramatic one game showdown to determine the World Champion. Which brings us to Tino Martinez, Scott Brosius, and winning the World Series.

With the Yankees trailing Arizona in Game 4 of the 2001 World Series by a 3-1 score, Tino Martinez hit a two out, two run home run to tie the game. The Yankees went on to win, 4-3 in ten innings. The next night, with the Yankees trailing Arizona in Game 5 of the 2001 World Series by a 2-0 score, Scott Brosius hit a two out, two run home run to tie the game. The Yankees went on to win, 3-2 in twelve innings. The events were unprecedented in World Series history. A two out, two run, game tying home run is dramatic enough, but for another one to be hit the next night is unimaginable. Or at least it was unimaginable. Yet what has happened in the ensuing year is almost as unimaginable. The home runs have been almost forgotten.

They certainly equaled Fisk’s and may have even exceeded it because if Fisk had not hit his home run, the game would have continued into the thirteenth inning. If Martinez or Brosius had not hit theirs, each game would have ended with a Yankees loss.

Some have said that one reason that Martinez' and Brosius' hits have been underplayed is that the Yankees lost the World Series. But the Red Sox also lost the World Series (don’t they always?) and Fisk’s home run is brought up whenever memorable baseball events are discussed.

Could it be that the Red Sox are not expected to win the World Series while the Yankees are, so the different standard for their teams is the reason Fiske’s feat is remembered and Martinez’ and Brosius’ are not? That is a likely explanation, since to many Yankees and their fans, the only successful season for the Yankees is one in which they win the World Series.

Tino Martinez is a Cardinal and Scott Brosius has retired. Perhaps if they had played for the Yankees this season, their World Series feats would not be as much of a secret. But it is interesting that both players are quiet, unassuming, modest men who typified the Yankees team of the last few years. It is almost certain that they are quite content because they don’t crave publicity. Each got what he wanted on different nights last fall.