Carl Yastrzemski hits his 44th home run of his 1967 Triple Crown season.
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Impossible Dream – Yaz goes 4-4 and Longborg wins 22nd to clinch World Series Appearance

 

On October 1, 1967, With identical 91-70 records and just one game to play, the Minnesota Twins and Boston Red Sox faced, nearly, a single-game playoff for the pennant. After going down 2-0, when the Twins scored 2 unearned runs, the Red Sox broke through against Twins ace Dean Chance to score 5 in the bottom of 5th. Thanks to four singles, a fielder’s choice, two wild pitches, and an error – though all five Red Sox runs were earned runs. One of the hits was a bunt single by starter and Cy Young Award winner to be Jim Lonborg.

Lonborg, went the whole way and surrendered one more run, and the Red Sox pulled out the impossible dream winning 5-3. The Detroit Tigers were also tied with the Twins and Red Sox and had a doubleheader with the California Angels, the Angels helped by splitting there doubleheader with Detroit. Winning the second game 8-5.

In the words of broadcaster Ned Martin, there ensued “pandemonium on the field” as thousands of Fenway fans flocked onto the playing field itself in a raucous celebration, surrounding some of the players, tearing signs off the scoreboard, climbing the netting behind home plate. Lonborg had his shirt nearly torn off by enthusiastic fans.

Carl Yastrzemski goes 4-for-4, Yaz’s had a remarkable streak – getting 10 hits in his final 13 at-bats, including a game-winning home run the night before enables the Long Island, N.Y. native to win the Triple Crown (.326, 44, 121). Yaz follows Frank Robinson ’s performance last season, leading the loop in batting average, home runs and runs batted in. Yaz will win the MVP and by any standard had one of the single greatest seasons in baseball history. His 12.5 WAR according to Baseball Reference is the 3rd highest single-season WAR for a position player in MLB history. The triple crown feat will not be accomplished again for 45 seasons until Miguel Cabrera of the Tigers leads Junior Circuit in the top offensive categories in 2013.

The Sox will face the St. Louis Cardinals in the World Series, a rematch from the 1946 epic 7 game series.

 

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