Locked On Mariners - Daily Podcast On the Seattle Mariners - A Classic Fall Classic: 1992

Episode Date: November 10, 2020

In our small way of paying tribute to the late Alex Trebek, we today look back at the 1992 World Series -- the first Fall Classic to feature a team from Canada. (Mr. Trebek was Canadian) The Toronto Blue Jays faced off against the Atlanta Braves, who lost the '91 Series. Not only were the Jays the first Canadian team to play in the World Series (or the first non-American team at all), they were the first Canadian team to win it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This is Locked-on Mariners, part of the Locked-on Podcast Network, your team every day. Here's your host, D.C. Lundberg. Thank you very much, Joey Martin. I hope you out there had a great weekend. It is Monday, and we're going to talk about another great world series here on Locked-on Mariners, part of the Locked-on Podcast Network. Please remember to download, rate, and subscribe to this program on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Spotify, Stitcher Radio, or whichever podcasting app, that you personally can.

to use. Ask your smart device to play Locked-on Mariner's podcast or any program here on the Locked-on Podcast Network. Just say, hey, smart device, play Locked on Team Name Here podcast. Follow us on Twitter at L-O-U-U-U-U-Nor-R-G, and follow me on Twitter at D.C. underscore Lund, U.N.D. B-E-R-G, if you are indeed scoring it home. Congratulations to Bill O'Neill, who won the PBA playoffs yesterday. Last year, he was the runner-up, and if you were watching this year's telecast, man, you can tell he wanted this one bad. I don't think I have ever seen him so intense in a PBA event before.

It was really something else. He won the finals two games to nothing over Anthony Simonson, the two-hander from Texas. One thing I really liked about the final four this year, or the Fantastic Four, as the PBA calls it, is that three of the four were older than I am. Bill O'Neill, the champion, is 38 years old. Jason Belmonte is 37, and Tom Smallwood is 42. was the youngster of the group, and he's 23 and already has Hall of Fame credentials. The PBA playoffs came to a fantastic end yesterday on Sunday, but there was one not-so-happy event

that also took place yesterday, and that is the passing of longtime Jeopardy host Alex Trebek. Yes, gang, I am a Jeopardy fan. I have been all of my life, and Alex Trebek's been hosting Jeopardy longer than I've been alive. He started hosting in 1984 in September. I was born in January of 85. So he and Jeopardy had been a part of my entire life. I grew up watching not only Jeopardy, but other game shows too. We have Fortune Prices, right? And classic concentration, which Alex Trebek hosted for a few years when I was young, and he did a very good job on that program as well. If you've never seen that show, go look up some episodes on YouTube. I do recommend that. But anyways, as I was thinking about which

World Series I was going to talk about today, you know, I got the idea. Why don't we do one for Alex Trebek? He's from Canada. He's from Sudbury, Ontario, about four hours north of Toronto, we're going to talk about the Toronto Blue Jays first ever world championship. And not only that, it's the first time a Canadian team had ever made it to the World Series. We're talking about 1992 today, ladies and gentlemen. The Blue Jays would be opposed by the Atlanta Braves in this 1992 fall classic. The Braves had also been in the World Series the year before 1991, where they lost to the Minnesota Twins.

We talked about that World Series at the beginning of last week. These Blue Jays teams also, ladies and gentlemen, were some. of the best teams that nobody talks about. John Olerwood at first base won the batting title in 1993, hitting 363. Roberto Alamar is a Hall of Famer. Dave Winfield was on this 1992 Blue Jays team. He's a Hall of Famer. Joe Carter is a borderline hall of famer.

Kelly Gruber did not have the best season in 1992, but for a few years he was one of the best third baseman in the American League. Pat Borders was one of the better defensive catches in the American League at that time also, and Devon White, who almost had no. no peer defensively in center field. While on the pitching side, they signed Jack Morris as a free agent, who was the hero of the 1991 World Series. They had an up-and-coming Juan Guzman and one of the best left-handers in the American

League in Jimmy Key. Not to mention Tom Hanky at the end of the bullpen, one of the better closers in the league. This was a very, very good team, ladies and gentlemen. And game one of this World Series took place on October 17, 192 in Atlanta. and first on the board were the Blue Jays and the top of the fourth inning on a Joe Carter home run. I know I've mentioned it on the show before.

Joe Carter is one of my all-time favorite players. Braves would answer back and then some in the sixth inning, all coming on one swing of the bat from Damon Berry Hill, a three-run home run to score David Justice and Ron Gant ahead of him, and those two swings of the bat were the only scoring plays in this ballgame. Tom Glavin started. for the Braves and he pitched a complete one.

Nine innings, four hits, an earned run. It was on that home run. No walks and six strikeouts. Jack Morris started for the Blue Jays. Didn't exactly have his best stuff. He only goes six innings. He gives up four hits. All three of those runs on that home run.

He struck out seven, but he walked five. Todd Stoddemeier and David Wells also pitching in this game for the Blue Jays. That historic first win by a Canadian team in a World Series would come the next night, even though the Braves got on the board first in the bottom of the second inning. On a wild pitch, no less, David Justice scoring on that wild pitch, it's an unearned run. Jeff Blouser is credited with the stolen base and he winds up at third. Very odd play. The Braves would extend that lead in the bottom of the fourth inning on an RBI single from Mark Lemke. Top of the second inning, the Blue Jays

tie it up on an RBI single by pitcher David Cohn. Pat Borders scoring on the play. Manuel Lee advances to third base on a throwing error. David Cohn winds up on its second base. The next batter is lead-off man, Devon White, who singles up the middle to score Manuel Lee another unearned run. Game is tied at 2-2 going into the bottom of the fifth, but the Braves waste no time reclaiming the lead. An RBI single by David Justice and a sacrifice fly by Brian Hunter doing the trick.

It's a 4-2 Braves lead at this time. Jay's answer back in the top of the 18th. inning on an RBI single from Dave Winfield. The Blue Jays are down one run going into the top of the ninth inning and are in danger of going down two games to none in the series. Against Jeff Reardon, one of the best closers of his day, Pat Borders leads off by lining out to right field. Derek Bell then pinch hits for Manuel Lee and he walks.

Ed Sprague then pinch hits for the pitcher spot, Dwayne Ward, and he becomes a world series hero, hitting a two-run home run over the left. field wall, giving his Blue Jays a five to four lead against one of the better closers in baseball, no less. Next two runners both make out. So the Braves are now down one going into their half of the ninth inning, and Tom Hinky takes the mound for the Blue Jays, another one of the top closers in the league. He hits Lonnie Smith with a pitch and walks Dion Sanders, but that would be all that he gives

up, and the Blue Jays take game two, five to four. Ed Sprague playing the role of hero. in this one. Tom Hanky does get the save. Dwayne Ward picks up the win in relief, and Jeff Reardon is charged with not only a blown save, but the loss as well. David Cohn, the starter for the Jays, goes four in the third innings. He gives up four runs. Three of them are earned, five hits, five walks, two strikeouts, no home runs, give it up. John Smolt started and he did okay, kind of got tired at the end. Seven and a third inning, eight hits, three runs, two of those earned, three walks and eight strikeouts.

Now for the historic first ever World Series game on Canadian soil, October 20th, 1992, in Skydome, with 51,813 fans on hand, really to witness history. And I'm very sure that each one of them were very happy that the roof was closed at Skydome as it was raining and 36 degrees at game time, or if you're in Canada using Celsius,

two degrees. There's also some backstory going into the pregame ceremonies at Skydome. Prior to game two in Atlanta, the United States Marine Corps color guard accidentally flew the Canadian flag upside down. This obviously and understandably pissed off a whole ton of people. When they realized what had happened, the U.S. Marine Corps immediately issued an apology. In addition, they asked the Canadian government for permission to fly the national flag of Canada prior to game three in Toronto to do their best to atone for this terrible mistake. And the Canadian government granted this request. So prior to both the Canadian and American national anthems being performed,

the U.S. Marine Corps color guard flew both American and Canadian flags, as did the Royal Canadian Mounted Police Color Guard, both nations color guards carrying their own flags and each other's flags as a sign of unity and respect. All of this was explained over the public address system at Skydome, and the U.S. Marine Corps Color Guard got a very nice ovation. Now for the first ever World Series game played outside the United States, and it was the Canadian team getting on the board first in the fourth inning,

a solo home run by Joe Carter. David Justice ties up the ballgame in the sixth on an RBI single, however, and that one-one tie remains going into the eighth inning. Otis Nixon leads off the eighth inning by hitting a line drive to third baseman Kelly Gruber, but he drops it. So Nixon is safe at first base and he steals second. Dion Sanders pops out and Terry Pendleton grounds out. David Justice is then intentionally walked to get to Lonnie Smith.

Runners at the corners now with two away. Lonnie Smith singles through the hole at short. Nixon scores and that run is unearned. And then David Justice is out trying to. advanced to third base, ending the inning. This potentially could have been a bigger inning, but Justice makes the final out of an inning at third base, which is something you are never supposed to do. Leading off the bottom of the eighth inning was Kelly Gruber, whose error led to that run. He hits a home run to tie the ballgame back up, erasing the error, and

putting himself back in the good graces of Blue Jays fans, who have been kind of on him all season. He had a very poor season for the Blue Jays. After three, really, really good ones. Braves do not score in their half of the ninth inning. Leading off the bottom of the ninth for the Blue Jays, Roberto Alamar, who singles up the middle, and he steals second base. Joe Carter is then intentionally walked to get to Dave Winfield, who sacrifices Alamar to third and Carter to second. Kind of an odd move, considering he's a future Hall of Famer, although he was at the tail end of his career. Ed Sprague then pinch hits for John Olerud and not want to repeat of what happened.

happened at the end of game two. He's intentionally walked to load the bases, bringing up Candy Maldonado, and that also brings Jeff Reardon in the ballgame. Maldenado hits one to deep right center. Nobody's going to get that one. Alamar scores, and the Blue Jays win the first ever World Series game played in Canada by a three to two score. Duane Ward gets the win in relief for the Blue Jays. Juan Guzman started it when eight pretty good innings. Steve A.mage, He started for the Braves and he also did pretty well, although he is tagged with the loss. We're going to look at the remaining games on the other side of this commercial break, which is going to be led off with the word from Bilt Bar.

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Have you got to comment or a question? Send it on over to Lockedon Meriters at gmail.com and I will read it and reply to it on the air. Hopefully we'll be able to do an email episode towards the end of this week, maybe early next week. It depends on when Jason Hernandez is available. Questions or comments about any subject are welcome and encouraged. Remember, it's a family show, so keep it appropriate. Lockedon Mariners at gmail.com is that email address once again, and we will conclude the 1992 World Series upon the conclusion of this.

Now time for the second half of Locked on Mariners. Once again, your host, D.C. Lundberg. Thank you very much. That was our announcer, Joey Martin, leading us back into the second half of this episode of Locked on Mariners. we are talking about the 1992 World Series, the first World Series, which involved a team from outside the United States, the first World Series that involved a team from Canada. This is kind of, you know, my small way of not only saying thank you, but, you know, to pay

tribute to Alex Trebek for the years of entertainment that he provided not only on Jeopardy, but on a classic concentration and the other shows that I enjoyed watching growing up as well. As he was a Canadian, he was from Sudbury, Ontario, even though he was already living in the United States by the time the Blue Jays came into existence in 1977. The fact remains he was Canadian and talking about the first World Series which involved a Canadian team and the first World Series won by a Canadian team, kind of again my small way of saying thank you to him and paying tribute to him. We left off after Game 3, which was the first game played in Canada.

That brings us to Game 4, which took place on October 21st, we're still in Skydome, and the Blue Jays got things underway in the third inning, a solo home run. and this one from catcher Pat borders. They would extend their lead to two to one in the bottom of the seventh inning. Kelly Gruber led off with a walk, and he was advanced to second base on a ground out. With two away and Gruber on its second base, Devon White hits a single through the hole at shortstop,

scoring Gruber. But White is thrown out trying to advance to second base on the throw home. The left fielder threw home, but it was cut off by the third baseman, who then threw to the second baseman into the third baseman. White gets caught in a rundown, and he is out. 7-5-4-3. Hmm. Anyways, that ends the inning.

Could have been a bigger inning, but in fact it was not. Two to nothing is the lead at this time. The Braves get one of them back in the top of the eighth inning on an RBI ground out from Mark Lemke. That scored Ron Gantt, and that was the scoring in this ballgame. Pretty good pitchers duel. In fact, the Atlanta pitcher Tom Glaven pitches a complete game. Eight innings for him.

as there was no bottom of the ninth, six hits, two runs, they were earned, four walks, which is unusual for him, two strikeouts, and that Pat Borders home run. Jimmy Key started for the Blue Jays, went seven and two-thirds. He gives up five hits, one run, it was earned, six strikeouts, and no walks.

Tom Hinkie collects the save, pitching the final inning. That gives the Blue Jays a three-to-one series advantage as the Braves took game one, and the Blue Jays took the next three in a row. Game 5 was the last game scheduled in Skydome for the year. And if the Blue Jays win, that means they would clinch the World Series on their turf. Could they do it?

Unfortunately, no. John Smolt started for the Braves, and he was opposed by Jack Morris, who was at the end of his career and had a pretty good regular season, but a poor playoffs. Atlanta gets on the board first, an RBI double from Terry Pendleton for a one-to-nothing lead. In the bottom of the second inning, Pat Borders ties up the ballgame with an RBI double of his own. One to one is the score. In the fourth inning, David Justice leads off with a home run to give the Braves the lead back. Pat Borders would tie the game right back up in the next half frame, however, on an RBI single, scoring John Olerud.

Top of the fifth inning, the Braves get a little serious. Dion Sanders hits an RBI single to score Otis Nixon. Terry Pendleton then hits a ground rule double. called on fan interference. It was a ground ball down the line, which was picked up by a fan. Dion Sanders advances to third base. David Justice is then intentionally walked to load the bases, bringing up Lonnie Smith. Lonnie Smith sends Grandma to the kitchen to break out the rye bread and mustard. A grand salami, ladies and gentlemen, to give the Braves a seven to two lead. Five runs scored this inning, four of them on one swing of the bat from Lonnie Smith.

And Jack Morris's day was done. He was replaced by David Wells, who got Sid Bream to fly out. As a matter of fact, that 7-2 score would be the final. Braves doing most of their damage in that fifth inning. Smolts with the win, Jack Morris with the loss. Scene shifts to Atlanta for game six, and what a game six this would be. Toronto gets on the board at the top of the very first inning. With Devon White on a third base, Joe Carter smoked one into the right-center field gap.

Right-fielder David Justice is in pursuit. and he reaches for it, but it goes under his glove and rolls to the wall. White scores, and Joe Carter winds up on its second base. On a play that was scored, a sacrifice fly end in error, a tough error on David Justice. In any case, the run does wind up scoring, and it's a one-nothing lead for Toronto. In the bottom of the third, Terry Pendleton ties up the ballgame with the sacrifice fly of his own to score Dionne Sanders, but the center fielder actually caught this one. so there's no error and Pendleton does not reach base.

Top of the fourth inning, Candy Maldenado, the Candyman, leads off that inning with a solo home run to give the Blue Jays the lead right back at 2 to 1. Both teams would trade zeros until the ninth inning. Tom Hanky, again, one of the better closers in the league, comes into pitch for the Blue Jays. He immediately gives up a single to Jeff Blowser. Damon Berry Hill sacrifice bunts him to second base. Lonnie Smith then pinch hits. for Mark Lemke and Lonnie Smith walks.

Francisco Cabrera then comes off the bench to pinch it, who was an NLCS hero for the Braves just a couple of weeks prior. He lines out to left field, so there are now two away and runners on at first and second base. Otis Nixon steps up to the plate. He hits a ground ball single through the hole at shortstop. Left field or Candy Malinado throws home to try to get Blowser, but his throw sails over everyone to the backstop. Louser easily scores, Lonnie Smith goes to third base, and Nixon winds up on its second base

on Maldonado's throwing error. So the game is now tied at two-piece, runners at second and third with two away, and the powerful Ron Gant steps to the plate with a chance to win this ballgame and force a decisive game seven. But he flies out to center field, forcing this one into extra innings, ladies and gentlemen, Charlie Leibrand, who had given up the game winning home run to Kirby Puckett in game six of the 1991 World Series comes into pitch for Atlanta, but he does blank the Blue Jays in his half of the 10th. After Tom Hanky retired Terry Pendleton to lead off the bottom of the 10th, starter Jimmy Key comes out of the bullpen to pitch to David Justice and Sid Bream, both of whom would ground out. Top of the 11th inning,

Lee Brandt is still in there. Jimmy Key, the pitcher, leads off by fouling out to the third baseman. Devon White is then hit by a pitch, Roberto Alamar singles, and Joe Carter flies out. So there are runners at first and second base to bring up the venerable Dave Winfield. He had played in the 1981 World Series with the Yankees and did not have a good series at all. He plays the role of hero here, however, hitting a ground ball double down the third baseline to score both White and Alamar. Candy Malinato pops out to the second baseman to end the inning, but the Blue Jays now have a four to two lead going into the bottom of the 11th inning. Jimmy Keyes still on the hill.

He immediately allows a single to Jeff Blowser. Damon Berryhill grounds to the shortstop, but he reaches on an error by Alfredo Griffin who was playing shortstop. Blowser goes to third base, and Barry Hill reaches first base. Barry Hill is then lifted for a pinch runner, and that pinch runner was none other than starting pitcher John Smoltz. Yeah, John Smoltz, pinch running, ladies and gentlemen. He is sacrificed bunted to second base by the next batter, Rafael Belliard.

That brought up Charlie Libran's spot in the order, but there was no way he was going to bat. Brian Hunter pinch hits for him, and he grounds out to the first baseman, which scored blouser. It's an unerned run and no RBI. Smolt advances to third base. Jimmy Key is then lifted for a relief pitcher at this time, and coming in from the bullpen, Future Mariner Mike Timlin. Otis Nixon at the dish once again, who had tied the ball game for Atlanta in the ninth inning.

Joe Carter, who was playing first base, went over to Timlin and said, you know, Otis might be bunting. He's very fast. He's a very good drag bunter, and he might try to get this run in with a bunt. And that's exactly what Otis does. Timlin jumps off the mound very quickly to field it,

and he throws out the very speedy Otis Nixon at first base, to hand the Toronto Blue Jays, their very first World Series Championship and the first World Series championship by a team outside the United States. Joe Carter jumping up and down jubilantly made for a great picture to cap off this great World Series. World Series MVP, ladies and gentlemen, another future mariner, Pat Borders. The Blue Jays would then win the World Series in 1993, which again we had already talked about on this show a couple weeks ago when I did the episode on the World Series

and had been ended with home runs. If you want a good image, look at Joe Carter rounding the bases after his home run, which ended the 93 series. In his words, it was total pure joy. After this World Series had concluded, there was a rally at the Skydome featuring several Blue Jays players. David Cohn, who had been acquired mid-season from the Mets, said that even though the players on the Blue Jays, quote, are either American or Latin American, we still feel the pride of Canada, end quote. A very heartwarming scene to cap off the 1992 season.

Gang, even though I am an American, I'm a proud American, it still does make me smile to see a group of people come together to do something like this, not just for a city, not just for a region, for an entire nation. Yes, Canada did have two Major League baseball teams at this time, but it was the Toronto Blue Jays, who delivered them their very first ever World Series title. That's going to put a wrap on this episode, ladies and gentlemen.

Tomorrow or the next day, I'm not exactly sure. We're going to be talking about another Classic World Series, and again, I am not sure which one. The only thing I am sure of, however, is that joining me on the panel will be Alex P. Keaton, gobo-fragel, and a can of Molson Golden.

You won't want to miss that, ladies and gentlemen, says the non-beard drinker. But download rate and subscribe to this program. Apple Podcasts, Google Podcast, Spotify, Stitcher Radio, any podcasting app that pops in your head, look for us there, so you never miss an episode. Follow us on Twitter at L.O. underscore Mariners. Follow me on Twitter at D.C. underscore Lundberg.

Thank you for listening to today's episode. ladies and gentlemen, our kind of small tribute, my way of saying thank you to Alex Trebek talking about the first ever Canadian World Series victory. We'll be back here tomorrow talking about another great fall classic. Talk to you then. This is Joey Martin saying join us back here next time for another edition of Locked-on Mariners,

part of the Locked-on Podcast Network.