Freddie Freeman’s Grand Slam for Dodgers Will Be Immortalized in MLB Hall of Fame
Freddie Freeman etched his name in baseball history Friday night. His walk-off grand slam in Game 1 of the World Series will be immortalized in Cooperstown.
The cleats that ran around the bases as Dodger Stadium roared and the entire city of Los Angeles watched, will now go into the Hall of Fame, according to USA Today’s Bob Nightengale.
Freeman produced the first walk-off grand slam in World Series history. Additionally, the first baseman’s feat was the first World Series walk-off home run on the first pitch since Mickey Mantle in 1964.
The Los Angeles Dodgers’ 6-3 win over the New York Yankees had uncanny parallels to World Series wins of the past.
In 1988, a hobbling Kirk Gibson hit a walk-off home run for the Dodgers in Game 1 of the Fall Classic. Since then, the Dodgers have been waiting for the next generation’s unforgettable moment.
Freeman rose to the occasion. Like Gibson, Freeman had been dealing with an injury. Like Gibson, the Dodgers were two down. Like Gibson, Freeman’s walk-off will never be forgotten.
Gibson’s walk-off home run is also unforgettable because of the legendary call by the late Vin Scully. Joe Davis paid homage to Scully’s call with his own call of Freeman’s walk-off.
“She is gone. Gibby, meet Freddie!”
It was a call that was heard on both coasts and will be replayed for many, many years.
The parallels didn’t end there. Ahead of Game 1 at Chavez Ravine, the Dodgers honored Fernando Valenzuela who had passed away just three days before.
The legendary pitcher was honored by his former teammates, Orel Hershiser and Steve Yeager, during the ceremonial first pitch. Valenzuela, Hershiser, and Yeager were all members of the 1981 Dodgers that beat the Yankees in the Fall Classic.
Instead of throwing out the first pitch, Hershiser and Yeager wore Valenzuela’s jersey and placed the ball on Valenzuela’s No. 34 painted on the mound.
After Freeman’s walk-off, the home crowd began to chant.
“Fred-die.”
Hershiser explained postgame that one of Valenzuela’s nicknames in the Dodgers clubhouse was Freddie; and thus, for Freeman to save the Dodgers Friday night was seemingly more fitting.
Like Valenzuela, Freeman will be remembered forever.
Photo Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
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