October 8, 2003
MarkBernstein.org
 

Trot's Homer

Game 3: a weird, amazing game -- the kind of game that makes you remember why you used to stay up late, why you used to hope for unreasonable things. Why you cared when, in 1968, the Cubs flag appeared for a time at the top of the scoreboard pole in Wrigley for the first time, in August, that anyone you knew could remember except your grandfather who saw Ruth call his shot and was there for the Home Run in the Gloaming.

When Garciaparra booted the ball, as it dribbled into left and the runners circled the bases, I was already thinking of Leon Durham letting the Cubs' 1984 championship slip away in Game 5. I was already thinking of Bill Buckner. And then things got weird, as Tejada forgot to finish running before he began to complain.

A weird, weird game -- and the second great game of this series.