This World Series had it all -- good pitching, terrific fielding plays, explosive offense and plenty of drama. Veteran writers proclaimed it one of the more exciting Series in memory. After five games Cincinnati's Big Red Machine held the edge over the Boston Red Sox three games to two, and their manager, Sparky Anderson, had every intention of ending the Fall Classic this night. Captain Hook, as he was affectionately known, was not bashful about replacing pitchers on the mound and promised to use seven in this game if necessary to take home the championship. Underdog Boston, meanwhile, took advantage of a three-day rain delay to start their Game One pitcher Luis Tiant.

It was a clear crisp night in Boston, with the wind favoring the hitters. Radio announcer Curt Gowdy told the listening audience that "with the wind blowing out, this is a hold-your-breath ballpark." Throughout the first five innings, he repeated the potential influence of Mother Nature on batted balls.

The Red Sox needed this game to stay alive, and in the opening frame they drew first blood. After two outs Carl Yastrzemski and Carlton Fisk singled. Rookie Fred Lynn then smashed a towering drive into right-center field that cleared the Boston bullpen and landed ten rows deep in the bleachers.

Tiant held the 3-0 lead until the fifth. With two on and one out, Ken Griffey tripled to deep left-center driving home Cincinnati's first two runs. Johnny Bench then singled to tie the game.

In the Cincinnati seventh, with two on and two out, George Foster doubled home a pair, giving the Reds their first lead at 5-3. Crowd noise was non-existent, especially after Cesar Geronimo led off the visitor's eighth with a home run. The round-tripper spelled the end for Tiant, who left to a standing ovation, but trailing 6-3.

Meanwhile, Captain Hook's fifth pitcher, Pedro Borbon, was coasting along as the announcers quipped that the only empty seats in the park were in the Cincinnati bullpen. Borbon had walked one and retired the other six batters he faced without a ball leaving the infield. Sox fans braced themselves for another long, unhappy winter.

But in the bottom of the eighth, after Lynn opened with a single and Rico Petrocelli walked, the crowd came to life. Rawly Eastwick replaced Borbon, struck out Dwight Evans, and retired Rick Burleson on a liner to left. Pinch-hitting for Roger Moret, Bernie Carbo then strode to the plate. Carbo had been a first round draft pick of Cincinnati in 1965 (ahead of Johnny Bench) and relished the chance to impress his old mates. After fouling off a 3-2 pitch, Carbo launched Eastwick's next offering 400 feet, into the center field seats, knotting the contest at six. It was Bernie's second pinch home run of the Series, and the theatrics ignited the crowd.

Boston could not have had a better opportunity to win it in the ninth. With bases loaded and no outs, Lynn lifted a shallow fly to left. Foster hovered near the foul line, where the stands encroached within a few feet of fair territory, and made the catch. Contrary to the screams of Boston third base coach Don Zimmer, Denny Doyle tagged up and dashed for the plate. Foster's throw was nearly perfect. Bench reached slightly up the first base line for the peg then tagged out Doyle for a double play. That broke the back of the Sox rally, and Petrocelli ended the suspense by grounding out.

In the 11th another spectacular defensive play saved the game, this time for Boston. With Griffey at first and one out, Joe Morgan lifted a fly ball deep to right field. Evans raced back, leaped above the wall and pulled down a certain home run. He then fired back to the infield where Griffey was easily doubled off first.

Cincinnati again threatened in the 12th frame against Rick Wise, who became the last of a dozen pitchers to enter the game. With one out the Reds collected a pair of singles, but Wise retired the next two batters.

Pat Darcy, who had taken the mound for Cincinnati in the 10th, had retired six straight Red Sox. But leading off the home 12th was Fisk. On a 1-0 pitch the catcher lofted a towering drive deep to left as more than 35,000 pairs of eyes strained to see if it would stay fair. Amid a deafening roar Fisk waved the ball fair as it slammed high off the foul pole and gave Boston one of the most dramatic victories in World Series history.

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