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The 1968 World Series featured two pitchers who had among the best seasons in baseball history, but were upstaged...
... by another. The 1968 World Series threw a few surprises our way... everyone expected it to be a real showdown between Bob Gibson, who'd set a major league record for lowest ERA of 1.12, and Denny McLain, who'd won 31 games - the most by a pitcher since 1934... and no one's come close since!
World Series Preview:
Conventional wisdom favored St. Louis with an advantage given to Detroit only if McLain could outduel Gibson at least twice. Well McLain won one game... not against Gibson... and Gibson was outdueled, but only once. Lefthander Mickey Lolich had been around awhile and had  put some good seasons on the board... in '68 he'd won 17 games, but struggled at times and had even been banished to the bullpen for a spell... it was thought that McLain and Lolich would have to both pitch well for the Tigers to upset the defending World Series Champs. Also the gamble of moving centerfielder Mickey Stanley to the critical shortstop position, in order to get veteran Al Kaline's bat in the lineup, replacing slick-fielding Ray Oyler, was criticized as something that could easily backfire.. would it????
Al Kaline
Courtesy National Baseball
Hall of Fame Library,
Cooperstown, NY
 Game 1 at St. Louis- St. Louis 4 Detroit 0- Bob Gibson totally dominates the overmatched Tiger hitters by setting a World Series strikeout record of 17. McLain is gone by the 5th inning. St. Louis leads 1968 World Series 1-0.Game 2 at St. Louis- Detroit 1 St. Louis 1- Home runs by Willie Horton, Norm Cash, and - of all people- Mickey Lolich pace the Tigers to a much needed game 2 victory over Nelson Briles. 1968 World Series tied 1-1.Game 3 at Detroit- St. Louis 7 Detroit 3- A 13-hit Cardinal attack chases Earl Wilson in the 5th inning as St. Louis overcomes a 2-0 deficit to rout the Tigers. St. Louis leads 1968 World Series 2-1. Game 4 at Detroit- St. Louis 10 Detroit 1- McLain gets hammered, Brock runs wild and homers... Cards take a seemingly insurmountable lead. St. Louis leads 1968 World Series 3-1. Game 5 at Detroit- Detroit 5 St. Louis 3- Willie Horton's throw to nip Brock at the plate keys a Tiger comback. St. Louis leads 1968 World Series 3-2.Game 6 at St. Louis- Detroit 13 St. Louis 1- Jim Northrup's slam and McLain's clutch pitching keys a huge win, but they can't beat Gibson tomorrow... or can they? 1968 World Series Tied 3-3.Game 7 at St. Louis- Detroit 4 St. Louis 1- Jim Northrup's 7th inning triple and Mickey Lolich's 3rd Series Win bring the World Series Championship back where it belongs- for the first time since 1945! DETROIT TIGERS WIN 1968 WORLD SERIES 4-3!
World Series Wrapup:
In the end it came down to a combination of Gibson not pitching quite well enough, McLain pitching just well enough and Lolich pitching much better than was expected. Mickey Stanley's steady play at shortstop was another pleasant surprise, as veterans Al Kaline and Norm Cash led the way with 11 and 10 hits.This was the absolute high point in baseball in the Motor City for many years... people still remember this team its players... many of whom still live in the area. They've left a big footprint... bigger than the '84 club. Will the class of 2006 be remembered as far into the future?
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