Many books nigh sports comport themes nigh heroic success stories, every bit men in addition to women overcome nifty odds to conk "winners."
"Game 7, 1986" isn't similar that. At all.
And that's what makes it interesting.
The subtitle, "Failure in addition to Triumph inwards the Biggest Game of My Life," tells the storey enclosed inwards a few words. Those who were baseball game fans at the fourth dimension know precisely what that subtitle is about. But here's a quick refresher course.
The New York Mets trailed the Boston Red Sox, 3 games to two, inwards the 1986 World Series. Their hopes for a championship appeared doomed when they rallied from a two-run deficit inwards the bottom of the tenth inning to force out Game Six. That laid upwards a Game Seven, the biggest minute of whatever baseball game season.
Ron Darling was the human picked yesteryear the Mets' manager, Davey Johnson, to start Game Seven. Immediately, he started to experience the pressure, which was sure multiplied yesteryear the circumstances of the Mets' Game Six rally - making a Game Seven win seem almost inevitable to some. This would live a Big Moment - for the pitcher, for the team, for the fans, for the city. Darling had pitched good inwards his starting fourth dimension 2 starts of the World Series, just he good knew that at that topographic point were no guarantees.
After thinking nigh it overnight after Game Six, Darling prepared to pitch Game Seven ... except that it rained. That pushed dorsum the game a twenty-four threescore minutes stream to Mon night, in addition to gave Darling some other 24 hours to intend nigh what was coming - which he admits he didn't actually ask at that point. It likewise gave the Red Sox 24 hours to position the events of Game Six behind them. Boston likewise had the adventure to start Bruce Hurst inwards Game Seven, in addition to he had dominated the Mets in addition to hence far inwards the Series.
The game lastly started, in addition to Darling admits he was shaky at the start. In the majority he goes over the game batter yesteryear batter, revealing what he was thinking at a given moment. He gave upwards back-to-back domicile runs inwards the 2nd inning, in addition to subsequently gave upwards a tertiary run. With no tomorrows, every bit the cliché goes, Darling didn't conk deep into the game in addition to was pulled amongst his squad trailing, 3-0. That left him inwards the odd seat of hoping his teammates bailed him out inwards a sense.
That they did, going on to rally to win the game. The celebration was a New York-sized one, naturally, just Darling writes how everything was a petty tempered for him personally because he hadn't contributed every bit much every bit he had hoped. Yes, he had pitched good throughout the flavour in addition to playoffs, in addition to was a valuable fellow member of the team. But Darling was inwards the middle of an odd situation, in addition to that's what makes the majority move quite well.
While reading this book, a span of times I turned on the estimator to scout a record of the game on YouTube. It's instructive to practise so. At 1 point, Darling throws a pitch that appears to select grip of the bottom of the boom zone just is called a ball. The announcers don't hollo much nigh it, just Darling writes nigh how upset he was at the time. If that's a ball, he thought, it's going to live a difficult, in addition to short, flush for him. Darling is shown off the mound, rubbing the baseball game amongst vigor.
There are some tangents along the way. Darling grew upwards inwards Massachusetts in addition to was a Red Sox fan. He fifty-fifty played amongst Boston's catcher at the time, Rich Gedman, spell growing up. There are a few stories nigh his Mets teammates in addition to their antics every bit well. But mostly, this is nigh Darling, who many people today know through his fine move every bit an analyst for Mets' broadcasts in addition to for national channels such every bit TBS. Pitcher is 1 of the loneliest positions inwards sports this side of hockey goalie, in addition to this is a bright demonstration nigh how fifty-fifty professionals are a far less confident bunch than the full general populace believes.
H5N1 petty familiarity amongst a game from xxx years agone volition assistance a reader's enjoyment of "Game 7, 1986." Still, the book's odd approach ought to order it some marker of universal appeal. It's a quick, interesting read, in addition to mightiness assistance y'all intend nigh the sport inwards a petty dissimilar way.
Four stars
Learn to a greater extent than nigh this book.
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