Some say it was the best game ever played. The anticipation was overwhelming as the game had been delayed for three straight days, and the Reds were up in the series 3-2. The event included legends like Pete Rose, Carl Yastrzemski, Johhny Bench, Ken Griffey, Fred Lynn, and, of course, Carlton Fisk.
After an epic battle back and forth with the score tied 6-6 in the bottom of the 12th inning, Fisk stepped to the plate to face an exhausted Pat Darcy, who had just thrown two scoreless innings. The second pitch had nothing on it, and Fisk hammered it high and down the left field line. As the ball was careening its way towards destiny, Lou Gerard's camera was supposed to be tracking the ball, but during the pitch, he noticed a rat coming toward him and got flustered. He couldn't find the ball, so he stayed focused on Fisk. What he filmed was baseball lore. As the ball was sailing toward foul territory, Fisk was shuffling down the first base line with his arms waving wildly as if to somehow force the ball to straighten out and stay in play. When it hit the foul pole and 35,000 fans erupted in celebration, charging the field as Ol' Pudge rounded the bases, history was made...and Gerard caught it all on film.
"You can make many plans, but the Lord's purpose will prevail." (Proverbs 19:21)
