TABLE OF CONTENTS 1 1947 Robinson’s Debut 2 1960 Maz Blasts Walk-Off 3 1970 Orr Goes Airborne 4 1980 Eruzione’s Golden Goal 5 1982 Clark Makes The Catch 6 1982 Cal Wins on The Play 7 1992 Laettner Saves Duke 8 1996 Strug’s Golden Vault 9 1999 Chastain Boots China 10 2008 Phelps by a Fingertip 11 2011 Freese Saves St Louis 12 2013 The Miami Miracle 13 2013 Tigers Shock the Tide Honorable Mentions Glossary For More Information Index About the Author 5 9 12 14 17 21 25 29 32 34 37 41 44 46 47 47 48 48
1 1947 ROBINSON’S DEBUT O n the afternoon of April 15 1947 Jackie Robinson made history He did not hit a game-winning home run He did not break a record He merely put on his first baseman’s mitt and jogged to his position in the top of the first inning With that simple act baseball’s color barrier had been broken For more than 60 years no black player had played a Major League Baseball MLB game Team owners had followed an unwritten rule that the big leagues would be for whites only But the Brooklyn Dodgers decided to break that rule Dodgers executive Branch Rickey signed Robinson a three-sport star at the Jackie Robinson poses in his Brooklyn Dodgers uniform 5
