1970 World Series

After a devastating loss to the "adolescent" New York Mets in the '69 Series, the Baltimore Orioles returned to the top of the American League determined to make amends for their previous postseason failure. Their newest adversaries, the Cincinnati Reds, swept the Pittsburgh Pirates in the National's Championship Series under rookie manager Sparky Anderson. The soon-to-be "Big Red Machine" boasted a strong pitching rotation that featured Jim Merritt (a twenty game winner), Wayne Simpson (14-3) and Gary Nolan (18-7) as well as another standout named Pete Rose. The Orioles rotation featured Mike Cuellar, a twenty-four game victor and a tough line-up that included lumberjack Boog Powell and fielding wizard Brooks Robinson.

Game 1 welcomed the World Series debut of the newly christened Riverfront Stadium, which had replaced Crosley Field as the Reds' home in late June. The artificial surface and "soup bowl- surroundings" were the first of their kind to host a Fall Classic. Home-field advantage appeared to be in effect as Lee Mays came out swinging with a two run homer that gave Cincinnati a 3-0 lead, but the Orioles came back with their own two run blast by Powell that was followed with home runs by Ellie Hendricks and Brooks Robinson. Baltimore emerged the 4-3 winner, but the victory was soured by a controversial call at the plate by umpire Ken Burkhart. With one out and two base runners on (Tommy Helms at first and Bernie Carbo at third), the Reds' pinch-hitter Ty Cline popped a high tee-shot off of Jim Palmer in front of home plate, (which Burkhart promptly called a fair ball). Baltimore's catcher Ellie Hendricks snatched up the spinning duck and (after turning to first) spun around in an attempt to tag out Carbo who was speeding home. As Hendricks' dove toward the plate, he ran into the umpire before reaching the sliding runner. Burkhart, obviously distracted during the collision, called Carbo out on contact. Despite their arguments the verdict stood (although replays have clearly depicted the Oriole catcher tagging Carbo with an empty glove). Brooks Robinson also provided a "replay worthy" moment in the Reds' sixth after making a spectacular backhanded catch and spinning to throw out Dave May who had fired a bouncing cannonball between the fielder and the bag.

Cincinnati entered Game 2 just as they had the opener, with an early 3-0 lead. Unfortunately Baltimore also mimicked their previous days performance with a fourth inning homer by Hendricks that lit off a five run rally in the fifth ending in a 6-5 triumph that put the visitors up two games to none. Game 3 was a highlight film for Brooks Robinson who was playing superb defense against anything the Reds sent his way. After Pete Rose and Bobby Tolan both started with consecutive hits, Robinson made a sensational, leaping grab of Tony Perez's hopper, stepped on third and fired to first for a perfect double play. Dave McNally closed the inning by inducing Johnny Bench to fly out as Robinson traded his "golden glove" for a wooden bat. Stepping up to the plate, "Hoover" as he was called, nailed a first-inning double that scored Don Buford and Frank Robinson. Back on the field in the second, Robinson snagged a slow Tommy Helms' grounder to throw out the sprinting second baseman and in the sixth; he made a diving glove-handed catch of another Bench liner.

McNally also contributed on both sides of the ball and aided his own cause with a bases-loaded homer in the sixth off Wayne Granger. The grand slam equaled Bob Gibson's record of two World Series homers by a pitcher and Don Buford and Frank Robinson followed suite with homers of their own for the 9-3 victory. With their backs against the ropes, Cincinnati was on the verge of elimination. Gary Nolan was given the difficult responsibility of keeping his ball club afloat, but cracked under the pressure and was pulled after 2 2/3 innings. An injured Jim Merritt came in as relief and held the Orioles lead to two as the Nationals trailed 5-3 in the eighth. Lee May, well aware of the desperate situation his team faced, seized the opportunity to play hero and launched a timely three run homer for the 6-5, Series-extending victory. Merritt, still reeling from a sore elbow, returned in Game 5, but was unable to make it through the second-inning. His teammates managed to take Cuellar for three runs on four hits in the top of the first, but it would be only offense generated for the rest of the contest as the Orioles pitched shutout baseball the rest of the way. In the end, it was Baltimore who prevailed with a second 9-3 decision that erased all memories of the '69 Series and returned the championship crown to the American League's clubhouse. Despite the loss, the Reds were far from finished and would return to the Fall Classic (in two short years) "bigger" and better than ever.