We’re playing Bank One in our postseason tournament, a team much more talented than us. Late in the game, though, the score is tied.  It’s the bottom of the sixth with two out and a runner, Doug Dixon, on second.  Our leadoff batter, Jim Creighton, is at the plate against one of the top pitchers in the league.  Doug Dixon was our best pitcher and had pitched a good game to that point.  Doug was also as slow as molasses.

Jim Creighton was in the hole with no balls and two strikes.  At this moment, I had a “feeling”.  I felt that Jim Creighton was ultimately going to strike out.  And I felt that the best chance for us to score in that situation was to have Doug Dixon try to steal third and maybe the catcher makes a bad throw that goes into left field, allowing Doug to score.  But, I really felt that Doug would be thrown out—which would be OK.  It meant that the next inning we’d have the top of our order up, with Jim Creighton having a fresh count to start with.  So I gave Doug the steal sign.

As the pitcher throws, Doug starts lumbering toward third.  The pitch is outside, for a ball.  The catcher wheels and makes a perfect throw to the third baseman—who has to wait for Doug to arrive to make the tag.  Doug is really upset.  As he passes me, he says “Why did you make me try to steal!?”  My reply, “Don’t worry about it.  Just go out there and pitch.  We’ll be OK.”  And so, the top of the next inning unfolds with Bank One having a couple of runners on base with one out.  But we get a rare double play to get out of the inning.  (So far, my luck is holding.)

So here comes the diminutive Jim Creighton to the plate.  I’m hoping somehow he gets on base so our good hitters have a chance to knock him in.  He digs into the batter’s box and the pitcher fires the first pitch.  Jim swings and…makes solid contact.  So solid that the ball goes sailing over the left fielder’s head!  Jim is running hard around the bases. The crowd is cheering. The left fielder, Arnie Chonko, who has a great arm, is chasing it down.  The shortstop is going out to make the relay throw.  As Jim approaches third base, I have a choice: play it safe and hold him at third with no outs; or, send him home.   It looked to me like it would have to be a perfect relay to get him out at home—so I wave him on.  Arnie Chonko’s throw to the shortstop was on target but low.  The shortstop has to reach down to catch it at his shoe top, and then raise up and throw.  It was going to be close.  The shortstop made a strong throw that was right on target.  But it was half a heartbeat late as Jim slid into home for the winning run!  Goosebumps!