#30. Allen Iverson wins the MVP Award-May 2001
The trials and tribulations of Allen Iverson's time in Philadelphia have been well documented, but the 2000-01 season is one that the city of Philadelphia and fans of the Philadelphia 76ers will never forget. It was the year that Allen Iverson put the team on his back, and he was rewarded with the NBA MVP trophy.
We've been through the entire season and what happened with the Sixers that year. The winning streak to start the season, the Atlantic Division title, the run to the NBA Finals, every moment of it has been covered on this list. None of that even comes close to happening without Allen Iverson, and Iverson almost wasn't around with the Sixers to make those moments possible. Iverson and head coach Larry Brown didn't always have the best relationship, and it had come to a point where it seemed only one of the two would be able to stay in Philadelphia. The plan was to trade Iverson and build around what the Sixers were able to get for him, and it almost worked. A deal was seemingly in place to trade Iverson to the Detroit Pistons, but Matt Geiger was a part of the deal as well, and allegedly used his no trade clause to veto the deal, keeping Iverson in Philadelphia.
With the knowledge that he could be traded to a lower tier NBA team, Iverson took his game to another level in that 2000-01 season. He led the league in scoring with 31.1 points per game and in steals, averaging 2.5 a contest. Iverson played an average of 42 minutes a game that season, so he rarely had a chance to even sit down and catch his breath. There were other players that were mentioned in the MVP conversation, but Philadelphia fans, as unfairly judged as we are, know a great performance when they see one and made sure to let people know who the MVP of the NBA was that season. Sure enough, Iverson was announced as league MVP during the playoffs and proceeded to lead the Sixers to the NBA Finals.
That 2000-01 season really was magical. The Sixers won every single individual award, save for Most Improved Player, and it showed on the court. Even with all the individual awards, no one could keep up with Allen Iverson. This was his one MVP season, and he deserved every bit of that award that year.
#29. Kim Batiste walks off against the Braves-October 6, 1993
The 1993 Phillies have already been covered on this list, and they will be again, but for this moment, you have to know a little bit about Kim Batiste. Batiste was a utility player who played in Philadelphia from 1991 through the 1994 season. The 1993 season was his best, as he hit .282 and drove in 29 runs for the National League East champion Phils. Going into the NLCS against the 104 win Atlanta Braves, Batiste was looking to be more of a backup or defensive replacement in late innings for Dave Hollins, the starting third baseman.
In Game 1, that's just where Batiste found himself. Curt Schilling had held the Braves to two runs in eight innings of work, and Mitch Williams was on the mound to close things out. Of course, those of you that remember Mitch Williams and his time with the Phillies know how he could be. In the ninth inning of Game 1, he was off. Williams walked pinch hitter Bill Pecota on four pitches, but looked to have Mark Lemke out on a ground ball to third base. However, Batiste, who entered in the ninth inning as a defensive replacement, was unable to complete the play and was charged with an error. After a sacrifice bunt moved Lemke to second, Otis Nixon grounded to shortstop and Pecota scored on what should have been the last play of the game. Williams then walked Jeff Blauser, but struck out Ron Gant to end the inning. The Braves had tied the game at three, and the blame seemed to all be on the young third baseman.
The Phillies couldn't score in the bottom of the ninth inning, and Mitch Williams worked around a two on, two out situation in the top of the tenth to keep the game tied going into the bottom of the tenth inning. Mariano Duncan grounded out to start the inning against Greg McMichael, but John Kruk showed his All Star form and doubled, putting the winning run in scoring position for Kim Batiste. Batiste was never even supposed to bat in this game, but there he was, hitting cleanup for the Phillies with the winning run on second base. It was a chance at redemption for the player whose mistake sent the game into extra innings, and he didn't let it slip by. On the fourth pitch he saw, Batiste grounded a ball down the left field line and into the corner. Kruk rumbled home from second base to win the game and give the Phillies another come from behind win.
It was only Game 1 of the NLCS, but every chance that the Phillies had against the Braves was needed in that series. One mistake that went unanswered may have been enough to shift the entire series. That's how good this Braves team was in 1993. A team with 104 wins doesn't do that by accident, so to have the Phillies beat them in a best of seven game series really was incredible. I don't think the trip to the World Series happens if this group doesn't come back and win Game 1, and Kim Batiste redeemed himself in the best possible way to get that win.
#28. The Pickle Juice Game-September 3, 2000
Following the 1995 season, the rest of the 90s were not very kind to the Philadelphia Eagles. They followed a playoff season in '95 with another playoff trip in 1996, but they were shut out by the San Francisco 49ers in one of the worst games I can remember watching. From there, things went considerably downhill, as the Eagles followed up the 1996 season with a 6-9-1 record in 1997 and a 3-13 mark the next season. Head coach Ray Rhodes was fired and replaced by Andy Reid. His first draft pick, for those of you that don't remember, was a quarterback from Syracuse by the name of Donovan McNabb. The first year of the Reid era did not go so well, as the Eagles finished the year with a 5-11 record. Coming into the 2000 season, the Eagles were primed to improve, as McNabb was entering the season as the starter, and Jon Runyan was brought in to protect the young quarterback's right side. Corey Simon was drafted with the sixth overall pick in the draft as well, and after those moves were made, the Eagles were set to open the season against the Dallas Cowboys in Texas Stadium.
With the temperature at game time at 109 degrees, and reaching as high as 130 on the field during the game, the Eagles used a very odd method to stay hydrated: pickle juice. Trainer Rick Burkholder had the Eagles drink pickle juice before the game, as they had used the same method during training camp to prevent cramps. With three straight losing seasons staring the Eagles in the face, they knew they had to come out and make an impact, and they did just that.
Dallas won the toss and elected to receive, but Andy Reid had other plans. The head coach had David Akers kick the ball onsides to start the game. The Eagles recovered and the rout was on. McNabb threw his first touchdown pass of the season to Jeff Thomason to finish the drive. On Dallas' first play of the game, Corey Simon broke through the offensive line and sacked Troy Aikman. Dallas went three and out, and the Eagles moved downfield again, with Duce Staley scoring from a yard out. Jeremiah Trotter returned an Aikman interception for a touchdown on the next Cowboys possession, and the Philadelphia defense eventually knocked the future Hall of Famer out of the game with a concussion. Aikman finished the game 0-5 with an interception. Akers would add a field goal to put the Eagles up 24-0 before Dallas would score with two field goals late in the first quarter, but there would be no comeback for the Cowboys in this game.
The second half was more of the same, as Duce Staley gashed Dallas for 201 yards on the ground, becoming the first Eagle since Steve Van Buren back in 1949 to rush for over 200 yards. He also had four catches for 61 yards to help Donovan McNabb out in the passing game as well. The Eagles would add the next 17 points, thanks to a David Akers field goal, McNabb touchdown run and a touchdown run by Brian Mitchell. Dallas would cap the scoring with a touchdown pass from Randall Cunningham to Joey Galloway, and that was it. The Eagles had officially entered the decade with a 41-14 beatdown of the Dallas Cowboys, in Texas Stadium to start the season. It was the biggest win for the Eagles since a 40-8 win over San Francisco in 1994, and their biggest opening day win since a 41-14 win over Tampa Bay in 1988.
The momentum from the season opening win carried over into an 11 win season and a playoff birth. The Eagles won their first playoff game since the beatdown of the Lions that year, but wouldn't make their run to the NFC Championship Game for another season. Even so, the pickle juice game signaled a changing of the guard in the NFC East and ushered in an almost decade long run for a team that had suffered for years as the second fiddle in their own division. Plus, it was a dominant win against the Cowboys. What's not to like?
#27. J.J. Daigneault forces Game 7 in the Stanley Cup Finals-May 28, 1987
They might not be as known by some of the newer Flyers fans, but the mid to late 1980s featured some great hockey out of Philadelphia. The Bobby Clarke era had officially ended, at least with him as a player, and the Flyers had moved on with some of their quietly solid teams. Just like today, the Flyers always seemed to be in competition every year, but just didn't have enough to push themselves to the Stanley Cup itself. In the 1986-87 season, it was more of the same. Tim Kerr led the team with 58 goals, and a rookie goalie named Ron Hextall had emerged onto the scene and seemed ready for the spotlight. Philadelphia was tested in the playoffs, but got through the Islanders, Rangers and Canadiens to reach the Stanley Cup Finals for the second time in three seasons. Waiting for them was the Edmonton Oilers.
These Oilers were not the same pushovers that they are now. This Oilers team featured players like Mark Messier, Paul Coffey, Jari Kurri and a player named Wayne Gretzky, who was at the top of his game with an astounding 183 point regular season that included 121 assists. The Oilers had lost just two games in the playoffs prior to the Stanley Cup Finals, and had crushed the Flyers in five games two years before to win the Stanley Cup. The odds were not in Philadelphia's favor, and that's being generous.
The odds got even steeper following back to back losses by the Flyers in Edmonton. Back in Philadelphia, the Flyers took Game 3, but dropped Game 4, putting them in a 3-1 hole heading back to Edmonton for Game 5. A come from behind victory gave the Flyers life and a trip back to the Spectrum for Game 6 for what would be the last home game for the Flyers that season. The Oilers wasted little time attacking the net, outshooting the Flyers 15-5 in the first period and outscoring Philadelphia 2-0, putting the Flyers 40 minutes from another cup defeat. The Flyers refused to go quietly, though. Lindsay Carson scored seven minutes into the second period to cut the lead in half, but the Oilers kept control of the game through the rest of the period and into the third as well.
A high sticking penalty on the Oilers midway through the third period broke their momentum and gave the Flyers the chance that they needed. Brian Propp fired a slap shot by Grant Fuhr that tied the game, and 84 seconds later, the Flyers took the lead. J.J. Daigneault, a 21 year old defenseman who scored just six goals during the regular season, put a shot into the top left corner of the net to give the Flyers their first lead of the contest. The defense did its job the rest of the way, keeping the Oilers from mounting many chances at all, and the Spectrum crowd roared in support of another come from behind win. When the final horn sounded, Daigneault's goal was the winning tally and the Flyers had earned another trip back to Edmonton with a 3-2 win. Though the Game 7 result was not what Flyers fans were hoping for, the reaction and sheer improbability of Daigneault's goal is what pushes the moment into the upper tier of Philadelphia sports. A 21 year old defenseman is not supposed to score a game winning goal against the best team in hockey, but in Philadelphia, it happened. That's why I love Philadelphia sports.
#26. Tim Kerr scores four times in one period-April 13, 1985
Having just professed my admiration for the mid to late 80s Flyers, I don't think it's necessary to go through it again. This moment involves the 1984-85 Flyers, a team that also lost in the Stanley Cup Finals to the Edmonton Oilers, but had their best moment earlier in the playoffs.
Tim Kerr might be one of the most underrated hockey players of all time. Despite having a rash of injuries throughout his career, Kerr managed to score 50 goals in four different seasons and ruled the area in front of opposing nets for the Flyers throughout the 1980s. The 1985-85 season was no exception, as Kerr scored 54 goals to lead the Flyers in that category. Philadelphia dominated the Patrick Division and the Prince of Wales Conference (NHL division names were odd as hell back in the day), leading the NHL with 113 points during the regular season. Their first round opponent in the playoffs was the New York Rangers who made the playoffs based on the fact that four teams from each division made the postseason each year. With just 62 points during the regular season, the Rangers looked to be no challenge for Philadelphia, and the Flyers proved that easily, winning the first two games of the series to set up a chance for a sweep in Madison Square Garden.
The Rangers weren't ready to give up that easily, though, and took a 3-2 lead in the second period. That's when Tim Kerr stepped up and made NHL history. He first scored to tie the game at three all, then scored three more times in the second period. By the time the Rangers had figured out what was going on, Kerr had scored four goals in eight minutes and 16 seconds, the fastest anyone has ever scored four goals in a playoff game in NHL history, and the Flyers had taken a lead that they wouldn't give back.
Philadelphia held on for a 6-5 win, with Kerr being directly responsible for four of those goals. His scoring barrage was nothing new to Flyers fans, but to have it happen so quickly, and in a deciding game in the playoffs was something that very few people had seen before. Had Kerr stayed healthy throughout his career, he might have been one of the all time greats, but instead, we only have the memories of a short period of greatness and the thoughts about what could have been. I never got a chance to see Kerr play in his prime. I was far too young to even remember something like this happen live. However, I know a good hockey player when I see one, and from what I've seen, Tim Kerr was a damn good hockey player.
#25. Iverson crosses over Jordan-March 12, 1997
Allen Iverson's MVP season was his greatest overall season, but before the 2000-01 season, there was always talk about the potential greatness that Iverson had. You don't get picked first overall in the NBA Draft without having some talent, and everyone knew that Iverson was talented. The only question was how good could he become? Towards the end of his rookie season, he helped show fans a little glimpse into what he was becoming.
By the time March rolled around in the 1996-97 season, there were two obvious facts about the Bulls and the Sixers. The first was that the Sixers were going nowhere that season. The second was that the Bulls were really, really good. Chicago was on their way to their fifth NBA title in seven seasons, while the Sixers were headed back to the lottery once again. Their matchup on March 12 was little more than a formality. The Bulls did win the game, 108-104, but that's not the point here. The point is that Allen Iverson was being defended by Michael Jordan, one of the best defensive players in the league, and he put him on the wrong end of a highlight reel.
We've all seen this moment before, but it's still amazing to watch. With ten seconds left on the shot clock, Iverson comes over the three point line with Jordan in front of him. A rock back and forth moves Jordan, but a second, faster one, freezes him and gives Iverson just enough time to get a shot off and in. It was only one crossover and one basket, but you have to take into account a few things.
First of all, it was one of the best crossovers that I, or any Sixers fan, has probably ever seen. Second, Allen Iverson was a rookie, almost through his first season in the NBA and was squared off against Michael Jordan, the best basketball player ever...and Iverson won. Third, Iverson's basket ended up being two of his game high 37 points and showed not just Philadelphia fans, but the entire NBA, that Iverson was in fact for real. The 1996 draft class was one of the best in NBA history, but Iverson won the Rookie of the Year award that season, and you have to imagine that the crossover against Jordan may have swayed some people in that direction. Jordan got the ring that year, but Iverson had at least one win against hime.
#24. Jimmy Rollins does it to Broxton again-October 19, 2009
The road back to the World Series for the 2009 Phillies wasn't as smooth as the road in 2008. The pitching that helped the Phils in the 2007 and 2008 seasons wasn't always there, and the Phillies had to reach out for Pedro Martinez and trade for Cliff Lee to get the pitching that they needed. Even with the struggles on the mound, the Phils made it back to the NLCS where they faced the Los Angeles Dodgers and Manny Ramirez once again. After Cliff Lee's dominance in Game 3, the Dodgers needed a win in Game 4 to tie the series and force a trip back to Los Angeles for at least one game.
The Phils jumped out to a 2-0 lead thanks to a Ryan Howard two run home run in the first inning, but after that, the Dodgers were able to hold the Phillies down at the plate. Randy Wolf started for Los Angeles and settled down quickly after the first inning problems. At one point, Wolf retired 12 Phils in a row, and was really locked in, as the Dodger offense had peppered Joe Blanton with two out runs. Then, it came down to a battle of the bullpens, which was a battle most people, myself included, assumed that the Phillies wouldn't be able to win against Los Angeles. The Phils had two on and one out in the bottom of the eighth inning, but George Sherrill struck out Ryan Howard and Broxton got Jayson Werth to fly out to right, and it looked like the Phils had blown their last chance, especially with the bottom of the order coming up.
After Brad Lidge pitched into and out of trouble in the top of the ninth, the Phillies faced Jonathan Broxton in the bottom of the inning still down by a run. The Phillies had done little at the plate since a Chase Utley RBI single in the sixth inning, and there wasn't much in terms of optimism going around Citizens Bank Park at the time. The Phillies had beaten Broxton in the NLCS the year before, but what were the odds of it happening again? Raul Ibanez grounded out to start the inning, but then Charlie Manuel broke out his secret weapon. Matt Stairs came up to bat for Pedro Feliz.
It was Stairs that had beaten Broxton in the 2008 NLCS, and Broxton clearly didn't want it to happen again. He walked Stairs on four pitches and then hit Carlos Ruiz to put two men on with just one out. Greg Dobbs came up next, and lined the second pitch he saw to third base for the second out of the inning. One out away from a guaranteed trip back to Dodger Stadium, Jimmy Rollins came to the plate. On a 1-1 count, Rollins lined a fastball up the right field alley. It split the outfielders and rolled to the wall. Eric Bruntlett, who pinch ran for Stairs, scored easily to tie the game, and Carlos Ruiz seemed to be running faster than anyone had ever seen him run before. He slid home, and the Phillies came from behind to take Game 4 from the Dodgers and Broxton for a second straight year.
Having it happen once against a pitcher was impressive, but coming back in the same game one year later? Now that's just about impossible. The only reason this moment isn't any higher is because of the fact that the Phillies lost the World Series to the Yankees in 2009 while the 2008 Phils won the World Series. That's why you haven't seen the Matt Stairs moment yet, but it's coming. Trust me.
#23. Joffrey Lupul beats Washington-April 22, 2008
I'm not even going to cut corners here: The 2006-2007 Philadelphia Flyers were awful. When the team celebrated their 40th anniversary, they celebrated it with the worst team in their history. Ken Hitchcock was fired as head coach just eight games into the season and was replaced by John Stevens. The team finished with the second worst record in the NHL, and had to upgrade quickly if they wanted to rebound and play in the newer, high paced, NHL. Fortunately for Flyers fans, it only took one season to turn things around. The Flyers added Danny Briere, Scott Hartnell, Kimo Timonen, Jason Smith and Joffrey Lupul in the offseason, and traded for Martin Biron late in the 2006-07 season. With those additions built in to the existing team, the Flyers turned a 56 point team into a 95 point team, and were able to make it back to the playoffs in the 2007-08 season.
There was a tough road ahead for the Flyers in the playoffs. In the first round, they would face off against the Washington Capitals, who had won the Southeast Division and boasted the NHL MVP in Alexander Ovechkin. Washington took the first game of the series with a game winning goal from Ovechkin, but the Flyers not only stole home ice advantage, but took a commanding lead in the series by winning the next three games. With the series now in favor of the Flyers 3-1, all Philadelphia had to do was win one final game, and they would be headed to the Eastern Conference Semifinals.
What happened instead was much more difficult. Washington took Game 5 by a score of 3-2 in Washington, then forced a Game Seven with a 4-2 victory in Philadelphia. Most Flyers fans had thoughts of the 2000-2001 season running through their heads, when the Flyers had the New Jersey Devils in a 3-1 hole in the Eastern Conference Finals, only to let them slip out and win in seven games, and then beat the Dallas Stars for the Stanley Cup. With Game 7 taking place in Washington, all the pressure was on the Flyers to somehow pull off a miracle and not let the Capitals come back.
Things did not start out that well. Nicklas Backstrom scored for Washington less than six minutes into the game on a power play goal. The Flyers would answer later in the first period with a power play goal of their own, thanks to Scottie Upshall. Sami Kapanen would give the Flyers the lead in the second period, but Alexander Ovechkin tied the game with a goal later in the same period. Neither team could score in the third period, and the game headed to overtime.
It only took a little over six minutes for the game to be decided in the extra period, and the number 20 moment to take place. Just four minutes into the overtime, Tom Poti was called for tripping, giving the Flyers a power play chance for the first time since the second period. With the man advantage, the Flyers were able to get into the Washington zone and attack goalie Cristobal Huet. With just 15 seconds left on the power play, Danny Briere launched a shot at Huet that bounced back to Kimo Timonen, who fired a shot on goal. Huet lost track of the puck, but Joffrey Lupul did not. He pushed the puck past Huet for the game, and series winning goal. Somehow, the Flyers managed to not fall apart after blowing a 3-1 series lead, and they were headed to the Eastern Conference Semifinals.
The goal was Lupul's first of the series, and the most important of his Philadelphia career. After getting past Washington, the Flyers upset the top seeded Montreal Canadiens in five games, only to lose the Eastern Conference Finals to the Pittsburgh Penguins. The end result wasn't the greatest, but it showed that the Flyers were back and ready for their spot on the NHL's main stage, a spot they haven't given up since this series. It doesn't get much better than series winning overtime playoff goals, but there's still more Flyers moments to come.
#22. The Miracle at the New Meadowlands-December 19, 2010
A full year and a half has passed since this moment took place, and I still can't fully express how amazing this moment really was. The Eagles had been dominated all day long by the New York Giants, but somehow, Michael Vick led his team back from a 31-10 hole and DeSean Jackson's punt return finished an improbable comeback and gave the Eagles the NFC East title. I still don't think I can put this moment into words any better than I did the first time, so here's my original game recap from my previous blog.
You have to give love to the special teams as well. First came the onside kick with the Eagles down 31-17. The Giants weren't prepared for it, and Riley Cooper did a great job making sure that the ball went ten yards before he touched it. The Eagles would score on that drive, cutting the lead to 31-24. Then came the last play of the game.
This one falls more on the Giants than the Eagles, because, thanks to a high snap and a poor kick, the ball came right to DeSean Jackson, which was pretty much the one place that Tom Coughlin didn't want the ball to go. The kick was so bad that Jackson had time to fumble it, pick it up and find a hole to run through before the Giants even made it down the field to try and tackle him. Jason Avant had a huge block at midfield, and that was all Jackson would need. Did he have to start celebrating at the 25 yard line? Of course not, but with the smack that the Giants were talking during the week and for most of the game, I don't blame him. This game was a likely once in a lifetime comeback, so it's fine to showboat a little bit.
What else can be said? It was literally the most improbable ending to a game that I have ever seen in my life, and I'm sure it ranks right up there with just about any ending to any NFL game ever. When you get the first ever walk off punt return for a touchdown in NFL history, it's something amazing.
#21. Carlos Ruiz hits a 45 foot walk-off single-October 25, 2008
The Phillies and Tampa Bay Rays had split the first two games of the 2008 World Series in Tampa Bay, and were now headed to Philadelphia for the first World Series game in Philly since 1993. The only problem was that the weather didn't want to co-operate. What was supposed to be a start time of 8:25 was pushed back an hour and a half by rains, and Game 3 of the World Series became the latest starting World Series game ever.
Jamie Moyer got the start for the Phillies, and despite his struggles in the playoffs up until Game 3, Charlie Manuel was going to stick by his veteran pitcher. It wouldn't come out until during the game, but Moyer had been up with flu like symptoms most of the night, and was nowhere close to 100% while he pitched this game. After being squeezed by umpires in his first two starts of the playoffs, Moyer's first pitch of the night would show whether or not the control oriented pitcher would get the calls he would need to do well in this game. Akinori Iwamura flew out on the first pitch, and the next pitch was on the outside corner to B.J. Upton for a called strike. Moyer was in business.
Meanwhile, the Phillies did their best to get out to an early lead against ALCS MVP Matt Garza. Jimmy Rollins singled and eventually came around to score on an RBI groundout from Chase Utley. The Rays would tie the score in the top of the second on a sacrifice fly by Gabe Gross, but Carlos Ruiz gave the Phillies the lead again with a home run into left field in the bottom of the second. The score remained 2-1 until the sixth inning, when Chase Utley and Ryan Howard hit back to back home runs to put the Phils up 4-1. Moyer ran into some trouble in the top of the seventh, and eventually was pulled after allowing two runs and striking out five. It was his best showing of the playoffs, but unfortunately, he would not get the win. The Phillies' bullpen, which had been so reliable during the regular season and the playoffs, came undone in the eighth inning.
Ryan Madson entered the game in the top of the eighth with the Phillies up 4-3. All he had to do was record three outs, and Brad Lidge would come in and do the rest. Of course, with the way that this game had gone, it wasn't easy. He allowed an infield single to B.J. Upton, then struck out Carlos Pena before Upton's speed threw a wrench into the Phillies' plans. Upton stole second on the first pitch to Evan Longoria, then stole third on the next pitch, and came around to score when Carlos Ruiz's throw sailed past Pedro Feliz. The game was tied, and about 46,000 very wet, very tired Phillies fans in Citizens Bank Park began to feel that this was when the other shoe would drop for the Phillies. It had been a great season, but going down 2-1 to the Rays meant more than likely a return trip to Tampa, and very few people saw that ending well.
Madson and J.C. Romero worked out of the rest of the eighth inning, and Jayson Werth walked then stole second to lead off the bottom of the eighth, but Chase Utley and Ryan Howard both struck out, and Werth was picked off of second to end the threat. The heart of the Phillies' lineup had gone down with a whimper in the inning, and Eric Bruntlett, who came into the game as a defensive replacement for Pat Burrell, was due to lead off the bottom of the ninth. It was not a good situation. J.C. Romero did his job in the top of the ninth, sending the game into the bottom of the final inning still tied at four each.
Then, something incredible happened. Eric Bruntlett, who reached base at just a 30% clip in 2008, was hit by a pitch to start off the inning. Bruntlett didn't have much going for him at the plate, but he did have some speed, and he used it when Grant Balfour uncorked a wild pitch to Shane Victorino. Dioner Navarro's throw to second base sailed into center field, and all of a sudden, Bruntlett was standing on third base. The winning run was just 90 feet away, but Tampa manager Joe Maddon had a plan. He intentionally walked Victorino and Pedro Feliz, then called Ben Zobrist in from right field to set up a five man infield. Carlos Ruiz came to the plate, and after the offensive season that he put up in 2008 (.219, 4 HR, 31 RBI), there were only a handful of people that didn't think a double play was in order.
Ruiz took the first pitch from Grant Balfour for a ball, then went down in the count 1-2. With the pitcher's spot up next, Ruiz had to at least keep fighting, and that's what he did. He fouled off the next pitch, then took a ball to even the count. With the crowd fully behind him, Ruiz swung at the next pitch...and dribbled it to the one place in the infield where there wasn't a Tampa Bay Ray standing with a glove. The ball bounced right in front of home plate, and rolled about 45 feet down the third base line. Eric Bruntlett was off with the crack of the bat, forcing Evan Longoria to make a decision. Longoria's choice was to throw the ball about ten feet over Dioner Navarro's head. Bruntlett scored, and the Phillies had won Game 3 of the World Series on the shortest walk-off hit in World Series history. Add in the fact that the game ended at just after 1:45 in the morning, and you have one of the most improbable moments that most fans had ever seen.
Ruiz's first Chooch moment ends this section of the list. There's still 20 more moments to go, and they only get better from here. The next ten feature Jonathan Broxton once again, a return to the 1987 Stanley Cup Finals and the 1993 World Series as well as two more Eagles/Dallas moments and a farewell to a Philadelphia basketball icon. Keep on reading to find out what they are.
#29. Kim Batiste walks off against the Braves-October 6, 1993
The 1993 Phillies have already been covered on this list, and they will be again, but for this moment, you have to know a little bit about Kim Batiste. Batiste was a utility player who played in Philadelphia from 1991 through the 1994 season. The 1993 season was his best, as he hit .282 and drove in 29 runs for the National League East champion Phils. Going into the NLCS against the 104 win Atlanta Braves, Batiste was looking to be more of a backup or defensive replacement in late innings for Dave Hollins, the starting third baseman.
In Game 1, that's just where Batiste found himself. Curt Schilling had held the Braves to two runs in eight innings of work, and Mitch Williams was on the mound to close things out. Of course, those of you that remember Mitch Williams and his time with the Phillies know how he could be. In the ninth inning of Game 1, he was off. Williams walked pinch hitter Bill Pecota on four pitches, but looked to have Mark Lemke out on a ground ball to third base. However, Batiste, who entered in the ninth inning as a defensive replacement, was unable to complete the play and was charged with an error. After a sacrifice bunt moved Lemke to second, Otis Nixon grounded to shortstop and Pecota scored on what should have been the last play of the game. Williams then walked Jeff Blauser, but struck out Ron Gant to end the inning. The Braves had tied the game at three, and the blame seemed to all be on the young third baseman.
The Phillies couldn't score in the bottom of the ninth inning, and Mitch Williams worked around a two on, two out situation in the top of the tenth to keep the game tied going into the bottom of the tenth inning. Mariano Duncan grounded out to start the inning against Greg McMichael, but John Kruk showed his All Star form and doubled, putting the winning run in scoring position for Kim Batiste. Batiste was never even supposed to bat in this game, but there he was, hitting cleanup for the Phillies with the winning run on second base. It was a chance at redemption for the player whose mistake sent the game into extra innings, and he didn't let it slip by. On the fourth pitch he saw, Batiste grounded a ball down the left field line and into the corner. Kruk rumbled home from second base to win the game and give the Phillies another come from behind win.
It was only Game 1 of the NLCS, but every chance that the Phillies had against the Braves was needed in that series. One mistake that went unanswered may have been enough to shift the entire series. That's how good this Braves team was in 1993. A team with 104 wins doesn't do that by accident, so to have the Phillies beat them in a best of seven game series really was incredible. I don't think the trip to the World Series happens if this group doesn't come back and win Game 1, and Kim Batiste redeemed himself in the best possible way to get that win.
#28. The Pickle Juice Game-September 3, 2000
Following the 1995 season, the rest of the 90s were not very kind to the Philadelphia Eagles. They followed a playoff season in '95 with another playoff trip in 1996, but they were shut out by the San Francisco 49ers in one of the worst games I can remember watching. From there, things went considerably downhill, as the Eagles followed up the 1996 season with a 6-9-1 record in 1997 and a 3-13 mark the next season. Head coach Ray Rhodes was fired and replaced by Andy Reid. His first draft pick, for those of you that don't remember, was a quarterback from Syracuse by the name of Donovan McNabb. The first year of the Reid era did not go so well, as the Eagles finished the year with a 5-11 record. Coming into the 2000 season, the Eagles were primed to improve, as McNabb was entering the season as the starter, and Jon Runyan was brought in to protect the young quarterback's right side. Corey Simon was drafted with the sixth overall pick in the draft as well, and after those moves were made, the Eagles were set to open the season against the Dallas Cowboys in Texas Stadium.
With the temperature at game time at 109 degrees, and reaching as high as 130 on the field during the game, the Eagles used a very odd method to stay hydrated: pickle juice. Trainer Rick Burkholder had the Eagles drink pickle juice before the game, as they had used the same method during training camp to prevent cramps. With three straight losing seasons staring the Eagles in the face, they knew they had to come out and make an impact, and they did just that.
Dallas won the toss and elected to receive, but Andy Reid had other plans. The head coach had David Akers kick the ball onsides to start the game. The Eagles recovered and the rout was on. McNabb threw his first touchdown pass of the season to Jeff Thomason to finish the drive. On Dallas' first play of the game, Corey Simon broke through the offensive line and sacked Troy Aikman. Dallas went three and out, and the Eagles moved downfield again, with Duce Staley scoring from a yard out. Jeremiah Trotter returned an Aikman interception for a touchdown on the next Cowboys possession, and the Philadelphia defense eventually knocked the future Hall of Famer out of the game with a concussion. Aikman finished the game 0-5 with an interception. Akers would add a field goal to put the Eagles up 24-0 before Dallas would score with two field goals late in the first quarter, but there would be no comeback for the Cowboys in this game.
The second half was more of the same, as Duce Staley gashed Dallas for 201 yards on the ground, becoming the first Eagle since Steve Van Buren back in 1949 to rush for over 200 yards. He also had four catches for 61 yards to help Donovan McNabb out in the passing game as well. The Eagles would add the next 17 points, thanks to a David Akers field goal, McNabb touchdown run and a touchdown run by Brian Mitchell. Dallas would cap the scoring with a touchdown pass from Randall Cunningham to Joey Galloway, and that was it. The Eagles had officially entered the decade with a 41-14 beatdown of the Dallas Cowboys, in Texas Stadium to start the season. It was the biggest win for the Eagles since a 40-8 win over San Francisco in 1994, and their biggest opening day win since a 41-14 win over Tampa Bay in 1988.
The momentum from the season opening win carried over into an 11 win season and a playoff birth. The Eagles won their first playoff game since the beatdown of the Lions that year, but wouldn't make their run to the NFC Championship Game for another season. Even so, the pickle juice game signaled a changing of the guard in the NFC East and ushered in an almost decade long run for a team that had suffered for years as the second fiddle in their own division. Plus, it was a dominant win against the Cowboys. What's not to like?
#27. J.J. Daigneault forces Game 7 in the Stanley Cup Finals-May 28, 1987
They might not be as known by some of the newer Flyers fans, but the mid to late 1980s featured some great hockey out of Philadelphia. The Bobby Clarke era had officially ended, at least with him as a player, and the Flyers had moved on with some of their quietly solid teams. Just like today, the Flyers always seemed to be in competition every year, but just didn't have enough to push themselves to the Stanley Cup itself. In the 1986-87 season, it was more of the same. Tim Kerr led the team with 58 goals, and a rookie goalie named Ron Hextall had emerged onto the scene and seemed ready for the spotlight. Philadelphia was tested in the playoffs, but got through the Islanders, Rangers and Canadiens to reach the Stanley Cup Finals for the second time in three seasons. Waiting for them was the Edmonton Oilers.
These Oilers were not the same pushovers that they are now. This Oilers team featured players like Mark Messier, Paul Coffey, Jari Kurri and a player named Wayne Gretzky, who was at the top of his game with an astounding 183 point regular season that included 121 assists. The Oilers had lost just two games in the playoffs prior to the Stanley Cup Finals, and had crushed the Flyers in five games two years before to win the Stanley Cup. The odds were not in Philadelphia's favor, and that's being generous.
The odds got even steeper following back to back losses by the Flyers in Edmonton. Back in Philadelphia, the Flyers took Game 3, but dropped Game 4, putting them in a 3-1 hole heading back to Edmonton for Game 5. A come from behind victory gave the Flyers life and a trip back to the Spectrum for Game 6 for what would be the last home game for the Flyers that season. The Oilers wasted little time attacking the net, outshooting the Flyers 15-5 in the first period and outscoring Philadelphia 2-0, putting the Flyers 40 minutes from another cup defeat. The Flyers refused to go quietly, though. Lindsay Carson scored seven minutes into the second period to cut the lead in half, but the Oilers kept control of the game through the rest of the period and into the third as well.
A high sticking penalty on the Oilers midway through the third period broke their momentum and gave the Flyers the chance that they needed. Brian Propp fired a slap shot by Grant Fuhr that tied the game, and 84 seconds later, the Flyers took the lead. J.J. Daigneault, a 21 year old defenseman who scored just six goals during the regular season, put a shot into the top left corner of the net to give the Flyers their first lead of the contest. The defense did its job the rest of the way, keeping the Oilers from mounting many chances at all, and the Spectrum crowd roared in support of another come from behind win. When the final horn sounded, Daigneault's goal was the winning tally and the Flyers had earned another trip back to Edmonton with a 3-2 win. Though the Game 7 result was not what Flyers fans were hoping for, the reaction and sheer improbability of Daigneault's goal is what pushes the moment into the upper tier of Philadelphia sports. A 21 year old defenseman is not supposed to score a game winning goal against the best team in hockey, but in Philadelphia, it happened. That's why I love Philadelphia sports.
#26. Tim Kerr scores four times in one period-April 13, 1985
Having just professed my admiration for the mid to late 80s Flyers, I don't think it's necessary to go through it again. This moment involves the 1984-85 Flyers, a team that also lost in the Stanley Cup Finals to the Edmonton Oilers, but had their best moment earlier in the playoffs.
Tim Kerr might be one of the most underrated hockey players of all time. Despite having a rash of injuries throughout his career, Kerr managed to score 50 goals in four different seasons and ruled the area in front of opposing nets for the Flyers throughout the 1980s. The 1985-85 season was no exception, as Kerr scored 54 goals to lead the Flyers in that category. Philadelphia dominated the Patrick Division and the Prince of Wales Conference (NHL division names were odd as hell back in the day), leading the NHL with 113 points during the regular season. Their first round opponent in the playoffs was the New York Rangers who made the playoffs based on the fact that four teams from each division made the postseason each year. With just 62 points during the regular season, the Rangers looked to be no challenge for Philadelphia, and the Flyers proved that easily, winning the first two games of the series to set up a chance for a sweep in Madison Square Garden.
The Rangers weren't ready to give up that easily, though, and took a 3-2 lead in the second period. That's when Tim Kerr stepped up and made NHL history. He first scored to tie the game at three all, then scored three more times in the second period. By the time the Rangers had figured out what was going on, Kerr had scored four goals in eight minutes and 16 seconds, the fastest anyone has ever scored four goals in a playoff game in NHL history, and the Flyers had taken a lead that they wouldn't give back.
Philadelphia held on for a 6-5 win, with Kerr being directly responsible for four of those goals. His scoring barrage was nothing new to Flyers fans, but to have it happen so quickly, and in a deciding game in the playoffs was something that very few people had seen before. Had Kerr stayed healthy throughout his career, he might have been one of the all time greats, but instead, we only have the memories of a short period of greatness and the thoughts about what could have been. I never got a chance to see Kerr play in his prime. I was far too young to even remember something like this happen live. However, I know a good hockey player when I see one, and from what I've seen, Tim Kerr was a damn good hockey player.
#25. Iverson crosses over Jordan-March 12, 1997
Allen Iverson's MVP season was his greatest overall season, but before the 2000-01 season, there was always talk about the potential greatness that Iverson had. You don't get picked first overall in the NBA Draft without having some talent, and everyone knew that Iverson was talented. The only question was how good could he become? Towards the end of his rookie season, he helped show fans a little glimpse into what he was becoming.
By the time March rolled around in the 1996-97 season, there were two obvious facts about the Bulls and the Sixers. The first was that the Sixers were going nowhere that season. The second was that the Bulls were really, really good. Chicago was on their way to their fifth NBA title in seven seasons, while the Sixers were headed back to the lottery once again. Their matchup on March 12 was little more than a formality. The Bulls did win the game, 108-104, but that's not the point here. The point is that Allen Iverson was being defended by Michael Jordan, one of the best defensive players in the league, and he put him on the wrong end of a highlight reel.
We've all seen this moment before, but it's still amazing to watch. With ten seconds left on the shot clock, Iverson comes over the three point line with Jordan in front of him. A rock back and forth moves Jordan, but a second, faster one, freezes him and gives Iverson just enough time to get a shot off and in. It was only one crossover and one basket, but you have to take into account a few things.
First of all, it was one of the best crossovers that I, or any Sixers fan, has probably ever seen. Second, Allen Iverson was a rookie, almost through his first season in the NBA and was squared off against Michael Jordan, the best basketball player ever...and Iverson won. Third, Iverson's basket ended up being two of his game high 37 points and showed not just Philadelphia fans, but the entire NBA, that Iverson was in fact for real. The 1996 draft class was one of the best in NBA history, but Iverson won the Rookie of the Year award that season, and you have to imagine that the crossover against Jordan may have swayed some people in that direction. Jordan got the ring that year, but Iverson had at least one win against hime.
#24. Jimmy Rollins does it to Broxton again-October 19, 2009
The road back to the World Series for the 2009 Phillies wasn't as smooth as the road in 2008. The pitching that helped the Phils in the 2007 and 2008 seasons wasn't always there, and the Phillies had to reach out for Pedro Martinez and trade for Cliff Lee to get the pitching that they needed. Even with the struggles on the mound, the Phils made it back to the NLCS where they faced the Los Angeles Dodgers and Manny Ramirez once again. After Cliff Lee's dominance in Game 3, the Dodgers needed a win in Game 4 to tie the series and force a trip back to Los Angeles for at least one game.
The Phils jumped out to a 2-0 lead thanks to a Ryan Howard two run home run in the first inning, but after that, the Dodgers were able to hold the Phillies down at the plate. Randy Wolf started for Los Angeles and settled down quickly after the first inning problems. At one point, Wolf retired 12 Phils in a row, and was really locked in, as the Dodger offense had peppered Joe Blanton with two out runs. Then, it came down to a battle of the bullpens, which was a battle most people, myself included, assumed that the Phillies wouldn't be able to win against Los Angeles. The Phils had two on and one out in the bottom of the eighth inning, but George Sherrill struck out Ryan Howard and Broxton got Jayson Werth to fly out to right, and it looked like the Phils had blown their last chance, especially with the bottom of the order coming up.
After Brad Lidge pitched into and out of trouble in the top of the ninth, the Phillies faced Jonathan Broxton in the bottom of the inning still down by a run. The Phillies had done little at the plate since a Chase Utley RBI single in the sixth inning, and there wasn't much in terms of optimism going around Citizens Bank Park at the time. The Phillies had beaten Broxton in the NLCS the year before, but what were the odds of it happening again? Raul Ibanez grounded out to start the inning, but then Charlie Manuel broke out his secret weapon. Matt Stairs came up to bat for Pedro Feliz.
It was Stairs that had beaten Broxton in the 2008 NLCS, and Broxton clearly didn't want it to happen again. He walked Stairs on four pitches and then hit Carlos Ruiz to put two men on with just one out. Greg Dobbs came up next, and lined the second pitch he saw to third base for the second out of the inning. One out away from a guaranteed trip back to Dodger Stadium, Jimmy Rollins came to the plate. On a 1-1 count, Rollins lined a fastball up the right field alley. It split the outfielders and rolled to the wall. Eric Bruntlett, who pinch ran for Stairs, scored easily to tie the game, and Carlos Ruiz seemed to be running faster than anyone had ever seen him run before. He slid home, and the Phillies came from behind to take Game 4 from the Dodgers and Broxton for a second straight year.
Having it happen once against a pitcher was impressive, but coming back in the same game one year later? Now that's just about impossible. The only reason this moment isn't any higher is because of the fact that the Phillies lost the World Series to the Yankees in 2009 while the 2008 Phils won the World Series. That's why you haven't seen the Matt Stairs moment yet, but it's coming. Trust me.
#23. Joffrey Lupul beats Washington-April 22, 2008
I'm not even going to cut corners here: The 2006-2007 Philadelphia Flyers were awful. When the team celebrated their 40th anniversary, they celebrated it with the worst team in their history. Ken Hitchcock was fired as head coach just eight games into the season and was replaced by John Stevens. The team finished with the second worst record in the NHL, and had to upgrade quickly if they wanted to rebound and play in the newer, high paced, NHL. Fortunately for Flyers fans, it only took one season to turn things around. The Flyers added Danny Briere, Scott Hartnell, Kimo Timonen, Jason Smith and Joffrey Lupul in the offseason, and traded for Martin Biron late in the 2006-07 season. With those additions built in to the existing team, the Flyers turned a 56 point team into a 95 point team, and were able to make it back to the playoffs in the 2007-08 season.
There was a tough road ahead for the Flyers in the playoffs. In the first round, they would face off against the Washington Capitals, who had won the Southeast Division and boasted the NHL MVP in Alexander Ovechkin. Washington took the first game of the series with a game winning goal from Ovechkin, but the Flyers not only stole home ice advantage, but took a commanding lead in the series by winning the next three games. With the series now in favor of the Flyers 3-1, all Philadelphia had to do was win one final game, and they would be headed to the Eastern Conference Semifinals.
What happened instead was much more difficult. Washington took Game 5 by a score of 3-2 in Washington, then forced a Game Seven with a 4-2 victory in Philadelphia. Most Flyers fans had thoughts of the 2000-2001 season running through their heads, when the Flyers had the New Jersey Devils in a 3-1 hole in the Eastern Conference Finals, only to let them slip out and win in seven games, and then beat the Dallas Stars for the Stanley Cup. With Game 7 taking place in Washington, all the pressure was on the Flyers to somehow pull off a miracle and not let the Capitals come back.
Things did not start out that well. Nicklas Backstrom scored for Washington less than six minutes into the game on a power play goal. The Flyers would answer later in the first period with a power play goal of their own, thanks to Scottie Upshall. Sami Kapanen would give the Flyers the lead in the second period, but Alexander Ovechkin tied the game with a goal later in the same period. Neither team could score in the third period, and the game headed to overtime.
It only took a little over six minutes for the game to be decided in the extra period, and the number 20 moment to take place. Just four minutes into the overtime, Tom Poti was called for tripping, giving the Flyers a power play chance for the first time since the second period. With the man advantage, the Flyers were able to get into the Washington zone and attack goalie Cristobal Huet. With just 15 seconds left on the power play, Danny Briere launched a shot at Huet that bounced back to Kimo Timonen, who fired a shot on goal. Huet lost track of the puck, but Joffrey Lupul did not. He pushed the puck past Huet for the game, and series winning goal. Somehow, the Flyers managed to not fall apart after blowing a 3-1 series lead, and they were headed to the Eastern Conference Semifinals.
The goal was Lupul's first of the series, and the most important of his Philadelphia career. After getting past Washington, the Flyers upset the top seeded Montreal Canadiens in five games, only to lose the Eastern Conference Finals to the Pittsburgh Penguins. The end result wasn't the greatest, but it showed that the Flyers were back and ready for their spot on the NHL's main stage, a spot they haven't given up since this series. It doesn't get much better than series winning overtime playoff goals, but there's still more Flyers moments to come.
#22. The Miracle at the New Meadowlands-December 19, 2010
A full year and a half has passed since this moment took place, and I still can't fully express how amazing this moment really was. The Eagles had been dominated all day long by the New York Giants, but somehow, Michael Vick led his team back from a 31-10 hole and DeSean Jackson's punt return finished an improbable comeback and gave the Eagles the NFC East title. I still don't think I can put this moment into words any better than I did the first time, so here's my original game recap from my previous blog.
You have to give love to the special teams as well. First came the onside kick with the Eagles down 31-17. The Giants weren't prepared for it, and Riley Cooper did a great job making sure that the ball went ten yards before he touched it. The Eagles would score on that drive, cutting the lead to 31-24. Then came the last play of the game.
This one falls more on the Giants than the Eagles, because, thanks to a high snap and a poor kick, the ball came right to DeSean Jackson, which was pretty much the one place that Tom Coughlin didn't want the ball to go. The kick was so bad that Jackson had time to fumble it, pick it up and find a hole to run through before the Giants even made it down the field to try and tackle him. Jason Avant had a huge block at midfield, and that was all Jackson would need. Did he have to start celebrating at the 25 yard line? Of course not, but with the smack that the Giants were talking during the week and for most of the game, I don't blame him. This game was a likely once in a lifetime comeback, so it's fine to showboat a little bit.
What else can be said? It was literally the most improbable ending to a game that I have ever seen in my life, and I'm sure it ranks right up there with just about any ending to any NFL game ever. When you get the first ever walk off punt return for a touchdown in NFL history, it's something amazing.
#21. Carlos Ruiz hits a 45 foot walk-off single-October 25, 2008
The Phillies and Tampa Bay Rays had split the first two games of the 2008 World Series in Tampa Bay, and were now headed to Philadelphia for the first World Series game in Philly since 1993. The only problem was that the weather didn't want to co-operate. What was supposed to be a start time of 8:25 was pushed back an hour and a half by rains, and Game 3 of the World Series became the latest starting World Series game ever.
Jamie Moyer got the start for the Phillies, and despite his struggles in the playoffs up until Game 3, Charlie Manuel was going to stick by his veteran pitcher. It wouldn't come out until during the game, but Moyer had been up with flu like symptoms most of the night, and was nowhere close to 100% while he pitched this game. After being squeezed by umpires in his first two starts of the playoffs, Moyer's first pitch of the night would show whether or not the control oriented pitcher would get the calls he would need to do well in this game. Akinori Iwamura flew out on the first pitch, and the next pitch was on the outside corner to B.J. Upton for a called strike. Moyer was in business.
Meanwhile, the Phillies did their best to get out to an early lead against ALCS MVP Matt Garza. Jimmy Rollins singled and eventually came around to score on an RBI groundout from Chase Utley. The Rays would tie the score in the top of the second on a sacrifice fly by Gabe Gross, but Carlos Ruiz gave the Phillies the lead again with a home run into left field in the bottom of the second. The score remained 2-1 until the sixth inning, when Chase Utley and Ryan Howard hit back to back home runs to put the Phils up 4-1. Moyer ran into some trouble in the top of the seventh, and eventually was pulled after allowing two runs and striking out five. It was his best showing of the playoffs, but unfortunately, he would not get the win. The Phillies' bullpen, which had been so reliable during the regular season and the playoffs, came undone in the eighth inning.
Ryan Madson entered the game in the top of the eighth with the Phillies up 4-3. All he had to do was record three outs, and Brad Lidge would come in and do the rest. Of course, with the way that this game had gone, it wasn't easy. He allowed an infield single to B.J. Upton, then struck out Carlos Pena before Upton's speed threw a wrench into the Phillies' plans. Upton stole second on the first pitch to Evan Longoria, then stole third on the next pitch, and came around to score when Carlos Ruiz's throw sailed past Pedro Feliz. The game was tied, and about 46,000 very wet, very tired Phillies fans in Citizens Bank Park began to feel that this was when the other shoe would drop for the Phillies. It had been a great season, but going down 2-1 to the Rays meant more than likely a return trip to Tampa, and very few people saw that ending well.
Madson and J.C. Romero worked out of the rest of the eighth inning, and Jayson Werth walked then stole second to lead off the bottom of the eighth, but Chase Utley and Ryan Howard both struck out, and Werth was picked off of second to end the threat. The heart of the Phillies' lineup had gone down with a whimper in the inning, and Eric Bruntlett, who came into the game as a defensive replacement for Pat Burrell, was due to lead off the bottom of the ninth. It was not a good situation. J.C. Romero did his job in the top of the ninth, sending the game into the bottom of the final inning still tied at four each.
Then, something incredible happened. Eric Bruntlett, who reached base at just a 30% clip in 2008, was hit by a pitch to start off the inning. Bruntlett didn't have much going for him at the plate, but he did have some speed, and he used it when Grant Balfour uncorked a wild pitch to Shane Victorino. Dioner Navarro's throw to second base sailed into center field, and all of a sudden, Bruntlett was standing on third base. The winning run was just 90 feet away, but Tampa manager Joe Maddon had a plan. He intentionally walked Victorino and Pedro Feliz, then called Ben Zobrist in from right field to set up a five man infield. Carlos Ruiz came to the plate, and after the offensive season that he put up in 2008 (.219, 4 HR, 31 RBI), there were only a handful of people that didn't think a double play was in order.
Ruiz took the first pitch from Grant Balfour for a ball, then went down in the count 1-2. With the pitcher's spot up next, Ruiz had to at least keep fighting, and that's what he did. He fouled off the next pitch, then took a ball to even the count. With the crowd fully behind him, Ruiz swung at the next pitch...and dribbled it to the one place in the infield where there wasn't a Tampa Bay Ray standing with a glove. The ball bounced right in front of home plate, and rolled about 45 feet down the third base line. Eric Bruntlett was off with the crack of the bat, forcing Evan Longoria to make a decision. Longoria's choice was to throw the ball about ten feet over Dioner Navarro's head. Bruntlett scored, and the Phillies had won Game 3 of the World Series on the shortest walk-off hit in World Series history. Add in the fact that the game ended at just after 1:45 in the morning, and you have one of the most improbable moments that most fans had ever seen.
Ruiz's first Chooch moment ends this section of the list. There's still 20 more moments to go, and they only get better from here. The next ten feature Jonathan Broxton once again, a return to the 1987 Stanley Cup Finals and the 1993 World Series as well as two more Eagles/Dallas moments and a farewell to a Philadelphia basketball icon. Keep on reading to find out what they are.
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