The (Un)official 1991 World Series Re-Watch: Game 1

It’s hard to believe in the current times of COVID-19 and self-quarantine activities that the MLB season was supposed to start this coming week. I was lucky enough to take in some live baseball in Fort Myers, but it seems as though that little taste of baseball has made my spring fever worse. While we can sit here and hope that some Josh Donaldson dingers will fly into the Minnesota night in the near future, our overall health and safety have taken the forefront. In the meantime, I have decided to re-watch the 1991 World Series to hopefully supply some sort of fill for the void where the baseball season was supposed to be. I will be watching each game, week-by-week, and posting some random thoughts. I encourage you to watch and provide your thoughts! Here we go!

(GAME LINK)

• Big shout-out to whoever posted these on YouTube, it will make this much easier to write about.
• Pat O’Brien looks like Ned Flanders.
• Jim Kaat, great on the broadcast in 1991, great on the broadcast in 2020.
• Bob Casey’s calls of “NOOOOO SMOKING IN THE METRODOME” and “KIRRRRRRRBY PUCKETT!” are absolutely timeless.
• Also, sticking Bob Casey with a microphone behind a tenuous piece of plexi-glass, in what seems to be the janitor’s room, is the most Metrodome thing ever.
• I wonder how many people that hate Joe Buck have ever heard a Jack Buck call, he was brilliant.
• Brian Harper: top-shelf mullet/mustache combo.
• Speaking of a mustache, Jack Morris had an Alan Jackson-level push broom. I wonder if he ever tipped his pitches with that thing?
• Terry Pendleton has to absolutely hate the Metrodome. His teams were 0-8 in the World Series there.
• Chuck Knoblauch was rocking the double-flap batting helmet. 1. I wonder if somebody will bring those back. 2. I bet he wishes he had that during a certain “dollar dog” night.
• Seeing Kirby strike out against Charlie Leibrandt is kind of comical in hindsight.
• David Justice: incredible talent, but a total buffoon.
• I’ve always said, Shane Mack is one of the most underrated Twins of all time. Don’t believe me? Here’s a list of Twins’ outfielders that have had a season with a higher WAR: Kirby Puckett, Bob Allison, Tony Oliva.
• Did Greg Gagne have long legs, or did he wear his pants really high? Both?
• There may be no other athlete more associated with slow movement than Sid Bream. In the same breath, Barry Bonds couldn’t throw out Sid Bream in the 1992 NLCS.
• Rafael Belliard played parts of 17 seasons in the MLB, but he posted a career OPS+ of 46, and a career WAR of -0.2.
• Speaking of Greg Gagne... DINGER.
• Charlie Leibrandt hadn’t allowed a postseason homer, and looked super sad in the dugout. Man, wait ‘til Game 6.
• Brian Hunter was the point of much discussion about his lack of ability to play left field before the game, but his play to cut down Dan Gladden was not only an incredible relay, it created an all-time-great photo.
• At the same time, there’s no reason Dazzle Dan shouldn’t have been dancing on the plate.
• Jack Morris had an absolute “Bugs Bunny” style of a changeup.
• Kent Hrbek... DINGER
• Back to the Greg Gagne show: makes another great play at shortstop, so I had to look... Best dWAR among Twins’ shortstops of all time, and you guessed it, Greg Gagne.
• Mark Wohlers pitching to Chuck Knoblauch is a sports psychologist’s dream.
• Tim McCarver used Tonya Harding as a prime reason to watch the Winter Olympics. Man, did that change in a blink.
• Mark Guthrie faced David Justice in the World Series, and 10 years later, they were traded for each other.
• Rick Aguilera was traded for both Frank Viola and Kyle Lohse. He had a great and lengthy career.
• Mike Stanton pitched 19 seasons in the MLB, while another Mike Stanton pitched 10 seasons in the MLB. When Giancarlo Stanton hit the MLB, he went as Mike Stanton. Confused yet?
• The game ended up 5-2, but it felt like the Twins controlled the game throughout. The Dome was rockin’!!!

It was fun to watch this game, and I’m looking forward to dialing up the next one! If you have anything to add to or reminisce about below, don’t be shy!