below .500 records for
much of the past decade; in 1990, they'd had one of their worst seasons ever, winning only 74 games while dropping 88. The
Atlanta Braves were even worse: they'd been in last place for three years running. But in 1991, both teams improved dramatically
and, amazingly, clinched spots in the World Series.
The Braves hadn't been to the championship since 1957, when they'd been Milwaukee's home team; the closest they'd come was
a division win in 1982. When they entered Minnesota's Metrodome for the start of the 88th World Series, they were eager to
erase decades of subpar seasons.
Of course, the Twins were equally eager for victory. And that first game, they got what they wanted. The final score of the
game was Twins 5, Braves 2.
The two clubs met in the Metrodome again the next day. The Braves' starting pitcher was Torn Glavine, who, after a shaky start
his rookie season in 1988, went on to win twenty games in 1991. For the Twins, it was Kevin Tapani on the mound. Tapani had
had six consecutive losses early in the 1991 season before pulling out of his slump to win eleven of his last thirteen games.
Tapani retired Atlanta's first three batters in order. Glavine, on the other hand, was hit by the first batter he faced, Dan
Gladden. Gladden's shallow fly ball should have been an easy out, but instead, he made it all the way to second when right
fielder David Justice and second baseman Mark Lemke collided going for the catch. Then Glavine walked Chuck Knoblauch, bringing
up heavy hitter Kirby Puckett with two men on.
With 15 home runs in 1991, Puckett was a very real threat. This time up, he swung so hard that he broke the bat! As the bat's
head and the ball both flew toward third base, Puckett flew toward first,Knoblauch toward second, and Gladden toward third.
But third baseman Terry Pendleton was ready. He nabbed the ball and stepped on third to get Gladden out. Then he fired the
ball to first. Double play! Puckett returned to the dugout. Knoblauch, meanwhile, stood at second.
He didn't stay there for long. The Twins' designated hitter, Chili Davis, slammed a home run to left center field. Both Chuck
and Chili crossed home plate.
Atlanta got on the board the next inning with a single run. The score was still 2–1 when the Braves came up again in the top
of the third. Leadoff batter Rafael Belliard grounded out. Lonnie Smith made it to first on an error by third baseman Scott
Leius. He stayed there when Terry Pendleton flied out.
With two outs and Smith at first, Ron Gant singled to left. The hit was good enough for Smith to make it to third. Gant, meanwhile,
rounded first base and then, realizing that Tapani was about to pick him off with a throw to first, jumped back to the bag.
At that same moment, first baseman Kent Hrbek reached forward for the ball.
At more than 250 pounds, Hrbek was a big man with aspirations of becoming a professional wrestler someday. Gant weighed in
at just above 170. When the two met by the bag, Hrbek used his brawn to lift Gant by the leg as he tagged him!
With that strange out, the Braves' chances of tying the game that inning were over. But in the fifth inning, they scored their
second run to make it 2–2. That's how things stayed until the bottom of the eighth, when the Twins' rookie third baseman,
Scott Leius, sent Glavine's first pitch soaring over the left-field wall. The home run gave the Twins the lead, a lead they
kept until the game's end.
The championship moved to Atlanta for game three. It was the first-ever World Series game played in Fulton County Stadium,
and the Braves wanted to give their fans something to cheer about. But at first, the fans did nothing but groan. •
Atlanta's Steve Avery was on the mound. The 21-year-old had an 18–8 regular season record and a ninety-eight-mile-per-hour
fastball. At the start of the game, he also had a severe case of the jitters. He gave up a triple to leadoff
much of the past decade; in 1990, they'd had one of their worst seasons ever, winning only 74 games while dropping 88. The
Atlanta Braves were even worse: they'd been in last place for three years running. But in 1991, both teams improved dramatically
and, amazingly, clinched spots in the World Series.
The Braves hadn't been to the championship since 1957, when they'd been Milwaukee's home team; the closest they'd come was
a division win in 1982. When they entered Minnesota's Metrodome for the start of the 88th World Series, they were eager to
erase decades of subpar seasons.
Of course, the Twins were equally eager for victory. And that first game, they got what they wanted. The final score of the
game was Twins 5, Braves 2.
The two clubs met in the Metrodome again the next day. The Braves' starting pitcher was Torn Glavine, who, after a shaky start
his rookie season in 1988, went on to win twenty games in 1991. For the Twins, it was Kevin Tapani on the mound. Tapani had
had six consecutive losses early in the 1991 season before pulling out of his slump to win eleven of his last thirteen games.
Tapani retired Atlanta's first three batters in order. Glavine, on the other hand, was hit by the first batter he faced, Dan
Gladden. Gladden's shallow fly ball should have been an easy out, but instead, he made it all the way to second when right
fielder David Justice and second baseman Mark Lemke collided going for the catch. Then Glavine walked Chuck Knoblauch, bringing
up heavy hitter Kirby Puckett with two men on.
With 15 home runs in 1991, Puckett was a very real threat. This time up, he swung so hard that he broke the bat! As the bat's
head and the ball both flew toward third base, Puckett flew toward first,Knoblauch toward second, and Gladden toward third.
But third baseman Terry Pendleton was ready. He nabbed the ball and stepped on third to get Gladden out. Then he fired the
ball to first. Double play! Puckett returned to the dugout. Knoblauch, meanwhile, stood at second.
He didn't stay there for long. The Twins' designated hitter, Chili Davis, slammed a home run to left center field. Both Chuck
and Chili crossed home plate.
Atlanta got on the board the next inning with a single run. The score was still 2–1 when the Braves came up again in the top
of the third. Leadoff batter Rafael Belliard grounded out. Lonnie Smith made it to first on an error by third baseman Scott
Leius. He stayed there when Terry Pendleton flied out.
With two outs and Smith at first, Ron Gant singled to left. The hit was good enough for Smith to make it to third. Gant, meanwhile,
rounded first base and then, realizing that Tapani was about to pick him off with a throw to first, jumped back to the bag.
At that same moment, first baseman Kent Hrbek reached forward for the ball.
At more than 250 pounds, Hrbek was a big man with aspirations of becoming a professional wrestler someday. Gant weighed in
at just above 170. When the two met by the bag, Hrbek used his brawn to lift Gant by the leg as he tagged him!
With that strange out, the Braves' chances of tying the game that inning were over. But in the fifth inning, they scored their
second run to make it 2–2. That's how things stayed until the bottom of the eighth, when the Twins' rookie third baseman,
Scott Leius, sent Glavine's first pitch soaring over the left-field wall. The home run gave the Twins the lead, a lead they
kept until the game's end.
The championship moved to Atlanta for game three. It was the first-ever World Series game played in Fulton County Stadium,
and the Braves wanted to give their fans something to cheer about. But at first, the fans did nothing but groan. •
Atlanta's Steve Avery was on the mound. The 21-year-old had an 18–8 regular season record and a ninety-eight-mile-per-hour
fastball. At the start of the game, he also had a severe case of the jitters. He gave up a triple to leadoff
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