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MAZEROSKI'S HOME RUN


Mazeroski's home run was the home run hit by Bill Mazeroski in Game Seven of the 1960 World Series against the New York Yankees , played on October 13 , 1960 . It gave the Pittsburgh Pirates a 10-9 victory and a seven-game series win. It was the first walk-off home run to win a World Series.

The play

In the seventh game of the 1960 World Series, the Pittsburgh Pirates were tied 9-9 with the New York Yankees in the ninth inning. Yankees pitcher Ralph Terry opened the bottom of the ninth against Mazeroski, a Second Baseman for Pittsburgh. With the count one ball, zero strikes, Mazeroski hit a line drive into left field that cleared the wall for a home run. {Link without Title}


Notes

  • Since Mazeroski's home run in 1960, only Joe Carter has repeated the feat of winning the World Series on a walk-off home run, hitting one for the Toronto Blue Jays in the 1993 World Series .

  • The home run completed an improbable victory for Pittsburgh, whose three losses to New York were by scores of 16-3, 10-0 and 12-0. In total, the Pirates were outscored 55-27 in the series and their biggest win was a 5-2 victory of Game Five.

    • IMMACULATE RECEPTION

Main article: Immaculate Reception


In the 1972 AFC Divisional Playoff Game against the Oakland Raiders , Franco Harris made an incredible catch, known as the Immaculate Reception , one of the most famous plays in the history of sports.


THE SAVE

Pittsburgh Penguins goalie Frank Pietrangelo made an incredible save during the 1991 Stanley Cup Playoffs . They later went on to win the Stanley Cup . {Link without Title}


THE TACKLE II


See also: National Football League Lore and The Tackle

The Tackle II (or '''Immaculate Redemption''') refers to an event that occurred on January 15 , 2006 during the AFC Divisional Round between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the heavily-favored Indianapolis Colts . Clinging to a 3-point lead, Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger made a potentially game-saving tackle against Colts cornerback Nick Harper , who was on the verge of returning a fumble by running back Jerome Bettis for a touchdown.


The play

With 1:20 remaining in the game, Pittsburgh's defense sacked Colts quarterback Peyton Manning on fourth down at Indianapolis's 2-yard line. The Steelers, leading 21-18, appeared to have clinched victory as the Colts turned the ball over to them on downs. Since the Colts had all three of their timeouts, the Steelers were forced to try for a two yard touchdown; they would be unable to run the clock out by simply kneeling on the ball.

On first and goal, Pittsburgh veteran running back Jerome Bettis (who never fumbled throughout the 2005 NFL Season ) tried to power his way in for the score, but the ball popped out when Colts Linebacker Gary Brackett hit the ball with his helmet. Immediately, Indianapolis cornerback Nick Harper picked up the ball and headed for the Steelers' end zone with several blockers around him. It very much appeared as if Harper would take the football all of the way for a touchdown, robbing Pittsburgh of their victory. As Harper was running down the field, Roethlisberger, who had been turned completely around several times desperately trying to stay in front of the speedy Harper, managed to get a hold of Harper's right shin and bring him down at the Colts' 42-yard line.

After the play, the Colts offense tried to drive down the field in an attempt to score a touchdown. The Colts were forced to settle for a 46-yard field goal to tie the game. However, kicker Mike Vanderjagt (one of the NFL's most accurate kickers - he had been perfect at home) kicked it wide-right and the Steelers managed to hold on and win 21-18.

Fueled by this play, the Steelers travelled to Denver and upset the Denver Broncos 34-17 a week later in the AFC Championship Game, then defeated the Seattle Seahawks 21-10 on February 5 , 2006 in Super Bowl XL to claim their first NFL title in twenty-six years.


Views

  • "The Tackle II" would never have occurred if the referees had not mistakenly overturned a call giving an interception to Pittsburgh safety Troy Polamalu . Allowing this interception to stand would have likely squelched any hope of an Indianapolis comeback.


  • If Harper had scored and ended the Pittsburgh season, it would have created a particularly bitter ending to the illustrious career of Jerome Bettis, who would have been blamed with costing Pittsburgh the win with his fumble. Instead, Pittsburgh won and Bettis got to later return to his hometown, Detroit , and win his first championship ring before retiring. Bettis did, however, state that if Pittsburgh lost the Super Bowl or did not reach it that he may have returned for one last season.



Notes

  • Harper's wife, Daniell, had been arrested the night before the game after slicing his Knee during an argument. The injury required three Stitches but did not prevent him from playing the next day. It has been speculated this could have slowed the speedy cornerback enough to allow for the tackle by Roethlisberger. {Link without Title}




THE COMEBACK II

(January 5, 2003, Cleveland Browns vs. Pittsburgh Steelers, AFC Wild Card Playoff Game)


Trailing by a seemingly insurmountable 24-7 disadvantage with 19 minutes left to play, the NFL Comeback Player of the Year Quarterback Tommy Maddox rallied the Steelers, scoring three passing touchdowns in four offensive drives. The Browns managed to score 9 points in the 4th quarter keeping them in the lead (33-28) until a 61-yard drive, culminating in a 3 yard rushing touchdown and a successful two point conversion by the Steelers. At 36-33, with 54 seconds left in regulation, it was the first time in the game that the Steelers had been leading on the scoreboard. The Browns failed to answer back in their final drive, ending the game in one of the greatest comebacks in NFL playoff history.


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