1975 World Series

Lore & Background

The sixth game of the World Series was a 12-inning classic at Boston's Fenway Park, which culminated with a walk-off home run by Carlton Fisk to extend the series to seven games. The Reds rallied from a 3–0 deficit to win the seventh and deciding game of the series on a ninth-inning single by Joe Morgan after being seven outs away from elimination. This was the fourth time in five years that a seven-game World Series winner was outscored, though the Reds actually outscored the Red Sox 29-28 over the series.

In Their Own Story

The air in Fenway Park was thick with humidity and tension as Game 6 wound down into the bottom of the ninth. The crowd, initially raucous for their home team, fell into a hushed silence watching Ken Griffey step to the plate. As the pitcher wound up, the crack of the bat echoed off the Green Monster, sending the ball soaring over the fence and into the night sky. In that instant, the roar from the visiting Reds fans in the stands erupted, a sound of disbelief turning into pure jubilation as the Big Red Machine refused to die.

Reader's Guide

Reds third baseman Pete Rose was named World Series MVP. Rose batted .370 with 10 hits and two RBIs and scored 3 runs. None of the six umpires in this World Series worked a previous Fall Classic, and two, Art Frantz and George Maloney, would not umpire in another.

Did You Know?

• In 2003, ESPN ranked it the second-greatest World Series ever played, trailing only the 1991 series.
• In 2020, Sam Miller of ESPN named it the best World Series ever.
• The Reds recorded a franchise-high 108 victories in 1975 and won the NL West division by 20 games.
• The Red Sox swept the three-time defending World Series champion Oakland Athletics in the ALCS to win their first pennant in eight years.