1987-10-04 ABC SAB - Blue Jays at Tigers

ABC's Sunday Afternoon Baseball - Toronto Blue Jays and Detroit Tigers battle for AL East crown.

[@orbyfan]

I was at Exhibition Stadium in Toronto that day to see the CFL game between the Argonauts and the B.C. Lions. It started out as a drizzly day and Argonauts' general manager Leo Cahill didn't think anyone would show up because of the weather and interest in the Blue Jays' game. In those pre-smartphone days, someone in my vicinity brought a small TV set to the game, and people were looking over his shoulder as much as they were watching the field. The sun came out early in the game and the Argonauts won 33-17, but there were a lot of long faces in Toronto that day.

[@EdsterIII]

The late 70's and 80's for me anyways is the absolute best time for ⚾️🧢Baseball!🧢⚾️ I loved every game I went to. Milwaukee County Stadium 🏟 was my summer home....lol. I loved everything about it. The smell of the cooking outside of the stadium, then the sounds inside as you entered the park. The smell of the concession stands cooking brats, 🌭hot🌭dogs🌭, 🍔burgers🍔,🍕pizza🍕, 🍟fries🍟, 🍿popcorn🍿, 🥜peanuts🥜, 🍦ice cream🍦, 🥤soda🥤, 🍺beer🍺for Dad. Then as you walked out into the field view the breeze hit you, the sun, the smell of grass, and baseball in the air! For a 8-12 year old kid it was pure bliss!

[@chuckthurmond]

What a performance by Frank Tanana - a shutout in game 162 to win the division, with a bunch of off-speed pitches and a BP fastball. I remember watching the final two games of the season between these two teams. They were tremendous. Thank you for this upload!

[@bushbapc]

What a great upload! On a whim I searched for Tigers 87 clinch and came across this. I was actually at this game as a young boy with my dad. I remember a few things from that day, but the two moments stuck in my head were Larry Herndon’s HR to left (we were in upper deck and I remember seeing the ball disappear below us to lower deck) and that last out with the toss from Tanana to Evans. My dad and I went crazy. Wow seems like yesterday. Thank you for helping me recall that awesome moment with my dad :)!!!

[@SSNESS]

I can’t stand National League Baseball

[@nesandpcengine3683]

@@SSNESS Pitchers can't hit. I hate most modern changes, but bring on the DH.

[@EdsterIII]

​@@SSNESSNow are you all happy? Everyone has the DH. So please STFU!

[@EdsterIII]

​@@nesandpcengine3683Shohei Ohtani might disagree with you. Granted most pitchers can't hit like position players, but some can surprise you. Now it doesn't matter.

[@PrinceTron1]

On the day of this game, 10/04/1987, I was at old Comiskey Park in Chicago attending my first baseball game and celebrating my 14th birthday. The White Sox host the Oakland A's. It was also Reggie Jackson's last game as a player. I'll never forget the crowed chanting 'Reggie', 'Reggie', 'Reggie'! And he got a double! I miss stadiums like old Comiskey Park and Tiger Stadium. The grandstands, upper decks and lower decks. Great memories!

[@joedebaun4547]

In today's world, Tanana would have been pulled around the 7th inning. No way with a 1-0 lead with runners on base would a starting pitcher remain in the game.

[@Nhamp2000]

I was surprised he was left in. Sparky was known as Captain Hook. In '84, I saw him pull Dan Petry with two outs in the 9th, a 3 run lead and no one on.

[@zvbx]

Thank you Doyle Alexander!

[@tomgeauvreau7099]

Was there for the weekend as a Blue Jay fan. What a heartbreak that was. It still stings today. They lost Whitt and Fernandez. It killed them even with good pitching.

[@thinkbeforyouvote]

I was at this game and truth be told that year we were thanking our lucky stars we got Doyle and it would take years to realize what we missed with Smoltz. Both teams got what they wanted and both produced.

[@kenfillmore4444]

Notice that the King of Rock n Roll Wang Chung is jammin' during ABC Sports commercials. Hail to the King baby!!! Go Tigers!!!

[@millypoo7713]

2:10:42... Al Michaels messes up here saying that Jim Morrison fielded the ground ball, but he missed that it is actually Jim Walewander who came in as a defensive replacement for Morrison to start the inning.

[@johnnyguiney2909]

I miss the old ball park in Detroit these stadiums were so unique. Seems like all stadiums and arenas are the same now with the exception of course Chicago Cubs and Boston Red Sox. The only two teams that had the balls to stay firm and not follow the trend of other teams.

[@hoopsheavenpa]

Your uploads are the best!

[@cedricfarrell-mm6bj]

I was just beginning high school in September 1987 and this game between the blue jáys and the Tigers was a doozy

[@theanalogkid6845]

What was the launch angle of that home run Herndon hit? Will anyone tell us the exit velocity off his bat? Damn it, these are vital facts that we must know.

[@kingcassius2586]

I feel ya! All that new nonsense is just that. Nonsense!

[@SonsofOdin729]

AVG/HR/RBI the only stats that matter. You had to know the score on your own too.

[@raineman73]

This still hurts to watch, if you're a Jays fan who is old enough to remember this. I think the 87 team was better than the 99 win team in 85, but they couldn't overcome injuries.

[@furnitureconsortium]

This is an awesome upload! As much as I love Al Michaels and Jim Palmer, does anyone know where the Detroit (WDIV) feed of this game is at? I'd rather hear George Kell going nuts on the last out than Al Michaels, haha

[@ckendall67]

I think this is it here.... kzbin.info/www/bejne/rGmlY3lrg72AgJI

[@GuyCybershy]

I don't know if I can watch this again. The BJ's blowing that 3 game lead in the last week just about did me in. Sparky Anderson beat them when it comes right down to it. This was right after Canada Cup 87, the best hockey ever played. From the highest high to the lowest low, sports in the 80's was great. Now it's just another big, ugly business.

[@alltruthmatters4395]

Love how Tanana gives glory to Jesus. No shame in a True Christians game!

[@iamnewfie1]

even thou toronto lost what a game his was..

[@Anthony-yq9un]

The octopus in the top of the 7th was hilarious

[@ckendall67]

Interestingly enough it was earlier in the year that the Red Wings had rallied to beat the Leafs in their playoff series in NHL....yep, Detroit vs Toronto, just like it was in baseball also.

[@bobbyg433]

What a epic collapse by Toronto

[@SSNESS]

Where’s Fred McGriff

[@lewalcindor9356]

Cecil Fielder 3 years away from making Tiger Stadium his own.

[@Nhamp2000]

In the 9th, he refers to the Tigers 3rd Baseman as Morrison. Walewander went in in the 9th for defense.

[@KabarkadaTV681]

COMMENTATORS: AL MICHAELS TIM McCARVER JIM PALMER TV NETWORK: ABC DATE: 4 OCTOBER 1987

[@FlyUnicornsFly]

Frank Tanana vs. Jimmy Key > not one pitch hit 90 mph on the radar gun in this game.

[@Anthony-yq9un]

It’s a shame the tigers ownership didn’t build on the 84 and 87 teams. Sparky was too good of a manager to be left out in the wind

[@JoeyArmstrong2800]

Miss the old A L East days.

[@SSNESS]

Can’t believe there won’t be any more Cleveland Indians

[@JoeyArmstrong2800]

@@SSNESS I know right. Why even bother having team names? Just be team 1,2,3,4,5,6 etc. So we can make sure we don't offend 1-2% of the population who aren't baseball fans anyway. I'm in no way a Cleveland Indians fan but I will never refer to them as the Guardians. Absolutely ridiculous.

[@Nickrj3]

58:00 It wasn't until 1996 that Cecil Fielder got a stolen base in Minnesota

[@FlyUnicornsFly]

The catcher must have been laughing too hard to make the throw to 2nd when it did happen.

[@dallasbrubaker6054]

I was at this game

[@theanalogkid6845]

Where are the tattoos? Did all the players have to cover them back then?

[@bobbyg433]

It was frowned upon back then

[@KardiFan2000]

@@bobbyg433 I'm pretty sure that was sarcasm...

[@jeffmaehre7150]

Relax

[@zvbx]

People back then did not think they were sheets of drawing paper.

[@michaelholman517minKC]

To think, if Fielder doesn’t attempt the stolen base, Toronto wins 2-1 and there’s a Game 163. Lee drives him in on the triple, and the next batter hit a fly ball to centerfield which probably scores Lee…

[@KardiFan2000]

It was actually a botched hit-and-run, Manny Lee missed the signs.

[@FlyUnicornsFly]

Fielder would have needed a fast food location around the shortstop position in order to have a little rest and make it all the way around the base paths.

[@diamonddog13]

How can you say everything would have played out exactly the same?

[@michaelholman517minKC]

@@diamonddog13 No one can say that with 100% certainty, but I would venture to say that the likelihood was very high. It was really the only true scoring threat for Toronto against Tanana and they blew it because of a botched hit and run.....

[@DetroitLove4U]

Both very formidable offenses notably for that decade - a piss poor shame the Tiger fell to the Twins they should have went to the World Series.

[@ななし権兵衛-m3c]

yakisoba!

[@AgeofCraccadilliaassent]

I'll never for get this game and the team they had that year. The ALCS was so disappointing. I cries I was a 12 year old little leaguer in the suburbs of Detroit

[@theanalogkid6845]

The team that did that to me was the 1995 San Antonio Spurs. I was a lot younger then.

[@geraldsanchez581]

@@theanalogkid6845 the Rockets surprised so many of us. Dream dominanted David Robinson.

[@kennyderoian8904]

Go sell snow cones, McCarver.

[@cedricfarrell-mm6bj]

It's the eye of the Tigers

[@jackdavis8596]

So unfair that George Bell beat out Trammell for MVP after Toronto collapse.

[@brycemcneil4404]

Bell not only wasn't the rightful AL MVP, you could make a feasible argument that he wasn't even the rightful *Blue Jays* MVP. Tony Fernandez led the team in OBP, had a slightly higher WAR (but of course, no one used that stat back then) and was arguably the most important defensive player the team had (whereas Bell was below average defensively....there was a reason Jimy immediately wanted him to DH after a MVP year, even if it was a stupid idea). And the whole seven game collapse: both guys disappeared when the Jays needed them most. But in the case of Fernandez, it was because of Madlock taking him out. Bell just slumped horribly at the worst possible time (although to be fair, the team's winning % when either guy started was a wash). Not necessarily saying I agree he wasn't the Jays MVP that year, but the fact I can even question it as a thesis should tell you that Bell shouldn't have won the league MVP.

[@mattheweggleton7887]

Sil Campusano was the MVP.

[@JB-po4ue]

Tim Mcgarver is so annoying

[@joeycain5738]

the meltdown in motown

[@JohnSmith-op1tc]

I thought he was done, but I heard McCarver yesterday (4/9/19) doing color on a Cardinals broadcast, as Marcell Ozuna made a faulty play jumping onto a fence ledge, trying to catch a ball against the Dodgers. It was the voice that made me sad, not the play or video.

[@theanalogkid6845]

Well, at least McCarver appears to like baseball, and that's something.

[@AgeofCraccadilliaassent]

Man if Manny hit that ball higher it could of went for a home run in the upper deck over hang.

[@mattheweggleton7887]

His launch angle was too low. The announcers should have brought that up. Launch angle

[@millypoo7713]

Larry Herndon HR @ 34:59

[@JosePerez-vz1qq]

1:17:17

[@StFidjnr]

abc got ultra lucky

[@paulsonj72]

If Toronto had won the day before and clinched the AL East ABC doesn’t do this game. ABC only would do a game(in 1987) on the last day of the season if the division title was up for grabs.

[@theanalogkid6845]

I'm aghast at the complete lack of any mention of social justice or Causes at this game. It's an outrage. Did they all forget that Mufflick tried to kill Fernandez and broke his elbow? That has to be done sort of hate crime. These players all appear to get along fine and are not woke. Disgusted. 🤮

[@ckendall67]

In case you haven't heard...it's 2020. The world has changed, OK? Get with it.

[@zvbx]

If you’re not woke does that mean you are asleep or blind? Just asking….

[@bobbyg433]

Blue Jays choked