There’s a reason why baseball is one of the most popular sports in the world – anything’s possible. Even when things seem lost, there’s always a way to make a comeback that will go down in baseball history. Take a look at five such examples, and you’ll see that you are never truly out until the match is over.
#5. Red Sox make a comeback in a postseason series/ World Series Game
Only one team has managed to stun the crowd and come back from a 3-0 deficit in a postseason series. We’re talking about the 2004 Boston Red Sox, of course. At first, it seemed like the odds of them recovering from a 3-0 hole were close to zero. The situation was so grim that not even the most experienced bettors would put their money on the team. But all those who had betting apps installed at the time were wrong; they weren’t wrong for using them, as online sportsbooks and betting sites are an invention that has popularized betting even further.
People who install Missouri betting apps or use any of the other offshore sites can get quick access to the best odds on the market. And those with these apps installed at the time who bet against the Red Sox made a dire mistake, as the team managed to make a comeback and ultimately win the playoff series.
They started their impressive run by surprising the rival Yankees, after which they went on to win eight straight games. Their final game for the big prize was against the Cardinals, whom they beat in an impressive fashion that has marked their entire season. With that, they won the 2004 World Series and became a synonym for perseverance.
#4. Philadelphia Athletics and Chicago Cubs in a World Series Game
Not all comebacks happened as recently as 2004, and this one just goes to show that baseball was popular and impressive long before live games and TV broadcasts entered the scene. This instance of an impressive comeback happened back in 1929, when the Philadelphia Athletics showed that it takes just one game to decide the fate of a World Series.
The Philadelphia Athletics had to score 10 times in the bottom of the seventh inning to turn things around. Once they did it for the first time, the crowd went wild. Al Simmons took the lead and hit a home run, resulting in an 8-1 score. Mule Haas then cut the difference to 8-7, and two days later, the Philadelphia Athletics gathered three runs in the bottom of the ninth, making a five-game Series triumph and scoring a comeback that won’t be forgotten as long as baseball fans exist.
#3. Cleveland vs. Seattle Mariners
One of the more recent upsets happened during the 2001 season. The ground for the impressive season (at least for baseball fans) was set by the Cleveland manager at the time, Charlie Manuel. He indicated that a rally was impossible, as he removed four regular team members from the starting lineup – and he did it on a nationally televised game, no less, happening on a Sunday night.
That season, the Seattle Mariners collected the most wins, 116. The season was a regular one, composed of 162 games. Trailing 14-2 behind the Mariners, Cleveland rallied with three runs in the bottom of the seventh inning. They went on to make four in the eighth and five more with two outs in the ninth. Omar Vizquel sealed the deal with a three-run triple to the right-field corner, tying to 14-14 and forcing extras. In the 11th, Kenny Lofton ended the game on a high note, with the help of then-little-known Jolbert Cabrera.
#2. Philadelphia Athletics vs. Cleveland
By now, it’s obvious that the Philadelphia Athletics are a team with a high chance of making an impressive comeback. Some of their most shocking results came at the start of the 20th century – the one we are referring to happened in 1925. When entering the bottom of the seventh, the Philadelphia Athletics trailed 15-3. Unexpectedly, they didn’t need to go the extra mile in the ninth inning, as they scored 13 times in the eighth.
Once again, Al Simmons was one of the biggest stars of the game, as he embarked on a three-run home run to reverse his team’s deficit of 15-14. Before his impressive action, it was Jimmy Dykes who got the ball rolling with a three-run triple. The game demonstrated that it takes team effort to achieve results that will stand the test of time and be regarded as the biggest comebacks in the history for many decades to come.
#1. Detroit Tigers vs. Milwaukee Brewers
The biggest comeback in baseball history is also the oldest one on the list, but the fact that it’s still talked about to this day demonstrates its magnitude. In 1901, the Detroit Tigers made what can only be described as one of the biggest regular-season comebacks, witnessed by a crowd of more than 10,000 people. This was also the Tigers’ first game in the new AL, but the spectators had unfortunately significantly dispersed by the time the home team came to bat in the ninth inning.
The game was full of ups and downs, and it seemed like every team member contributed to the exciting game that had the audience captivated. There were five runs surrendered by the Brewers, short delays for the Detroit players, and numerous runs that lifted the Detroit Tigers and brought them straight to victory.