History

The Cleveland Indians' best chance at a World Series ring in recent times was when they were leading 3-1 in the ALCS against the Boston Red Sox in 2007. Given the Red Sox's 4-0 slaughter of the redoubtable, but overmatched, Colorado Rockies, does anyone doubt that the Indians would have won in at most seven, if they had advanced?

Postseason baseball is shaped by the iconography that is baseball itself. In the last 25 years, some of baseball’s most memorable moments played out on what proved to be the biggest stage.

From dramatic home runs (who can forget Kirk Gibson in 1988 or Joe Carter five years later?) to the straight-up weird (we were treated to two in 2003…Steve Bartman in Chicago and the Pedro Martinez throw-down of Don Zimmer), baseball fans have pretty much seen it all.

Despite what the media would have you believe, the New York Yankees haven’t won their 40th pennant yet. In fact, after Thursday night’s amazing comeback victory, the Los Angeles Angels are very much alive and kicking in the American League Championship Series. The Yankees may still be the favorite—especially as the series shifts back to Gotham—but the Angels aren’t done yet. They do, however, have an uphill battle in front of them.

The 1971 Washington Senators were an embarrassingly bad baseball team.

After owner/general manager Bob Short traded the core of his team, pitcher Joe Coleman, third baseman Aurelio Rodriguez and shortstop Eddie Brinkman, to the Detroit Tigers for over-the-hill pitcher Denny McLain and a bunch of guys named Joe, there were more holes in the lineup than players to fill them.

The 1950 Boston Red Sox infield produced one of the greatest offensive seasons in baseball history, but let's get one thing straight.

The Boston infield of Walt Dropo at first base, Bobby Doerr at second base, Johnny Pesky at third base, and Vern Stephens at shortstop was not the greatest infield of all time. But for one season, the unit was unrivaled as a hitting machine.

No infield has ever matched its production.

The temperature was a little chilly as I stepped out of my front door that day. Earlier, it had reached a high of around 54, but it felt as if it had dropped nearly ten degrees since then.

Billy Martin picked up where he had left off the year before.

In the seventh inning of the seventh game of the 1952 World Series, Martin had made a spectacular catch of a wind-blown Jackie Robinson pop-up with the bases loaded and two outs to save the game and World Series.

The Yankees and Dodgers repeated as pennant winners in 1953, and Billy Martin again was instrumental in the Yankees winning the World Series.

Bobby Abreu, Vladimir Guerrero, and Kendry Morales were the heroes in the Los Angeles Angels' defeat of the Boston Red Sox.

Alex Rodriguez, Jorge Posada, and Robinson Cano were among the hottest Yankee bats in the three-game sweep of the Minnesota Twins.

It was the kind of moment where legends are born.

Two outs.

Two on.

Two strikes.

Trailing by two.

The stage was set. Except that the man standing in the batters box had already started writing his legendary story years before.

Rookie of the Year.

Fastest to 100 home runs.

National League MVP.

And his most recent accolade, 2008 World Series Champion.

Quite a resume for any baseball career.  Yet Ryan Howard is just warming up.

Recently, the home movies of a New Hampshire family contained new, never before seen footage of the legendary Babe Ruth.

The footage can be seen here: http://video.nytimes.com/video/2009/10/08/sports/baseball/1247465064285/the-great-bambino-resurfaces.html?th&emc=th