October 2, 1972: The Boston Red Sox begin a 3-game series with the Detroit Tigers at Tiger Stadium, which would decide the American League Eastern Division. Whoever wins 2 out of 3 will win it.
In the top of the 3rd, Carl Yastrzemski doubles off Mickey Lolich. Tommy Harper, who was on 3rd base, scores easily. Luis Aparicio, the legendary shortstop of the Chicago White Sox, was on 1st for the Red Sox and should score easily. And yet…
If you made a list of the Top 10 players in the history of baseball known for baserunning, Aparicio might be on that list. But, this time, he trips rounding 3rd, and has to hold there, and Yaz is thrown out trying to stretch his double to a triple. Reggie Smith then strikes out to end the inning. The game is tied 1-1, but should be at least 2-1 Red Sox.
The Tigers end up winning 4-1, the 22nd win of the season for Mickey Lolich. Carl Yastrzemski doubled home the Red Sox' only run. Al Kaline and Aurelio Rodriguez hit home runs for the Tigers.
The Tigers won the next night, to win the Division. The cancellation of some games in the 1st week of the season, due to Major League Baseball's 1st players' strike, games that were never made up, did not affect the National League, as the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the Chicago Cubs by 11 games to win the Eastern Division, and the Cincinnati Reds beat the Houston Astros by 10 1/2. Nor did it effect the AL West, as the Oakland Athletics beat the Chicago White Sox by 5 1/2 games.
But in the AL East, the Tigers finished 86-70, and the Red Sox finished 85-70, winning the title by half a game. By all rights, the Red Sox should have been allowed to make up the missing game. If they'd lost, the Tigers would have won, anyway. If they'd won, that would have forced a Playoff with the Tigers. Then again, given that the Red Sox lost a single-game Playoff in 1948, and would lose another in 1978, maybe they were better off not having one.
The Venezuelan Aparicio, at shortstop, at Nellie Fox, at 2nd base, not only formed a great double-play combination, but their baserunning skills led the team known as the "Go-Go Sox," and they won the Pennant in 1959. In 1966, Aparicio helped the Baltimore Orioles win their 1st Pennant and World Series. He played one more year with Boston after the game in question, and retired.
He made 13 All-Star Games, won 9 Gold Gloves, collected 2,677 hits, and stole 506 bases. In 1984, he became the 1st native of South America led to the Baseball Hall of Fame.
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October 2, 1972 was a Monday. These other games were played in Major League Baseball that day:
* The New York Yankees lost to the Milwaukee Brewers, 8-1 at Yankee Stadium. Ken Brett, brother of future Hall-of-Famer George, outpitched Steve Kline. Bobby Murcer hit a home run.
* A doubleheader was split at Jarry Park in Montreal. The Montreal Expos beat the New York Mets in the opener, 7-0. Bill Stoneman pitched his 2nd career no-hitter. It was far from a perfect game: He walked 7 batters.
The Mets won the 2nd game, 2-1. Dave Schneck singled Ed Kranepool home with the winning run in the top of the 9th inning. Willie Mays did not play in either game.
* The Chicago Cubs beat the Philadelphia Phillies, 4-3 at Wrigley Field in Chicago.
* And the Chicago White Sox beat the Minnesota Twins, 6-4 at Metropolitan Stadium in the Minneapolis suburb of Bloomington, Minnesota. Harmon Killebrew went 1-for-4 with a walk. Rod Carew 2-for-4 with a walk and an RBI.
And on ABC Monday Night Football, the New York Giants beat their arch-rivals, the Philadelphia Eagles, 27-12 at Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia.
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