In addition to being the 62nd anniversary of D-Day, today is also the 43rd anniversary of the "Lindy McDaniel game." For Cubs fans of a certain age, before there was the Sandberg game, there was the Lindy McDaniel game.
The Giants were leading 2 to 0 going into the bottom of the eighth. The first batter got on base, but he was erased on a double play. When Kenny Hubbs doubled, I thought it was a waste, but Billy Williams homered to tie the game, 2 to 2.
Nobody scored in the ninth. In the top of the tenth, with one out and the bases loaded, in came Lindy McDaniel. First he picked Willie Mays off second base. Then he struck out Ed Bailey.
And who was leading off the tenth for the Cubs? Who else but Lindy McDaniel, who hit promptly a home run into the left field bleachers. Hey! Hey! The Cubs won, 3 to 2, and moved into a tie for first place with the Cardinals and Giants. The Tribune's headline the next day read: "Our Comeback Cubs Reach the Top".
Yes, before the Sandberg game, before the 1998 playoff game, before Willie Smith's home run, there was the Lindy McDaniel game.
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