October 12 - Oakland advances to second World Series at the cost of Mr October - This Day in Baseball - The Daily Rewind

Classic Baseball Broadcasts

Oct. 12, 1972 -- In game 5 of the American League Championship Series the A’s, win 2-1 over the Detroit Tigers. The deciding run comes in the second inning with Mickey Lolich on the mound, Mike Epstein on first, and Reggie Jackson on third when A’s Manager Dick Williams flashes the sign for a double steal. Reggie bounded down the third base line on the delayed steal as Tiger’s shortstop Dick McAuliffe cut off the throw to second and fired it back to A’s Catcher Bill Freehan. Reggie and Freehan collided and Jackson was called safe at the plate. Sal Bando, A’s Captain, recalled that “Reggie had an unusual way of sliding. He would jump up, then leave his feet."

Whether it was the slide or the collision, this time it would result in a torn left hamstring that would force Reggie to leave the game and keep him from appearing in the ’72 World Series. Jackson is the only player to ever steal home in league championship play. After the chaos of that hard fought series Dick Williams was quoted as saying that he slept like a baby. That is, he “woke up every two hours crying”.

October 12, 1980 - The Philadelphia Phillies defeat the Houston Astros, 8 - 7, to capture the NLCS in 6 games. In the 10th inning, Garry Maddox drives in Del Unser to end a dramatic playoff series that featured four extra-inning games.