It’s still thought of as the World Series to which all other World Series’ are compared. The Boston Red Sox vs the Cincinnati Reds. A classic 7-game series that had as much drama, controversy, rain, Hall of Famers, and unforgettable moments as baseball fans could ever hope for.

The Big Red Machine was a juggernaut in ’75 led by Johnny Bench, Joe Morgan, Pete Rose, Tony Perez and their Hall of Fame skipper Sparky Anderson. Yet, the upstart Red Sox were matching them at every turn with Rookie of the Year/MVP Fred Lynn, Yaz, El Tiante and Carlton Fisk playing inspiring baseball. The only thing that could stop either of these teams was Mother Nature. Rain interrupted the series on mud;tiple occasions, but once they got on the field… some of the most thrilling baseball ever played was on full display.

None more thrilling than the 12th inning home run by Carlton Fisk that ended a captivating Game 6 and sent the series to a 7th game. The shot of Fisk waving the ball fair as it hugged the left field line and then bounced off the foul pole is a moment that has stood the test of time for half a century and will be forever remembered by baseball fans as long as they still play this game.

The starting pitcher for Game 7 for Boston was Bill Lee… the Spaceman. One of the gams true characters and at this time, one of the games best left-handed starters. The winner of 17 games in 1975, Lee had thrown 8 beautiful innings in Game 2 only to leave in the 9th when the Reds rallied for a 3-2 win. Now, in Game 7, he once again tossed 6 innings and came out with the lead in the 7th only to see the Reds rally again. Two wonderful starts for Lee, two no decisions… and a lifetime of what if’s…

50 years later, the Spaceman is still as outrageous and entertaining as he was back in Boston in the mid 70’s. He tells us how he couldn’t stand Don Zimmer as a manager and how wearing a Rolling Stones shirt cost him and the Red Sox the 1972 AL East Division. He recalls how as a teenager he had a job as locksmith and locked some of the most famous people in the world out of their own houses. He tells us how he almost died on the pitching mound pitching for the Savannah Bananas and how he’s lucky to still be alive. And mostly, he just tells us all sorts of things you can’t believe happened… but they did. 

One of the most revered and loved Red Sox pitchers in their storied history… Bill The Spaceman Lee on the Past Our Prime podcast… Listen and download wherever you get your podcasts.
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