In a year that has been so improbable, the impossible has happened!
Vin Scully
Sports have miracle moments. The 2025 Baseball World Series was loaded with them; it’s a numbers’ game.
In Baseball, the team holding the lead into the ninth inning has ever increasing odds of winning. In turn, the opposing team in deficit has diminishing winning probabilities.
Further, in World Series’ play, the odds of coming back from a 2-3 deficit in a best-of-seven series is difficult. This is especially the case when the last two games are in the opponent’s park.
Comebacks are statistical anomalies. We love to witness them. They are miracles! They become lifelong culturally shared memories. They plant the seeds of lottery wins and hitting three lemons on a one-armed-bandit.
Miracles are part of sport. Football actually has a miracle play. It is embedded with religiosity- the “Hail Mary.” Typically, it occurs before standing crowds. They, in prayer, watch as players raise up their hands in the end zone. They seek salvation through receiving possession of the flying pig skin.
Sports teach a lesson. We find exhilaration with mathematical anomalies. We find something special in odds defying moments.
This leads us to the reality- we, humans, statistically live out our lives.
In My Time
Growing up, Vin Scully, elite sportscaster, in real time, captured in words my generation’s World Series’ miracle.
In 1988, he masterfully guided the audience through an at-bat. He, a master story teller, told of Kirk Gibson, a superstar crippled by two busted up legs.
With two outs in the bottom-of-the-ninth and trailing by two runs with a man-on-base, Gibby battled. He dueled with a future Hall of Fame Pitcher, Dennis Eckersley, over a seemingly eternity of pitches. He quickly dug himself into a hole in the count. It was 0-2, and any errant swing would be the end.
Every pitch was a clash of the titans. The dramatically prolonged at-bat culminated with Mr. Gibson delivering a walk-off home run in the 1988 World Series’ first game. It was The Natural, but real. The Dodgers would inevitably win the series. Mr. Gibson’s only involvement was that singular at-bat.
Mr. Scully, in his poetry, quantified the miracle in terms of a statistical anomaly.
A Once in a Generation Moment?
Dodger fans would wait almost four decades until another statistical anomaly occurred.
In 2024, Dodger Freddie Freeman, crippled and emotionally distraught, essentially reenacted Gibby’s achievement.
In a slightly less dramatic fashion, Freeman launched the first pitch for his game ending walk-off home run. This was also in the series’ first game.
There was something supernatural surrounding the occurrence. Both home runs took place in the same stadium and had similar trajectories.
Twice in a Generation?
The 2025 Dodger team decided to create their own statistical anomaly.
In defending their World Series’ crown, the Dodgers forgot to bring their “A” game offense.
Despite a historically anemic team offensive performance statistically, they cobbled together four wins. With great pitching, great fielding, and timely hitting, they pulled off a miracle of miracles. A statistically down-and-out team defied the numbers and engineered a miracle. All of the stars contributed, the supporting players showed up, and the bench displayed managerial prowess. Much was aligned to exact the championship.
Having witnessed 1988, I can attest that miracles don’t happen often. It is likely that decades will pass before anything replicates 2025.
Conclusion
What do numbers have to do with life?
The reality is that our lives are lived through numbers. These sporting miracles illustrate that our excitement can be based upon defying probabilities.
Our, our mundane existence is driven by numbers. With this most of us live our lives embracing the probabilities. We choose our occupations based upon anticipated earnings. We choose our places to live based upon school ratings and crime stats. We choose our vacations based upon safe travel. Some people take it the other direction. They go sky diving, the climb Mt. Everest and they buy lottery tickets.
Be well!!
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