1982 NXPL World Series (Game 7)

The 1982 NXPL World Series between the St. Louis Cardinals & my Detroit Tigers has been really entertaining to say the least. The Cardinals won the first two games of the series (both games in extras), 2-0 in St. Louis, the Tigers battled back by winning three straight games. The Tigers' momentum was halted with the Cardinals' Ron Guidry no-hitting the Tigers in their return to St. Louis.

So the series as predicted by many, ended up going at least 6 games, by going the full seven games, in what long-time NXPL'ers are calling a classic series.

GAME 7 (at St. Louis)

The Tigers send Dan Petry to the mound to face the Cards' Steve Carlton. The first inning would be 1-2-3 innings for both pitchers.

The Detroit Tigers would strike in this one, all starting in the 2nd Inning; Kirk Gibson (after a single) would advance to third on a Lou Whitaker double. Ben Oglivie would follow by scoring in both runners on a single. Alan Trammell's single would move Oglivie over to second & Petry would help his cause by hitting a two-out single to make it 3-0, Detroit!

The Cardinals answer back quickly in the bottom half of the 2nd. Terry Puhl would reach base with two outs, steal second, and then would score off of a Garry Templeton double. The Cardinals would surprisingly pull Steve Carlton for pinch-hitter Bake McBride, but McBride would come up empty, as Cardinals trail 3-1, after two innings.

The Cardinals' bullpen would take over after the quick hook to Carlton & they would succeed to keep the Tigers off the board until the top of the 5th Inning. With Ron LeFlore on, Bill Madlock would add his 3rd HR of the series, making it a Tigers' lead of 5-1.

Bottom of the 5th -- Glenn Wilson, who was pulled early in the series for Willie McGee, pinch-hit for pitcher Charlie Puleo, would hit a solo HR to make it 5-2, Detroit. Slight hope was starting to gleam for the Cardinals.

Bottom of the 6th - Terry Kennedy leads off with a single, followed by a Willie McGee single, with the tying run at the plate in Terry Puhl; Puhl would smack a single, flat-footed Kennedy would have to hold at third. No outs for the Cards, the Tigers' bullpen silent, as Garry Templeton lines it up the middle, to be caught by Lou Whitaker for the first out. Jim Dwyer would come in to pinch-hit for reliever Al Hrabosky, singling to right & driving in both Kennedy & McGee... Cardinals are now only trailing 5-4, as Puhl advances to third (Dwyer on 1st). Julio Cruz would hit a sac fly, tying the ballgame at 5-5, as now it's a new ballgame.

The 82' N.L. Batting Champ comes through.

With rookie Andy McGaffigan on the mound in the 9th for the Tigers, Tom Herr would lead off with a pinch-hit double. Julio Cruz tried to bunt over Herr to third, but would draw a walk instead, putting runners on 1st & 2nd. The Cards play small ball by having Ken Oberkfell successfully laying down a bunt down the 1st base line, as Jason Thompson was too slow to make a play at third to get the speedy Herr, as the runners reach 2nd & 3rd. Keith Hernandez who struggled overall in the series, did what a professional hitter does best & that's not over-think everything, by hitting a deep fly to left to Howard Johnson, Herr would tag-up and score to give the Cardinals a come-from-behind Game 7 victory to win the 1982 NXPL World Championship! Cardinals win 6-5, and for Manager Ron Zejdlik that's his 2nd NXPL World Championship, winning the other in 1979.

Hernandez by the way, won the N.L. Batting Title for the National League (NXPL) with a .352 batting average (he only batted .299 in real-life, 1982.

Second-year NXPL Manager Shawn Baier is really happy with his American League Champion, Detroit Tigers, and is really excited about the team's future. The rotation is solid for the next three seasons, and Tom Seaver returns to form in 1983. The rotation will be Mario Soto, Seaver, Dan Petry, Joaquin Andujar & Walt Terrell.

The NXPL is currently conducting its 1983 NXPL Draft via email. The Toronto Blue Jays traded away their #1 overall pick to the Baltimore Orioles, which the Orioles then drafted Darryl Strawberry.

The American League Champs (Tigers) through 4 rounds, have drafted SP-Mark Thurmond (who will be a fixture in the 84' rotation), RP-Keith Atherton, traded-up to draft C-Bill Schroeder & Terry Francona to be a good bench option with OF/1B depth.