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Dan Flaherty

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1997 Notre Dame Football: A Noble Rally Turns Disaster Into Just Disappointment

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The 1997 Notre Dame football season was the first year of the post-Lou Holtz era in South Bend. The season got off to a disastrous start, before new head coach Bob Davie admirably righted the ship, but the end product couldn’t have left anyone optimistic about the future at Notre Dame.

The 1977 Boston Red Sox Return To Contention But Come Up A Bit Short

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When the Boston Red Sox reached Game 7 of the 1975 World Series with a core of young players, there was the expectation that great things were underway. Those expectations took a big step back in a disappointment-filled 1976 season. The 1977 Boston Red Sox were able to rekindle the hope, with a strong run at the AL East title, but like so many pre-2004 Red Sox teams, managed to come up just a little bit short.

1976 MLB: The Playoff Teams & October Battles

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The 1976 MLB season ushered in a new era for baseball—the era of free agency, which had previously appeared only in snippets, but now loomed over the entire sport. But before the new era could begin, the old order had to get a fitting conclusion, and so it was the Big Red Machine, the great Cincinnati Reds teams rolled to a second World Series title.

1976 World Series: The Big Red Machine Sweeps Their Way To A Dynasty

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One team was the powerful defending champions, already one of the dominant teams of the decade and looking to secure the legacy of a dynasty. Another was the team making its first World Series appearance in over a decade. It was the Cincinnati Reds and New York Yankees.

1976 NLCS: Cincinnati Sweeps Back The Phillie Challenge

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The Reds were the Big Red Machine, the defending World Series champions, with three pennants and four NLCS appearances already under their belt from 1970-75. The Phillies were the up-and-comers, who had displaced the Pittsburgh Pirates in the NL East. While the Phils would become postseason regulars in the ensuing eight years, they were a fresh face in 1976.

The 1984 Detroit Tigers: Wire-To-Wire Excellence

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The Tigers had been in a holding pattern since their AL East title of 1972—save for a 102-loss year in 1975, they were never awful, but nor did they ever break 90 wins and seriously contend. Anderson contended in 1981, won 92 games in 1983, and the 1984 Detroit Tigers were the big breakthrough that dominated wire-to-wire and won the city’s first World Series title since 1968.

The 1984 Chicago Cubs Deal Their Way To A Division Title

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The North Side of Chicago has never been renowned for baseball excellence, and the early part of the 1980s was no exception. The beloved Chicago Cubs, after finishing second in the old NL East in 1969, 1970 and 1972 had finished under .500 in each of the ensuing eleven years, including a 91-loss season in 1983. A managerial change of a series of big trades made the 1984 Chicago Cubs season one to remember.

1984 San Diego Padres: Williams, Gwynn & A Franchise’s First Pennant

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The San Diego Padres had lived a lifeless existence since their founding in 1969. The first thirteen years saw one winning season and no finishes higher than fourth in the six-team NL West. The front office made the decision to hire Dick Williams and three years later the hire bore great fruit, as the 1984 San Diego Padres became the first team in franchise history to reach the World Series.

1984 NLCS: An Unforgettable Saturday & Sunday In San Diego

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The 1984 NLCS saw two fresh faces arrive on the October stage. The Chicago Cubs and San Diego Padres each won their first division titles since advent of divisional play in 1969, and met in the League Championship Series. It was a series that began looking like a rout, before shifting gears and ending with an epic Saturday night and Sunday afternoon in San Diego.

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