Curt Flood’s Cap
The scene: the 7th and deciding game of the 1968
World Series between the St. Louis Cardinals and
Detroit Tigers. The Cardinals, the defending champions,
were leading in the Series three games to one,
due to the devastating pitching of their ace,
Bob Gibson, who struck out 17 Tigers in Game 1.
However, the Tigers came back, riding, not on
the back of their ace, the winner of 31 games,
Denny McLain, but, instead, on lefthander Mickey
Lolich. Game 7 was a battle between Gibson and
Lolich (both had already won two games in the
Series).
With two out in the Detroit seventh, Norm Cash
and Horton both singled. Jim Northrup then hit
a long drive to center field, where the seven-time
Gold Glove winning Curt Flood misjudged the ball,
and it went over his head, scoring what would
be the winning runs of the Series.
This cap was worn by Flood when the ball sailed
over him. He signed it under the brim, above his
number, 21.
|