The Emerald sports staff has ended its tireless quest for the perfect sports Web Site. Forget ESPN. Un-bookmark CNNSI. We’ve got the perfect address for the sports junkie.
Whatifsports.com.
Beauty. Perfection. Simulation.
Ever wondered if the 2001 Mariners could beat the 1906 Cubs? Contemplated who would win between the 1998 Bulls and the 1993 version? Whatifsports answers those questions, and even gives you a box score to eternally debate.
As a tribute to the simulation site, the Emerald sports staff will have a mock contest each week, and print the results in this space. If you’d like to see two classic sports teams go at it, e-mail us and we might just print your results next week.
This week we decided to simulate a series between two of baseball’s greatest teams. Who would win if the 1927 New York Yankees played the Yanks of 1998? We answered the question (keep in mind, however, that this in no way means we are advocating any love for those damn Yankees).
Babe Ruth vs. Derek Jeter. Lou Gehrig vs. Bernie Williams. Waite Hoyt vs. David Wells. The anticipation for the five-game series was higher than a kite.
The two teams came out swinging. David Cone started the game for the visiting ’98 Yankees, and pitched eight innings of one-run ball, while Chili Davis’ two-run home run put ’98 up 4-1 after eight and a half innings. But ’27 struck back with two runs in the bottom of the eighth and three in the bottom of the ninth to win the contest 6-4.
In game two, also hosted by the ’27 Yankees, the ’98 version wreaked their revenge behind Wells’ strong pitching. Paul O’Neill hit the winning two-run single in the third inning, and the ’98 Yanks won 4-2. Babe Ruth was held homerless for the second straight game, and Lou Gehrig went 0-2 in the loss.
When the series returned to, well, Yankee Stadium, the ’98 Yankees turned the ball over to Orlando “El Duque” Hernandez, and the Cuban import dominated the ’28 pinstripes. Hernandez threw a complete game four-hitter, and that was all ’98 needed to take the game 2-0 and move within one win of the all-time Yankee Championship.
But the ’27 Yankees wouldn’t back down easily. In game four, hosted by the ’98 Yankees, Bob Muesel turned David Cone’s second start into his second loss. Muesel smacked an RBI triple in the ninth inning, and ’27 won 7-6. Ruth and Gehrig continued to whiff on ’98’s tough pitching, as the two stars went a combined 1-9 in the game.
So it came down to a deciding game five, hosted by the ’27 New York squad. Facing Wells, ’27 looked like they had the series wrapped up as they took a 6-5 lead into the ninth inning. But with one out, ’27 reliever Wilcy Moore loaded the bases with walks to Scott Brosius, Jorge Posada and Shane Spencer. Chuck Knoblauch hit a single and ’27 forced Brosius out at home plate. With two outs and the bases loaded in the top of the ninth, Derek Jeter stepped to the plate. The rest is history. Jeter singled, and O’Neill singled a batter later to give ’98 the game 7-6 and the series 3-2.
Was that good or what? If you’d like to see your two favorite teams battle it out in this space, e-mail us at [email protected]. Or, you can vote online in Peter Hockaday’s Weekly Sports Poll, which this week will feature some options for next week’s “What If…?”
Until the next time we answer sport’s greatest questions, keep asking, “What if, what if…?”
What If…?
Daily Emerald
September 26, 2001
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