Durham Lets It Through

The 1984 National League Championship Series was a best-of-five, and the Cubs won the first two games at Wrigley. San Diego won the next two at Jack Murphy Stadium. Game 5, October 7, was for the pennant. Rick Sutcliffe, who had barely lost since the Cubs acquired him in June, took a 3–0 lead to the middle innings. The Padres cut it to 3–2.

In the seventh, Carmelo Martinez was on second with one out. Tim Flannery hit a grounder to first. Leon Durham said afterward that it was a routine ball and it stayed low. It went through his legs, Martinez scored, and the inning came apart. Tony Gwynn doubled, Steve Garvey singled, and San Diego scored four. The final was 6–3. The Padres went to the World Series. The Cubs, who had not won a postseason series since 1908, went home.

A clubhouse story later claimed Durham's glove had been soaked by a spilled drink. He described a ball that never hopped. The grounder is enough.