1984 National League Championship Series

The 1984 National League Championship Series was played between the San Diego Padres and the Chicago Cubs from October 2 to October 7. San Diego won the series three games to two to advance to the World Series. The 1984 NLCS was the first postseason series ever for the Padres since the franchise's beginning in 1969, and the first appearance by the Cubs in postseason play since the 1945 World Series. The series took a disastrous turn for Chicago after a promising start, which contributed to the popular mythology of the "Curse of the Billy Goat." The series was also the last best-of-five NLCS. In 1985, the League Championship Series changed to a best-of-seven format.

Managers: Dick Williams (San Diego), Jim Frey (Chicago)

Umpires: Dick Cavenaugh, Dave Slickenmeyer, Joe Pomponi, Joe Maher (Games 1-2); Terry Bovey, Frank Campagna, Frank Fisher, John Stewart (Games 3-4); John Kibler, Paul Runge, John McSherry, Doug Harvey (Game 5) (Note: Due to a strike by major league umpires, the first four games were played using local and collegiate umpires, with major league umpires returning for the final game. They rotated positions following Game 1, but not following Game 3. The Game 5 umpires were selected because they lived in the area; only Kibler had originally been scheduled to work the series.)

Television: ABC (Don Drysdale, Earl Weaver and Reggie Jackson broadcasting)

Radio: CBS Radio Network (Ross Porter and Bill White announcing)

Series MVP: Steve Garvey

1 Series summary
2 Quotes of the Series
3 External links

Series summary

Game 1

October 2: Wrigley Field, Chicago, Illinois

Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E San Diego 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 6 1 Chicago 2 0 3 0 6 2 0 0 X 13 16 0 W: Rick Sutcliffe(1-0) L: Eric Show(0-1) S: none HR: SD – none CHC – Bob Dernier(1) Gary Matthews(2), Rick Sutcliffe(1), Ron Cey(1) Pitchers: SD – Show, Harris (5), Booker (7) CHC – Sutcliffe, Brusstar (8) Attendance: 36,282

Bob Dernier led off the game for the Cubs with a homer, and things went steadily downhill for the Padres as Chicago romped to a crushing 13-0 win in their first postseason game since 1945. Gary Matthews also homered in the first and added a three-run shot in Chicago's six-run fifth. Even starting pitcher Rick Sutcliffe went deep, besides holding the hapless Padres to two hits over seven strong innings. The Cubs' overwhelming victory had Chicago's long-suffering fans dreaming of the franchise's first World Championship since 1908.

Game 2

October 3: Wrigley Field, Chicago, Illinois

Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E San Diego 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 2 5 0 Chicago 1 0 2 1 0 0 0 0 x 4 8 1 W: Steve Trout(1-0) L: Mark Thurmond(0-1) S: Lee Smith(1) HR: SD – none CHC – none Pitchers: SD – Thurmond, Hawkins (4), Dravecky (6), Lefferts (8) CHC – Trout, Smith (9) Attendance: 36,282

Chicago's offense was considerably more subdued in Game 2, though their pitching remained almost as strong. Dernier again opened the scoring for the Cubs in the first, singling to left and coming around to score on two groundouts. The Cubs got two more runs in the third, highlighted by Ron Cey's RBI double. San Diego got one back in the fourth when future Hall of Famer Tony Gwynn doubled and eventually scored on a sacrifice fly by Kevin McReynolds. But Chicago answered in the bottom of the fourth when Ryne Sandberg doubled in Dernier. San Diego cut the lead to 4-2 in the sixth on a run-scoring single by eventual series MVP Steve Garvey, but the Padres could get no closer against the strong pitching of Steve Trout. Lee Smith came on with one out in the ninth to get the save, and the Cubs were just one victory away from the World Series.

Game 3

October 4: Jack Murphy Stadium, San Diego, California

Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E Chicago 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 5 0 San Diego 0 0 0 0 3 4 0 0 x 7 11 0 W: Ed Whitson(1-0) L: Dennis Eckersley(0-1) S: none HR: CHC – none SD – Kevin McReynolds(1) Pitchers: CHC – Eckersley, Frazier (6), Stoddard (8) SD – Whitson, Gossage (9) Attendance: 58,346

The series moved to San Diego, and the Padres staved off elimination with a convincing 7-1 win. San Diego actually fell behind 1-0 in the second when Chicago's Keith Moreland doubled and came home on Cey's single to center. But the Cubs would get no more off Padres starter Ed Whitson, while San Diego's bats finally came to life with seven runs in the fifth and sixth. Garry Templeton knocked in two runs with a double in the fifth, and McReynolds essentially ended the game with a three-run homer in the sixth. Goose Gossage pitched a dominating ninth inning to wrap up the win for San Diego.

Game 4

October 6: Jack Murphy Stadium, San Diego, California

Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E Chicago 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 2 0 5 8 1 San Diego 0 0 2 0 1 0 2 0 2 7 11 0 W: Craig Lefferts(1-0) L: Lee Smith(0-1) S: none HR: CHC – Jody Davis(1), Leon Durham(1) SD Steve Garvey(1) Pitchers: CHC – Sanderson, Brusstar (5), Stoddard (7), Smith (8) SD – Lollar, Hawkins (5), Dravecky (6), Gossage (8), Lefferts (9) Attendance: 58,354

Game 4 proved to be the most dramatic of the series, and it left many Cubs fans dreading another harsh disappointment for the franchise nicknamed the "lovable losers." The Padres jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the third on a sacrifice fly from Gwynn and a run-scoring double from Garvey. The Cubs actually took the lead in the fourth on a two-run homer by Jody Davis and a solo shot by Leon Durham, who would suffer ignominy in Game 5. The Padres tied the game in the fifth on another RBI from Garvey, and took the lead in the seventh when Garvey singled in yet another run. A passed ball allowed a second tally in the inning to make the score 5-3 San Diego. The Cubs bounced back in the eighth to tie the game on an RBI single by Moreland and an RBI double from Davis.

With dominating closer Lee Smith on the mound for the Cubs in the bottom of the ninth, Gwynn singled to center with one out. Garvey then capped an extraordinary five-RBI game by launching a two-run walk-off home run to right center field just over the glove of Cubs right fielder Henry Cotto at the 370 sign. The series was now tied as the Cubs suffered one of their most devastating postseason losses ever.

Game 5

October 7: Jack Murphy Stadium, San Diego, California

Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E Chicago 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 5 1 San Diego 0 0 0 0 0 2 4 0 x 6 8 0 W: Craig Lefferts(2-0) L: Rick Sutcliffe(1-1) S: Goose Gossage(1) HR: CHC – Leon Durham(2), Jody Davis(2) SD – none Pitchers: CHC – Sutcliffe, Trout (7), Brusstar (8) SD – Show, Hawkins (2), Dravecky (4), Lefferts (6), Gossage (8) Attendance: 58,359

As if to tease their fatalistic fans, the Cubs started out well in the final and deciding game of the series. Durham hit a two-run homer in the first and Davis added a solo homer in the second to give the Cubs a 3-0 lead. With National League Cy Young Award winner and Game 1 victor Rick Sutcliffe pitching brilliantly, the Cubs maintained their lead until the bottom of the sixth. Then disaster struck in a way that left many Cubs fans muttering about curses and other storied collapses in the franchise's history.

Chicago's downfall began innocently enough, with San Diego getting two sacrifice flies in the sixth to cut the Cubs' lead to 3-2. But the Padres' seventh proved catastrophic for Chicago. Carmelo Martínez led off the inning with a walk, was sacrificed to second by Garry Templeton, and scored when Tim Flannery's grounder trickled through Durham's legs for a crucial error. Alan Wiggins singled Flannery to second, and Gwynn doubled both runners home to give the Padres a 5-3 lead. Garvey followed with an RBI single to stretch the lead to 6-3. Steve Trout then replaced Sutcliffe on the mound and got out of the inning unscathed.

The Cubs got three baserunners over the final two innings against Gossage but could not score, and San Diego took home its first National League pennant. The Padres would go on to lose the World Series to the dominant Detroit Tigers in five games.

Quotes of the Series

“ Deep right field...Way back...Cotto'sgoing to the wall...it's gone!!! Home run Garvey! And there will be tomorrow!!! - ABC's Don Drysdale'scall of Steve Garvey's game-winning homer in Game 4. ”

“ Steve Garvey, who has been a hero tonight with three base hits and three RBIs, steps in...One ball, no strikes. One away. Five-five ball game...Padres have put ten hits on the board, the Cubs eight. Gwynn, taking his lead off first. The pitch on the way to Garvey. Hit high to right-center field! Way back! Going! Going! It is gone! The Padres win it!...In a game that absolutely defies description, Steve Garvey, in the ninth inning, hit one over the 370-mark, and the Padres beat the Cubs 7-5! Oh, doctor, you can hang a star on that baby! — Jerry Coleman'scall of Steve Garvey'sgame-winning homer in Game 4. ”

“ Here's the goose. The 1-1 pitch. A one-hopper to Nettles, to Wiggins, and the Padres have the National League Pennant! Oh Doctor! You can hang a star on that baby! The San Diego Padres, coming from behind a 3 to nothing deficit, wins the National League Pennant! How do you like that! — Jerry Coleman's call of the final out of the series. ”