by Mark Langill
As he approaches his 76th birthday, the all-time games-played leader in Los Angeles Dodger history is feeling nostalgic, especially when his half-century memory wheel lands on the National League Championship Series.
Two of Bill Russell’s most memorable hits — both two-out singles — occurred in 1977 and 1978 NLCS against the Philadelphia Phillies as the Dodgers won consecutive pennants during Tommy Lasorda’s first two seasons as Dodger manager.
Russell’s first clutch hit in 1977 capped a ninth-inning comeback at Veterans Stadium. The 1978 hit clinched the pennant at Dodger Stadium and a second consecutive World Series appearance against the New York Yankees.
The modern-day Dodgers hope to follow a similar script after Russell throws out the ceremonial first pitch today at Dodger Stadium prior to NLCS Game 6 against the New York Mets. With a 3–2 series lead, the Dodgers can secure their 25th pennant since joining the NL in 1890 and face the Yankees for a 12th time in the World Series.
“It’s fun to remember those times,” Russell said this weekend. “We were all so young and it seemed we were more excited clinching a pennant than actually being in a World Series.
“When we played the Phillies, they matched up well against us. But for some reason, our pitching always came through and kept their big hitters down.”
Born Nov. 21, 1948, the Kansas native spent his entire Major League playing career with the Dodgers from 1969 to 1986. Russell also served as a Dodger coach for eight seasons and managed Los Angeles from 1996 to 1998.
The 6-foot, 175-pound Russell began his career as an outfielder because of his speed. He converted to shortstop in 1972 and joined third baseman Ron Cey, second baseman Davey Lopes and first baseman Steve Garvey as the longest-tenured infield in Major League history — 8 1/2 seasons from June 1973 through the 1981 World Series.
In 2,181 regular-season games, Russell slashed .263/.310/.338/.648 with 46 home runs and 627 RBI. He stole 167 bases in 236 attempts.
In 49 postseason games, Russell was a .294 hitter (57-for-194) with 19 RBI.
The three-time All-Star tried switch-hitting in the first half of 1971 but went back to hitting right-handed because he wasn’t comfortable from the left side.
When Lasorda became the manager, he moved Russell from eighth to second in the batting order.
“A lot of people wanted Bill to hit more home runs and steal more bases,” Cey says. “But he was a dependable hitter who made contact and didn’t strike out much. I don’t think he got enough credit for learning a new position, shortstop, with the help of (coach) Monty Basgall. That’s not an easy assignment at the Major League level.”
When the Dodgers faced the Phillies in the 1977 NLCS, the format was best-of-five, which put the pressure on Los Angeles when it lost Game 1 at Dodger Stadium, 7–5, despite Cey’s grand slam off Phillies’ ace Steve Carlton. Dusty Baker’s grand slam off Jim Lonborg in Game 2 sparked the Dodgers’ 7–1 victory in Game 2.
The series shifted for a pivitol Game 3 in Philadelphia. The Phillies took a 5–3 lead into the ninth inning. The Dodgers staged an improbable comeback that Philadelphia baseball fans still refer to as “Black Friday.”
With two out and the bases empty, 37-year-old Vic Davalillo stepped up as a pinch-hitter against Phillies’ closer Gene Garber. The left-handed hitter, acquired from the Mexican League in August, pulled a drag bunt between first base and the pitcher’s mound on an 0–2 count for a single.
Another pinch-hitter, 39-year-old Manny Mota, lofted a fly ball toward left fielder Greg Luzinski. During the regular season, Philadelphia manager Danny Ozark often replaced Luzinski in the late innings on defense with Jerry Martin, who made 43 appearances in left field in 1977 as a reserve.
With Luzinski scheduled to bat third in the bottom of the ninth, he was still in the game. Luzinski backpedaled and tried to make a leaping catch, but he trapped the ball off the wall. Davalillo scored on Mota’s double and Mota advanced to third when Luzinski’s throw was misplayed by second baseman Ted Sizemore for an error.
Davey Lopes hit a sharp grounder that bounced off the glove of Mike Schmidt. Shortstop Larry Bowa picked up the deflection and threw to first baseman Richie Hebner. Lopes was ruled safe at by first base as Mota scored the tying run.
Garber tried to pick Lopes off first base, but his wild throw skipped past Hebner and Lopes advanced to second base. Russell whistled a single that went between Garber’s legs and rolled into center field as Lopes scored the go-ahead run.
Dodger reliever Mike Garman pitched the ninth and saved the 6–5 victory. The Dodgers won the pennant the next day on Tommy John’s complete-game 4–1 victory in a steady rainstorm.
“That was a crazy ninth inning,” Russell said. “Think of everything that happened. Nobody in the ballpark thinks Davalillo is going to bunt with two outs and nobody on base. Danny Ozark always took out Luzinski in the late innings. We might’ve gotten a break on the call at first on Davey. If they had replay today, they might’ve reversed the call.”
One year later, the Dodgers won the pennant with another NLCS Game 4 victory in Los Angeles with another stunning rally and 4–3 victory.
It looked like extra innings and a potential Game 5 looming when the Dodgers had two out and nobody on base in a 3–3 game against left-hander Tug McGraw. After Cey walked, Baker hit a sinking line drive to center fielder Garry Maddox, who won eight career Gold Glove Awards. The ball bounced off his glove for an error.
“More strange thing happening in the playoffs and I’m sure the Phillies are still shaking their heads,” Russell said. “A Gold Glove outfielder drops a line drive.”
Russell then stroked a single to shallow center field and Cey scored from second base, triggering a celebration.
“That was especially fun because we did it in front of our fans,” Russell said. “But if I had to compare the hits, I’d say the one against Garber in Philly was most memorable because of that crazy rally on the road.”
It was the first Dodger walk-off hit to win a pennant since 1959 at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum against the Milwaukee Braves when the Dodgers won the second game of a best-of-three National League tiebreaker. Carl Furillo’s infield single and a throwing error by shortstop Felix Mantilla scored Gil Hodges from second base as the Dodgers prevailed, 6–5, in 12 innings.
NLCS: The clutch Bill Russell still savors pennant parties of the past was originally published in Dodger Insider on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.