In the wake of Freddie Freeman’s extra-innings walk-off grand slam in Game 1 of the World Series Friday (just the third comeback walk-off home run in World Series history, following Kirk Gibson in Game 1 in 1988 and Joe Carter in Game 6 in 1993), many thoughts turned to the parallels to Gibson’s home run (which was even hit at the same minute). But that’s easy enough to do with time to put it in a written piece; it’s harder to do it in real time, as Fox announcer Joe Davis did. And it’s maybe even trickier still to imagine that could happen even before the game. But that’s what Fox Sports’ Kevin Wildes did on First Things First Friday afternoon, at least in terms of predicting the banged-up Freeman would hit a home run recalling Gibson:
On “First Things First” Friday, @kevinwildes had a pretty good prediction for World Series Game 1. “A little flashback, 1988, Kirk Gibson, home run, hobbling around. Freddie Freeman, flashback.” pic.twitter.com/izFZJrXf67
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) October 26, 2024
As part of that “The Game 1 headline will be,” Wildes put in video of Gibson’s famed 1988 home run when he could barely walk. He said “A little flashback, 1988, Kirk Gibson, home run, hobbling around. Freddie Freeman, flashback. He’s got a bum ankle. Also 7 for 20 against [Yankees’ starter] Gerrit Cole with two home runs. Freddie Freeman flashback.”
Yes, Wildes didn’t predict the exact moment Freeman would hit his home run, especially mentioning his past performances against Cole, who was long gone from the game by the point this happened. But it’s remarkable that he did envision a Gibson–channeling performance from Freeman even before this game got going. And this pre-game headline actually provided better coverage of what would happen than The Los Angeles Times‘ Saturday print edition, which only included a photo from the first inning due to an early print deadline. (Their digital sports front was excellent, though.) So this was very much a case of a prediction going spectacularly right for Wildes.
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