Twenty-five years ago today, the Cubs played the Cardinals at Wrigley Field in one of the best, most exciting games in history.  Because of his performance, the game has come to be known as the Sandberg Game.

Ryne Sandberg went 5-6 on the day including two homeruns and a total of seven RBI.  To make the feat even more impressive, Sandberg hit both homeruns off of future-Hall of Famer Bruce Sutter and both homeruns tied the game for the Cubs after the Cardinals had taken the lead.

For the Cardinals, Willie McGee had a tremendous game.  McGee hit for the cycle, going 4-6 with six RBI and three runs scored.  In the bottom of the 9th, NBC announcer Bob Costas announced that McGee had been named the “player of the game,” only to have Sandberg tie the game with a homerun to lead off the frame.  With the game going into extra innings, McGee would have to wait on his “player of the game” award.

The Cardinals scored two in the top of the 10th inning and Sutter came back out to pitch in the bottom of the 10th.  With two outs, Sutter walked Bobby Dernier to bring Sandberg to the plate.  For the second consecutive inning, Sandberg tied the game with one swing of his bat.  

In the bottom of the 11th innning, with the bases loaded with Cubs, Dave Owen hit a pinch-hit single to right to bring home the winning run.  The Cubs won the game 12-11 and Sandberg was named “player of the game.”

Here are some highlights from the game:

The Cubs went on to make the playoffs in 1984 for the first time since 1945.  Sandberg was awarded the NL MVP award that year and was enshrined in the Hall of Fame in 2005. 

The game had such a profound impact on me that I celebrate the anniversary every year by doing something baseball related.  This year, I’ll be taking the family to Sevierville, TN to watch Ryno lead his Tennessee Smokies against the Huntsville Stars (AA affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers).

I’ll try to get some video of the stadium to post later this week.  It should be a very good time.