| | | | | | |
 |
|
Amoros had a brief and unremarkable career in the major leagues except for one, defining moment with the Brooklyn Dodgers. It was the seventh inning of Game 7 of the 1955 World Series. The Dodgers had never won a World Series in their history and were now trying to hold a 2-0 lead against their perennial rivals, the New York Yankees.
Amoros came in that inning as a defensive replacement. The Dodger outfielders were pulled around toward right against the left-handed hitting Berra. But when Podres threw an outside pitch, Yogi reached for it and drove it down the left field line. It looked like a sure double that would tie the game. McDougald was certainly sure of it; he raced down to second and turned the base, while Martin held up at third to see what happened.
Here's what Martin saw, from his very good vantage point: Sandy Amoros, the Dodger left fielder, raced toward the foul pole. It was a long run, because the ball was slicing away from him. Just as he reached the tight corner, barely five feet from the left field stands, he stretched out his gloved right hand and snagged the ball.
Instead of a 2-2 game with the lead run at second base and no one out, it was still 2-0 with two outs and a much less important run at second. That great play seemed to resuscitate Podres. He gave up just one more hit the rest of the way and the Dodgers had finally won a World Series
After baseball, Amoros became a prosperous rancher in Cuba, but the coming of Fidel Castro forced him to flee to Miami, Florida, where he lived in poverty until his death.
| | | | | | |