NEW YORK, NY – Happy Halloween, sports fans! While kids are dressing up as ghosts, goblins and superheroes, sports fans know there are far more terrifying things lurking in the darkness: Tommy John surgeries, missed field goals, billion-dollar payrolls that can’t make the playoffs, , the J-E-T-S and David Stearns making another Mets roster decision.
But Halloween isn’t just about candy corn, slutty or creepy costumes, and pretending you’re not home when the kids ring your doorbell (e.g Angry Ward). October 31 has delivered some genuinely spectacular sporting moments. Some were treats. Others were nightmares. And a few left fans wishing they’d stayed home watching The Exorcist. With that, here are the Top 5 five Halloween Sporting Spectacles.
5. The Cubs Keep Their World Series Dreams Alive (2016)
Okay, technically this happened October 30, but the celebration carried into Halloween. The Chicago Cubs defeated Cleveland 3-2 in Game 5 of the World Series, avoiding elimination and keeping their championship hopes alive.
After 108 years without a title, Cubs fans had endured more horror stories than Stephen King. The victory eventually helped propel Chicago to its historic Game 7 triumph.
Somewhere, the infamous Billy Goat finally stopped laughing. Meanwhile, Mets fans wondered why their curses never seem to expire.
4. Derrick Rose Turns Back the Clock (2018)
On Halloween night in 2018, Derrick Rose delivered one of the NBA’s most emotional performances, scoring a career-high 50 points as the Minnesota Timberwolves defeated the Utah Jazz, 128-125.
Rose, whose once-promising career had been derailed by devastating knee injuries, looked like the explosive MVP who once terrorized NBA defenses.
He cried afterward. Fans cried. Even hardened basketball cynics probably got something in their eyes.
Forget trick-or-treating. Rose handed Utah 50 pieces of candy and kept the entire bag.
3. The Steelers Scare the Patriots Silly (2004)
Nothing says Halloween quite like watching Tom Brady and Bill Belichick get knocked around.
On October 31, 2004, the Pittsburgh Steelers defeated the New England Patriots 34-20, snapping New England’s remarkable 21-game winning streak, including playoff games.
Rookie quarterback Ben Roethlisberger helped Pittsburgh overwhelm the defending champions, making the supposedly invincible Patriots look downright mortal.
Unfortunately, the horror movie had a sequel. Brady and company returned to Pittsburgh for the AFC Championship Game, crushed the Steelers and eventually won another Super Bowl.
2. The Yankees’ Midnight Halloween Magic (2001)
As a Mets fan, including this one physically hurts.
In Game 5 of the 2001 World Series, the Yankees staged another ridiculous comeback against the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Trailing 2-0 in the ninth inning on Halloween night, New York watched Scott F*cking Brosius launch a game-tying two-run homer off Byung-Hyun Kim.
Then, after the clock struck midnight, Alfonso Soriano delivered the winning single in the 12th inning, giving the Yankees a 3-2 victory and a 3-2 Series lead.
Yankee Stadium erupted. Mets fans everywhere reached for antacids. Thankfully, Arizona eventually won Game 7, courtesy of Mariano Rivera’s blown save. Actually, it was a broken bat flare off a juiced Luis Gonzalez’s bat that scored the run, so calling it a blown save doesn’t really tell the story. But sometimes Halloween really does have a happy ending.
1. Madison Bumgarner’s Halloween Masterpiece (2010)
Forget ghosts, goblins and chainsaw-wielding maniacs (Junoir Blaber). The Texas Rangers encountered something far more terrifying on Halloween night: Madison Bumgarner.
The 21-year-old San Francisco Giants left-hander pitched eight shutout innings in Game 4 of the World Series, allowing just three hits in a dominant 4-0 victory. Bumgarner looked more comfortable on baseball’s biggest stage than most people do handing out candy.
The Giants went on to win their first World Series since moving to San Francisco in 1958, ending a franchise championship drought dating to 1954. The frightening part? Bumgarner was just getting started. Four years later, he’d deliver another postseason performance for the ages.
In conclusion
The Yankees have their steroids ghosts. The Cubs had their goat. The Red Sox had the Curse of the Bambino. And the Mets? We have David Stearns.
Happy Halloween.
