#45 09/21/82 – Anaheim Stadium – Fred Lynn’s Catch is a Smashing Success

In the heat of the 1982 pennant race, Fred Lynn made one of the most unique catches in baseball history. Holding a one game lead over Kansas City, the Angels and Royals were scoreless in the fourth when Amos Otis drove a fly ball to deep left-center field. Centerfielder Fred Lynn and leftfielder Brian Downing both raced for it full throttle and leaped, crashing into each other and the fence simultaneously as Lynn snagged the ball. As the fence split open like a ripe watermelon, Downing collapsed onto the warning track and Lynn tumbled through the breach. He emerged seconds later holding the ball aloft in his glove. After a brief conference, the umpires ruled the play an out, preserving the tie.

In the bottom of the ninth, with the game now tied at 1-1, Daryl Sconiers drove a single into center off ace reliever Dan Quisenberry. Pinch runner Gary Pettis sprinted home with the winning run. Instead of falling into a tie with the Royals, the 2-1 walk-off victory extended the Angels’ lead to two games with eleven games remaining. The Angels would eventually clinch their second AL West title on the second to last day of the season.