The Greatest Blue Jays Games

[TheFanGuy]

hello jays fans.

i've become a fan of this team myself over the years. more specifically around 04/05. i've always known of their existance but it's just within the last few years that i've become hardcore. i know we're at a low point in team history but i still cant quite keep myself away from this team. i understand that's it's going to be sometime until there is any real contention, but i do like what aa has done up to this point, considering the circumstances.

even though i do not enjoy those flashback fridays (waste of resources and effort imo), i still find myself curious about the past of this team. i have spoken to some older fans about games that standout in their minds, to which have been described to me from their perspectives or which i have a vague recollection about but was too young remember or didn't care as much as i do now.

i have compiled a list of these games in hope to one day be able to see them (or hear them if no video broadcast exists). my question to blue jays country is: is there any games that stand out the most in your minds that you would considered as being "the greatest blue jays games" ever? i would be curious about the delgado years or any of the early years. would anyone know how i would be able to get any of these games for my own veiwing pleasure?

and yes, this thread was partly inspired by "the greatest halladay games" thread and articles floating around.

the list thus far:
Apr 7, 1977: 9-5 vs. the White Sox--The inaugural game

June 26, 1978: 24-10 vs. the Orioles--The highest scoring game

Sept 28, 1982: 3-0 vs. the Twins--Clancy's near-perfect game

June 6, 1985: 2-0 vs. the Tigers--Key's near-no-hitter

Aug 24, 1985: 6-3 vs. the White Sox--Steib's near-no-hitter

Oct 5, 1985: 5-1 vs. the Yankees--The AL East clinching game

Sept 14, 1987: 18-3 vs. The Orioles--The 10-homer run game

Sept 24, 1988: 1-0 vs. the Indians--Steib's 2nd near-no-hitter

Sept 30, 1988: 4-0 vs. the Orioles--Steib's 3rd near-no-hitter

May 28, 1989: 7-5 vs. the White Sox--The final game at Exhibition Stadium with Bell 's walk-off homer

June 4, 1989: 13-11 vs. the Red Sox--The 10-run comeback game

Aug 4, 1989: 2-1 vs. the Yankees--Steib's 4th near-no-hitter

Sept 29, 1989: 2-1 vs. the Orioles--The 11-inning must-win game

Sept 30, 1989: 4-3 vs. the Orioles--The AL East clinching game

Sept 2, 1990: 3-0 vs. the Indians--Steib's no-hitter

July 9, 1991: 4-2 --'91 all-star game

Oct 2, 1991: 6-5 vs. the Angels--The AL East clinching game

Oct 11, 1992: 7-6 vs. the A's--ALCS game 4 with Alomar's 2-run homer off Eckersley in the 9th

Oct 18, 1992: 5-4 vs. the Braves--WS game 2

Oct 24, 1992: 4-3 vs. the Braves--WS game 6

July 13, 1993: 9-3 --'93 all-star game

Oct 20, 1993: 15-14 vs. the Phillies--WS game 4

Oct 23, 1993: 8-6 vs. the Phillies--WS game 6 with Carter's walk-off homer

June 6, 1995: 4-3 vs. the Rangers--Cones's near-no-hitter

Aug 25, 1998: 3-0 vs. the Royals--Clemens's 18-K game

Sept 27, 1998: 2-1 vs. the Tigers--Halladay's near-perfect game

Sept 6, 2003: 1-0 vs. the Tigers--Halladay's 10-inning complete game

Sept 25, 2003: 10-8 vs. the Devil Rays--Delgado's 4-homer game (and 300th career)

Sept 27, 2003: 5-4 vs. the Indians--Halladay's 22 win of the season

July 28, 2005: 2-1 vs. the Angels--The 18-inning nail-biter

June 24, 2007: 5-0 vs. the Rockies--McGowan's near-no-hitter

May 12, 2009: 5-1 vs. the Yankees--The Halladay/Burnett game

Sept 25, 2009: 5-0 vs. the Mariners--Halladay's final game in Toronto

Aug 8, 2010: 1-0 vs. the Rays--Morrow's near-no-hitter & 17-K game

Apr 5, 2012: 7-4 vs. the Indians--The 16-inning Season Opener (longest in MLB history)

[Rogi10]

Game 6 of the 93 world series.

Best Ending Ever...

[R. Johnson#3]

Delgado's 4 HRs in one game
Frank Menechino Pitching An Inning

[GNick]

Robbie's comeback homerun game in Oakland. Final game of '85 season. Stieb's no hit attempt broke up in 9th innings. Be a few games that jump to mind.

I'd like to see a DVD set of Blue Jays best games released.

[cpdevine1]

great list of games.

just want to add

June 4th 1989 (sidenote-it was the day before moving into the Dome)- Greatest comeback ever.

trailing 10-0 after 6 innings in Boston, Jays come back to win 13-11 in 13 innings. Highlighted by an Ernie Whitt grand slam off Lee Smith in the 9th (which at the time put the Jays ahead), and then a two run shot by Junior Felix in the 13th.

[wowzman]

Robbie's comeback homerun game in Oakland. Final game of '85 season. Stieb's no hit attempt broke up in 9th innings. Be a few games that jump to mind.

I'd like to see a DVD set of Blue Jays best games released.

Which one are you referring to?

September 24, 1988, Cleveland Stadium

Blue Jays leading 1-0 with Stieb on the mound throwing a no-hitter. Two out in the bottom of the ninth inning, Julio Franco hits a ground ball single to center field for the only hit Stieb allows in the game.

September 30, 1988, Exhibition Stadium

Blue Jays leading the Orioles 4-0 with Stieb on the mound throwing a no-hitter. Two out in the top of the ninth inning, pinch hitting for Craig Worthington, Jim Traber bloops a single down the right field line for the only hit Stieb allows.

Even more amazing was that these performance were in back-to-back starts and the last two games in the 1998 regular season.

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As for my the greatest Jays games, they are, in chronological order;

Oct 5, 1985, The first AL East banner - Doyle Alexander had the Yankees off balance the entire game and the image of George Bell on his knees celebrating the final out with Tony Fernandez rushing out to hug him still brings a tear to my eyes.

Sep 2, 1990, Stieb's no hitter - After coming so close on previous occasions, Stieb finally got his much deserved No-No. Junior Feliz squeezed the final out on a line drive to RF off the bat of Cleveland's Jerry (The Governor) Browne

Oct 11, 1992, ALCS Game 4 vs Oakland A's - Alomar's clutch home run off Eckersley in the 9th inning literally brought me right out of my seat. That home run may have been the turning point for the Jays franchise.

Oct 24, 1992 World Series Game 6 - Winfield's double to LF scoring White and Alomar to take a 2 run lead in the top of the 11th inning. Then Otis Nixon's (who may have been the ugliest man in the history of baseball ) bunt back to Timlin and his throw to Carter at first to give us our 1st WS Championship. The image of Carter bouncing up and down at first base after making the final out is etched in my memory.

Oct 20, 1993 World Series Game 6 - Like Alomar's HR in the 1992 ALCS, Carter's shot off Mitch Williams in the bottom of the ninth brought me out of my chair like I was rocket propelled. Carter's joy while rounding the bases is an image for the ages.

There have been several compelling games by the Blue Jays since then but, for me, none have had quite the impact as the games above. I can still visualize them in my minds eye.

[TheFanGuy]

Delgado's 4 HRs in one game
Frank Menechino Pitching An Inning

i didn't know of delgado's 4 homerun game... i looked it up and hitting 4 homeruns in a single game is a rare feat (more so than a no-hitter). according to wikki it has only happened 15 times and delgado's game was the last (sept 25, 2003). some things to note: delgado's first of the 4 was his 300th career and delgado is the only one to do it in each of his plate appearances. this is a game i would like to see. i'm adding it to the list.

as for frank menechino pitching. i don't really think it's that big of a deal. is that really considered to you as one of the blue jays' greatest games?

[TheFanGuy]

Robbie's comeback homerun game in Oakland. Final game of '85 season. Stieb's no hit attempt broke up in 9th innings. Be a few games that jump to mind.

I'd like to see a DVD set of Blue Jays best games released.

do you mean the '85 clincher? cause the last game of the '85 regular season was an 8-0 loss to the yankees.

[TheFanGuy]

great list of games.

just want to add

June 4th 1989 (sidenote-it was the day before moving into the Dome)- Greatest comeback ever.

trailing 10-0 after 6 innings in Boston, Jays come back to win 13-11 in 13 innings. Highlighted by an Ernie Whitt grand slam off Lee Smith in the 9th (which at the time put the Jays ahead), and then a two run shot by Junior Felix in the 13th.

i'm going to add this one too. the does seem significant.

[Gibby]

i dont remember alot of the early years but to my understanding the Robbie Alomar Hr of Dennis Eckersely was a great ending. it was clutch and a momemtun changer and it was off one of the greatest closers in history.

[TheFanGuy]

Which one are you referring to?

September 24, 1988, Cleveland Stadium

Blue Jays leading 1-0 with Stieb on the mound throwing a no-hitter. Two out in the bottom of the ninth inning, Julio Franco hits a ground ball single to center field for the only hit Stieb allows in the game.

September 30, 1988, Exhibition Stadium

Blue Jays leading the Orioles 4-0 with Stieb on the mound throwing a no-hitter. Two out in the top of the ninth inning, pinch hitting for Craig Worthington, Jim Traber bloops a single down the right field line for the only hit Stieb allows.
.

i know steib had a few no-hitters going into the ninth. is there any more? i would like to see these games as well. I have absolutely no recollection of steib pitching at all. my only memory of ever seeing steib is from flashback fridays.

halladay had a no-hitter going into the ninth at some point and so did mcgowan a couple years ago. i believe there are three other blue jay pitchers who had no-hitters going into the ninth. does anyone know who they are? those are games i'd like to watch.

[H-MYK]

Delgado's 4 HRs in one game
Frank Menechino Pitching An Inning

What happened to that guy? He dropped off the face of the earth.

[StealingSigns]

A lot of people remember Alomar's HR off Eck.

But for me, another significant HR was hit a week later that most people seem to have forgotten...

Oct 18, 1992: 5-4 vs. Atlanta

This game will always be remembered for the U.S. Marine Corps Color Guard displaying the Canadian flag upside down, and Tom cochrane flubbing the words to the anthem to boot.

But most importantly: the Jays were down by one run in the ninth inning, with (then) all-time saves leader Jeff Reardon on the mound. Ed ****en Sprague hit a two run HR to put the Jays in the lead, right after Tom Cheek stated "watch him hit a homer" on the radio.

After Kelly Gruber recorded the last out, he mocked the stupid Tomahawk Chop making him public enemy # 1 at Fulton County Stadium

[GNick]

Which one are you referring to?

September 24, 1988, Cleveland Stadium

Blue Jays leading 1-0 with Stieb on the mound throwing a no-hitter. Two out in the bottom of the ninth inning, Julio Franco hits a ground ball single to center field for the only hit Stieb allows in the game.

September 30, 1988, Exhibition Stadium

Blue Jays leading the Orioles 4-0 with Stieb on the mound throwing a no-hitter. Two out in the top of the ninth inning, pinch hitting for Craig Worthington, Jim Traber bloops a single down the right field line for the only hit Stieb allows.

Even more amazing was that these performance were in back-to-back starts and the last two games in the 1998 regular season.

--------------------------------------------------------

As for my the greatest Jays games, they are, in chronological order;

Oct 5, 1985, The first AL East banner - Doyle Alexander had the Yankees off balance the entire game and the image of George Bell on his knees celebrating the final out with Tony Fernandez rushing out to hug him still brings a tear to my eyes.

Sep 2, 1990, Stieb's no hitter - After coming so close on previous occasions, Stieb finally got his much deserved No-No. Junior Feliz squeezed the final out on a line drive to RF off the bat of Cleveland's Jerry (The Governor) Browne

Oct 11, 1992, ALCS Game 4 vs Oakland A's - Alomar's clutch home run off Eckersley in the 9th inning literally brought me right out of my seat. That home run may have been the turning point for the Jays franchise.

Oct 24, 1992 World Series Game 6 - Winfield's double to LF scoring White and Alomar to take a 2 run lead in the top of the 11th inning. Then Otis Nixon's (who may have been the ugliest man in the history of baseball ) bunt back to Timlin and his throw to Carter at first to give us our 1st WS Championship. The image of Carter bouncing up and down at first base after making the final out is etched in my memory.

Oct 20, 1993 World Series Game 6 - Like Alomar's HR in the 1992 ALCS, Carter's shot off Mitch Williams in the bottom of the ninth brought me out of my chair like I was rocket propelled. Carter's joy while rounding the bases is an image for the ages.

There have been several compelling games by the Blue Jays since then but, for me, none have had quite the impact as the games above. I can still visualize them in my minds eye.

I thought the 1-0 game was a great game. Forgot Stieb tossed 2 like that

[R. Johnson#3]

i didn't know of delgado's 4 homerun game... i looked it up and hitting 4 homeruns in a single game is a rare feat (more so than a no-hitter). according to wikki it has only happened 15 times and delgado's game was the last (sept 25, 2003). some things to note: delgado's first of the 4 was his 300th career and delgado is the only one to do it in each of his plate appearances. this is a game i would like to see. i'm adding it to the list.

as for frank menechino pitching. i don't really think it's that big of a deal. is that really considered to you as one of the blue jays' greatest games?

Frank Menechino was a legend. The fact that he pitched 0.1 innings and didnt allow a run is amazing.