YouTube Gold: Freddie Freeman Swings Into History

What a moment for Freeman and for baseball.

The first World Series took place in 1903. Since then, there have been (approximately) 655 games. The greatest players in the history of baseball have participated - Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Willie Mays, Lou Gehrig, Christie Mathewson, Pete Rose, Roberto Clemente, Yogi Berra, Jackie Robinson, Orel Hershiser, Reggie Jackson, Johnny Bench - you get the idea.

With all that brilliant talent, with all those magnificent clutch performers and power hitters who did things that defy belief, there is one thing that, in 121 years, had never, ever been done.

Until Friday, that is.

And on Friday, Freddie Freeman went there: with the bases loaded but two outs, he hit a walk-off grand slam to win Game One for the Los Angeles Dodgers. Did it on the first pitch, too.

After he rounded the bases, he immediately went to his father in the stands and after the game, he went full Field of Dreams, crediting his dad for his success. His father, he said, “has been there since I was a little boy, throwing batting practice to me every day. This isn’t my moment, it’s his moment.”

As much as anything could have in our hugely confusing times, Freeman tied baseball to its roots. It was a stunning play and a beautiful moment for the Freemans, for fathers and sons and for baseball fans everywhere.