#FarewellCandlestick: The 100 Greatest Moments in Candlestick Park History: #9

#10 is here.

#9 September 30, 1962 162

The greatest team in San Francisco Giants history was dead in the water on September 22 - 4 games behind the Dodgers with 8 to play.

8 days later - the Giants came into the final day of the season a game out, needing a win+ a Dodger loss to force a playoff.

The Giants were tied with Houston 1-1 in the 8th (after leaving the bases loaded in the 7th) when Willie Mays homered to give what would be the final margin of victory, 2-1.

The Dodgers lost.

3 days later, the Giants won their first San Francisco pennant.

#FarewellCandlestick: The 100 Greatest Moments in Candlestick Park History Recap: #10

The full 100-11 recap is here.

#10 October 1, 1962 Game 163

The greatest baseball team in San Francisco history had to make up a 4 game deficit in the last 8 games of the 1962 season to force baseball's last ever 3 game playoff.

All the Giants had to do in Game 1, the only game of the series which would be held at Candlestick, was beat Sandy Koufax.

Which they did.  8-0.  Willie Mays homered twice, the first a two run shot off Koufax in the first inning.  Billy Pierce threw a complete game 3 hitter, and two days later the Giants won their first San Francisco pennant.

The 9th greatest moment in Candlestick Park history is tomorrow.

NFL Supercontest Week 16

Week 15 is here. I'm 37-37-1

NO +3 Carolina loss
Cleve +2.5 Jets loss
NE +2.5 Balt win
Arizona +10.5 Sea win
Oak +10 SD loss

2-3

39-40-1

##FarewellCandlestick: The 100 Greatest Moments in Candlestick Park History Recap: #100-#11

Candlestick Park was home to the two greatest baseball players in National League history, Barry Bonds and Willie Mays.

Candlestick Park was home to the greatest football player who ever lived, Jerry Rice, and one of the three best quarterbacks who ever lived, Joe Montana.

McCovey, Marichal, Perry, Cepeda, Lott, Young, Walsh - Hall of Famers all.

I've been counting down the 100 Greatest Moments in Candlestick Park history in advance of the 49ers leaving the stadium at the end of the season.  100-11 are here.

100. The Beatles
99. Johnny Roseboro
98. The Earthquake
97 1984 All Star Game
96. Gore Goes for 207
95. Ginn Returns 2 4th Qtr Kicks
94. Bobby Bonds Walk Off Grand Slam
93. McCovey's Last Big Moment
92. 6 Garcia TDs.
91. '62 All Star Game
90. The Last Night Game
89. 49ers 51 Vikings 7
88. Barry Bonds 2,000
87. Juan Marichal 200
86. 49ers 56 Falcons 17
85. 49ers 48 Rams 0
84. 1986 NFC West Champs
83. Gaylord Strikes Out 15
82. 49ers 37 Redskins 31
81. Marichal Throws 33 Innings in 10 Days
80. 7 in the Bottom of the 9th
79. 49ers 32 Bears 7
78. Dean Sacks Six
77. 49ers 21 Cowboys 14
76. McCovey Hits 2 Homers in One Inning
75. Bonds 300th Steal
74. 49ers 37 Redskins 21
73. Giants 13 Braves 12
72. Barry Bonds 300th HR
71. Rice: 14 catches/289 yards/3 scores
70. '89 Pennant Race
69. 100 Wins
68. 1971 NFC West Champs
67. 1964 Opening Day
66. Giants 17 Rockies 2
65. 16 Catches for Rice
64. '86 Pennant Race
63. '78 Pennant Race
62. 14 Scoreless Innings
61. 1996 NFC Playoffs
60. '69 Pennant Race
59. 1997 NFC Playoffs
58. '69 Pennant Race
57. 1992 NFC Playoffs
56. 2012 NFC Playoffs
55. Ron Pruitt
54. Water Down the Basepaths
53. Garrison Hearst
Tie. 53. The Pick at the Stick
52. 1971 NFC Playoffs
51. Ed Halicki

50. 49ers 34 Giants 24
49. Gaylord's No Hitter
48. Ricky Watters
47. Willie McCovey 400th
46. 1990 NFC Playoffs
45. Willie Mays 400th
44. 1994 NFC Divisional Playoffs
43. Willie Mays 650th
42. 1984 NFC Divisional Playoffs
41. Willie Mays 3,000
40. 1988 NFC Playoffs
39. Marichal No Hitter
38. 1989 NFC Divisional Playoffs
37. Barry Bonds Debut
36. Montana Number Retired
35. Will's Walk Off
34. Owens Catches 20
33. McCovey Returns
32. 49ers 45 Cowboys 14
31. Giants Clinch West
30. 1983 NFC Playoffs
29. Mays Hits 512
28. 1981 NFC Divisional Playoffs
27. Joe Morgan
26. Joe Returns From Back Surgery
25. Brian Johnson
24. 49ers 7 Giants 3
23. 1989 NLCS Game 4
22. 1987 NLCS Game 5
21. 2002 NFC Wild Card Game
20. Joe Montana's Last Game
19. 1971 NLCS Game 1
18. 49ers 38 Saints 35
17. Dave Dravecky
16. 2011 NFC Divisional Playoffs
15. 1989 NLCS Game 3
14. 1998 NFC Wild Card Game
13. 1987 NLCS Game 4
12. Young's Run
11. The Greatest Game Ever Pitched

90 Down - the Ten Greatest Moments in Candlestick Park History Begin Tomorrow

2013 Athlete of the Year

December is here.

2012 is here.

LeBron James.

First back-to-back winner since Barry Bonds in '01-'02 and rightly so; James is the most dominant American athlete since Bonds and Tiger Woods.  Right now, if he never played another minute, he's one of the 20 best basketball players who ever lived.  He's already had a better career than Larry Bird; more Win Shares in fewer games.  At worst, by public opinion, he'll retire as one of the five best players ever.

Runners up: Peyton Manning, Mike Trout

SI went with Manning, had he a better playoff performance at the beginning of the calendar year that would be more defensible.  Trout's opened his MLB career with two straight seasons in which he was the best player in baseball.

Here's each months' winner:

January - Colin Kaepernick

February - Joe Flacco

March - LeBron James

April - Justin Upton

May-Clayton Kershaw

June - Patrick Kane  

July - Andy Murray

August- Mike Trout
September - Peyton Manning
October - David Ortiz
November - Paul George
December - Jamaal Charles

Here's the history of my Athlete of the Year winners:

1990: Joe Montana
1991: Michael Jordan
1992: Mario Lemieux
1993: Michael Jordan
1994: George Foreman
1995: Hakeem Olajuwon
1996: Michael Jordan
1997: Tiger Woods
1998: Mark McGwire
1999: Tiger Woods
2000: Tiger Woods
2001: Barry Bonds
2002: Barry Bonds
2003: Lance Armstrong
2004: Peyton Manning
2005: Reggie Bush
2006: Roger Federer
2007: Tom Brady
2008: Usain Bolt
2009: Manny Pacquiao
2010: Maya Moore
2011: Aaron Rodgers
2012: LeBron James
2013: LeBron James