George Steinbrenner Had a Hunch Bucky Dent Would Do Something Special in 1978 Playoff
Bucky Dent became a Yankees legend and one of the most hated players to Red Sox fans when he hit a three-run home run to take the lead in the 1978 one game playoff between the two teams.
New York held on to the lead and won the game 5–4 and went on to win the World Series.
In SI's new documentary, 14 Back,Dent revealed that on the night before the playoff, he ran into Yankees owner George Steinbrenner at the hotel elevator. Dent was on his way to a bar with his wife, who was upset because Steinbrenner had criticized Dent's performance.
The ride was a "little chilly" but as they were getting off, Dent said Steinbrenner told him, "Tomorrow is going to be your day."
Forty Years Later, Bucky Dent Is Still Soaking in His Life-Changing Home Run
Dent came up to bat in the top of the seventh inning with two men on and two men out. Dent had been hitting .140 with no homers over his last 20 games. After fouling a 1–and–1 pitch off his leg, Dent borrowed his teammate Mickey Rivers' bat.
On the next pitch, Dent hit a three-run homer over the Green Monster off Red Sox star Mike Torrez.
Dent said that after the game he went into the training room and was having some beers when Steinbrenner knocked on the door. The owner said, "I told you it was going to be your day. I told you it was going to be your day."
Dent said with a laugh, "Yeah and if I stuck out, you would've traded my rear end."
The film will be released on SI TV on Sept. 20.
