BASEBALL / ROSS NEWHAN : Series Exceeds All Expectations

The initial thought was that this would be a World Series distinguished by who was playing and not the play itself.

Two worst-to-first teams from medium markets.

A refreshing change and example of what is possible in an era of diluted talent with aggressive leadership and attention to farm development.

An in-house showcase, but nothing special or electric aside from the awakened passions of the respective fans.

So much for perception.

The ’91 World Series proved to be far better than that. Four games were decided on the final pitch, five in a team’s final at-bats, three in extra innings. Two ended on plays at the plate. Kirby Puckett generated a two-way performance in Game 6 that might have been the best ever.

Both managers, Tom Kelly of the Minnesota Twins and Bobby Cox of the Atlanta Braves, exposed themselves to second-guessing, this being the nature of the Series’ microscope.

The greatest ever? Who can say for sure.

This much is certain: There were enough moves and moments to overflow the scrapbook of the mind, culminating Sunday night in a seventh game that was the quintessential fall classic.

It was won by the Minnesota Twins, 1-0, in 10 innings.

It was won by Jack Morris with one of the great pitching performances in World Series history--of that, there can be neither doubt nor debate.

A workhorse and warhorse as the winningest pitcher of the ‘80s, Morris demonstrated again that he is a big-game pitcher for any decade.

At 36, starting for the 40th time this year, for the fifth time in the postseason and for the third time in the Series and second on three days’ rest, this crown prince of tenacity went the distance, a fist-pumping inspiration on the mound, to win the most valuable player award.

He made 135 pitches and retired the Braves in order in the ninth and 10th innings, his 282nd and 283rd of a year in which he left the Detroit Tigers to return to his hometown Twins as a free agent.

Morris has called it one of the happiest and most rewarding years of his career--admittedly tempered, however, by an emotional divorce.

With his voice cracking Sunday night, and the trace of tears in his eyes, he said: “My two boys were here tonight and got to see Dad at his finest. I hope that someday they can appreciate it.”

The partisans in a crowd of 55,118 obviously did. They were chanting his name at the end of what Morris called “a flat-out classic, just a beautiful game.”

Morris gave up seven hits to win for the fourth time in the postseason. He is 4-0 in five World Series starts dating to 1984 and 7-1 overall in the postseason.

Manager Tom Kelly attempted to take Morris out after the ninth inning Sunday night, but Morris wouldn’t have it.

“I told him I had a lot left and that we don’t play tomorrow,” Morris said.

Said Kelly: “I told him he had done more than his share and I wanted to let somebody else pick up for him, but he said, ‘TK, I’m fine, I can still do it.’

“Dick Such (the pitching coach) came over and said, ‘Tom, he’s still looking good, let him go out there.’ I said, ‘What the hell, it’s just a ballgame, go ahead.’ ”

How far could he have gone?

“Oh, maybe 112 innings,” Morris said, smiling. “I felt that strong, that I had plenty left. This was a dream game. Concentration wasn’t a problem and my arm was live all the way. It was fun being out there, being part of it.”

It wasn’t fun for the Braves.

They had runners at first and second with one out in the third, but Morris got Terry Pendleton on a fly out and Ron Gant on a force play grounder.

They got a two-out double from Brian Hunter in the fourth, but Morris got Greg Olson on a liner to right.

They had runners at first and third with one out in the fifth, but Morris retired Pendleton on a popup and struck out Gant.

In the eighth, the ultimate test, they had runners at second and third with no outs, but Morris forced them to hold as Gant tapped to first. He then walked David Justice intentionally to load the bases, a strategy that worked when Sid Bream grounded a forkball to first baseman Kent Hrbek, who threw to the plate to initiate a double play.

Morris jumped, pumped his fist and sprinted to the dugout, his emotions and performance at this seemingly twilight juncture of his career exemplifying the game and Series, his fortitude providing a bottom line on what these teams accomplished.

In the first meeting of worst-to-first, there was no loser.