The Recipe for Coming Back From a 3-1 Deficit? It Varies.
The New York Times
The Houston Astros are trying to pull off a feat that has been done only six times in the World Series. Players from the teams that did it happily recalled their thrilling comebacks.
HOUSTON — In the somber moments after the Pittsburgh Pirates lost Game 4 of the 1979 World Series to the Baltimore Orioles to fall behind three games to one, Willie Stargell spoke to his teammates.
Stargell, the Hall of Fame slugger, who commanded that wild, boisterous team with a well-placed glance as much as with a stern word, tried to make certain that, as much fun as the players had, they played to their capabilities. But to that point in the World Series they had not. They were on the precipice of elimination.
“Willie just told us, ‘Millions of people are watching and they have not seen the real Pirates,’” said Kent Tekulve, the Pirates’ closer at the time. “He said, ‘Whatever happens, let’s at least show them one game how the Buccos really play baseball.’”
