I remember thinking about this game in 1999 when Valentine let Kenny Rogers walk in the series winning run against the Braves. He could have brought in Rick Reed, who was scheduled to pitch game 7.

At the onset, the announcers on NBC made a big deal about how the hitter's eye at the Oakland Coliseum contained a hint of cement, making it hard for the batters to pick up pitches in Game 1. That proved to be much ado about nothing, as the teams combined to score 17 runs in Game 2. It was the sun that proved to be the bigger problem, as numerous outfielders lost flyballs all afternoon.

Jerry Koosman had his worst start of the season, pounded for 2 doubles and 2 triples in just 2+ innings of work. He departed after his own error loaded the bases with 1 out in the third. Thankfully, the A's got a little too cute and wound up botching a suicide squeeze attempt for the second out, and then Ray Sadecki, in his first appearance in about 3 weeks, struck out Dick Green to get out of the inning without any runs scoring.

Trailing 3-2, the Mets then had one of their patented magical innings in the 6th. With the bases loaded and 1 out, Don Hahn tapped a swinging bunt to third to tie the game, and Harrelson followed with a clean single to CF for another run. After the Mets announced Ed Kranepool to pinch hit for the pitcher, the A's countered by bringing in lefty Darold Knowles, and the Mets countered by swapping in Jim Beauchamp for Kranepool. Beauchamp hit one right back to Knowles, but in his haste to try to turn a double play, Knowles rushed the throw home while falling down, and the ball bounced past the catcher. It went as a 2-run error, and the Mets went up 6-3.

Yogi then brings in McGraw in what I can only assume was designed to be a 4-inning save, despite McGraw having thrown 2 innings the day before. A run in the 7th made it 6-4, and that's where the score stood going into the bottom of the 9th. Deron Johnson led off with a double to CF that Mays fell down attempting to get to. After McGraw retired the next two with no trouble, Sal Bando walked, bringing up AL MVP Reggie Jackson. A part of me wanted McGraw to work around Reggie to bring up Gene Tenace, who had yet to get a hit in the series. Instead, Jackson grounds one into RF for an RBI single, and Tenace follows with another single to tie the score. It's McGraw's first blown save since July 7. Jesus Alou grounds out next, and we're headed to extras.

A wild top of the 10th almost saw the Mets regain the lead, but Harrelson gets called out at the plate trying to score on Millan's shallow fly to LF. I wasn't convinced watching replays that the wrong call was made, but the Mets went berserk arguing the call. Mays was on his knees pleading to have the call changed (see Newsday photo below), while Yogi, Bud, the third base coach and Cleon Jones all crowded home plate umpire Augie Donatelli. This was actually Donatelli's final game umping behind home plate, as he retired after 1973.

The Mets put 2 more on in the 11th but couldn't score, but their luck changed in the 12th. Harrelson led off with a double and McGraw, still in the game after 6 innings of relief work, looked to bunt him to third. His bunt, however, went over the head of the charging third baseman, and now there are runners on 1st and 3rd, nobody out. Garrett strikes out and Millan pops out, so it's all up to Willie. Mays raps one back through the box for a single to score Buddy, and pitcher Rollie Fingers throws his glove up in the air in disgust after almost getting out of the inning without any damage done. It's Mays' final hit of his career (though not his final game, as Ken had mentioned earlier. He'd also appear in Game 3 of the series). Cleon then singles to load the bases, the A's go to a new pitcher, and then Milner and Grote hit back-to-back grounders to Mike Andrews at 2B. One he lets go through his legs, the other he throws wildly to first base. Both plays result in errors, with 3 more runs scoring. Andrews was particularly known for his miscues in the field, as he led the AL in errors by a 2B three years in a row from 1970-72.

After the game, the A's had Andrews fake an injury to remove him from the World Series roster, but the commissioner found out about the scheme and forced the A's to reinstate him. The plan was concocted by A's owner Charlie Finley, who I guess had a history of meddling in his teams' affairs. In a show of solidarity, the players and coaching staff rallied in Andrews' defense, sporting his number on their sleeves as a form of protest. However, Andrews only got into one more game before Finley demanded he be benched for the remainder of the series.

McGraw, STILL PITCHING, gives up a lead-off triple to Jackson that Mays again lost in the sun, and Jackson hobbles into third barely ahead of the throw apparently injured, but he'd stay in and be fine. McGraw then walks Tenace and is finally relieved by George Stone, making his fist relief appearance since May. Alou greets him with an RBI single and it's starting to look like the Mets are going to blow it. But Stone settles down, eventually getting Bert Campaneris to ground out to end an absolute wild game. It's the first World Series game to last 12 innings since 1945, and sets the record for longest World Series game by time elapsed at 4 hours and 13 minutes. That record would stand until the Phillies and Blue Jays broke it in Game 3 in 1993.