Note: This is an excerpt from the debut episode of Cory Giger's new podcast Memory Lane, which will feature interviews with former Pittsburgh stars and prominent sports figures. A new podcast will debut every other Sunday.
ALTOONA, Pa. -- Mike LaValliere did everything he could. He caught the ball up the first base line, dove back to his left as quickly as possible and tried to get the tag down.
But Sid Bream was safe. The Atlanta Braves went to the World Series. And the Pirates' great early 1990s run was over.
Then came 20 consecutive years of losing.
"The slide" in the 1992 National League Championship Series still makes Pirates fans cry to this day. But was Bream really safe?
All these years later, LaValliere says no.
Check out his memories of the play in this excerpt, part of a wide-ranging conversation between LaValliere and Cory Giger for this debut edition of the Memory Lane podcast. You can hear or watch the entire podcast below.
"I knew Sid got a great jump off of second base," LaValliere said. "We knew that he doesn't run as well as a lot of guys. But still, getting that good jump is the reason why he was called safe. I'm not saying he was safe."
How did LaValliere see the play unfold before his eyes?
"I actually thought that it wasn't going to be close, that we didn't have a chance," the catcher said. "That's how good of a jump that Sid got off of second base."
LaValliere initially didn't think he had a chance on the play, because his inner clock was telling him it was "taking too long" as the throw came in from left fielder Barry Bonds.
"Click, click, OK now we're getting close to the bomb to go off here, so something needs to happen," he said.
What ultimately happened, LaValliere believes, is different from what history shows. The catcher thinks he tagged Bream before he touched the plate.
"Here's my deal," LaValliere said. "When you bent leg slide, your top foot or lead foot is off the ground. It can't be digging into the ground or your spikes, you'll break an ankle. Going into any of the bases, that's easy -- going into second, going into third, because they're above ground. Home plate is level with the ground. So, my contention is I dove back, I got his back leg before his back leg hit home plate."
So, LaValliere thinks Bream's front foot was still up?
"That's my contention," he said. "I still believe he was out.
"Sid, he's a great guy, one of my very good friends. He says he's safe, I say he's out. But ultimately, the umpire called him safe, so that's what we all have to live with."
Check out the podcast below, with LaValliere discussing his trade to the Pirates, manager Jim Leyland, the 1990s playoff run and what he thinks about how baseball is played today.
