Open Mic: Minnesota Twins Step On Atlanta's Throat

What has been the single greatest sports disappointment that you have witnessed?

The single greatest disappointment I have ever witnessed would be the 1991 World Series between the Atlanta Braves and Minnesota Twins.

The Braves, after years of cellar dwelling, had made it all the way to the World Series.  Taking a 3-2 lead back to Minneapolis, the Braves lost Game Six in extra innings on a Kirby Puckett home run, and then lost Game Seven by one run, ending their Cinderella season. 

Throw in that Kent Hrbek lightly tossed Ron Gant off first base earlier in the series, and there is still no love lost for the Twins.

Was there a lot of build up that made it ultimately anti-climactic? Did the team/individual choke or did an opponent raise their/its game to a level of superiority down the stretch?

Atlanta was in a fever pitch for the '91 Series.  I remember watching Game Three in Atlanta and the tomahawk chop was going the entire game.  When the series went back to Minnesota with the Braves leading 3-2, I really think most thought the Braves would win one of the two games. 

It is tough to say the Braves choked in the World Series.  The Lonnie Smith base-running incident comes to mind, but Minnesota got some great clutch hitting and Jack Morris pitched an absolute gem in Game Seven for the Twins.

What is the most impressive accomplishment attained in sport and what distinguishes it from others?

The most accomplishment I would say is Joe Dimaggio’s 56-game hitting streak.  No one has even come close to matching it since and with multiple relievers and the acceptability of pitching around batters I do not think we will ever see it broken.

Which milestone has been broken that bothered you the most (i.e. Barry Bonds breaking the home-run record on steroids)? Is there a record set that will devastate you once broken? Which record are you most eager to see broken?

Being from Atlanta, I would have to say when Bonds broke Hank Aaron’s  home run record it bothered me.  I know Bonds has allegedly never tested positive for steroids, but how does one’s ball cap size grow like Barry’s did in his 30s?  How does he put on that much muscle in mid to late 30s when most are past their athletic prime? 

As for the other questions...

The Mt Bethel Elementary pop-a-shot record, if broken, would devastate me     since that is probably the only record I own.

I would like to see England’s 0-fer record in the World Cup broken.