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Ode To The Bucs

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- The Pirates clinched a trip to the post-season Monday night with a slam bang play at the plate.

Did it stir up memories of a similar play, 20 years ago?

Ode to the Bucs

It was the bottom of the ninth. Cabrera at the plate.
A little known contender comes face-to-face with fate.
The throw from Bonds. It's off the mark! They do not get Sid Bream.
It's a moment that still lingers, in a Buc fan's nightmare dream.

Moses' followers roamed the desert for 40 dismal years.
The Pirates' suffered half that time. That's still a lot of tears.
It seemed that Buc Van Winkle might sleep for 20 more.
But this team showed us early it won't be like before.

The marvelous McCutchen earned those cries of "MVP!"
Another star was Starling. And who could disagree?
Hometown boy Neil Walker watched those 20 years go down,
And dreamed that he could, one day, help to turn it all around.

When Pedro's in the swing of things, he hits that ball a mile.
And those stunning Pirate Pitchers shut opponents down, with style.
But Monday night, ninth inning, the city's hometown team,
Conjured up old images: The Slide of Sidney Bream.

Line drive! Base hit to center field! Once more we cry, "Oh no!"
But this time Barry Bonds is not the one who makes the throw.
McCutchen has a rifle arm. But would it be too late?
Look out! The runner's rounding third! He's pounding toward the plate!

Would we now relive that moment that still causes us to chafe?
Like that day so long ago, the runner slides. He's sa....OUT!
Champagne is flowing once again, to wash away those tears.
It's very cold, as we've been told. It's chilled for 20 years.

RELATED LINKS:
More Pirates News
More Reports by Dave Crawley

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