European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - October 29, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                7997 series on tuesday october 29, 1991 the stars and stripes b Page 25world series 91par with 60, 75 a p some 3,000 fans at Hartsfield Atlanta International Airport Early monday morning showed the returning braves they Are still loved after losing one of the Best world series Ever played to the Minnesota twins. By Jim Donaghy a baseball writer Minneapolis a a few months won t be enough to talk about this world series. It really deserves a lifetime. In less than four months the Minnesota twins will open Spring training in fort Myers Fla. No doubt the topic of conversation will be their 1-0 Victory Over the Atlanta braves in game 7 of the world series. Someday it will be a series discussed with the same reverence As reds red sox in 1975 or Yan Kees pirates in 1960. One thing is for sure a the 1991 world series will never be forgotten. After six incredible games game 7 on sunday night was quite special in its own unique Way. For the first time in series history a game went into extra innings scoreless. Jack Morris refused to give up a run no matter How hard the braves tried and went the distance allowing seven hits and striking out eight. Morris the series map was 2-0 in three starts with a 1.17 Era. John Smoltz matched him pitch for pitch until the eighth. A we both had our opportunities and we both managed to get out of it a the 36-year-old Morris said. A it was a  from Start to finish this world series was filled with one improbable play and one unlikely hero after another. From Scott Leuis to Mark Lemke. Three games were settled in extra innings and four times a game was won with the final swing a both records. Game 7 was decided on Pinch hitter Gene Larkin s bases loaded Pinch single Over a drawn in Outfield off loser Alejandro Pena with one out in the 10th. A i knew a fastball was coming a Larkin said. �?o1 just wanted to make Contact and hit a Fly Ball. As soon As i hit it i knew the game was Over and that we could relax and enjoy the world  relaxing was not easy to do in this series for anybody. As soon As Larkin s drive took off for the Outfield a wave of White Homer hankies started and did no to Stop for several minutes. The twins jumped and fell Over each other near second base and a few even took a moment to shake hands with the braves. It was time to Stop the chop. A a it a Tough right now to realize what we accomplished especially with another team Over there celebrating a said Smoltz who gave up six hits in 7 1-3 innings. A you never think about  in 1990, it seemed All the twins and braves did was lose As each team finished last. But for the first time in baseball history two teams went from worst to first and ended up in the world series. Both teams played like they did no to want the season to Ever end. It was Minnesota a second world series title in five seasons and a repeat of 1987 against St. Louis when the twins won four games at the metronome and lost All three on the Road. After each team blew several opportunities Dan Gladden got the twins started on their Way to the championship when he led off the 10th with a Bloop double to left off Pena and moved to third on Chuck Knoblauch s sacrifice. Atlanta manager Bobby Cox then intentionally walked Kirby Puckett and Kent Hrbek to get to designated hitter Jarvis Brown who Pinch ran for Chili Davis in the ninth. Larkin batting for Brown hit penal a first pitch Over left fielder Brian Hunters head and Gladden clapped his Way Home. A both teams had an Opportunity to do something Quot said Puckett who won game 6 with a Home run in the uth inning off Charlie Leibrandt. Quot i was telling Gladden in the Outfield that 1 could t believe these pitchers were getting out of  the braves Best Chance came in the eighth inning when Lonnie Smiths now legendary base running error after Terry Pendleton a double Cost them the go ahead run the game and the series. A your instinct is to pretend like we re turning a double play a Knoblauch said. A luckily he stood there even though the Ball bounced off the Wall he stood at second base. He had no idea where the Ball  Smith was stranded at third by Ron cant and Sid Bream. The twins missed a Chance to score in the Bottom of the eighth when Hrbek lined into a double play with the bases loaded. �?o1 was nervous from the Start and then things got worse a Hrbek said. A a this whole series was  the braves won All three games in Atlanta two on close plays at the plate to end things. The Little known Lemke singled Home the winning run in the l2th inning of game 3, tripled and scored the winning run in the ninth inning of game 4 on Jerry Willard a sacrifice try and had two triples in game 5. He will be remembered As giving it a great try but not As a world  takes race b. Labonte title by Joe Macenka Martinsville a. A no longer will he have to be introduced As Bobby Labonte kid brother of 1984 Winston cup Champion Terry Labonte. Now you can Call him Bobby Labonte Champion. A a in a just glad its Over with a the younger Labonte said sunday after he captured the 1991 Busch grand National title when Kenny Wallace had Brake problems in the Winston classic. A Terry was Here in the Tower today spotting for us. He a always been real supportive and that Means the world to me a Bobby Labonte said. �?o1 got his last name and he a made it famous but i want to race  Harry Gantus dominating Victory in the season finale was overshadowed by the championship showdown Between two younger Brothers of former Winston cup champions. Labonte came to Martinsville Speedway we Ith a 19-Point Edge Over Wallace whose brother Rusty won the Points title in 1989 a it a Stock car racing Stop circuit. \ l in the 10-year history of the grand National series no Points Chase had been closer heading into the final race. But any Chance of Wallace and Labonte continuing their tight Battle a each led the Points standings four times this year a fizzled quickly. Wallace fell off the Pace less than one fourth of the Way through the 200-Lap event. Labonte who started on the pole ran with the leaders All Day stayed out of trouble and finished fifth one Lap behind Gant. That was Good enough to leave Labonte with 4,264 Points 74 More than Wallace who wound up 21st, 40 laps Down. A a in la Wake up a Little easier tomorrow morning a Labonte said. Quot i wont have those Little things in my stomach flying  this was just the second full season of grand National Competition for the 27-year-old Labonte who began racing in undersized sprint cars at the age of 5. Unlike Wallace who will become a full time Winston cup Driver next year Labonte plans to return to the lower series to defend his title. Wallace started 24th and quickly worked his Way up to 18th before his Brake troubles became apparent. He struggled through the Corners on the .526-mile, Low banked Oval for several laps before pitting on Lap 45, when a distributor problem also was discovered. Wallace solder brother who owns Kenny a grand National car and the rest of the Crew kept the Pontiac on pit Road for 37 laps while they tried to make repairs. But when Wallace returned to the race his car still was unable to run consistently and he continued to lose ground the rest of the Way. Quot it was a really weird situation a Wallace said. Quot we never had things go out on us like that. But we just have to Swallow hard and go  the Only trouble Labonte had was staying in touch with Gant but he was not alone. Gant who averaged a record 78.638 Mph lapped All but three cars and wound up 7.25 seconds ahead of Chuck Bown. Gant wound up with five grand National victories on the year including four of the last six. In the 200-Lap modified event Mike Selanik pulled away after a restart with 19 laps left and beat Jan Lealy by 1.03 seconds. It was the fifth Triumph of 1991 for Ste Fanik the 1991 National modified Champion. Jay Fogleman won the 100-Lap late Model Slock event that started the triple header but he later was disqualified. Lascar officials said Post race inspections showed the cars of Fogleman Mike Buffkin and Danny Willis had headers that did not meet specifications. They awarded the Victory to pole Sitter Curtis Markham who had finished second. Fogleman Buffkin and Willis All were dropped from he finishing order a Buffkin had come in fourth and Willis 10th a and their prize Money was taken Back. On sept. 21. Markham won a 100-Lap late Model Slock race at Martinsville Only to be disqualified for the exact same problem a headers that were discovered to have been ground too much to meet Lascar specifications