Braves legend David Justice relives Game 6 home run in 1995 World Series

It was David Justice bobblehead night Tuesday at Truist Park, and Justice, one of the heroes of the 1995 World Series championship, was on hand to celebrate a figurine created in his likeness that commemorated his Game 6 home run.

Justice spoke before Tuesday’s game about his epic moment in the title-clinching game and the legend that grew from it. Here are some of Justice’s remembrances, starting with his emotions ahead of the Oct. 28, 1995, matchup against the Indians:

“I just remember the level of pressure that we had on us, because Cleveland was a great team, and nobody wants to play a Game 7,” Justice said. “I’d already been a part of a Game 7, and it didn’t turn out great for us in Minnesota (in 1991), so a lot of pressure that night. And then also because I was getting a lot of heat for the comments that I had made (about the Braves’ fan support), so it was an extra pressure on myself.

“But we had such a great team, and we had (Tom) Glavine on the mound, and I liked our chances, but you never know, right? But that night I just remember one, of course, I remember getting booed when they announced my name. I remember all that stuff like it was yesterday. But I also remember it was packed; it was a packed house. And there was just a certain level of energy that was in the stands, and whether that was because I had made my comments and they were going to come out and prove me wrong, that they really don’t act like it’s a tennis match that they really do cheer? But you could feel a different energy.”

Glavine famously told his teammates in the dugout during the game he just needed one run (of support) for the Braves to win the game. Justice said he never actually heard Glavine say that, likely because he had been at the plate or coming back to the dugout from right field when Glavine made his decree.

Justice, a right fielder, hit a solo home run off Indians pitcher Jim Poole to give the Braves a 1-0 lead in the sixth inning. He relived that at-bat.

“I just remember thinking, ‘OK, I’m just gonna stay on the fastball until two strikes, because he doesn’t throw his curve off of strikes.’ I led off the bottom of the sixth, I was on the fastball every pitch. First pitch, fastball away, called a strike. Second pitch, fastball away, called a ball. But I remember before that, 1-1 count, I remember stepping out and saying, ‘OK, if there’s ever a time he’s gonna throw me a curveball away it’s right now. But I’m gonna take it. I’m gonna take it.’ Because I need to see it as a strike, I need a reference point, you know? But I’m gonna stay on the fastball, even though there is no report on me that says, ‘Throw Justice all fastballs.’ That report does not exist.

“And so I’m sitting on the fastball, and he threw the fastball. Meant to throw it away. I saw (catcher) Tony Pena, from seeing the videos, of course, Tony Peña was setting up outside. And (Poole) missed location, and he threw middle in. And like (Braves coach) Jimy Williams used to say, you can’t throw me inside because I’ll quick-snatch you. And I quick-snatched him. And as soon as I hit it, I knew it was gone. As soon as I hit it — funny thing about hitting home runs is you can hit a home run that will clear the fence by 2 inches, but you know. I knew I didn’t hit it 500 feet, but I knew I got him.”

Before Game 6 at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium in 1995, Justice was vilified for making comments about the fervor (or lack thereof) from Braves’ fans during the series compared with level of excitement Cleveland had shown for its team.

“As I’m going to first base, I put my hand up like always do and got my customary pump (of) my fist. And as I’m rounding second base now ... of course, the place is going crazy. And I just remember when I round third base, all the emotions of the day. A lot of media was in my face that day about the things that I had said, and I stood on what I said. I was dead serious. Cleveland was unbelievable when we went to Cleveland. Their fan support was on another level.

“Now that I’m older, and I understand sports, and I understand things from a different perspective, I know our fans had been jaded. 1991 was the year. So ’91, and then ’92, and now we’re on to ’93 and the Phillies beat us, ’94 to strike, ’95 we’re back. I can understand now how our fans could be a little bit more reserved, but at that time I couldn’t understand it. When I crossed home plate, man, just the level of emotions knowing that I just hit a home run, we’re up 1-nothing, and I really thought that we were about to blow the game open.”