For former Georgia Tech baseball star Jim Poole, the sixth game of the 1995 World Series between the Braves and Indians matched up the lefthander up against David Justice. What followed was one of the most pivotal moments in Atlanta sports history.
With the Braves leading the series 3-2, the scoreless game reached in the sixth inning. Poole had come in an inning earlier to replace Indians starter Dennis Martinez. The lefthander, who would pitch 11 years in the majors, gave up the game’s only run on a homer by Justice and the Braves won what still is their only Atlanta world championship.
The 29-year-old Poole had strong ties to Atlanta and already had a home here. His day on Oct. 28, 1995, actually began at Tech.
Gametime wasn’t until 7:26 p.m. and Poole had a chance to watch the first half of a Tech-Clemson football game (losing 24-3) before heading over to Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium. The town was buzzing after Justice had publicly criticized the Braves fans, saying, “If we get down 1-0 tonight, the fans probably will boo us out of the stadium.’’
Said Poole: “I was at the (football) game and I will never forget one of my former Tech teammates saying to me, ‘Whatever you do, don’t let David Justice beat you.’’’
In the fifth inning, Poole first faced left-handed Fred McGriff with Mark Lemke at second and Chipper Jones at first. Poole struck out McGriff to end the inning and, with his place in the batting order coming up second in the sixth, he thought his night was over.
“Tony Pena was up first and I was second and one of my teammates said they are going to see what Pena does before they make a decision with me,’’ he said. “So I went into the on-deck circle and sure enough, Tony gets the only hit of the game. Our manager, Mike Hargrove, then asks me if I can bunt, which I hadn’t done in a couple of years. But I said, ‘Hell yeah, I want to.’’’
It didn’t work out. Poole popped out to McGriff and Braves starter Tom Glavine worked himself out of the inning.
Poole came back to pitch the sixth with Justice leading off. On a 1-1 count, Poole tried to throw a fastball away but it came back out over the plate and Justice pulled it over the right-field wall. Glavine would go two more innings before closer Mark Wohlers put down all three batters in the ninth. The title was Atlanta’s.
Said Poole, “It was hard on me but I think it was harder on my friends who were Braves fans. They didn’t even get up and cheer when David hit it because they were so torn. People didn’t know how to handle it. When I think back on it personally, I think about how I went on there and how hard I competed. But those next three innings watching us not being able to score were tough.’’
