Down by four in the 9th? No problem.

[Strangler Lewis]

Originally Posted by Ghoulish Delight

A closer is used to a very particular warmup routine. A properly warmed up Hoffman would not have given up those homeruns.

In 1926, the Cardinals brought in Grover Cleveland Alexander to seal the deal in a sticky situation against the Yankees in game 7. Alexander was ancient by those standards, he had won his start the night before, and, as legend has it, he was probably hung over. He took care of business.