On this day 43 years ago, the baseball team won a thrilling 8-6 decision over Poly Prep on a walk-off 3-run home run by Richard Shimko. After an uneventful 1st inning, the Blue and White got something started in the bottom of the 2nd when Alan Swanson reached base with a one-out single. Jim Kirby dug in next and drilled a 2-run home run to vault the home team into the lead. The Brook tacked another run in the 3rd when Jon Dahl crossed the plate by way of four Poly mishaps, reaching base on an error by the shortstop, advancing on a passed ball and an error by the first baseman, and scoring on an error by the pitcher to put the Brook ahead, 3-0.

Poly gained back two runs in the 4th then tied it in the 5th before rocketing into a surprising lead with a 3-run home run in the top of the 7th and final inning. Hopes of a comeback were slightly dimmed when the boys led off the inning with a groundout, but when Jon Hanchett and Bruce Todd reached base and came around to score to cut their deficit to 6-5. Jim Furguiele and a teammate each reached base to bring up Shimko. An unlikely hero, Shimko was batting just .172 on the year, but with two outs and the game on the line he came through to help down the rivals from Brooklyn.

---