(Editor's note: Back in 1968, Morris resident Ed Spiezio played in his third and final World Series. While playing on World Series teams for the 1964 and 1967 St. Louis Cardinals, Ed had never made an appearance in the Fall Classic. That changed in Game 5 of the World Series that year when Spiezio made an appearance as a pinch hitter. Forty-four years ago to the month, people are still talking about it. In remembrance of the event, the MDH is putting together a two-part story on Ed and the 1967 Series. The next installment will run Saturday.)

Before the first pitch was even thrown, Game 5 of the 1968 World Series had apparently been earmarked for something momentous. On a typically weather-worn day in Detroit, Michigan, 23-year old blind Puerto Rican Jose Feliciano uncorked a now infamously unorthodox rendition of the Star-Spangled Banner in front of 53,634 fans at Tiger Stadium and millions more war-weary American spectators across the country.

On the field, the Cardinals had dominated the series up to that point, and held a 3-1 series lead with a chance to win their second consecutive world championship. However, Detroit would go on to win the game 5-3, and the victory defibrillated the lifeless Tigers, eventually sparking them to win the series in seven games.