It couldn't get any better for Cincinnati fans than to have the All-Star Game and the World Series in town for the first season of Riverfront Stadium.

        Game 1 of the World Series generated a huge crowd (51,531). History shows the Reds were defeated 4-3, on the strength of the Orioles' pitching (Jim Palmer threw 8 2/3 innings of five-hit, three-run ball) and power (Boog Powell hit a two-run homer and Brooks Robinson and Elrod Hendricks added solo shots).

        But any fan who was there — or watching on TV — will remember the sixth-inning play in which Hendricks, the Orioles' catcher, inadvertently was blocked out of position by home-plate umpire Ken Burkhardt. Hendricks tagged the Reds' Bernie Carbo with an empty glove, but Burkhardt called Carbo out.

        The incident at the plate followed a spectacular play by Robinson.

        Lee May hit a groundball smash over third base. Robinson speared the ball, leaped and pivoted in midair, and threw a long one-hopper to first baseman Powell, nipping May by a step.

        The play was especially critical, given what immediately followed: Carbo walked and Tommy Helms singled, advancing Carbo to third. Reds manager Sparky Anderson sent pinch hitter Ty Cline to the plate to bat for shortstop Woody Woodward. Cline chopped a high-bounding ball just in front of the plate and toward the first-base line. Burkhardt took two steps up the third-base line to be in position to call the ball fair or foul. He didn't see Carbo streaking for the plate.

        Hendricks also failed to see Carbo, but Palmer yelled to Hendricks, who grabbed the ball, turned and dove toward the plate. Carbo began his slide behind the back of Burkhardt, who then turned to the left to make room for the diving Hendricks. Burkhardt tried to turn toward the plate but was too late to see the play. The ball was in Hendricks' right hand and never touched Carbo. Hendricks' glove hand, which did tag Carbo, was empty.

        This was clear on replays, but the Reds didn't use it as an excuse.

        “Bernie would have been out easy if Burkhardt wasn't in the way,” Anderson said.

        The Orioles scored the game-winner on Robinson's seventh-inning homer and went on to win the Series in five games.

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