Detroit Free Press

Walt Terrell walked into the clubhouse Thursday and there was no applause, no gathering mob, no ribbons around his locker. He was Mr. Almost. Almost pitched a no-hitter the night before. Almost made history. Almost did what no Tiger had done at Tiger Stadium in 34 years. Almost."Did you at least get to celebrate with your wife and kids?" someone asked him."No, they're down in Kentucky," he said. "They left yesterday morning. "

THE LIVE ALBOM . . . * The Cleveland Indians are in first place. The San Francisco Giants are in first place. Billy Martin wants to manage again. My head hurts. * Only a very sick person would sneak up behind Jack Morris these days and scream: "IT'S A LONG FLY BALL, DEEP TO LEFT. . . " * Come on. Admit it. You miss Kirk Gibson.

He answers the door, invites you in, offers a cup of coffee. The small apartment is decorated in earth tones, almost cozy in the early morning light. A bookcase holds the jet-black stereo equipment, lights flickering silently behind smoked glass. Neat. Clean. Maybe you figured the place would be a mess, dirty clothes stuffed under a mattress, the remains of last night's party all over the floor. Wouldn't that be a hockey player's lifestyle?

Walt Terrell walked into the clubhouse Thursday and there was no applause, no gathering mob, no ribbons around his locker. He was Mr. Almost. Almost pitched a no-hitter the night before. Almost made history. Almost did what no Tiger had done at Tiger Stadium in 34 years. Almost."Did you at least get to celebrate with your wife and kids?" someone asked him."No, they're down in Kentucky," he said. "They left yesterday morning. "

At the buzzer, they hugged each other. Isn't that the right reaction? You're happy, you hug each other. You're grateful, you hug each other. Joe Dumars was hugging John Salley and coach Chuck Daly was hugging assistant coach Dick Versace and Isiah Thomas was hugging Adrian Dantley at midcourt, as the crowd mobbed them both, hugging as if they'd never let each other go.

"I have waited each year for that moment. . . . I have watched for that miraculous synthesis. . . . When it comes, I look around my field, I look at my boys, and I want to shout to the sun: 'By God, I have created a team!"

ST. LOUIS -- They would not leave."OZ-ZIE! OZ-ZIE! OZ-ZIE!"Not one. Not a soul dared move. The game was over, but all 53,708 were on their feet, screaming for him to come back out, and if they had to stand there until the start of next season, damn it, they would."OZ-ZIE! OZ-ZIE! OZ-ZIE!"

KANSAS CITY -- They passed in the tunnel. Charlie Leibrandt was being shuffled out to the field by a horde of interviewers. Dane Iorg was being shuffled back in by a horde of interviewers. They saw one another and leaped above the throngs of microphones to slap their hands in a high five."Hey, Charlie!" Iorg yelled over the din of cheers still echoing outside, tribute to the most dramatic ninth inning the World Series has seen in years. "I knew we would win, man! We couldn't let you lose another heartbreaker. No way!"