It happened in October: 31 of MLB's most memorable moments

— -- From Babe Ruth's called shot to Bill Buckner's error to the Pete Rose-Bud Harrelson brawl, no month has featured greater thrills -- and agony -- throughout major league history than this one. We're chronicling 31 epic October moments.

Oct. 14, 2003: Steve Bartman's foul play curses Cubs

In the eighth inning of Game 6 of the 2003 National League Championship Series at Wrigley Field, Cubs fans had every reason to believe they would finally host a World Series for the first time since 1945. With their ace pitcher going strong, the Cubs led the Marlins 3-0, only five outs short of a pennant. And then the sky fell. Or a foul ball fell from the sky, tearing the cosmic fabric, when Cubs fan Steve Bartman, reaching for a foul pop fly, tipped the ball away from the outstretched glove of leaping Cubs left fielder Moises Alou, who seemed certain to make a spectacular catch.

As the TV cameras focused on the isolated fan, frozen in his seat and staring straight ahead as if in a trance, Cubs fans felt the familiar sense of doom and dread, one that quickly turned to anger as the Marlins then staged a lightning eight-run rally. Even though sure-handed shortstop Alex Gonzalez booted a routine inning-ending double-play ball, and even though the Cubs still had a Game 7 left to try to win it, and even though the mild-mannered Bartman made a sincere public apology, the fans focused their disappointment and rage on Bartman. He fulfilled the ancient need for a scapegoat to explain the inexplicable to Chicago -- why, on the threshold of victory, the door was once more slammed in its face, capping a near-century of losing and frustration.

Oct. 13, 1960: Bill Mazeroski's walk-off Series winner

Bill Mazeroski's home run in Game 7 of the 1960 World Series might be the most famous homer in Fall Classic history. And SweetSpot's David Schoenfield says it capped the greatest game ever played. He writes:

On Oct. 13, 1960, the New York Yankees and Pittsburgh Pirates played an exhilarating, climactic Game 7. ... Pittsburgh hadn't won a World Series since 1925; the Yankees had won seven of the past 11. It was a game between the underdog blue-collar Pirates, from a blue-collar city still bursting with steel mills, and the glamorous Yankees of Mickey Mantle, Yogi Berra and Whitey Ford. ...

Pirates second baseman Mazeroski was leading off the bottom of the ninth but was still in a daze from a Yankees' rally to tie the score [9-9] in the previous inning. A teammate had to tell him he was up. Maz grabbed his bat and stepped in. ... Ball one, outside. It was 3:37 in the afternoon. On the radio, Chuck Thompson accidentally misidentified Yankees pitcher Ralph Terry. "Art Ditmar throws," Thompson said. "Here's a high fly ball going deep to left. This may do it. Back to the wall goes Berra, it is over the fence, home run, the Pirates win!"

Mazeroski rounded second base, waving his batting helmet over his head. ("I don't believe I'm touching the ground there. It looks like I'm floating," he said later.) He was greeted at home plate by a mob of teammates and fans in suits, and then he disappeared into the center of joy.

Ever humble, Mazeroski told ESPN.com's Jim Caple in 2010 that "I was just a small part of that team; I was just one guy out of 25. I just happened to hit the home run. I probably get way too much credit for winning that World Series, when it took the whole team to do it."

Maybe so. But it was one beautiful, majestic, Yankee-beating, Game 7, World Series-winning home run. The only one of its kind.

Oct. 12, 1986: Dave Henderson's ALCS-saving dinger

With the Boston Red Sox one strike away from losing the 1986 American League Championship Series to the California Angels -- and adding yet another chapter of misery and heartbreak to the franchise's book of pain and disappointment -- outfielder Dave Henderson looked helpless against Angels right-handed closer Donnie Moore, flailing at a combination of splitters and fastballs. The crowd of 64,223 was ready to explode in wild celebration, anticipating the final out of a series that would crown the Angels champions of the American League for the first time in their 25-year history.

On a 2-2 count, Moore threw a split-fingered fastball; Henderson sent it on a line over the left-center field wall to give the Red Sox a 6-5 lead. While the Angels would battle back and tie the game 6-6 in the bottom of the ninth, Boston eventually won 7-6 in 11 innings after Henderson drove in the deciding run on a sacrifice fly against Moore. The Red Sox then won the final two games of the series by a combined score of 18-5 to advance to the World Series, where Henderson hit .400 with two more homers. Moore remained in baseball for a few more years after the fall of 1986, enduring more tough luck and the wrath of still-angry Angels fans, but his death by self-inflicted gunshot in 1989 is not believed to be related to Henderson's historic home run.

Oct. 11, 1999: Pedro Martinez's relief gem

Pedro Martinez passed into Boston legend on this day 16 years ago, in a deciding Game 5 of the AL division series in Cleveland. The Red Sox and Cleveland Indians were tied at 8 in the fourth inning of a wild slugfest. Despite a shoulder injury that was supposed to have rendered him incapacitated, Martinez came out of the bullpen in the fourth inning and held the Indians hitless over the final six innings, striking out eight with a fastball that he could not throw harder than 86 mph -- and willing the Sox to the ALCS. - Gordon Edes

Oct. 10, 2011: Nelson Cruz's walk-off grand slam

Nelson Cruz's 11th-inning bomb into the left-field seats to win Game 2 of the 2011 American League Championship Series -- his second home run of the game and third of the series -- was the first walk-off grand slam in postseason history (Robin Ventura's game-winning blast in the 1999 NLCS was officially scored a single) and it ended a game so nerve-racking that Texas Rangers reliever Scott Feldman said, "When I got done watching that game I thought my beard was going to turn gray."

The only question when Cruz hit the 1-2 pitch from Detroit reliever Ryan Perry was whether it would stay fair. When it did, the only question was whether he would be able to find home plate through the crush of teammates crowding there to greet him. "It was crazy; they were throwing water on me at first, and I didn't know where I was going," he said. "They hit me a few times and then I found the plate." - Jim Caple

Oct. 9, 2005: Chris Burke's 18th-inning homer caps Game 4 of the NLDS

When Chris Burke headed for the batter's box with one out in the 18th inning of Game 4 of the 2005 National League Division Series against the  Atlanta Braves, it had been four weeks to the day since he'd last driven in a run. He'd entered this game only because  Houston Astros manager Phil Garner felt he needed a pinch runner for Lance Berkman in the 10th. And Burke wasn't a guy anyone would have nominated as Most Likely To Imitate Joe Carter.

But Braves rookie Joey Devine fell behind Burke 2-0 then threw a waist-high fastball that tailed right into Burke's best hack. And as the baseball flew toward the left-field scoreboard, Burke began sprinting up the line, not quite sure whether it was safe to pump his fists. And then the ball disappeared into the third row, 338 feet from the spot Burke had hit it. And Burke had just swatted himself into October history. It wasn't until he'd sprinted all the way to third base, and spotted third-base coach Doug Mansolino, that it began to seep in that "this was pretty big -- because [Mansolino's] eyes," Burke said, "were as big as his face." He disappeared into a mob scene at home plate, as fireworks exploded, a train whistle pierced the sky and confetti floated out of the upper deck. For the next 10 minutes, it was New Year's Eve. -Jayson Stark

Oct. 8, 1973: Pete Rose vs. Bud Harrelson

The Pirates and Cubs almost came to blows in this year's NL wild-card game. It wouldn't have been the first time a postseason game devolved into fisticuffs. One memorable melee took place on this day 42 years ago. The Mets were blowing out the Reds, 9-2, in Game 3 of the NLCS, as Cincinnati came to bat in the top of the fifth. After pitcher Roger Nelson grounded out, Pete Rose came to bat and singled off of Jerry Koosman. Next up: Joe Morgan. He grounded to first, and the Mets pulled off a 3-6-3 double play.

But Rose slid hard in an attempt to break up the play, barreling into shortstop Bud Harrelson and taking him down. Obviously, the tactic didn't succeed, although it did result in a wrestling match between Rose and Harrelson and a 10-minute brawl that cleared both benches. The highlight of the melee came when Reds reliever Pedro Borbon ripped apart a Mets cap with his teeth.

When Rose took his position in left in the bottom of the fifth, Mets fans honored him with the traditional hated-player shower of garbage and beer bottles. Rose braved those conditions briefly, but took cover in the dugout when a whiskey bottle came a little too close. Manager Sparky Anderson took the rest of the players off the field, and the Mets were almost forced to forfeit the game. After pleas from Tom Seaver and Willie Mays, city cops surrounded the field, fans calmed down, and play resumed.

Rose had no apologies. "I'm no damn little girl out there," he said. "I'm supposed to give the fans their money's worth and try to bust up double plays -- and shortstops."

Oct. 7, 2000: Benny Agbayani's walk-off homer

The turning point of the 2000 NLDS came in the 13th inning of Game 3, when, after the Mets had rallied to tie in the eighth inning, fan favorite Benny Agbayani -- who had been 0-for-6 in the game up to that point -- hit a walk-off home run against Giants reliever Aaron Fultz. As Tim McCarver and newspaper headlines the next day would note, the outfielder had provided just the right "Hawaiian punch."

The Mets took a 2-1 lead in the series and would advance to the NLCS the next day on Bobby Jones' one-hit shutout. They went on to win four out of five against the Cardinals and advanced to meet the Yankees in the Subway Series.

Oct. 6, 2010: Roy Halladay's no-hitter

Roy Halladay had spent his whole career waiting for this start, wondering what it would be like to pitch in the playoffs. It was better than he -- or anyone else -- could have predicted. Halladay t hrew the second no-hitter in postseason history, leading the Philadelphia Phillies over the Cincinnati Reds 4-0 in Game 1 of the NL Division Series. The All-Star right-hander, who had thrown a perfect game earlier that May at Florida, dominated the Reds with a sharp fastball and a devastating slow curve in his first playoff start. The overmatched Reds never came close to a hit. Halladay allowed only one runner, walking Jay Bruce on a full count with two outs in the fifth, and struck out eight. "That," said Phillies closer Brad Lidge, after Halladay's instant no-hit October classic, "was pretty amazing."

Oct. 5, 2001: Barry Bonds erases Mark McGwire's single-season HR mark

Babe Ruth's single-season home run record of 60 lasted 34 years. Roger Maris' mark of 61 stood for 37 seasons. When Mark McGwire hit 70 homers in 1998, it was expected the record would endure for at least three decades, probably much longer. Who knew that it would fall just three years later?

With three games left in the 2001 season,  Barry Bonds erased McGwire's mark from the record book. With the bases empty in the first inning, he belted No. 71, a 442-foot shot into the right-center field bleachers at Pac Bell Park off Los Angeles Dodgers right-hander Chan Ho Park. An elated Bonds trotted around the bases and was mobbed at the plate by his teammates and his 11-year-old son, Nikolai. Bonds slipped into the dugout for a short time and talked by cellphone with his father, former major leaguer Bobby, before returning to the field. As a "71" flashed on the scoreboard and fireworks soared above the outfield, the San Francisco Giants outfielder hugged his wife, Liz, and daughter Aisha, as well as his mother, Pat. Bonds later hit homer No. 72, also off Park, in the third inning.

Oct. 4, 2003: Pudge Rodriguez holds on to secure an NLDS win

Oct. 3, 2012: Josh Hamilton's miscue

Oct. 2, 1968: Bob Gibson strikes out 17

Bob Gibson (45) was at his most intimidating when the spotlight shined brightest. In nine World Series starts, the St. Louis Cardinals' scowling right-hander went 7-2 with a 1.89 ERA. Gibson's finest hour, however, was Game 1 of the 1968 World Series against the Detroit Tigers. It was a pitching matchup for the ages: Gibson (and his regular-season 22 wins, 13 shutouts and astonishing 1.12 ERA) against Denny McLain (and his regular-season and just-as-astonishing 31 wins and six shutouts). Gibson outdueled his fellow Cy Young winner, throwing a five-hit shutout while striking out a World Series-record 17 batters in a 4-0 win -- and for a moment, at least, his trademark scowl softened into a smile. Because of Gibson's dominance that season and in that game, MLB lowered the pitching mound.

Oct. 1, 1932:  Babe Ruth's called shot

Or rather, Babe Ruth's "Called Shot," because to this day there's a great deal of disagreement about exactly what the Babe did in Game 3 of the 1932 World Series. Did he point to the center-field bleachers shortly before hitting his second home run of the game? Did he point to the  Chicago Cubs' dugout, from which he was being mercilessly razzed? Was he holding up one finger to suggest that he still had one strike left? Does it even matter?

What we do know is that after the gesture, Ruth drove a 2-2 pitch from Cubs pitcher Charlie Root over the center-field wall at Wrigley Field. That home run -- Ruth's final postseason hit -- lifted the Yankees to a 7-5 win. Whether the Babe deliberately called his shot or not, the next day he and the Yankees finished off the demoralized Cubs 13-6, completing the four-game sweep to win their fourth World Series.