Reposted by @LAhistory
Today In 1988: Hobbled by injuries to his legs, Kirk Gibson delivers a historic pinch-hit, walk-off HR to win #WorldSeries Game 1 for the Los Angeles #Dodgers vs. the Oakland A's at Dodger Stadium! Classic call by Vin Scully! #MLB #Baseball #Inspiration #History #Postseason
![Image of an excerpt from the book reads:
California Battalion to land at Santa Bárbara and approach Los Angeles from the north. Mervine arrived in San Pedro Bay on October 6 and, the next day, a combined force under Mervine and Gillespie (about three hundred men) disembarked. Mervine could have waited for Stockton's force to arrive, but, like many American officers in this war, he decided to take an unnecessary risk for a chance at glory. Wanting to retake Los Angeles as quickly as possible, Mervine refused to bring artillery over Gillespie's objections and ordered his men to carry minimal ammunition.
In what became known as the Battle of the Old Woman's Gun, José Antonio Carrillo's Hilachas used a single small artillery piece, previously used for religious and patriotic ceremonies, to block Mervine's march to Los Angeles. Clara Cota de Reyes (the "old woman" in the battle's name) and her daughter, Inocencia, had buried the gun near their Los Angeles residence ahead of the initial U.S. occupation. Once exhumed, the old bronze swivel gun was mounted for mobile use. As Coronel explained, "Two men on horseback manipulated [the gun] with their lariats" while "four gunners served it."](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:kir5g4bdxsnchffovxcewgmr/bafkreicwzp6psx3puoryk2oaz7k3vjddac5t5atsasja6mtup3cvf3rzma)
