In Game 1 of the 1988 World Series, an injured Kirk Gibson hit a two-out, pinch-hit, walk-off home run to lift the Dodgers to victory. It is one of the most iconic moments in baseball history, and often tops rankings of cherished Los Angeles sports memories. However, the actual baseball Gibson hit into the right field pavilion has never been found. And so, 36 years later, I went looking for it. I did not find The Ball, but I unearthed some great new stories - and theories - along the way.