Wednesday, May 21, 2014

World Series: Did You Know?

Phil Linz, who replaced Tony Kubek of the Yankees for all seven games of the 1964 World Series, hit two home runs. For his career, he totalled only eleven. So he was an unlikely source of power for New York in the '64 Fall Classic. It was not enough, however, St. Louis won in seven games.

Linz failed to get a hit of any kind in game one. New York took this one on the chin, 9-5. St. Louis handed Whitey Ford the loss. Because of an arm injury, he would not appear again in the 1964 World Series. Or any further World Series.

Game two was different. Linz and his mates had the task of Bob Gibson to deal with. While Linz led off the game with a walk in the top of the first, the next four men went down on strikes. It looked like a long day for the New York Yankees.

In the top of the third inning, Linz singled with two down. Bobby Richardson followed with a double. Linz was unable to score. Gibson bore down and got Roger Maris to ground out. Better still for Gibby and his mates, they scored the first run of the game in the bottom of the frame. And that was the Yankee's other problem in this game. Mel Stottlemyre, the Yankee starter, had been in the bigs less than two months (August 12 debut) and didn't look like much of a match for Gibson.

Linz grounded out in the top of the 5th inning as Gibson had a 1-2-3 inning. But by this time, the game was tied at 1. The Yankees would break the deadlock the next inning inning. It was time for Linz to get New York going and finish off the Cards!

In the top of the 7th, Phil got another hit, a single. Gibson threw a wild pitch and Linz made it to second. When Richardson followed with a broken bat single, it was 3-1, Yankees. New York, smelling blood, were not done. Roger Maris singled. When Mickey Mantle grounded out, it was now 4-1, New York.

St. Louis managed to get one run back in the bottom of the 8th, but Linz then came up big in the top of the 9th.

Barnley Schultz, who got the save in game one, came on. Linz greeted him with a solo blast. 5-2, Yankees. Once again, New York went on the attack, sparked by Linz' big hit. Three more runs crossed the plate, and the Cardinals could answer with only a single tally of their own in the bottom of the frame. New York won the game 8-3 and squared the 1964 World Series at one win each.

In the winner-take-all game seven, Gibson was back for a complete game, but Phil Linz kept hitting the ball well. But he was up against such a great competitor, not to mention some strong fielding by St. Louis!

Linz grounded out to Ken Boyer to start the game. In his next plate appearance in the top of the third, Phil singled. Richardson then grounded into a double play and Maris just grounded out.

Linz' error in the bottom of the fourth opened the door for three Cardinal runs off Mel Stottlemyre. Linz then almost got the Yankees right back into this one.

Tom Tresh, who had one great series, led off the fourth with a walk against Gibson. Clete Boyer flew out to Curt Flood in center. Mike Hegan batted for Stottlemyre and walked. Here's where you stick it to Gibson!

Linz sent a sinking flyball to Mike Shannon in right. If this gets by him, it's a 3-2 game. But Shannon made a great catch, then doubled Tresh off second. It would prove to be a crucial play. Three more runs by St. Louis off reliever Al Downing made it 6-0 St. Louis after five inning.

But Bob Gibson might have been tiring. Or perhaps, with such a tremendous lead, giving in a bit? New York made him pay in the top of the 6th. Richardson continued his assault on him with a roller to third that Boyer was too late getting the throw to first one. Maris then got a single. The great Mantle followed that with a blast off Gibson deep to left, giving the Yankees three runs and a new lease on life. 6-3, St. Louis.

Rollie Sheldon got the Cards 1-2-3 in the bottom of the sixth. Dal Maxvill fanned. Gibson flied out to Tresh in left and Flood was out on a fly to Mantle in right.

In the next inning, Hector Lopez batted for Sheldon and Gibby fanned him. Linz was out on a fly to Shannon in right, this being a much easier play. Richardson got a single. Maris connected solidly, but was also retired on a fly to Shannon.

Ken Boyer hit a solo home run off Steve Hamilton in the bottom of the 7th with two down to make it 7-3, St. Louis. Gibson got through the 8th without a baserunner. Pete Mikkelsen relived Hamilton in the top of the 9th and got out of the inning without a run scored. Gibson was three outs away from bringing home the World Series rings to St. Louis. But New York would not go away!

Tresh went down on strikes, but Clete Boyer joined his older brother in the home run trot with a solo job of his own to left. That made it 7-4. That blast also gave the Yankees like and ensured that Phil Linz would get one more plate appearance. But first, Bob Gibson would have to face pinch hitter Johnny Blanchard. Gibby got him on a K and was one out away from clinching it for the Cardinals. Phil had other ideas. He blasted one to left. Brock made a jump at the wall, but could not get it as it reached the seats. 7-5, St. Louis. Finally, Richardson popped up and the Cardinals had it all!

Linz was not a great player. He had made some bad fielding decisions. Yet, with two clutch home runs in one World Series, against just eleven for his career, made him an unlikely source of power. Just starting all seven games was unexpected for him. Sometimes, when you get a chance in the Fall Classic, some good things can happen to anyone!


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