Ken Boyer drove in the first and last run for the St. Louis Cardinals in the 1964 World Series. Kenny was the MVP of the National League that season, not to mention the national league leader in RBIs! He had his ups and downs in the World Series, but when the Cards needed him the most, he seemed to deliver. The New York Yankees had Boyer's younger brother Clete. But Clete was more of a fielder than a hitter. So in the Fall Classic of 1964, Ken would have to upstage his brother's amazing glove hands!
In game one, against Whitey Ford, the Cardinals wasted no time. Curt Flood led off the bottom of the first by grounding out. But Lou Brock, who the Cards had acquired earlier that season from the Cubs, singled. When Dick Groat followed with a single, the speedy Brock was now on third. It's the Boy(er)'s time to shine!
Ken sent a fly to right that Mickey Mantle caught. Brock tagged and scored. St. Louis had that all-important first run. The Yankees would erase it quickly and actually took a 4-2 lead at one point. So things didn't exactly go smoothly for the Cards, even in a game they would eventually win by four runs.
Boyer added a single in the bottom of the sixth. A one-out home run by Mike Shannon tied the game. When Tim McCarver followed with a double to right, Ford was gone from the game. The Cardinals won the game 9-5. Boyer and his 'mates had sent a message to the Yankees: Let's see what you got?
But New York more than answered the bell the rest of the Series. Ken seemed mired in a dreadful slump. He failed to get a hit in the next two games, and New York won them both. Game two was 8-3 and game three was 2-1. That meant the Yankees were up in games, 2-1, as well!
In game four, the Bronx Bombers charged out of the gate, taking a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first. Boyer and his mates struggled mightily against Al Downing on this day, getting just a hit and a walk through five innings.
In the top of the sixth inning, Carl Warwick batted for pitcher Roger Craig and got a single. Flood also singled, but Brock flew out. When Groat sent a roller towards Bobby Richardson at second, it looked like the end of a promising inning. Richardson had trouble getting the ball out of his glove, and threw wide to Phil Linz, the shortstop covering second base. The bases were loaded with one out. On a 1-0 pitch from Downing, Boyer swatted a changeup into the left field stands for a grand slam. But it was fair by only about five or six feet. St. Louis had the lead, 4-3, and they would win the game by that score. The Series was even.
But that would prove to be Ken's only hit of game four. That made Ken's production 2-15 through four games.
In game five, Kenny's problems continued as he failed to get a hit until the game went to extra innings. The score was tied 2-2. Trying to bunt with Bill White aboard and no outs in the top of the tenth, Ken beat it out. But then Dick Groat erased him at second with a force. Fortunately, Tim McCarver hit a three-run home run off Pete Mikkelsen to win the game for St. Louis. It also put the Cards back out in front in the Fall Classic, three games to two.
In game six, the Yankees sent Jim Bouton to the hill. Although he won game three, the Cardinals had him on the ropes this time around, all game long. Alas, St. Louis could not get the man home when they really needed it. Roger Maris and Mickey Mantle went back-to-back to turn a 1-1 tie into a 3-1 Yankee lead. All in a New York minute! Then five more runs in the top of the eighth salted away a 8-3 Yankee win. Ken Boyer was 0-4. New York had tied the 1964 World Series again. It was on to the winner-take-all game seven.
And Ken Boyer came through. Times three!
His single in the bottom of the fourth started a three-run rally. His double the next frame helped St. Louis score three more times. The Yankees' though, had plenty of bite left in them. In the top of the sixth, it was time for New York to put a "3" on the scoreboard! And it was against Bob Gibson, no less.
Bobby Richardson hit a roller to Ken Boyer at third. Kenny's throw was too late. A Maris single and a Mantle home run and it was suddenly only 6-3, St. Louis. Gibson looked like he was starting to tire. Gibby was pitching on only two day's rest! The Yankees kept hitting the ball hard on him the rest of the game, too! Can't count on the Yankees to roll over and die in game seven.
So Boyer was needed again in the bottom of the seventh. He put St. Louis up by four runs with a solo home run off Steve Hamilton. 7-3, St. Louis! The Cardinals needed this one, too!
Ahead by four, and needing just three more outs to win, Hoot started to falter. Gibson got Tom Tresh on strikes to start the top of the ninth, but then Clete showed his brother that he had the big stick, too! Taking Gibson out of the park on a solo job of his own, it was now 7-4. Bob Gibson fanned pinch hitter Johnny Blanchard, but Phil Linz got into the home run trot, for good measure! Phil's solo shot made it 7-5, St. Louis. See how important Ken's home run back a few innings was?
Bob Gibson settled down and got Bobby Richardson to pop out and end a very entertaining 1964 Fall Classic.
Ken would never be this good again. After the 1965 season, he was traded to the New York Mets. From there, Boyer landed in Chicago (AL) and Los Angeles before his career ended in 1969. So his heroics here would be his only World Series exposure. But the Cards' 1964 triumph, now approaching fifty years on this October, would not have been delivered without him.
Enders, Eric. "The Expansion Era." 100 years of the World Series. New York: Sterling Publishing Co., Inc. 2005. Print. pp. 160-163.
Golenbock, Peter. "1964." Dynasty: The New York Yankees, 1949-1964. Lincolnwood, IL: Contemporary, 2000. Print. pp. 529-539.
Halberstam, David. October 1964. New York: Villard, 1994. Print.
Major League Baseball. World Series Of 1964. Major League Baseball Productions, 1964. DVD.
In game one, against Whitey Ford, the Cardinals wasted no time. Curt Flood led off the bottom of the first by grounding out. But Lou Brock, who the Cards had acquired earlier that season from the Cubs, singled. When Dick Groat followed with a single, the speedy Brock was now on third. It's the Boy(er)'s time to shine!
Ken sent a fly to right that Mickey Mantle caught. Brock tagged and scored. St. Louis had that all-important first run. The Yankees would erase it quickly and actually took a 4-2 lead at one point. So things didn't exactly go smoothly for the Cards, even in a game they would eventually win by four runs.
Boyer added a single in the bottom of the sixth. A one-out home run by Mike Shannon tied the game. When Tim McCarver followed with a double to right, Ford was gone from the game. The Cardinals won the game 9-5. Boyer and his 'mates had sent a message to the Yankees: Let's see what you got?
But New York more than answered the bell the rest of the Series. Ken seemed mired in a dreadful slump. He failed to get a hit in the next two games, and New York won them both. Game two was 8-3 and game three was 2-1. That meant the Yankees were up in games, 2-1, as well!
In game four, the Bronx Bombers charged out of the gate, taking a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first. Boyer and his mates struggled mightily against Al Downing on this day, getting just a hit and a walk through five innings.
In the top of the sixth inning, Carl Warwick batted for pitcher Roger Craig and got a single. Flood also singled, but Brock flew out. When Groat sent a roller towards Bobby Richardson at second, it looked like the end of a promising inning. Richardson had trouble getting the ball out of his glove, and threw wide to Phil Linz, the shortstop covering second base. The bases were loaded with one out. On a 1-0 pitch from Downing, Boyer swatted a changeup into the left field stands for a grand slam. But it was fair by only about five or six feet. St. Louis had the lead, 4-3, and they would win the game by that score. The Series was even.
But that would prove to be Ken's only hit of game four. That made Ken's production 2-15 through four games.
In game five, Kenny's problems continued as he failed to get a hit until the game went to extra innings. The score was tied 2-2. Trying to bunt with Bill White aboard and no outs in the top of the tenth, Ken beat it out. But then Dick Groat erased him at second with a force. Fortunately, Tim McCarver hit a three-run home run off Pete Mikkelsen to win the game for St. Louis. It also put the Cards back out in front in the Fall Classic, three games to two.
In game six, the Yankees sent Jim Bouton to the hill. Although he won game three, the Cardinals had him on the ropes this time around, all game long. Alas, St. Louis could not get the man home when they really needed it. Roger Maris and Mickey Mantle went back-to-back to turn a 1-1 tie into a 3-1 Yankee lead. All in a New York minute! Then five more runs in the top of the eighth salted away a 8-3 Yankee win. Ken Boyer was 0-4. New York had tied the 1964 World Series again. It was on to the winner-take-all game seven.
And Ken Boyer came through. Times three!
His single in the bottom of the fourth started a three-run rally. His double the next frame helped St. Louis score three more times. The Yankees' though, had plenty of bite left in them. In the top of the sixth, it was time for New York to put a "3" on the scoreboard! And it was against Bob Gibson, no less.
Bobby Richardson hit a roller to Ken Boyer at third. Kenny's throw was too late. A Maris single and a Mantle home run and it was suddenly only 6-3, St. Louis. Gibson looked like he was starting to tire. Gibby was pitching on only two day's rest! The Yankees kept hitting the ball hard on him the rest of the game, too! Can't count on the Yankees to roll over and die in game seven.
So Boyer was needed again in the bottom of the seventh. He put St. Louis up by four runs with a solo home run off Steve Hamilton. 7-3, St. Louis! The Cardinals needed this one, too!
Ahead by four, and needing just three more outs to win, Hoot started to falter. Gibson got Tom Tresh on strikes to start the top of the ninth, but then Clete showed his brother that he had the big stick, too! Taking Gibson out of the park on a solo job of his own, it was now 7-4. Bob Gibson fanned pinch hitter Johnny Blanchard, but Phil Linz got into the home run trot, for good measure! Phil's solo shot made it 7-5, St. Louis. See how important Ken's home run back a few innings was?
Bob Gibson settled down and got Bobby Richardson to pop out and end a very entertaining 1964 Fall Classic.
Ken would never be this good again. After the 1965 season, he was traded to the New York Mets. From there, Boyer landed in Chicago (AL) and Los Angeles before his career ended in 1969. So his heroics here would be his only World Series exposure. But the Cards' 1964 triumph, now approaching fifty years on this October, would not have been delivered without him.
References
Enders, Eric. "The Expansion Era." 100 years of the World Series. New York: Sterling Publishing Co., Inc. 2005. Print. pp. 160-163.
Golenbock, Peter. "1964." Dynasty: The New York Yankees, 1949-1964. Lincolnwood, IL: Contemporary, 2000. Print. pp. 529-539.
Halberstam, David. October 1964. New York: Villard, 1994. Print.
Major League Baseball. World Series Of 1964. Major League Baseball Productions, 1964. DVD.
Neft, David S., Richard M. Cohen, and Michael L. Neft. The Sports Encyclopedia: Baseball, 1992. 12th ed. New York: St. Martin's Press, 1992. Print.
Sports Reference LLC. Baseball-Reference.com - Major League Statistics and Information. http://www.baseball-reference.com/. Web. 7 Jul. 2014.
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