Monday, December 29, 2014

World Series: Did You Know?

In a span of only three pitches, Bill Mazeroski made the final putout and won the 1960 Fall Classic with one swing of bat. The guy with the golden glove was doing it all. The Pirates and Yankees were is classic alright, but this one had a bit of a surprise. The game itself just didn't seem to know where exactly to end. The hometown Pirates' fans went home happy on a home run!

Maz, who'd hit a home run in game one, helped the Pittsburgh widen an earlier lead. The Pirates dashed ahead 2-0 in the bottom of the first on a two-run home run by Rocky Nelson. In the bottom of the next frame, it was Mazeroski who singled to load the bases with nobody out. New York then got a double play. A run did not score as the runner at home and the batter (Vernon Law) was out at first.

So the next batter, Bill Virdon, singled. It shattered his bat, but two runs scored. Mazeroski was one of them. Hey, isn't he going to shatter the Yankee hearts later? But by crossing the plate, Bill had put the Pirates up by four runs, officially.

New York wasn't about to let this thing get away so soon. The scored their first run in the top of the fifth on a Moose Skowron home run. It was only a solo shot, but now the Yankees had waken up, just like the sleeping giant. Look out!

The very next inning, Bobby Richardson singled and Tony Kubek walked. Vernon Law was removed for Elroy Face. Roger Maris was retired, but Mickey Mantle singled to scored Richardson. On an 0-1 pitch to Yogi Berra, the catcher slammed one just fair to right, and suddenly the Bronx Bombers were up, 5-4. And they were not done, either.

With two down in the top of the eighth, Yogi walked. Moose hit a single. Johnny Blanchard singled to score Berra. More breathing room for New York. A double by Clete Boyer made it 7-4, New York. Just six more outs to go and this thing is in the record books.

But Pittsburgh came back with some fireworks out their own in the bottom of the frame. Gino Cimoli singled to right. Bill Virdon sent a double play ball to Tony Kubek at short, and that should have been the end of that. But the ball hit a stone pebble that had been knocked there by a baserunner, bounced up and hit Kubek in the throat. Both runners were safe, and Kubek was out of the game.

Dick Groat singled, and now pitcher Bobby Shantz (pitching ever so well) was also out of the equation. That hit also scored a run, and it was now 7-5, New York. The Pirates though, saw the next two men go down against new pitcher Jim Coates. Coates then got it to 1-2 on Roberto Clemente and was one strike away from getting the Yankees out of this.

Clemente sent a bouncer to first. Skowron fielded it, but Coates didn't go to first, assuming Skowron would make the play himself. A crucial mistake as another run scored. 7-6, New York. Hal Smith then smashed an Coates offering out of the park. 9-7, Pittsburgh! Coastes was now also out of the game and Ralph Terry was in. He also got the final out of the inning.

The Yankees kept right on coming, however. Although three outs away from victory, New York just went about their business and were rewarded. The top of the ninth brought the Yankees back on track! A single by Richardson and another from pinch hitter Dale Long sent new Pirate pitcher Bob Friend to the showers for Harvey Haddix. You know, the guy who threw twelve perfect innings in one game in 1959 and lost it? He wasn't about to lose this one, was he?

Well, Haddix got Roger Maris on a pop out to the catcher in foul territory. Two more outs. But The Mick singled and it was 9-8, Pittsburgh. Yogi Berra grounded out as pinch runner Gil McDougald raced for home. But wait...Mantle is a little off the bag. Rocky Nelson had made the putout, then looked at Mantle and realized that out number three and a World Series ring is a tag away. Mantle dived to his right and twisted back left towards the bag. Wow! He made it! Tie ballgame!

Moose Skowron grounded to Dick Groat, who tossed to Mazeroski covering second for the third out. The only problem here was it was a little too late. It was 9-9. But what Mazeroski didn't know is, he had made the final putout of the game.

Ralph Terry went back to the hill and face Mazeroski to start the ninth. A high slider meant ball one. Johnny Blanchard (Yogi Berra was playing left, as you will see shortly) went out to talk to Terry to tell him to get the pitch lower. With his next delivery, Terry held on to the ball for a shorter span on the slider, but the ball was high and at waist level...Maz swung...

...The ball sailed to left as Yogi Berra went back to the wall...But the ball kept going and cleared it! The Pirates had won this see-saw game (and World Series) with a 10-9 win. One swing of the bat!

Bill Mazeroski was a Gold Glove winner at second base eighth times. As a hitter, he wasn't anything outstanding. Just a .260 batting average and 138 home runs over seventeen seasons. Yet, it was this moment that will never be forgotten. But one thing Bill had no way of knowing: As he rolled the ball back to the mound after the third out in the top of the ninth, he was about to hit that thing into baseball history!

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