Mickey Mantle recorded the last out in the 1958 Fall Classic. He was then on the wrong side of the last putout in the 1960 World Series. The Mick could hit a home run or strikeout. Or he could be the last out!
Actually, in 1958, The Mick just wanted some redemption. He'd been hurt in 1957 and wasn't able to perform up to his expectations in the Fall Classic. He'd hit .365 that year, but his Yankees lost 5-0 in game seven to Milwaukee.
In 1958, the Yankees were back and so were the Braves. Although Mantle hit two home runs in game two, New York lost this game 13-5. They'd lost the first game in extra-innings as Billy Bruton hit a gapper between him and Hank Bauer in right. It was a tough loss, but the Yankees were hitting the ball well. Now, if they could get some good pitching...
They did in game three from Don Larsen, winning 4-0 at home at Yankee Stadium. The Braves though, held the Yankees to just four hits. The next day, New York lost 2-0 to Warren Spahn, who held the mighty Bronx Bombers to just two hits. Mantle hit a booming triple in the bottom of the fourth with one out. But Moose Skowron tapped it back to the mound. A fine play by Red Schoendienst stopped Yogi Berra from getting a hit. He was nipped by a step at first, as is.
Mantle tried some humour for game five, as he walked into the Yankees clubhouse with a hat that hat both sides of an arrow sticking out of each side. There wasn't a real arrow in there, as Mantle still had his head and humour. The Yankees were a team laughing and inspired. They went out and won the fifth game, 7-0. The Mick got two hits and a walk. It only led to one run, but it was more than the Braves scored all game.
Mickey scored another run in the sixth game but it was a crucial one. Trailing 2-1 in the top of the sixth contest in Milwaukee, Mantle led off with a single and scored. The Yankees used some extra-inning heroics of their own to win this one, 4-3.
The Mick did not do much in game seven, but it did not matter. The Yankees won it 6-2 and Mickey caught Schoendienst fly in the bottom of the ninth with two down. The Braves, went down swinging alright. They had two men on when the last out was recorded.
In 1960, The Mick and his mates were the better team and the Pittsburgh Pirates were the underdogs. Alas, the Pirates found a way.
It was not Mantle's fault the Yankees one. In game two, he hit two long home runs and New York won, 16-3. Mantle became the the first right-handed hitting player to clear the fence in Forbes Field in Pittsburgh on one of those blasts.
Back at Yankee Stadium for game three, Mickey went yard again. Another blowout for New York, 10-0. But Pittsburgh won games four and five, and went back home to clinch it.
Here's where New York scored a resounding 12-0 win. Mickey had only one hit. But he added a walk to that. Oh, and two runs scored and two more driven in. The Mick was having a great Fall Classic. It's too bad his team did not win it!
Indeed, the Yankees lost game seven, 10-9. But some heads-up baserunning by Mantle sent this thing to the bottom of the ninth. It was 9-8 Pittsburgh in the top of the ninth inning of this grand finale. Yogi Berra grounded out with Mantle on first, and Rocky Nelson made the putout himself, then looked towards second.
The Mick headed there, but scampered back underneath and around Nelsons tag at first. Tie game. But not for long. Moose Skowron hit a grounder, and Mantle was retired at second on the force play. The game seemed destined for so much more from both teams, at this point.
Bill Mazeroski led off the bottom of the ninth for Pittsburgh. He took a high slider for ball one. Johnny Blanchard went out to the mound for a conference with Ralph Terry. A friendly reminder to keep it low. But Terry didn't and the next pitch hung. Maz drilled it over Yogi's head and the fence in left, and that was that.
The Mick had an amazing Fall Classic in 1960. And in his career, he was a part of many seven game classics with the Dodgers, Giants, Braves, Pirates and Cardinals. The Yankees didn't always come out on top, of course. But players like Mickey made the ordinary plays look better. And then they make extraordinary plays, even more incredible. That mammoth home run, that great catch, that stolen base. Or even, that dive back into first. Or just that routine fly to centre. If the Mick or someone like him is involved (Not that there have been many players like him), it makes it memorable!
References
Enders, Eric. 100 Years Of The World Series. New York: Sterling Publishing Co., Inc. 2005. Print.
Golenbock, Peter. Dynasty: The New York Yankees, 1949-1964. Lincolnwood, IL: Contemporary, 2000. Print.
Mantle, Mickey, and Herb Gluck. The Mick. Easton Press, 1996. Print.
Mantle, Mickey, and Mickey Herskowitz. All My Octobers: My Memories of Twelve World Series When the Yankees Ruled Baseball. New York: HarperCollins, 1994. Print.
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.
Nemec, David et all. 20th Century Baseball Chronicle: A Year-by-year History of Major League Baseball. Collector's Edition. Lincolnwood, Ill: Publications International, 1993. Print.
Seaver, Tom, and Martin Appel. Great Moments in Baseball. New York, NY: Carol Pub. Group, 1992. Print.
Sports Reference LLC. Baseball-Reference.com - Major League Statistics and Information. http://www.baseball-reference.com/. Web. 05 Jan. 2015.
Actually, in 1958, The Mick just wanted some redemption. He'd been hurt in 1957 and wasn't able to perform up to his expectations in the Fall Classic. He'd hit .365 that year, but his Yankees lost 5-0 in game seven to Milwaukee.
In 1958, the Yankees were back and so were the Braves. Although Mantle hit two home runs in game two, New York lost this game 13-5. They'd lost the first game in extra-innings as Billy Bruton hit a gapper between him and Hank Bauer in right. It was a tough loss, but the Yankees were hitting the ball well. Now, if they could get some good pitching...
They did in game three from Don Larsen, winning 4-0 at home at Yankee Stadium. The Braves though, held the Yankees to just four hits. The next day, New York lost 2-0 to Warren Spahn, who held the mighty Bronx Bombers to just two hits. Mantle hit a booming triple in the bottom of the fourth with one out. But Moose Skowron tapped it back to the mound. A fine play by Red Schoendienst stopped Yogi Berra from getting a hit. He was nipped by a step at first, as is.
Mantle tried some humour for game five, as he walked into the Yankees clubhouse with a hat that hat both sides of an arrow sticking out of each side. There wasn't a real arrow in there, as Mantle still had his head and humour. The Yankees were a team laughing and inspired. They went out and won the fifth game, 7-0. The Mick got two hits and a walk. It only led to one run, but it was more than the Braves scored all game.
Mickey scored another run in the sixth game but it was a crucial one. Trailing 2-1 in the top of the sixth contest in Milwaukee, Mantle led off with a single and scored. The Yankees used some extra-inning heroics of their own to win this one, 4-3.
The Mick did not do much in game seven, but it did not matter. The Yankees won it 6-2 and Mickey caught Schoendienst fly in the bottom of the ninth with two down. The Braves, went down swinging alright. They had two men on when the last out was recorded.
In 1960, The Mick and his mates were the better team and the Pittsburgh Pirates were the underdogs. Alas, the Pirates found a way.
It was not Mantle's fault the Yankees one. In game two, he hit two long home runs and New York won, 16-3. Mantle became the the first right-handed hitting player to clear the fence in Forbes Field in Pittsburgh on one of those blasts.
Back at Yankee Stadium for game three, Mickey went yard again. Another blowout for New York, 10-0. But Pittsburgh won games four and five, and went back home to clinch it.
Here's where New York scored a resounding 12-0 win. Mickey had only one hit. But he added a walk to that. Oh, and two runs scored and two more driven in. The Mick was having a great Fall Classic. It's too bad his team did not win it!
Indeed, the Yankees lost game seven, 10-9. But some heads-up baserunning by Mantle sent this thing to the bottom of the ninth. It was 9-8 Pittsburgh in the top of the ninth inning of this grand finale. Yogi Berra grounded out with Mantle on first, and Rocky Nelson made the putout himself, then looked towards second.
The Mick headed there, but scampered back underneath and around Nelsons tag at first. Tie game. But not for long. Moose Skowron hit a grounder, and Mantle was retired at second on the force play. The game seemed destined for so much more from both teams, at this point.
Bill Mazeroski led off the bottom of the ninth for Pittsburgh. He took a high slider for ball one. Johnny Blanchard went out to the mound for a conference with Ralph Terry. A friendly reminder to keep it low. But Terry didn't and the next pitch hung. Maz drilled it over Yogi's head and the fence in left, and that was that.
The Mick had an amazing Fall Classic in 1960. And in his career, he was a part of many seven game classics with the Dodgers, Giants, Braves, Pirates and Cardinals. The Yankees didn't always come out on top, of course. But players like Mickey made the ordinary plays look better. And then they make extraordinary plays, even more incredible. That mammoth home run, that great catch, that stolen base. Or even, that dive back into first. Or just that routine fly to centre. If the Mick or someone like him is involved (Not that there have been many players like him), it makes it memorable!
References
Enders, Eric. 100 Years Of The World Series. New York: Sterling Publishing Co., Inc. 2005. Print.
Golenbock, Peter. Dynasty: The New York Yankees, 1949-1964. Lincolnwood, IL: Contemporary, 2000. Print.
Mantle, Mickey, and Herb Gluck. The Mick. Easton Press, 1996. Print.
Mantle, Mickey, and Mickey Herskowitz. All My Octobers: My Memories of Twelve World Series When the Yankees Ruled Baseball. New York: HarperCollins, 1994. Print.
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.
Nemec, David et all. 20th Century Baseball Chronicle: A Year-by-year History of Major League Baseball. Collector's Edition. Lincolnwood, Ill: Publications International, 1993. Print.
Seaver, Tom, and Martin Appel. Great Moments in Baseball. New York, NY: Carol Pub. Group, 1992. Print.
Sports Reference LLC. Baseball-Reference.com - Major League Statistics and Information. http://www.baseball-reference.com/. Web. 05 Jan. 2015.
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