Jim O'Toole, who passed away on December 26th, was the best pitcher on the Cincinnati Reds in the '61 Fall Classic. But it was his misfortune to go up against another lefty on the New York Yankees. That by the name of Whitey Ford. But O'Toole made him earn the win both time.
The Reds were the underdogs in the 1961 World Series. Sure, as mentioned on December 20th by this blogger's author that it was Mickey Mantle's easiest ring, this thing was close until O'Toole exited the fourth contest. In fact, the mighty Bronx Bombers never led by more than two runs up until the top of the sixth inning of game four. New York didn't seem that strong.
The Yankees, remember, were minus The Mick for the first two contest at home in the intimidating confines of Yankee Stadium in the Bronx. And that, of course, included the opening tilt. Ace lefties Whitey Ford (25-4) vs. Jim O'Toole (19-9) . But from the onset, Ford made it quite clear he was the better pitcher. O'Toole did himself good to keep it close.
Ford also got some help from Clete Boyer. Always, it seemed, in the shadow of his older brother Ken (Who hit four home runs in his career vs. Jim, but none in 1961), Clete proved to be as good if not better than Ken Boyer or Brooks Robinson at third on this day.
Gene Freese made a bid for the Reds' second hit in the top of the second after Ford and O'Toole had not such an easy time in the first. Ford gave up one hit, no runs. The Yankees, seeking to put it away early, loaded the bases in the bottom of the frame. A single and two walks off Jim seemed to spell the end early, but O'Toole retired the dangerous Yogi Berra to end that.
Freese grounded hard to third. But Boyer dived to his right to stop the ball from going down the line, possibly for a double. The throw to first was in time. In the top of the eighth, he made another amazing play on Dick Gernert. Gernert, batting for O'Toole, slammed one down the third base side. But boy, did Boyer ever make another amazing play. Boyer dived to his left to stop this, robbing another Red batter of a hit. From his knees, Clete threw him out.
O'Toole gave up only two runs over seven innings, both on home runs. Moose Skowron and Elston Howard both hit solo shots, while Jim gave up just four other hits. But it was the majestic Ford, who grabbed the next day's headlines with a magnificent two-hitter. With that, he had a 2-0 shutout, and his eighth Fall Classic win.
The Reds exploded the next game against Ralph Terry and ace reliever Luis Arroyo. Cincy touched home six times in the second contest. New York scored twice again, but this time it was nowhere near enough. It was off to Cincinnati's Crosley Field for games three to five.
The Yankees, needing to take two of three to stay ahead, grabbed a 3-2 win in game five. Cincinnati led 2-1 after seven, but solo home runs by Johnny Blanchard in the eighth and Roger Maris in the ninth were the difference. Mickey Mantle finally played but was 0-4 with a pair of strikeouts.
So O'Toole was back for game four vs. Ford. And it seemed like game one all over again. Jim made short work of Bobby Richardson, Tony Kubek, and Roger Maris in the top of the first, proving he still had it. But Ford pitched shutout ball through five, and O'Toole had to match that. For three innings he did. The Yankees were retired in order in the second. In the top of the third, however, they put runners on second and third before the third out was made.
But with the game still scoreless in the top of the fourth, it was Roger Maris leading off with a walk. Mickey Mantle lashed a single to left. He was too weak to make it to second as Maris went to third. Hector Lopez replaced The Mick at first, and New York got the game's first run on a double play.
The Yankees added a run the next inning before O'Toole departed for a pinch hitter in the bottom of the fifth. The Reds managed their first hit off Ford in that inning. But the Reds could not score. The Yankees then got some breathing room in the top of the sixth as they scored two more runs off reliever Jim Brosnan (Not the author, yet). Ford, however, hurt himself after fouling off a ball that inning, and left after Elio Chacon singled to start the Reds' half. Jim Coates came in to put out the fire, and tossed four shutout innings. New York added three more runs to put the game out of reach.
The Yankees made sure O'Toole never pitched again by hammering the Reds 13-5 in the fifth contest to wrap this thing up, four games to one. Joey Jay, who'd won the second game for Cincinnati, didn't make it out of the first inning as the Bronx Bombers scored five runs.
The Reds of 1961 might not have deserved to be in the Fall Classic. The Los Angeles Dodgers were a better team and had Don Drysdale and a pair of 18-win lefties in Sandy Koufax and Johnny Podres. Stan Williams won 15 games himself. The Reds made due with a better overall staff, however. They made it 93 wins (Compared to the Dodgers' 89) behind Jim O'Toole's 19, Jay's 21. There was more, of course. Bob Purkey won 16. Jim Brosnan won 10 and saved 16. Bill Henry also saved 16. Kenny Hunt was better than his 9-10 record would indicate. Ken Johnson only started 11 games but went 6-2. And then there was a pre-prime Jim Maloney was only 6-7 himself, but showed too much potential to be left of Cincy's postseason roster. Big Jim would soon prove to be among the very best pitchers in the game.
But none of these fine men troubled the mighty Yankees in the 1961 World Series like O'Toole.
References
Neft, David S., and Richard M. Cohen. The World Series: Complete Play-by-play of Every Game, 1903-1989. New York: St. Martin's, 1990. Print.
The Reds were the underdogs in the 1961 World Series. Sure, as mentioned on December 20th by this blogger's author that it was Mickey Mantle's easiest ring, this thing was close until O'Toole exited the fourth contest. In fact, the mighty Bronx Bombers never led by more than two runs up until the top of the sixth inning of game four. New York didn't seem that strong.
The Yankees, remember, were minus The Mick for the first two contest at home in the intimidating confines of Yankee Stadium in the Bronx. And that, of course, included the opening tilt. Ace lefties Whitey Ford (25-4) vs. Jim O'Toole (19-9) . But from the onset, Ford made it quite clear he was the better pitcher. O'Toole did himself good to keep it close.
Ford also got some help from Clete Boyer. Always, it seemed, in the shadow of his older brother Ken (Who hit four home runs in his career vs. Jim, but none in 1961), Clete proved to be as good if not better than Ken Boyer or Brooks Robinson at third on this day.
Gene Freese made a bid for the Reds' second hit in the top of the second after Ford and O'Toole had not such an easy time in the first. Ford gave up one hit, no runs. The Yankees, seeking to put it away early, loaded the bases in the bottom of the frame. A single and two walks off Jim seemed to spell the end early, but O'Toole retired the dangerous Yogi Berra to end that.
Freese grounded hard to third. But Boyer dived to his right to stop the ball from going down the line, possibly for a double. The throw to first was in time. In the top of the eighth, he made another amazing play on Dick Gernert. Gernert, batting for O'Toole, slammed one down the third base side. But boy, did Boyer ever make another amazing play. Boyer dived to his left to stop this, robbing another Red batter of a hit. From his knees, Clete threw him out.
O'Toole gave up only two runs over seven innings, both on home runs. Moose Skowron and Elston Howard both hit solo shots, while Jim gave up just four other hits. But it was the majestic Ford, who grabbed the next day's headlines with a magnificent two-hitter. With that, he had a 2-0 shutout, and his eighth Fall Classic win.
The Reds exploded the next game against Ralph Terry and ace reliever Luis Arroyo. Cincy touched home six times in the second contest. New York scored twice again, but this time it was nowhere near enough. It was off to Cincinnati's Crosley Field for games three to five.
The Yankees, needing to take two of three to stay ahead, grabbed a 3-2 win in game five. Cincinnati led 2-1 after seven, but solo home runs by Johnny Blanchard in the eighth and Roger Maris in the ninth were the difference. Mickey Mantle finally played but was 0-4 with a pair of strikeouts.
So O'Toole was back for game four vs. Ford. And it seemed like game one all over again. Jim made short work of Bobby Richardson, Tony Kubek, and Roger Maris in the top of the first, proving he still had it. But Ford pitched shutout ball through five, and O'Toole had to match that. For three innings he did. The Yankees were retired in order in the second. In the top of the third, however, they put runners on second and third before the third out was made.
But with the game still scoreless in the top of the fourth, it was Roger Maris leading off with a walk. Mickey Mantle lashed a single to left. He was too weak to make it to second as Maris went to third. Hector Lopez replaced The Mick at first, and New York got the game's first run on a double play.
The Yankees added a run the next inning before O'Toole departed for a pinch hitter in the bottom of the fifth. The Reds managed their first hit off Ford in that inning. But the Reds could not score. The Yankees then got some breathing room in the top of the sixth as they scored two more runs off reliever Jim Brosnan (Not the author, yet). Ford, however, hurt himself after fouling off a ball that inning, and left after Elio Chacon singled to start the Reds' half. Jim Coates came in to put out the fire, and tossed four shutout innings. New York added three more runs to put the game out of reach.
The Yankees made sure O'Toole never pitched again by hammering the Reds 13-5 in the fifth contest to wrap this thing up, four games to one. Joey Jay, who'd won the second game for Cincinnati, didn't make it out of the first inning as the Bronx Bombers scored five runs.
The Reds of 1961 might not have deserved to be in the Fall Classic. The Los Angeles Dodgers were a better team and had Don Drysdale and a pair of 18-win lefties in Sandy Koufax and Johnny Podres. Stan Williams won 15 games himself. The Reds made due with a better overall staff, however. They made it 93 wins (Compared to the Dodgers' 89) behind Jim O'Toole's 19, Jay's 21. There was more, of course. Bob Purkey won 16. Jim Brosnan won 10 and saved 16. Bill Henry also saved 16. Kenny Hunt was better than his 9-10 record would indicate. Ken Johnson only started 11 games but went 6-2. And then there was a pre-prime Jim Maloney was only 6-7 himself, but showed too much potential to be left of Cincy's postseason roster. Big Jim would soon prove to be among the very best pitchers in the game.
But none of these fine men troubled the mighty Yankees in the 1961 World Series like O'Toole.
References
Neft, David S., and Richard M. Cohen. The World Series: Complete Play-by-play of Every Game, 1903-1989. New York: St. Martin's, 1990. Print.
Sports Reference LLC. Baseball-Reference.com - Major
League Statistics and Information. http://www.baseball-reference.com/. Web. (12 Dec. 2015)
.
Youtube. Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/. Web. (12 Dec. 2015).
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