Bill Stafford was tall and imposing, and had not pitched much for the Yankees the year before. Yet suddenly, there he was, at 21, in the starting rotation for most of the 1961 season.
He kicked off hi s 1961 season by finishing two games (April 15th and 20th) and getting credit for the save in both. He pitched 5 more times that month with little effectiveness.
In May however, he got his first start. On the 16th he faced Washington. However, he was driven off the mound in just 3 innings. He would pitch only three more times that month (exclusively in relief), getting hit hard in the first two, but then firing 4 innings of no hit ball against Boston on the 30th for his first win. But at this point, he had already suffered two losses.
Then in June, Bill was in the rotation. And he responded with a 7-hitter against the White Sox, a 5- hitter against the Athletics and a 4-hitter against the Los Angeles Angels. He picked up the win in all of those games.
He was hit hard in his next three starts, yet amazingly, he still won two of them (The other, a June 16th start, was a loss against Detroit). Now, Stafford was 6-3 with a 2.55 ERA.
But it was back to the drawing board after his first start of July, as the problems of April and May returned. He didn't get charged with the loss against Washington on that day, but then he lost a game that he pitched in relief against Detroit on Independence Day.
He really rebounded splendidly against the Cleveland Indians in his next start, just two days later. Not only did he go the distance and pick up the shutout, but Stafford allowed just two hits (to Willie Kirkland and Mike de la Hoz) and no walks. He even singled in the Yankees second run in the 7th as the Yankees triumphed, 4-0.
He beat the White Sox in his next start despite only going 6 innings. Then he tossed 9 innings of 6 of six hit ball in a 12-0 win over the Sox on July 25, the second game of a doubleheader.
But the month ended on a sour note as he lost 4-0 to the Orioles.
He failed to get a decision in his first August start against the Twins, then another no decision followed against Angels, but he gave up nine hits in 5.1 innings. His next start on August 12th was little better, and he lost 5-1 to the Senators.
A fine 7-hitter over 8 innings meant Stafford had reached double figures in wins, but then on August 22nd he lost again, this time to LA. Loss #7.
Stafford was superb in his next outing, a 3-hitter and 8 Ks against KC on August 26th. 4 days later he tossed a 4-hitter and a shutout against Minny.
September 3rd hard Stafford toss 7 innings and give up just 6 hits against the Tigers. Alas, it was a no decision. Then he beat the Indians again for win #13.
The Tigers got some revenge when they tagged Stafford for 10 hits in only 7.1 innings. Stafford didn't lose that game, but he lost his next two starts, both against the Orioles.
Oct 1st was the season's final game. And while Roger Maris did hit his 61st homerun in this game, it was Stafford (6 IP 3H 0R/ER 1BB 7K) who was the winning pitcher in an 1-0 Yankee win.
So Bill Stafford finished 1961 with 14 wins 9 losses 2 saves, an ERA of 2.68 (2nd in the league behind the Sens Dick Donavan) and 3 shutouts (tied for 6th with 5 others) in 195 innings.
Stafford did pitch in the World Series. He was the starting pitcher in game 3, which to me was the most important game of the series.
He set down the Reds again and again, yet trailed 1-0 going into the 7th.
But Yogi Berra singled home a run to tie the game. The Reds weren't finished either, and reclaimed the lead in the bottom of the frame, when Eddie Kasko singled home catcher Johnny Edwards.
That was all for Stafford as Bud Daley took over. The Yankees, on homeruns by Johnny Blanchard and Roger Maris in the 8th and 9th innings respectively, won the game 3-2, to take a 2-1 lead in the series. Stafford didn't pitch again that series.
References
1961 World Series: New York Yankees vs. Cincinnati Reds. Major League Baseball Productions. DVD.
Golenbock, Peter. Dynasty: The New York Yankees, 1949-1964. Lincolnwood, IL: Contemporary, 2000, pp. 405-445. Print.
Smith, Ron. The Sporting News Presents 61*: The Story Of Roger Maris, Mickey Mantle And One Magical Summer. St. Louis: Sporting News, 2001. Print.
Sports Reference LLC. Baseball-Reference.com - Major League Statistics and Information. http://www.baseball-reference.com/. Web. 8 Sept. 2011.
He kicked off hi s 1961 season by finishing two games (April 15th and 20th) and getting credit for the save in both. He pitched 5 more times that month with little effectiveness.
In May however, he got his first start. On the 16th he faced Washington. However, he was driven off the mound in just 3 innings. He would pitch only three more times that month (exclusively in relief), getting hit hard in the first two, but then firing 4 innings of no hit ball against Boston on the 30th for his first win. But at this point, he had already suffered two losses.
Then in June, Bill was in the rotation. And he responded with a 7-hitter against the White Sox, a 5- hitter against the Athletics and a 4-hitter against the Los Angeles Angels. He picked up the win in all of those games.
He was hit hard in his next three starts, yet amazingly, he still won two of them (The other, a June 16th start, was a loss against Detroit). Now, Stafford was 6-3 with a 2.55 ERA.
But it was back to the drawing board after his first start of July, as the problems of April and May returned. He didn't get charged with the loss against Washington on that day, but then he lost a game that he pitched in relief against Detroit on Independence Day.
He really rebounded splendidly against the Cleveland Indians in his next start, just two days later. Not only did he go the distance and pick up the shutout, but Stafford allowed just two hits (to Willie Kirkland and Mike de la Hoz) and no walks. He even singled in the Yankees second run in the 7th as the Yankees triumphed, 4-0.
He beat the White Sox in his next start despite only going 6 innings. Then he tossed 9 innings of 6 of six hit ball in a 12-0 win over the Sox on July 25, the second game of a doubleheader.
But the month ended on a sour note as he lost 4-0 to the Orioles.
He failed to get a decision in his first August start against the Twins, then another no decision followed against Angels, but he gave up nine hits in 5.1 innings. His next start on August 12th was little better, and he lost 5-1 to the Senators.
A fine 7-hitter over 8 innings meant Stafford had reached double figures in wins, but then on August 22nd he lost again, this time to LA. Loss #7.
Stafford was superb in his next outing, a 3-hitter and 8 Ks against KC on August 26th. 4 days later he tossed a 4-hitter and a shutout against Minny.
September 3rd hard Stafford toss 7 innings and give up just 6 hits against the Tigers. Alas, it was a no decision. Then he beat the Indians again for win #13.
The Tigers got some revenge when they tagged Stafford for 10 hits in only 7.1 innings. Stafford didn't lose that game, but he lost his next two starts, both against the Orioles.
Oct 1st was the season's final game. And while Roger Maris did hit his 61st homerun in this game, it was Stafford (6 IP 3H 0R/ER 1BB 7K) who was the winning pitcher in an 1-0 Yankee win.
So Bill Stafford finished 1961 with 14 wins 9 losses 2 saves, an ERA of 2.68 (2nd in the league behind the Sens Dick Donavan) and 3 shutouts (tied for 6th with 5 others) in 195 innings.
Stafford did pitch in the World Series. He was the starting pitcher in game 3, which to me was the most important game of the series.
He set down the Reds again and again, yet trailed 1-0 going into the 7th.
But Yogi Berra singled home a run to tie the game. The Reds weren't finished either, and reclaimed the lead in the bottom of the frame, when Eddie Kasko singled home catcher Johnny Edwards.
That was all for Stafford as Bud Daley took over. The Yankees, on homeruns by Johnny Blanchard and Roger Maris in the 8th and 9th innings respectively, won the game 3-2, to take a 2-1 lead in the series. Stafford didn't pitch again that series.
References
1961 World Series: New York Yankees vs. Cincinnati Reds. Major League Baseball Productions. DVD.
Golenbock, Peter. Dynasty: The New York Yankees, 1949-1964. Lincolnwood, IL: Contemporary, 2000, pp. 405-445. Print.
Smith, Ron. The Sporting News Presents 61*: The Story Of Roger Maris, Mickey Mantle And One Magical Summer. St. Louis: Sporting News, 2001. Print.
Sports Reference LLC. Baseball-Reference.com - Major League Statistics and Information. http://www.baseball-reference.com/. Web. 8 Sept. 2011.
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