The 1973 World Series was the 17th one that Yogi Berra had participated in. He'd come a long way, having first appeared in 1947. 17 World Series appearances in 27 years for the guy with all the quotes. His one, "It ain't over 'till it's over," was in reference to his 1973 New York Mets, who he was managing.
Berra had quite a World Series career, be it as a player, first base coach, or manager. It all started when he hit the first-ever pinch-hit home run in the World Series back in 1947 (off Ralph Branca!). The Yankees, facing the Dodgers, went on to win the Fall Classic that year in seven games. Berra seemed to be the guy in the clutch.
Some of Berra's World Series accomplishments have been forgotten, however. One of his best Fall Classic performances came in 1955, when Yogi hit .417. The Yankees ultimatley lost the series in seven games to the Brooklyn Dodgers. It was something that had not happen to them before. It was also Yogi's first World Series defeat after six triumphs. The Dodgers got to sip champagne for the first time. It was also Yogi Berra that hit the flyball to Sandy Amoros, where the Cuban-born outfielder made a spectacular catch.
The next year, it was Berra with three home runs, ten RBIs and a .360 batting average. But no one remembers that, because the 1956 World Series is always remembered for game five, where Don Larsen threw that only perfect game (and let alone a no-hitter) in World Series history. But it was Yogi Berra that caught it. Behind the plate, he must have called (almost) all those 97 pitches of Larsen's brillantly. Larsen only went 3 and 2 on one batter!
Berra hit .320 the next year against the Braves. However, once again, the Yankees tasted the bitter pill of defeat. As before against the Dodgers in '55, it was 7 games. Yogi was good for only one home run and two RBI, however! The Yankees got revenge the new year, but Berra hit only .222!
Yogi, like many of his teammates, had an excellent Fall Classic in 1960 against the underdog Pittsburgh Pirates. The Yankees won game two, 16-3, game three, 10-0 and game six, 12-0. Yogi caught game one, but played game two in left field. In game three, he came in as a defensive replacement and went 1-1. Yogi was back behind the dish in game four, but New York lost 3-2. Yogi came in to game five to pinch-hit for Elston Howard, who was catching. In his only at-bat of the game (which was in the 8th innings), Berra grounded out against Elroy Face. He caught the top of the 9th, but the Yankees lost, 5-2 to Harvey Haddix. Yogi went 3-4 in game six with three runs scored and two RBIs.
In game seven, Yogi was in left field. The Yankees trailed 4-2 in the top of the 6th inning. But with Mickey Mantle on first and Tony Kubek on third, Yogi got his revenge against Face. Blasting a towering three-run home run to right, New York was ahead, 5-2. Then things looked better for New York in the top of the seventh. But here's what happened from there:
Ouch. That was a tough one for Yogi and many of his teammates. For his part, Yogi had a home run, eight RBIs, six runs scored and batted .318. But all that didn't seem to matter, now did it?
Getting into four of the five games of the 1961 World Series, Yogi hit .273, but hit another home run and three RBIs. The Yankees won in it this time against the Cincinatti Reds. But his, and Mantle's steady veteran prescence could not be accounted for in just stats at this point. There was more. The 1961 Yankees were one of the all-time great teams in baseball and Yogi had been on the Yankees the longest at this point. Whitey Ford joined in 1950 and Mantle the next year. And Yogi now had nine rings to his name!
And he would get enough to fill all the fingers the next year. While Yogi Berra got only two at-bats and failed to get a hit in both, New York beat San Francisco in seven games. Berra also walked twice in the 1962 World Series.
1963 saw the Yankees lose to the Los Angeles Dodgers in four straight. Berra only played in 64 games in the regular season, but hit .293. In the World Series, which was his last as a player, he only came to bat once. In the top of the 8th inning of game three, Yogi pinch-hit for Jim Bouton with one out. He connected well, but could only line out to right against Don Drysdale, who shutout New York, 1-0. A 2-1 win by Los Angeles behind the pitching of Sandy Koufax finished off the Yankees for good in game four.
Yogi took over from Ralph Houk as the Yankee manager in 1964. New York was and old team. Ford's arm hurt almost all year, Bouton's bothered him for a time. Mantle was nearing the end. Despite this, Yogi kept 'em all cool and they won the pennant. They came oh-so-close to beating the St. Louis Cardinals in the World Series, falling to Bob Gibson 7-5 in game seven. Yogi was then fired!
But he joined New York's other team, the Mets in 1965, and even ended up playing the last four games of his career there. It must have seemed like old times in a way for Yogi, as New York was managed by Casey Stengel, who the Yankees had fired after the 1960 World Series. Must have something to do with losing the World Series in seven games. Casey Stengel managed his last year in 1965, being replaced during the season. Yogi was not through, however.
In 1969, with ex-Dodger Gil Hodges managing, New York made and won the World Series over Baltimore. Yogi Berra was the first base coach, but it was not long before he was back managing in the World Series. In the meantime, Yogi could boast at being the King Of New York, no matter what team he was on!
In 1972, Hodges died shockingly in the spring. Yogi would take over. New York finished only 83-73 that year, a third place finish. The Mets dropped to 82 games won the next year, but New York managed to finish first in the National League East. They opposed the Cincinatti Reds in the NLCS that year. Cincy won 99 games. It looked more challenging than the 1969 World Series for New York. Here, once again, they were huge underdogs.
But New York won it three games to two. Next was the Oakland Athletics, who had won 94 games themselves. Once again, New York were the underdogs.
It was a great Fall Classic. Yogi's 16th and last. New York dropped a pitcher's duel in game one.
In game two, it went back in forth before New York came out on top, 10-7 in extra innings. In game three, it was the A's turn to win it in the extra frame. But New York scored three in the bottom of the first and three more in the bottom of the fourth to win it, 6-1.
Jerry Koosman and Tug McGraw combined to throw a masterful 2-hitter in game five, giving New York a stunning 2-0 win and a 3 to 2 World Series lead. Now, all the Mets had to do is win one of the next two games to pull of a huge upset that would trump their improbable win four years earlier.
They didn't quite get it. Tom Seaver dropped a tough 3-1 decision in game six, as he pitched well enough to bring the championship back to New York. In game seven in Oakland, it was 5-0 Athletics in the top of the sixth, but Yogi would not let them quit.
Rusty Staub hit a double to drive home the first Met run in the sixth. In the top of the seventh, New York put two runners on, but could not get either home. Rollie Fingers got New York 1-2-3 in the top of the 8th, but New York would not go away quietly the next inning.
John Milner did what anyone should do to lead off the inning. He walked. With one out, Don Hahn got his third hit of the game. A ground out moved both of the runners to second and third. But Oakland was one out away from winning it all.
Ed Kranepool, a member of the 1969 winning team, was sent up to bat for pitcher George Stone. When he sent a roller to first, it looked like lights out. But Gene Tenace had moved from his familiar spot behind the plate to first, and perhaps that was a mistake. He made an error which allowed Milner to score. Now, with runners on the corners, the tying run was at the plate and it was back to the top of the order. Ted Martinez came in to pinch-run for Kranepool.
But Wayne Garrett popped out, and Oakland had won the 1973 Fall Classic, four games to three. A tough way to end it. New York had gone down fighting, just like the Yankees had under Berra nine years earlier.
While Yogi didn't always win in the Fall Classic, he was always in the Fall Classic, no matter what team he was on. Yogi might be remembered for his quotes, but when it came to the World Series, it was no laughing matter when he was around!
Berra had quite a World Series career, be it as a player, first base coach, or manager. It all started when he hit the first-ever pinch-hit home run in the World Series back in 1947 (off Ralph Branca!). The Yankees, facing the Dodgers, went on to win the Fall Classic that year in seven games. Berra seemed to be the guy in the clutch.
Some of Berra's World Series accomplishments have been forgotten, however. One of his best Fall Classic performances came in 1955, when Yogi hit .417. The Yankees ultimatley lost the series in seven games to the Brooklyn Dodgers. It was something that had not happen to them before. It was also Yogi's first World Series defeat after six triumphs. The Dodgers got to sip champagne for the first time. It was also Yogi Berra that hit the flyball to Sandy Amoros, where the Cuban-born outfielder made a spectacular catch.
The next year, it was Berra with three home runs, ten RBIs and a .360 batting average. But no one remembers that, because the 1956 World Series is always remembered for game five, where Don Larsen threw that only perfect game (and let alone a no-hitter) in World Series history. But it was Yogi Berra that caught it. Behind the plate, he must have called (almost) all those 97 pitches of Larsen's brillantly. Larsen only went 3 and 2 on one batter!
Berra hit .320 the next year against the Braves. However, once again, the Yankees tasted the bitter pill of defeat. As before against the Dodgers in '55, it was 7 games. Yogi was good for only one home run and two RBI, however! The Yankees got revenge the new year, but Berra hit only .222!
Yogi, like many of his teammates, had an excellent Fall Classic in 1960 against the underdog Pittsburgh Pirates. The Yankees won game two, 16-3, game three, 10-0 and game six, 12-0. Yogi caught game one, but played game two in left field. In game three, he came in as a defensive replacement and went 1-1. Yogi was back behind the dish in game four, but New York lost 3-2. Yogi came in to game five to pinch-hit for Elston Howard, who was catching. In his only at-bat of the game (which was in the 8th innings), Berra grounded out against Elroy Face. He caught the top of the 9th, but the Yankees lost, 5-2 to Harvey Haddix. Yogi went 3-4 in game six with three runs scored and two RBIs.
In game seven, Yogi was in left field. The Yankees trailed 4-2 in the top of the 6th inning. But with Mickey Mantle on first and Tony Kubek on third, Yogi got his revenge against Face. Blasting a towering three-run home run to right, New York was ahead, 5-2. Then things looked better for New York in the top of the seventh. But here's what happened from there:
Ouch. That was a tough one for Yogi and many of his teammates. For his part, Yogi had a home run, eight RBIs, six runs scored and batted .318. But all that didn't seem to matter, now did it?
Getting into four of the five games of the 1961 World Series, Yogi hit .273, but hit another home run and three RBIs. The Yankees won in it this time against the Cincinatti Reds. But his, and Mantle's steady veteran prescence could not be accounted for in just stats at this point. There was more. The 1961 Yankees were one of the all-time great teams in baseball and Yogi had been on the Yankees the longest at this point. Whitey Ford joined in 1950 and Mantle the next year. And Yogi now had nine rings to his name!
And he would get enough to fill all the fingers the next year. While Yogi Berra got only two at-bats and failed to get a hit in both, New York beat San Francisco in seven games. Berra also walked twice in the 1962 World Series.
1963 saw the Yankees lose to the Los Angeles Dodgers in four straight. Berra only played in 64 games in the regular season, but hit .293. In the World Series, which was his last as a player, he only came to bat once. In the top of the 8th inning of game three, Yogi pinch-hit for Jim Bouton with one out. He connected well, but could only line out to right against Don Drysdale, who shutout New York, 1-0. A 2-1 win by Los Angeles behind the pitching of Sandy Koufax finished off the Yankees for good in game four.
Yogi took over from Ralph Houk as the Yankee manager in 1964. New York was and old team. Ford's arm hurt almost all year, Bouton's bothered him for a time. Mantle was nearing the end. Despite this, Yogi kept 'em all cool and they won the pennant. They came oh-so-close to beating the St. Louis Cardinals in the World Series, falling to Bob Gibson 7-5 in game seven. Yogi was then fired!
But he joined New York's other team, the Mets in 1965, and even ended up playing the last four games of his career there. It must have seemed like old times in a way for Yogi, as New York was managed by Casey Stengel, who the Yankees had fired after the 1960 World Series. Must have something to do with losing the World Series in seven games. Casey Stengel managed his last year in 1965, being replaced during the season. Yogi was not through, however.
In 1969, with ex-Dodger Gil Hodges managing, New York made and won the World Series over Baltimore. Yogi Berra was the first base coach, but it was not long before he was back managing in the World Series. In the meantime, Yogi could boast at being the King Of New York, no matter what team he was on!
In 1972, Hodges died shockingly in the spring. Yogi would take over. New York finished only 83-73 that year, a third place finish. The Mets dropped to 82 games won the next year, but New York managed to finish first in the National League East. They opposed the Cincinatti Reds in the NLCS that year. Cincy won 99 games. It looked more challenging than the 1969 World Series for New York. Here, once again, they were huge underdogs.
But New York won it three games to two. Next was the Oakland Athletics, who had won 94 games themselves. Once again, New York were the underdogs.
It was a great Fall Classic. Yogi's 16th and last. New York dropped a pitcher's duel in game one.
In game two, it went back in forth before New York came out on top, 10-7 in extra innings. In game three, it was the A's turn to win it in the extra frame. But New York scored three in the bottom of the first and three more in the bottom of the fourth to win it, 6-1.
Jerry Koosman and Tug McGraw combined to throw a masterful 2-hitter in game five, giving New York a stunning 2-0 win and a 3 to 2 World Series lead. Now, all the Mets had to do is win one of the next two games to pull of a huge upset that would trump their improbable win four years earlier.
They didn't quite get it. Tom Seaver dropped a tough 3-1 decision in game six, as he pitched well enough to bring the championship back to New York. In game seven in Oakland, it was 5-0 Athletics in the top of the sixth, but Yogi would not let them quit.
Rusty Staub hit a double to drive home the first Met run in the sixth. In the top of the seventh, New York put two runners on, but could not get either home. Rollie Fingers got New York 1-2-3 in the top of the 8th, but New York would not go away quietly the next inning.
John Milner did what anyone should do to lead off the inning. He walked. With one out, Don Hahn got his third hit of the game. A ground out moved both of the runners to second and third. But Oakland was one out away from winning it all.
Ed Kranepool, a member of the 1969 winning team, was sent up to bat for pitcher George Stone. When he sent a roller to first, it looked like lights out. But Gene Tenace had moved from his familiar spot behind the plate to first, and perhaps that was a mistake. He made an error which allowed Milner to score. Now, with runners on the corners, the tying run was at the plate and it was back to the top of the order. Ted Martinez came in to pinch-run for Kranepool.
But Wayne Garrett popped out, and Oakland had won the 1973 Fall Classic, four games to three. A tough way to end it. New York had gone down fighting, just like the Yankees had under Berra nine years earlier.
While Yogi didn't always win in the Fall Classic, he was always in the Fall Classic, no matter what team he was on. Yogi might be remembered for his quotes, but when it came to the World Series, it was no laughing matter when he was around!
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