Game three of the 1957 World Series was the only time Mickey Mantle and Hank Aaron went deep in the same game, not counting spring training and all-star games. The New York Yankees were looking for back-to-back in '57, but would have to deal with the Milwaukee Braves.
The game ended up being one of Mantle's best in the Fall Classic, yet he also suffered an injury that would plague him for the rest of his career.
Innocently enough, Mantle was on second in the top of the very first inning. The 1957 was all square at this point, with Mantle's Yankees and Aaron's Braves having split the first two contest at Yankee Stadium. This crucial game three was in Milwaukee. In typical New York fashion, the Bronx Bombers took the heart out of the opposition right of the bat. As in, the Yankees first at-bats. That first inning was mighty impressive by New York!
Bob Buhl started the game for the Braves. Hank Bauer, leading off, grounded out. But Tony Kubek blasted a solo home run to put the Yankees up, 1-0. They would never relinquish the lead. Adding salt to the wounds was the fact that Kubek was born and bred in Milwaukee. Mickey drew a walk. Yogi Berra also saw four pitches that missed the strike zone. Buhl tried to pick off Mantle at second, but the ball went into centerfield. Mantle got tangled up with Red Schoendienst, the Braves' second basemen and leadoff hitter. In the mix-up, Mantle suffered a shoulder injury. It didn't seem to make a difference at the time. It only seemed to add to the legend of what The Mick could do, even crippled.
Mantle made it to third on the play, then scored on a sac fly by Gil McDougald. Berra himself scored on a single by Harry Simpson. 3-0, New York. What a start! And what an end for Bob Buhl, as Simpson's single was the last pitch he threw!
Bob Turley (13-6) started the game for New York. His half of the first was not smooth sailing, by any stretch. Schoendienst singled to start the game. Johnny Logan walked. Turley got Eddie Mathews and Hanky Aaron to pop out, but Bob walked another batter before he got out of the jam. Bases loaded and two outs are not the situation you like to be in if you are the pitcher. Especially if you have control problems! And New York would face this situation again in the very next inning. Guess who they had to face?
The Yankees got nothing in the top of the second. Milwaukee went on the attack in the bottom of the frame, however. Bob Hazel hit a single to get things started. Del Rice hit a single to bring the tying run to the plate. Juan Pizarro, the relief pitcher, was retired on a fly to left. But Shoendienst scored Hazel with a single to right. Logan was retired on a strikeout, but when Bob Turley walked Eddie Mathews, his night was over. Don Larsen came in to pitch. The bases were loaded. There were two outs. Aaron was the batter. Larsen got him fly out to the other Hank in right.
The Yankees though, got two more in the top of the third to make it a 5-1 game. Mantle and Berra hit singles to start things. Mickey was on third. Mantle then tried for home on a grounder by McDougald. The Mick was out, Berra taking second. However, Elston Howard batted for Simpson and loaded the bases on another walk. Jerry Lumpe singled home Berra and McDougald. New York had all the runs they needed! Not that they let up. Mickey had a habit to atone for mistakes. You know, by going yard?
In the fourth inning, Bauer was retired by Gene Conley to start things. But the hometown kid singled. Mantle hit a home run to right center. 7-1, New York.
In the bottom of the 5th inning, Johnny Logan led off with a single. Eddie Mathews was retired on a fly to left. Hammering Hank hammered a Larsen offering where Mantle and Bauer could not catch it. 7-3, New York. Mickey's teammates had more answers for that, however.
Mickey drew a walk in the top of the sixth, but was stranded. In the bottom of the frame, Aaron came to bat with the bases loaded and two outs, just like in the bottom of the second. All he could do in ground out to third basemen Lumpe. Wow! A game where Aaron hits a home run but twice leaves the bases loaded? Sometimes, you do see it all in the Fall Classic! In the same game.
Two outs, and three walks by New York in the top of the seventh presented another chance for more damage. The Yankees always seemed to make you pay for this. Bauer, always a tough out, proved that. Hank proved that his first name is a good name to have by singling home two runs. When Tony Kubek, also having a great game, followed that with his second long ball of the game it was 12-3, New York. This demonstrates why you have to take advantage of situations where you have the chance to score in the World Series. You don't score, but the other team does, and it's a double whammy! Mantle flew out to left, but New York didn't need any more from him. Milwaukee sure could have used more from Aaron!
In the bottom of the 9th inning, Mathews led off with a walk. Aaron singled this time. It looked like the Braves had something going. Wes Covington flied out. But when Andy Pafko was hit by a pitch, the bases were loaded and there was only one out. I guess Hank Aaron wanted to be the batter. No way is he failing three times in one game under these circumstances.
But Don Larsen reached back and retired Bob Hazel on a pop up to Gil McDougald at short. Del Crandall looked at strike three from Larsen, making New York winners by the score of 12-3.
Mantle finished the game 2-3 with a home run, 2 runs scored, 2 RBI and two walks. Aaron finished the game 2-5 with a home run, 1 run scored and 2 RBIs. But no walks.
The injury to Mantle shoulder would hurt his effectiveness the rest of the Series. He did not even play in game 5 and only came in the 8th inning of game 6. In game 7, he managed just one hit as Milwaukee won the 1957 World Series with a 5-0 win. The Mick did not hit a home run in any of the remaining four contests after game three.
Aaron meanwhile, had another home run and three RBI in game four, won by Milwaukee 7-5 in 10 innings. Aaron also went yard in game six, but the Braves lost this one to Turley, 3-2. Aaron had an RBI, but no home runs in game seven.
Aaron and Mantle would meet again the next World Series, but they did not connect in same game. The Braves, you had to think, were on the verge of a dynasty, while New York always seemed to have one, although perhaps in decline. But the Braves and Yankees would not play again in the World Series for nearly 40 years.
It's always too bad when you have two greats in opposite leagues in baseball rarely face each other outside of exhibition games. Only now, with the advent of interleague play in 1997, do you get to see the other league until October. In Mantle's and Aaron's case this 1957 Fall Classic was early in their careers. But the late 50s and 60s were dominated by the new Los Angeles Dodgers, so the Braves were out of luck. Mantle's teams made the postseason 12 times in his first 14 years in the bigs. I guess it's one of the reasons I actually like inter-league play!
The game ended up being one of Mantle's best in the Fall Classic, yet he also suffered an injury that would plague him for the rest of his career.
Innocently enough, Mantle was on second in the top of the very first inning. The 1957 was all square at this point, with Mantle's Yankees and Aaron's Braves having split the first two contest at Yankee Stadium. This crucial game three was in Milwaukee. In typical New York fashion, the Bronx Bombers took the heart out of the opposition right of the bat. As in, the Yankees first at-bats. That first inning was mighty impressive by New York!
Bob Buhl started the game for the Braves. Hank Bauer, leading off, grounded out. But Tony Kubek blasted a solo home run to put the Yankees up, 1-0. They would never relinquish the lead. Adding salt to the wounds was the fact that Kubek was born and bred in Milwaukee. Mickey drew a walk. Yogi Berra also saw four pitches that missed the strike zone. Buhl tried to pick off Mantle at second, but the ball went into centerfield. Mantle got tangled up with Red Schoendienst, the Braves' second basemen and leadoff hitter. In the mix-up, Mantle suffered a shoulder injury. It didn't seem to make a difference at the time. It only seemed to add to the legend of what The Mick could do, even crippled.
Mantle made it to third on the play, then scored on a sac fly by Gil McDougald. Berra himself scored on a single by Harry Simpson. 3-0, New York. What a start! And what an end for Bob Buhl, as Simpson's single was the last pitch he threw!
Bob Turley (13-6) started the game for New York. His half of the first was not smooth sailing, by any stretch. Schoendienst singled to start the game. Johnny Logan walked. Turley got Eddie Mathews and Hanky Aaron to pop out, but Bob walked another batter before he got out of the jam. Bases loaded and two outs are not the situation you like to be in if you are the pitcher. Especially if you have control problems! And New York would face this situation again in the very next inning. Guess who they had to face?
The Yankees got nothing in the top of the second. Milwaukee went on the attack in the bottom of the frame, however. Bob Hazel hit a single to get things started. Del Rice hit a single to bring the tying run to the plate. Juan Pizarro, the relief pitcher, was retired on a fly to left. But Shoendienst scored Hazel with a single to right. Logan was retired on a strikeout, but when Bob Turley walked Eddie Mathews, his night was over. Don Larsen came in to pitch. The bases were loaded. There were two outs. Aaron was the batter. Larsen got him fly out to the other Hank in right.
The Yankees though, got two more in the top of the third to make it a 5-1 game. Mantle and Berra hit singles to start things. Mickey was on third. Mantle then tried for home on a grounder by McDougald. The Mick was out, Berra taking second. However, Elston Howard batted for Simpson and loaded the bases on another walk. Jerry Lumpe singled home Berra and McDougald. New York had all the runs they needed! Not that they let up. Mickey had a habit to atone for mistakes. You know, by going yard?
In the fourth inning, Bauer was retired by Gene Conley to start things. But the hometown kid singled. Mantle hit a home run to right center. 7-1, New York.
In the bottom of the 5th inning, Johnny Logan led off with a single. Eddie Mathews was retired on a fly to left. Hammering Hank hammered a Larsen offering where Mantle and Bauer could not catch it. 7-3, New York. Mickey's teammates had more answers for that, however.
Mickey drew a walk in the top of the sixth, but was stranded. In the bottom of the frame, Aaron came to bat with the bases loaded and two outs, just like in the bottom of the second. All he could do in ground out to third basemen Lumpe. Wow! A game where Aaron hits a home run but twice leaves the bases loaded? Sometimes, you do see it all in the Fall Classic! In the same game.
Two outs, and three walks by New York in the top of the seventh presented another chance for more damage. The Yankees always seemed to make you pay for this. Bauer, always a tough out, proved that. Hank proved that his first name is a good name to have by singling home two runs. When Tony Kubek, also having a great game, followed that with his second long ball of the game it was 12-3, New York. This demonstrates why you have to take advantage of situations where you have the chance to score in the World Series. You don't score, but the other team does, and it's a double whammy! Mantle flew out to left, but New York didn't need any more from him. Milwaukee sure could have used more from Aaron!
In the bottom of the 9th inning, Mathews led off with a walk. Aaron singled this time. It looked like the Braves had something going. Wes Covington flied out. But when Andy Pafko was hit by a pitch, the bases were loaded and there was only one out. I guess Hank Aaron wanted to be the batter. No way is he failing three times in one game under these circumstances.
But Don Larsen reached back and retired Bob Hazel on a pop up to Gil McDougald at short. Del Crandall looked at strike three from Larsen, making New York winners by the score of 12-3.
Mantle finished the game 2-3 with a home run, 2 runs scored, 2 RBI and two walks. Aaron finished the game 2-5 with a home run, 1 run scored and 2 RBIs. But no walks.
The injury to Mantle shoulder would hurt his effectiveness the rest of the Series. He did not even play in game 5 and only came in the 8th inning of game 6. In game 7, he managed just one hit as Milwaukee won the 1957 World Series with a 5-0 win. The Mick did not hit a home run in any of the remaining four contests after game three.
Aaron meanwhile, had another home run and three RBI in game four, won by Milwaukee 7-5 in 10 innings. Aaron also went yard in game six, but the Braves lost this one to Turley, 3-2. Aaron had an RBI, but no home runs in game seven.
Aaron and Mantle would meet again the next World Series, but they did not connect in same game. The Braves, you had to think, were on the verge of a dynasty, while New York always seemed to have one, although perhaps in decline. But the Braves and Yankees would not play again in the World Series for nearly 40 years.
It's always too bad when you have two greats in opposite leagues in baseball rarely face each other outside of exhibition games. Only now, with the advent of interleague play in 1997, do you get to see the other league until October. In Mantle's and Aaron's case this 1957 Fall Classic was early in their careers. But the late 50s and 60s were dominated by the new Los Angeles Dodgers, so the Braves were out of luck. Mantle's teams made the postseason 12 times in his first 14 years in the bigs. I guess it's one of the reasons I actually like inter-league play!
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