Bobby Richardson made the last putout in 1962. Then he popped out to end it in 1964! He always seemed to do something of note in the Fall Classic. It was Bobby's time to shine! It was a rematch of the 1951 World Series, The Mick and The Say Hey Kid again. But this this was a coast-to-coast affair. New York, in fact, was going to start things in San Fran, and end things there, too!
After two great World Series performances in 1960 and 1961 (.367 and .361), Bobby fell off in '62 with only a .148 batting average. He managed to collect two hits and two runs scored in game five. But in game seven, he made two nice plays to help the New York Yankees win it.
He walked twice in the game, which was pretty rare for him. But in the ninth inning, with New York clinging to a one-run lead (1-0), Bobby came through with the glove!
Matty Alou stepped in to pinch hit for pitcher Billy O'Dell, who had just tossed two fine scoreless innings of relief. O'Dell also did not allow a hit. But Ralph Terry, you see, was working on a two-hitter!
Alou got the third hit of the game for San Francisco. Terry settled down and put the Giants on edge by fanning the next two batters. But Willie Mays stroked a double to right. Tie game?
Alou rounded third and maybe had thoughts of home. But here's where Richardson comes to the rescue!
Roger Maris, playing right, got to it quickly. Bobby, the second basemen, ran out to short right to take the throw. Maris hit Richardson with a nice peg and Bobby gunned the thing home. Alou held. But now, the tying run was ninety feet away and the winning run was at second. A base hit here, and this thing is all over!
The other Willie, McCovey, stepped in. Terry's first pitch was fouled off to right. Maris gave chase, but this thing ended up in the stands. The next pitch was rocketed towards right-center. Here's where Richardson was positioned. Bobby caught the thing, and this exciting World Series was over.
Two years later, it was another exciting affair. The Yankees though, were ageing and injured. Richardson collected thirteen hits, including eight of St. Louis' star pitcher, Bob Gibson.
And Gibby (who just celebrated his 79th birthday yesterday!) was there on the hill in game seven as the Cards built a 6-0 lead after five innings.
In the top of the sixth, Richardson led off by beating a slow roller towards third. Maris followed with a single. When Mantle took Gibson out of the park on an 0-1 pitch, the lead was sliced in half. Gibson suddenly seemed a little less than invincible. Manager Johhny Keane decided to leave him in the game. But Gibson, who had started game five, was tired.
Richardson connected for another hit with two down in the top of the seventh. Roger Maris connected well on the next pitch, but it was a liner for an inning-ending out. The Cardinals, added a run in the bottom of the frame on a solo blast by Ken Boyer.
The Yankees, however, were fighting this thing to the end. With one out in the top of the ninth, and St. Louis still up 7-3, New York caught fire. Or they caught up to some of Bob Gibson's bad pitches.
Clete Boyer, not to be outdone by his brother, hit a payoff pitch into left for a home run of his own. It was now 7-4, St. Louis. Under today's scheme of things, we'd see the closer in at this point. But this was 1964 and no one came on for Gibson!
But Phil Linz hit the Yankees second home run of the inning and third of the game, as Gibson was just one out away from putting this thing on ice. But now, with the score 7-5, he'd have to face Bobby Richardson.
Gibson missed for ball one, then got a strike. But on the next pitch, Bobby popped out to second, ending a very, very exciting World Series that didn't seem to know where to stop.
For Bobby Richardson, it was his last Fall Classic. It was also his third seventh game, having gone to seven in '60 for good measure(He also was on the Yankees in '57 and '58 when it went seven, but never got off the bench past game five of either clashes!).
On a team that had Mickey Mantle, Roger Maris, Ellie Howard and Yogi Berra, Richardson was low on the totem pole of dangerous hitters. In fact, I believe he might have been the hitter that garnered the least attention. But at the end of '62 and '64, here's Bobby!
After two great World Series performances in 1960 and 1961 (.367 and .361), Bobby fell off in '62 with only a .148 batting average. He managed to collect two hits and two runs scored in game five. But in game seven, he made two nice plays to help the New York Yankees win it.
He walked twice in the game, which was pretty rare for him. But in the ninth inning, with New York clinging to a one-run lead (1-0), Bobby came through with the glove!
Matty Alou stepped in to pinch hit for pitcher Billy O'Dell, who had just tossed two fine scoreless innings of relief. O'Dell also did not allow a hit. But Ralph Terry, you see, was working on a two-hitter!
Alou got the third hit of the game for San Francisco. Terry settled down and put the Giants on edge by fanning the next two batters. But Willie Mays stroked a double to right. Tie game?
Alou rounded third and maybe had thoughts of home. But here's where Richardson comes to the rescue!
Roger Maris, playing right, got to it quickly. Bobby, the second basemen, ran out to short right to take the throw. Maris hit Richardson with a nice peg and Bobby gunned the thing home. Alou held. But now, the tying run was ninety feet away and the winning run was at second. A base hit here, and this thing is all over!
The other Willie, McCovey, stepped in. Terry's first pitch was fouled off to right. Maris gave chase, but this thing ended up in the stands. The next pitch was rocketed towards right-center. Here's where Richardson was positioned. Bobby caught the thing, and this exciting World Series was over.
Two years later, it was another exciting affair. The Yankees though, were ageing and injured. Richardson collected thirteen hits, including eight of St. Louis' star pitcher, Bob Gibson.
And Gibby (who just celebrated his 79th birthday yesterday!) was there on the hill in game seven as the Cards built a 6-0 lead after five innings.
In the top of the sixth, Richardson led off by beating a slow roller towards third. Maris followed with a single. When Mantle took Gibson out of the park on an 0-1 pitch, the lead was sliced in half. Gibson suddenly seemed a little less than invincible. Manager Johhny Keane decided to leave him in the game. But Gibson, who had started game five, was tired.
Richardson connected for another hit with two down in the top of the seventh. Roger Maris connected well on the next pitch, but it was a liner for an inning-ending out. The Cardinals, added a run in the bottom of the frame on a solo blast by Ken Boyer.
The Yankees, however, were fighting this thing to the end. With one out in the top of the ninth, and St. Louis still up 7-3, New York caught fire. Or they caught up to some of Bob Gibson's bad pitches.
Clete Boyer, not to be outdone by his brother, hit a payoff pitch into left for a home run of his own. It was now 7-4, St. Louis. Under today's scheme of things, we'd see the closer in at this point. But this was 1964 and no one came on for Gibson!
But Phil Linz hit the Yankees second home run of the inning and third of the game, as Gibson was just one out away from putting this thing on ice. But now, with the score 7-5, he'd have to face Bobby Richardson.
Gibson missed for ball one, then got a strike. But on the next pitch, Bobby popped out to second, ending a very, very exciting World Series that didn't seem to know where to stop.
For Bobby Richardson, it was his last Fall Classic. It was also his third seventh game, having gone to seven in '60 for good measure(He also was on the Yankees in '57 and '58 when it went seven, but never got off the bench past game five of either clashes!).
On a team that had Mickey Mantle, Roger Maris, Ellie Howard and Yogi Berra, Richardson was low on the totem pole of dangerous hitters. In fact, I believe he might have been the hitter that garnered the least attention. But at the end of '62 and '64, here's Bobby!
No comments:
Post a Comment