Stu Miller, who just passed away on Sunday, happend to be the pitcher to get called for a balk in the 1961 All-Star Game in San Fran. He also happend to be the pitcher who gave up Mickey Mantle's 500th home run in 1967. But there was more to him than being in wrong place at the wrong time.
His career started out well enough with a 6-3 record and a good ERA of 2.05 in only 12 games in 1952. His team? The St. Louis Cardinals. So he was a teammate of Stan Musial. But he was not the only pitcher making his MLB debut that year with the Cards. Harvey Haddix was also getting his feet wet. Also pitching on that team, but not a rookie, was Cloyd Boyer. Ken and Clete's older brother.
Stu seemed not to fulfill his potential. He was in and out of the starting rotation for the Cardinals and when he was traded to the Giants, it was more of the same. When the Giants went west in 1958, he seemed to make steps to becoming better. In 1958 alone, he led the National League in ERA, 2.47. But his win-loss record was just 6-9. He was 8-7 the next year despite another good ERA, 2.84. He was starting less games, however. He pitched in 50 games in '59 and started only 9. The bullpen beakened his presence. And at this point, his career is looking a little like Sandy Koufax. Not pitching much as a starter, moves out west, pitches more, and makes progress. Koufax was 11-11 in 1958 and 8-6 in 1959. By 1961 he was a star. So was Stu Miller.
Miller went 14-5 with a league-leading 17 saves for the Giants in 1961. His ERA was below 3 for the third time in four seasons, 2.66. But here's what happened to him in the All-Star Game.
Back then, two games were played. And in 1961, the first was played in the new Candlestick Park. Not double-decked at this point, there were some serious wind problems. A nearby mountain had been leveled to make room for the parking lot. Too late, the makers realized the mountain had been a nature-created wind breaker. Take it away, and there were problems.
So the game, played on July 11th, was good one. An extra-inning affair. Both Miller and Koufax were the breakout starts of that season. And they both pitched.
Koufax had a tough assignment. In the top of the ninth, it was Elroy Face on for the National League to close out a 3-1 lead for the Seniors. But, alas, with one out, the AL came on! Norm Cash doubled and Nellie Fox came in to pinch run. Al Kaline singled to score Cash and cut it to 3-2. Roger Maris, on his way to 61 home runs, was the next hitter. Who better to bring in out of the 'pen then Koufax to face him?
But Roger Maris singled to right, Kaline only made it to second. Sandy's day was over. Miller came in. And here is where it got interesting.
Miller reared back on a pitch to Rocky Colavito, but a strong gust of wind held him up long enough for him to balk. That moved both runners up. And error by Ken Boyer allowed the tying run to score. Then, Smoky Burgess made an error chasing Tony Kubek's pop up in foul territory. The National League made a third error that inning for good measure. Stu managed to get out of that without any further damage, but in the top of the tenth, the tie was broken. Miller fanned the side, but another error by Boyer put the American League up a run.
The National League came back. In the bottom of the frame, Hank Aaron singled. went to second on a passed ball, then scored on a Willie Mays double. Roberto Clemente won the game with a single after Frank Robinson was hit by a pitch. Miller went into the record books as the winning pitcher in the (First) 1961 All-Star Game.
He stayed with the Giants the next year as they went all the way to game seven of the World Series against Mickey Mantle's New York Yankees. He got Mantle out the only two times he faced him.
And he went to the other league in 1963. He was now a Baltimore Oriole. And while he posted a 5-8 record, he lead the league in saves with 27. And his earned run average was 2.24 in 112 1/3 innings. But he just had to be on the wrong end of a home run in 1967. To Mickey Mantle.
The Mick, in his second last year but with 499 home runs to his name on May 14th, was with the New York Yankees against the Baltimore Orioles. It was at Yankee Stadium. A lot of empty seats. The Yankees were no longer a great team. They weren't even a good team anymore.
Baltimore was up 4-3 when Stu came on to pitch the bottom of the sixth. He got Elston Howard, but Tom Tresh reached on an error. With two outs, Joe Pepitone hit a two-run home run to put New York up, 5-4.
The Mick came to bat in the next inning. Miller fell behind him 3-1, and threw a pitch that Mantle swings on and misses. Then, Mantle could only foul off the next pitch. But Mickey hit Stu's very next pitch to right for a home run. The ovation that came his way was loud and deafening. It lasted through Elston Howards plate appearance.
The pitch was Stu's changeup. It was also the only home run Mantle hit off Miller in his career. But that, and thee 1961 All-Star game, are two moments in baseball history that Stu was a part off. Maybe not the part he wanted!
References
Gallagher, Mark. Explosion!: Mickey Mantle's Legendary Home Runs. New York: Arbor House, 1987. Print.
Neft, David S., Richard M. Cohen, and Michael L. Neft. The Sports Encyclopedia: Baseball, 1992. 12th ed. New York: St. Martin's Press, 1992. Print.
Nemec, David et all. 20th Century Baseball Chronicle: A Year-by-year History of Major League Baseball. Collector's Edition. Lincolnwood, Ill: Publications International, 1993. Print.
YankeesAtShea. "Mickey Mantle 1967 - 500th Home Run as aired on WPIX-TV, 5/14/1967." Youtube, uploaded by YankeesAtShea, 20 May. 2012, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ioALzM98jaQ.
His career started out well enough with a 6-3 record and a good ERA of 2.05 in only 12 games in 1952. His team? The St. Louis Cardinals. So he was a teammate of Stan Musial. But he was not the only pitcher making his MLB debut that year with the Cards. Harvey Haddix was also getting his feet wet. Also pitching on that team, but not a rookie, was Cloyd Boyer. Ken and Clete's older brother.
Stu seemed not to fulfill his potential. He was in and out of the starting rotation for the Cardinals and when he was traded to the Giants, it was more of the same. When the Giants went west in 1958, he seemed to make steps to becoming better. In 1958 alone, he led the National League in ERA, 2.47. But his win-loss record was just 6-9. He was 8-7 the next year despite another good ERA, 2.84. He was starting less games, however. He pitched in 50 games in '59 and started only 9. The bullpen beakened his presence. And at this point, his career is looking a little like Sandy Koufax. Not pitching much as a starter, moves out west, pitches more, and makes progress. Koufax was 11-11 in 1958 and 8-6 in 1959. By 1961 he was a star. So was Stu Miller.
Miller went 14-5 with a league-leading 17 saves for the Giants in 1961. His ERA was below 3 for the third time in four seasons, 2.66. But here's what happened to him in the All-Star Game.
Back then, two games were played. And in 1961, the first was played in the new Candlestick Park. Not double-decked at this point, there were some serious wind problems. A nearby mountain had been leveled to make room for the parking lot. Too late, the makers realized the mountain had been a nature-created wind breaker. Take it away, and there were problems.
So the game, played on July 11th, was good one. An extra-inning affair. Both Miller and Koufax were the breakout starts of that season. And they both pitched.
Koufax had a tough assignment. In the top of the ninth, it was Elroy Face on for the National League to close out a 3-1 lead for the Seniors. But, alas, with one out, the AL came on! Norm Cash doubled and Nellie Fox came in to pinch run. Al Kaline singled to score Cash and cut it to 3-2. Roger Maris, on his way to 61 home runs, was the next hitter. Who better to bring in out of the 'pen then Koufax to face him?
But Roger Maris singled to right, Kaline only made it to second. Sandy's day was over. Miller came in. And here is where it got interesting.
Miller reared back on a pitch to Rocky Colavito, but a strong gust of wind held him up long enough for him to balk. That moved both runners up. And error by Ken Boyer allowed the tying run to score. Then, Smoky Burgess made an error chasing Tony Kubek's pop up in foul territory. The National League made a third error that inning for good measure. Stu managed to get out of that without any further damage, but in the top of the tenth, the tie was broken. Miller fanned the side, but another error by Boyer put the American League up a run.
The National League came back. In the bottom of the frame, Hank Aaron singled. went to second on a passed ball, then scored on a Willie Mays double. Roberto Clemente won the game with a single after Frank Robinson was hit by a pitch. Miller went into the record books as the winning pitcher in the (First) 1961 All-Star Game.
He stayed with the Giants the next year as they went all the way to game seven of the World Series against Mickey Mantle's New York Yankees. He got Mantle out the only two times he faced him.
And he went to the other league in 1963. He was now a Baltimore Oriole. And while he posted a 5-8 record, he lead the league in saves with 27. And his earned run average was 2.24 in 112 1/3 innings. But he just had to be on the wrong end of a home run in 1967. To Mickey Mantle.
The Mick, in his second last year but with 499 home runs to his name on May 14th, was with the New York Yankees against the Baltimore Orioles. It was at Yankee Stadium. A lot of empty seats. The Yankees were no longer a great team. They weren't even a good team anymore.
Baltimore was up 4-3 when Stu came on to pitch the bottom of the sixth. He got Elston Howard, but Tom Tresh reached on an error. With two outs, Joe Pepitone hit a two-run home run to put New York up, 5-4.
The Mick came to bat in the next inning. Miller fell behind him 3-1, and threw a pitch that Mantle swings on and misses. Then, Mantle could only foul off the next pitch. But Mickey hit Stu's very next pitch to right for a home run. The ovation that came his way was loud and deafening. It lasted through Elston Howards plate appearance.
The pitch was Stu's changeup. It was also the only home run Mantle hit off Miller in his career. But that, and thee 1961 All-Star game, are two moments in baseball history that Stu was a part off. Maybe not the part he wanted!
References
Gallagher, Mark. Explosion!: Mickey Mantle's Legendary Home Runs. New York: Arbor House, 1987. Print.
Neft, David S., Richard M. Cohen, and Michael L. Neft. The Sports Encyclopedia: Baseball, 1992. 12th ed. New York: St. Martin's Press, 1992. Print.
Nemec, David et all. 20th Century Baseball Chronicle: A Year-by-year History of Major League Baseball. Collector's Edition. Lincolnwood, Ill: Publications International, 1993. Print.
YankeesAtShea. "Mickey Mantle 1967 - 500th Home Run as aired on WPIX-TV, 5/14/1967." Youtube, uploaded by YankeesAtShea, 20 May. 2012, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ioALzM98jaQ.
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