The Yankees had to face Hank Aaron, Roberto Clemente and Frank Robinson in their Fall Classic adventures in the late 1950s and early 1960s. New York was there in 1957, '58, and from 1960-1962. But there was a great rightfielder in the way in all of them.
Aaron really showed the Yankees why he was such a great slugger. It must have been hard for New York to get up for a team from Milwaukee in 1957. They were so used to facing the Dodgers or the Giants, that they might not have known what to expect from the Braves. Hank Aaron might have been a quite superstar, but he left a lasting impression on everyone. The guy in right did a lot of things right in this and many of the remaining games.
In game three, with the Fall Classic tied at one game all, it was all New York. Mickey Mantle's fourth inning home run must have really taken it all out of the hometown Braves' fans. It was 7-1 after that two-run blast. But Aaron gave 'em something positive with a two-run home run of his own in bottom of the fifth. It did not stop the Yankees from going away with this one, but it gave them something to worry about.
The next game, Aaron became a clutch hitter. His dramatic two-run dinger in the bottom of the tenth turned a 5-5 tie into a 7-5 Milwaukee win! That tied this Fall Classic. A 1-0 effort the next day gave Milwaukee a 3-2 Series lead. And Aaron added a home run in game six, but New York won the game. At it's dramatic finale, though, it was the underdog Braves scoring a 5-0 win in game seven to win the 1957 World Series! Aaron didn't hit a home run in that game, but collected an RBI and a run scored. Obviously, no one on the Yankees did either of those things.
Aaron's team was back against the same team the next year. Although Hank hit .333, he got only two RBIs and three runs scored. And he failed to hit one out of the park. The Yankees, down three games to one at one point, stormed back to win the last three games.
In 1960 it was again the Yankees as the favourites. But Roberto Clemente, helped his Pittsburgh Pirates pull of an upset.
In game one, he drove in a run, as the Pirates won 7-4 at home. New York, though, annihilated the Pirates 16-3 and 10-0 in the next two games. The Pirates won game four, 3-2. But Clemente didn't do much.
In game five, Roberto got an RBI, and the crucial game was won by Pittsburgh, 5-2. One more win and it's all over. But New York crushed 'em 12-0 in game six.
In game seven, Roberto was a bit of a rally-killer. He hit into an inning-ending double play in the bottom of the third. But Pittsburgh was up 4-0 at that point. New York charged back and took a 7-4 lead into the last of the eight.
But Roberto Clemente singled home the Pirates' second run of the inning as Pittsburgh closed to within one. When Hal Smith hit a three-run home run, it was suddenly Pirates 9, Yankees, 7. New York came back to tie it in the top of the ninth, before Pittsburgh won it all on a home run by Bill Mazeroski in the bottom of the frame.
The next year, New York was back in the Fall Classic and looking for revenge. They faced the underdog Cincinnati Reds. Looking in right, they saw Frank Robinson.
In game on, Frank and his 'mates seemed a little intimidated by the Big, Bad, Bronx. They lost 2-0 and could only collect two hits. Frank got none, but did manage to draw a walk. Alas, Cincy was going to need more than that to beat New York.
Frank failed to get a hit again in game two, but walked again and somehow managed to score twice. The most important thing to come out of all that was the Reds' 6-2 win, which knotted this thing at a game apiece. Cincinnati had found a way. Now heading home with three in Crosley Field, they had to have a nice shot of confidence.
And they looked like they were going to take game three as well. Frank Robinson got a double in the bottom of the third to make it 1-0. New York tied it. In the bottom of the seventh, it was Eddie Kasko with a single to put the Reds ahead again.
Bob Purkey, pitching for the Reds, retired the first two men in the top of the eighth. But then Frank watched helplessly as Johnny Blanchard hit the first pitch to him over Frank's head in right for a game-tying home run. When Roger Maris did the same in the top of the ninth, the Yankees were ahead for good. So close.
Facing Whitey Ford, who'd shutout Cincinnati in game one, Frank could only ground out in his first at-bat of game four. Eddie Kasko singled in the bottom of the fourth. Ford hit Frank when he batted that inning, but Cincinnati stranded 'em both! The game stayed close until the top of the sixth, when the Yankees doubled their lead from 2-0 to 4-0. Ford had hurt himself batting, however, and when Elio Chacon greeted him with a single to start the bottom of the frame, Whitey was done. Jim Coates came in and got two outs. But Frank stepped in. Coates could be mean and was here and now. Frank took another one for the team. But Wally Post ended the inning by flying out to centre.
Coates sailed along from their, and New York extended their lead to 7-0 going into the bottom of the ninth. Oh, Jimmy Coates was still pitching. Frank Robinson drew a one-out walk. Post delivered this time. He singled Robinson to second. Coates had to get it all together to fan Gene Freese and Gordy Coleman to preserve the shutout.
While it had all seemed easy, Frank had reached base three times and Cincy had gotten some chances to score a run or two. They didn't capitalize. They sure did in game five, but it was the situations they didn't that cost 'em!
The Yankees charged out in front, 6-0 after two innings. But here, big Frank hit a big home run. It was a three-run home run in the bottom of the third that knocked New York's starting pitcher, Ralph Terry, out of the game. The Reds, awakened, got two more hits but stranded them both.
New York, you see, didn't mess around. The scored five more runs in the top of the fourth, just as they had in the top of the first. Now ahead 11-3, Cincy would need some more fireworks. They got some.
Vada Pinson led off the bottom of the fifth with a single, but decided to test Roger Maris' arm in centre. Roger gunned him out at second. Frank Robinson grounded out. And error and a two-run home run by Wally Post made sure the inning was not all wasted. Still, it could have been 11-6 at this point, not 11-5. New York again came back the very next inning. They scored twice in the top of the sixth to make it 13-5.
Frank had another big hit in the bottom of the seventh. With two down, he hit a double to left. But there he stayed as Coleman grounded out. Wally Post got nailed with a pitch to start the bottom of the eighth. But again, Cincy couldn't get it done.
The final hit total was 15-11 for New York. But the game was all New York, as they were World Series Champions, four games to one. Frank and his mates had given it their all, though.
The old song, "Willie, Mickey and The Duke" was sung to honour the three greats in centre. Robinson got mentioned. But it's amazing how many great rightfielders there were back in the day. New York got to see three of the finest!
Aaron really showed the Yankees why he was such a great slugger. It must have been hard for New York to get up for a team from Milwaukee in 1957. They were so used to facing the Dodgers or the Giants, that they might not have known what to expect from the Braves. Hank Aaron might have been a quite superstar, but he left a lasting impression on everyone. The guy in right did a lot of things right in this and many of the remaining games.
In game three, with the Fall Classic tied at one game all, it was all New York. Mickey Mantle's fourth inning home run must have really taken it all out of the hometown Braves' fans. It was 7-1 after that two-run blast. But Aaron gave 'em something positive with a two-run home run of his own in bottom of the fifth. It did not stop the Yankees from going away with this one, but it gave them something to worry about.
The next game, Aaron became a clutch hitter. His dramatic two-run dinger in the bottom of the tenth turned a 5-5 tie into a 7-5 Milwaukee win! That tied this Fall Classic. A 1-0 effort the next day gave Milwaukee a 3-2 Series lead. And Aaron added a home run in game six, but New York won the game. At it's dramatic finale, though, it was the underdog Braves scoring a 5-0 win in game seven to win the 1957 World Series! Aaron didn't hit a home run in that game, but collected an RBI and a run scored. Obviously, no one on the Yankees did either of those things.
Aaron's team was back against the same team the next year. Although Hank hit .333, he got only two RBIs and three runs scored. And he failed to hit one out of the park. The Yankees, down three games to one at one point, stormed back to win the last three games.
In 1960 it was again the Yankees as the favourites. But Roberto Clemente, helped his Pittsburgh Pirates pull of an upset.
In game one, he drove in a run, as the Pirates won 7-4 at home. New York, though, annihilated the Pirates 16-3 and 10-0 in the next two games. The Pirates won game four, 3-2. But Clemente didn't do much.
In game five, Roberto got an RBI, and the crucial game was won by Pittsburgh, 5-2. One more win and it's all over. But New York crushed 'em 12-0 in game six.
In game seven, Roberto was a bit of a rally-killer. He hit into an inning-ending double play in the bottom of the third. But Pittsburgh was up 4-0 at that point. New York charged back and took a 7-4 lead into the last of the eight.
But Roberto Clemente singled home the Pirates' second run of the inning as Pittsburgh closed to within one. When Hal Smith hit a three-run home run, it was suddenly Pirates 9, Yankees, 7. New York came back to tie it in the top of the ninth, before Pittsburgh won it all on a home run by Bill Mazeroski in the bottom of the frame.
The next year, New York was back in the Fall Classic and looking for revenge. They faced the underdog Cincinnati Reds. Looking in right, they saw Frank Robinson.
In game on, Frank and his 'mates seemed a little intimidated by the Big, Bad, Bronx. They lost 2-0 and could only collect two hits. Frank got none, but did manage to draw a walk. Alas, Cincy was going to need more than that to beat New York.
Frank failed to get a hit again in game two, but walked again and somehow managed to score twice. The most important thing to come out of all that was the Reds' 6-2 win, which knotted this thing at a game apiece. Cincinnati had found a way. Now heading home with three in Crosley Field, they had to have a nice shot of confidence.
And they looked like they were going to take game three as well. Frank Robinson got a double in the bottom of the third to make it 1-0. New York tied it. In the bottom of the seventh, it was Eddie Kasko with a single to put the Reds ahead again.
Bob Purkey, pitching for the Reds, retired the first two men in the top of the eighth. But then Frank watched helplessly as Johnny Blanchard hit the first pitch to him over Frank's head in right for a game-tying home run. When Roger Maris did the same in the top of the ninth, the Yankees were ahead for good. So close.
Facing Whitey Ford, who'd shutout Cincinnati in game one, Frank could only ground out in his first at-bat of game four. Eddie Kasko singled in the bottom of the fourth. Ford hit Frank when he batted that inning, but Cincinnati stranded 'em both! The game stayed close until the top of the sixth, when the Yankees doubled their lead from 2-0 to 4-0. Ford had hurt himself batting, however, and when Elio Chacon greeted him with a single to start the bottom of the frame, Whitey was done. Jim Coates came in and got two outs. But Frank stepped in. Coates could be mean and was here and now. Frank took another one for the team. But Wally Post ended the inning by flying out to centre.
Coates sailed along from their, and New York extended their lead to 7-0 going into the bottom of the ninth. Oh, Jimmy Coates was still pitching. Frank Robinson drew a one-out walk. Post delivered this time. He singled Robinson to second. Coates had to get it all together to fan Gene Freese and Gordy Coleman to preserve the shutout.
While it had all seemed easy, Frank had reached base three times and Cincy had gotten some chances to score a run or two. They didn't capitalize. They sure did in game five, but it was the situations they didn't that cost 'em!
The Yankees charged out in front, 6-0 after two innings. But here, big Frank hit a big home run. It was a three-run home run in the bottom of the third that knocked New York's starting pitcher, Ralph Terry, out of the game. The Reds, awakened, got two more hits but stranded them both.
New York, you see, didn't mess around. The scored five more runs in the top of the fourth, just as they had in the top of the first. Now ahead 11-3, Cincy would need some more fireworks. They got some.
Vada Pinson led off the bottom of the fifth with a single, but decided to test Roger Maris' arm in centre. Roger gunned him out at second. Frank Robinson grounded out. And error and a two-run home run by Wally Post made sure the inning was not all wasted. Still, it could have been 11-6 at this point, not 11-5. New York again came back the very next inning. They scored twice in the top of the sixth to make it 13-5.
Frank had another big hit in the bottom of the seventh. With two down, he hit a double to left. But there he stayed as Coleman grounded out. Wally Post got nailed with a pitch to start the bottom of the eighth. But again, Cincy couldn't get it done.
The final hit total was 15-11 for New York. But the game was all New York, as they were World Series Champions, four games to one. Frank and his mates had given it their all, though.
The old song, "Willie, Mickey and The Duke" was sung to honour the three greats in centre. Robinson got mentioned. But it's amazing how many great rightfielders there were back in the day. New York got to see three of the finest!
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