That would be Gene Conley, star pitcher for the Milwaukee Braves in the 1950s and later for the Boston Red Sox. Conley was also a forward on the Boston Celtics. But in 1959/60, he had to help centre Bill Russell guard Wilt! Wilt seemed like a super imposing figure on the Philadelphia Warriors the way Mantle was an imposing figure on the Yankees.
In 1957, it was the Milwaukee Braves vs. Mickey Mantle's Yankees in the Fall Classic. The Yankees seemed like the better team, and it was going to take a group effort to beat them. The Braves had Hank Aaron and Eddie Mathews' big bats.
By the time Conley took over the hill in the top of the third inning of game three, it was already 5-1 New York. One out. Mantle had walked and scored in the top of the first. Walked and was forced out at home in the third. The home town Braves were in for a long day.
Conley got Jerry Coleman to pop out to Mathews at third for the second out. Pitcher Don Larsen (Making his first appearance on the hill in the World Series since his perfect game in game five of '56) then grounded out to end that.
The top of the fourth saw Conley retire Hank Bauer for the first out. But then Tony Kubek singled. Mantle was back at the dish. And he deposited a 3-1 Conley offering over the wall in right-centre to make it a 7-1 ballgame. Gene got out of there without further damage, but in the bottom of the frame, he left for a pinch hitter.
Conley did not make another appearance in the 1957 World Series, which the Braves eventually won. In 1959, he was on the Boston Celtics of the NBA, when the big rookie was Wilt Chamberlain. The Big Guy got 30 points on Russell (22 points himself) in their first ever head-to-head meeting on November 7, 1959. Conley did not do much. Wilt seemed even more dominating in their next meeting, just eighteen days later. Wilt put up 45 points to Russell's 15. Conley did much better this time out, however. He scored 17 points himself. But Wilt's team won. This team was a worthy opponent.
The very next day, November 26, Conley scored 24 points vs. Wilt's Warriors. It proved to be a season high. The Celtics first opponent in the playoffs was Philadelphia, of course. Philly had beaten Syracuse in the first round.
Wilt got 42 in the first game vs. Boston, although the Celtics won. Wilt scored only 29 in the second game as the Warriors knotted things. Boston blew 'em out by 30 in game three, however. Six Celtics scored 10 or more points, with Conley getting exactly 10. Gene failed to score a point in the crucial game four, but the Celtics won anyways as Wilt got only 24 compared to Russell's 17.
But when things went back to Boston, Wilt assumed a God-like mode in this game five. It was a must-win situation. And Wilt won the game for his team. 50 points. Russell got only 22. Conley, 15. The series finally ended with a close 119-117 win in game six in Philadelphia, as the first Russell / Chamberlain matchup lived up to it's billing. Wilt scored 26, but Russell stayed right with him with 25 of his own. Conley added sixteen.
The Celtics then needed seven game to beat the St. Louis Hawks for the NBA crown. Conley fouled out in the final game and scored only five points, but Boston won.
Sports Reference LLC. Baseball-Reference.com - Major League Statistics and Information. http://www.baseball-reference.com/. Web. 19 August 2015.
Sports Reference LLC. Basketball-Reference.com - Basketball Statistics and History. http://www.basketball-reference.com/. Web. 19 August 2015.
In 1957, it was the Milwaukee Braves vs. Mickey Mantle's Yankees in the Fall Classic. The Yankees seemed like the better team, and it was going to take a group effort to beat them. The Braves had Hank Aaron and Eddie Mathews' big bats.
By the time Conley took over the hill in the top of the third inning of game three, it was already 5-1 New York. One out. Mantle had walked and scored in the top of the first. Walked and was forced out at home in the third. The home town Braves were in for a long day.
Conley got Jerry Coleman to pop out to Mathews at third for the second out. Pitcher Don Larsen (Making his first appearance on the hill in the World Series since his perfect game in game five of '56) then grounded out to end that.
The top of the fourth saw Conley retire Hank Bauer for the first out. But then Tony Kubek singled. Mantle was back at the dish. And he deposited a 3-1 Conley offering over the wall in right-centre to make it a 7-1 ballgame. Gene got out of there without further damage, but in the bottom of the frame, he left for a pinch hitter.
Conley did not make another appearance in the 1957 World Series, which the Braves eventually won. In 1959, he was on the Boston Celtics of the NBA, when the big rookie was Wilt Chamberlain. The Big Guy got 30 points on Russell (22 points himself) in their first ever head-to-head meeting on November 7, 1959. Conley did not do much. Wilt seemed even more dominating in their next meeting, just eighteen days later. Wilt put up 45 points to Russell's 15. Conley did much better this time out, however. He scored 17 points himself. But Wilt's team won. This team was a worthy opponent.
The very next day, November 26, Conley scored 24 points vs. Wilt's Warriors. It proved to be a season high. The Celtics first opponent in the playoffs was Philadelphia, of course. Philly had beaten Syracuse in the first round.
Wilt got 42 in the first game vs. Boston, although the Celtics won. Wilt scored only 29 in the second game as the Warriors knotted things. Boston blew 'em out by 30 in game three, however. Six Celtics scored 10 or more points, with Conley getting exactly 10. Gene failed to score a point in the crucial game four, but the Celtics won anyways as Wilt got only 24 compared to Russell's 17.
But when things went back to Boston, Wilt assumed a God-like mode in this game five. It was a must-win situation. And Wilt won the game for his team. 50 points. Russell got only 22. Conley, 15. The series finally ended with a close 119-117 win in game six in Philadelphia, as the first Russell / Chamberlain matchup lived up to it's billing. Wilt scored 26, but Russell stayed right with him with 25 of his own. Conley added sixteen.
The Celtics then needed seven game to beat the St. Louis Hawks for the NBA crown. Conley fouled out in the final game and scored only five points, but Boston won.
References
Sports Reference LLC. Baseball-Reference.com - Major League Statistics and Information. http://www.baseball-reference.com/. Web. 19 August 2015.
Sports Reference LLC. Basketball-Reference.com - Basketball Statistics and History. http://www.basketball-reference.com/. Web. 19 August 2015.
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