"Gave up the first career home run to both pitcher Whitey Ford and rightfielder Hank Aaron."
That would be New York Yankee pitcher Vic Raschi. There was, however, a lot more to The Sprinfield Rifle than that. He was, along with Allie Reynolds and Ed Lopat, part of the "Big Three" of the Yankees pitching staff in the late 40s and early 50s.
He beat the Boston Red Sox 5-3 on the last day of the 1949 season, and that gave the Yankee the pennant. It was Casey Stengel, in his first year at the helm of the Bronx Bombers, who would finally sip champagne after a hard-fought battle between the two teams all year. And Casey then got his first World Series ring as a manager as Raschi and company took care of Brooklyn in the World Series.
Stengel's team won it the next four years for good measure. Raschi went 92-40 over the course of those five years, winning five more games in the World Series. But then, in 1954, he was no longer a Yankee. Vic was purchased by the St. Louis Cardinals for $85,000 in February of that year. Raschi would never pitch in another Fall Classic.
On April 23rd of that year, Raschi found himself pitching against the Milwaukee Braves. And they had rookie Hank Aaron in the lineup despite hitting just .217 in his first six games in the bigs. Aaron wasted no time and singled home a run in the top of the first.
Stan Musial made it 2-1 Cards in the bottom of the frame, but the Braves were on a roll here. Although they fell behind 4-1, Johnny Logan hit a home run off Raschi to get a run back in the fourth. It was Hank Aaron's turn in the top of the sixth. When it was over, it was Milwaukee winning it in 14 innings, 7-5. Aaron had arrived. Raschi was left with a no decision. Hank finished the year with a modest total of 13 home runs, but there was plenty more to follow.
Raschi had to endure a disappointing 8-9 season. Soon, he was back in the American League, but not on the Yankees. He was with the Kansas City Athletics, and pitching his last year in 1955. On July the 29th, Raschi had to face Whitey Ford, who was already 11-5. He'd soon be 12-5.
Ford held the A's to just five hits and two runs. In the bottom of the seventh, he broke a 1-1 tie with a home run off Vic Raschi (Who'd been pitching excellently up to that point) for his first career long ball. The game, played at Yankee Stadium, would soon see Enos Slaugher, who had two tour of duties with the Yankees, tie it for Raschi with a home run of his own in the top of the eighth. He was batting for Vic and taking him off the hook for a loss. The home team took the lead for good, however, in the bottom of the frame. Tom Gorman ended up with the loss, despite Kansas putting a pair of runners on in the top of the ninth.
Raschi finished the year 4-6. So he went out with a wimper. Ford was now the "Go To Guy" in October, and he beat the Brooklyn Dodgers twice in the World Series. He'd go on to face Hank Aaron and the Milwaukee Braves in both the 1957 and 1958 Fall Classics. The Braves won the first time and the Yankees came roaring back from 3-1 down in '58.
Ford didn't hit too many more long balls. He finished with just three. Aaron hit 27 that year, and was just getting better and better. Raschi finished his career with an impressive W% of .667 (132-66), but nowhere enough wins to make the Hall Of Fame. Ford, however, won over 100 more games than Raschi (236) and posted a W% of .690. Aaron went on to hit 755 home runs. In 1982, six years after his retirement from baseball, he joined Ford in the Hall.
References
Ford, Whitey, and Phil Pepe. Slick. New York: W. Morrow, 1987. Print. pp. 134.
That would be New York Yankee pitcher Vic Raschi. There was, however, a lot more to The Sprinfield Rifle than that. He was, along with Allie Reynolds and Ed Lopat, part of the "Big Three" of the Yankees pitching staff in the late 40s and early 50s.
He beat the Boston Red Sox 5-3 on the last day of the 1949 season, and that gave the Yankee the pennant. It was Casey Stengel, in his first year at the helm of the Bronx Bombers, who would finally sip champagne after a hard-fought battle between the two teams all year. And Casey then got his first World Series ring as a manager as Raschi and company took care of Brooklyn in the World Series.
Stengel's team won it the next four years for good measure. Raschi went 92-40 over the course of those five years, winning five more games in the World Series. But then, in 1954, he was no longer a Yankee. Vic was purchased by the St. Louis Cardinals for $85,000 in February of that year. Raschi would never pitch in another Fall Classic.
On April 23rd of that year, Raschi found himself pitching against the Milwaukee Braves. And they had rookie Hank Aaron in the lineup despite hitting just .217 in his first six games in the bigs. Aaron wasted no time and singled home a run in the top of the first.
Stan Musial made it 2-1 Cards in the bottom of the frame, but the Braves were on a roll here. Although they fell behind 4-1, Johnny Logan hit a home run off Raschi to get a run back in the fourth. It was Hank Aaron's turn in the top of the sixth. When it was over, it was Milwaukee winning it in 14 innings, 7-5. Aaron had arrived. Raschi was left with a no decision. Hank finished the year with a modest total of 13 home runs, but there was plenty more to follow.
Raschi had to endure a disappointing 8-9 season. Soon, he was back in the American League, but not on the Yankees. He was with the Kansas City Athletics, and pitching his last year in 1955. On July the 29th, Raschi had to face Whitey Ford, who was already 11-5. He'd soon be 12-5.
Ford held the A's to just five hits and two runs. In the bottom of the seventh, he broke a 1-1 tie with a home run off Vic Raschi (Who'd been pitching excellently up to that point) for his first career long ball. The game, played at Yankee Stadium, would soon see Enos Slaugher, who had two tour of duties with the Yankees, tie it for Raschi with a home run of his own in the top of the eighth. He was batting for Vic and taking him off the hook for a loss. The home team took the lead for good, however, in the bottom of the frame. Tom Gorman ended up with the loss, despite Kansas putting a pair of runners on in the top of the ninth.
Raschi finished the year 4-6. So he went out with a wimper. Ford was now the "Go To Guy" in October, and he beat the Brooklyn Dodgers twice in the World Series. He'd go on to face Hank Aaron and the Milwaukee Braves in both the 1957 and 1958 Fall Classics. The Braves won the first time and the Yankees came roaring back from 3-1 down in '58.
Ford didn't hit too many more long balls. He finished with just three. Aaron hit 27 that year, and was just getting better and better. Raschi finished his career with an impressive W% of .667 (132-66), but nowhere enough wins to make the Hall Of Fame. Ford, however, won over 100 more games than Raschi (236) and posted a W% of .690. Aaron went on to hit 755 home runs. In 1982, six years after his retirement from baseball, he joined Ford in the Hall.
References
Ford, Whitey, and Phil Pepe. Slick. New York: W. Morrow, 1987. Print. pp. 134.
Sports Reference LLC. Baseball-Reference.com - Major League Statistics and Information. http://www.baseball-reference.com/. Web. 10 Oct. 2016.
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