World Series: Did You Know?

Bobby Richardson set not one, but two records in 1960. "Most RBIs in a seven-game series, 12". "Most RBIs (6) in one contest". He seemed a worthy successor on the New York Yankees to Billy Martin. 

But unlike Martin, Richardson was a bonnie-fide star. Five straight Gold Gloves for the second basemen. By 1959, he was a .300 hitter, something the previous Yankee second basemen never came close to doing. The new second basemen had essentially picked up where Martin left off, but not when it matters. He made appearances in the 1957 and '58 World Series, but did not factor into key plays. Richardson had to take that next step, if he was to be remembered as an all-time Yankee great.

1960 was a bit of an off year for the Yankees, and Bobby Richardson. It was Casey Stengel's last year. Mickey Mantle hit .275, Whitey Ford won 12 games. Huh? Was the team in decline? Their second basemen had a rare off-season. Bobby Richardson had just one home run and twenty-six runs driven in.

Compare that to what he did two years later: He hit .300 again! Richardson was not a power hitter. At least not that year. He was the New York Yankees' leadoff hitter in 1960 for only 28 games. Tony Kubek, the shortstop, would bat first in '60, at least for 78 games.The next season was better, as it went Kubek leading off, Richarsdon to follow. And then the meat of the order. The result was Richardson was batting with some men on. But in 1960, Bobby often batted eighth in the lineup. 108 times to be exact.

"This was by second season I was playing regularly. My best position in the line-up was second," Richardson would say in 1992, "but Casey Stengel, who was our manager at the time, never knew that. 'He doesn't get enough walks', he'd say. So I batted seventh or eighth most of the time."

Times were better ahead for Richardson. The Yankees continued their winning ways as the 1960s continued. The second basemen would prove to be a whiz with the glove. And he'd start to knock 'em in and hit the occasional home run. So, what the 1960 Fall Classic a preview of what was to come the next six years from their second basemen?

Well, game one was a big let-down. What was Bobby doing? No hits. The Yankees needed 'em. They dropped a 6-4 decision to the Pittsburgh Pirates, who were the underdogs. Mickey Mantle, who was the only other Yankee to struggle this game, was in a foul mood about this, even thirty years later.

New York took an early lead on a Roger Maris home run in the top of the first at Forbes Field. But Bill Virdon led off for Pittsburgh that same frame. He walked. A crucial play developed. Bobby Richardson and Tony Kubek had to be prepared for a steal. Who would cover second. When Virdon took on on a pitch, neither the shortstop or second basemen covered the bag. That enabled the Pirates to get a man to third. They ended up crossing the plate three times that inning. Worse still, Bob Skinner added a stolen base (In which the ball almost ended up in centre, again) that inning for Pittsburgh, which also led to a run. Skinner and later Roberto Clemente had both hit ground balls that the hard infield of Forbes Field helped guide into the outfield. 

Bobby made up for a tough opening act in the second contest. In the top of the third, with the game scoreless, Richardson (Batting in the eighth slot) walked. A bunt moved him to second. Tony Kubek, the leadoff hitter, singled Richardson home. The Yankees were ahead to stay. They added another run before the inning ended.

And the next inning, Richardson didn't let up. A single. A passed ball moved him into second. Bob Turley, the pitcher, had bunted last time up. Here, he singled home the man. 3-0.

The Pirates got a run back, but Mickey Mantle knew he had to help prove to his teammates this was their game. His two-run home run in the fifth made it 5-1 for the Bronx Bombers. The Yankees, as per usual were inspired by number seven. You should have seen their sixth inning.

Bobby Richardson came up, and doubled home Elston Howard. You know what? He batted again that inning, and singled home Moose Skowron. How many runs did New York score that inning? Try seven! It was game over.

Richardson didn't much the rest of the game. Still, he was 3-4, 3 runs scored, 2 more driven home. But if you wanted RBIs, you wanted Mickey Mantle in game two. A record five! That must have lasted a long time, you'd think.

But in game three, the Yankees' second basemen took a backseat to nobody. Okay, maybe Whitey Ford. But the pitcher needed some offence, right? Back home at Yankee Stadium, Ford was always money. I think Bobby Richardson was money in the third contest.

You'd think that great game two performance would move Richardson up in the batting order. Oh, Casey Stengel sure did. Instead of batting just before the pitcher, now Bobby would bat before Tony Kubek. But Kubek was batting in the eighth slot.

No matter. Bobby Richardson was going to bat in the bottom of the first. It was 2-0 by the time he grabbed some lumber. With a mighty wallop, it was 6-0. The grand slam meant New York would have a great time with Pittsburgh. In two different interviews, Bobby talked about the great moment and what led up to it.

"We'd scored two runs already," he'd tell Susan Fornoff, "and the bases were loaded with one out. I went up there listening to Stengel to holler, 'Hold that gun,' meaning: 'Come back and let a more powerful guy hit.' But I didn't hear it, and I soon realized why: He had me bunting!"

It would have been interesting had Bobby done that. There'd have been no big wallop!

"I fouled off two pitches, and I heard out third-base coach [Frank Crosseti] telling me to hit the ball to the right field to stay out of the double play." Well, Richardson tried to do that.

"I was really trying to hit a ground ball to the right side. Clem Labine threw the fastball up and in," Bobby said in the mid-1980s, "and I hit the ball, and I guess I was more surprised than anybody when it went out of the park. And it was indeed a grand slam, and that record still stands for RBIs." Richardson could have been referring to both a single game (6) and entire Fall Classic, (12).

In the bottom of the fourth, Mickey Mantle hit his third home run of the 1960 World Series to make it 8-0, as Whitey Ford scored ahead of him. Richardson added a two-run single. Six RBIs. That record of Mantle's from game two sure lasted, eh?

Bobby was retired the next time up, finishing the game 2-5. But with six RBIs contributing to a 10-0 Yankees' win, Richardson was the man of the moment. It seemed now, like "Who was going to win the MVP?", more than, "Who is going to win the World Series?"

Alas, the stubborn Pirates regrouped in the next two games. Vernon Law went out for the Bucs, and looked strong, despite Bobby Richardson hitting a double off him in the last of the second. In the fifth, he got New York out on the right foot by singling. Ralph Terry tried to bunt him over, but ended up just striking out. So did Bob Cerv. And Tony Kubek.

It was 3-1 for Pittsburgh in the bottom of the seventh. Moose Skowron had accounted for the only Yankees' scoring with a long ball in the fourth. Here, Skowron opened with a double. Gil McDougald singled him to third. The tying run was aboard. Bobby Richardson was up, looking for his ninth RBI in the last three games. He got it, but only by sending a ball to his counterpart on Pittsburgh, Bill Mazeroski. The was the first out. Johnny Blanchard batted for the pitcher, and singled.

This brought about a pitching change, as El Roy Face came in to face Bob Cerv. Cerv crushed one, just a little bit to the right of the "407" sign in right. Billy Virdon, who had been originally singed by the Yankees and later managed them, raced over and made a tremendous catch, jumping to his left and snaring the ball. New York would have been ahead 4-3 but for Virdon's heroics. Richardson alertly tagged after the catch and made it to third. Ninety feet away from a tie ballgame. But Tony Kubek grounded out.

Bobby had the bat taken out of his hands by the manager in the ninth, despite his hitting .438 at the time. Dale Long batted instead, and was the last out of a 3-2 Pirate win. Just as things had started to look easy for the Bronx Bombers, they had their gold stolen by the Bucs.

The Pirates got ahead 3-0 before the Yankees got on the board. Elston Howard led off the second with a huge double. Bobby Richardson had RBI number ten in his sights, but grounded out. Still, it advanced Howard to third, laying the foundation for Tony Kubek's run-scoring grounder to first. The teams traded runs in the third, so it appeared the home team was getting to Pittsburgh starter Harvey Haddix.

Howard reached again in the fourth, and suddenly our boy was the tying run. Alas, Richardson lined it to Mazeroski at second, who doubled Elston Howard off first. Bobby Richardson finished the game 0-4. When the last out was recorded, it was the Pirates heading home up three games to two.

Once again, the second basemen and his team had to redeem themselves. They sure did in the sixth contest. Whitey Ford pitched for them, and he lifted their spirits. Ford knocked home a run of his own in the top of the second. The Bronx Bombers were off and running.

The next inning, Ford's buddy Mickey Mantle drove home two more runs with a single. Moose Skowron drove home another with a sacrifice fly. And Bobby Richardson lashed a two-run triple! 6-0, for the New York Yankees. The slaughter had begun, again!

Richardson tried to add to the onslaught in the fifth, but just lined out. However, he wasn't about to be denied. Top of the seventh. Another triple. Another RBI. Whitey Ford was amused. He cashed in Bobby by hitting into a fielder's choice. The New York pitcher had driven home two runs, while the entire Pittsburgh team was being shutout.

Yogi Berra plated Mickey Mantle in the eighth, and then Johnny Blanchard got Berra home with a double. Bobby Richardson was back up. Runner at second, two away. The score was 12-0 for the Yankees. Bobby flied out.

The game was the third rout by the Bronx Bombers. And their second basemen was up to twelve RBIs in just six games. Despite this, the 12-0 win only brought them to game seven. The Pirates could still pull this one out.

Bob Turley, the game two winner, started for New York. Vern Law started for Pittsburgh. Bobby Richardson started at second, leading off.

Bobby choked up on the bat, and took the first pitch for ball one. The next pitch was to Richardson's liking. The second basemen of the Yankees made one awesome bid for a hit. Bobby sent it to left, but shortstop Dick Groat went down to his knees to make a superb catch. 

It just wasn't Turley's day. The Pirates scored twice in the first, and another against him and Bill Stafford in the second. Were the Yankees done before this one really got going?

Moose Skowron got New York back on track with a home run in the fifth. The next inning, Bobby Richardson struck the match.

His leadoff single made it a 1-3 day. Tony Kubek followed with a walk. It is dictated by the Pirates that The Law was done for the day. El Roy Face came in to pitch to Roger Maris. Maris popped out.

But then, Mickey Mantle got a hold of the first pitch. For just a single, though it cashed in Richardson. Now it was 4-2. The Yankees had plenty of life left.

Yogi Berra was up. Face made a bat pitch, and Yogi Berra did what Yogi Berra always seemed to do. A clutch three-run home run! 5-4, Bronx Bombers! What a comeback. Bobby Richardson was retired in the seventh, but Bobby Shantz was pitching lights out for the Yankees. The countdown was on to champagne.

The "M and M" boys were retired to start the eighth, but they were never quit. Yogi Berra drew a bases on balls. Single, single, double. 7-4, New York. Eight more outs to go!

But fate intervened.

It seemed all-so-innocent. Gino Cimoli led off the bottom of the eighth with a single. Bill Virdon hit an 0-1 pitch to short. Right at Tony Kubek. It would be an easy double play to get New York to within four outs of a win. However, an earlier runner's spikes had accidentally dug out a small pebble. The ball hit it, bounced up and hit Kubek in the Adam's Apple. What a bad break for New York. Bobby Richardson, seeing his friend gasping for air, quickly called time out as he got to the ball. Bobby looked over his fallen pal.

A very sad sight. So sad that even Gino Cimoli came over to have a look at Kubek. He was replaced, and a big inning ensued. The Pittsburgh Pirates scored five times in the inning, three of them coming on Hal Smith's three-run home run (It appeared as though Smith may have gone around on a 1-2 pitch, but the Yankees did not appeal to first, for some reason).

Now, Bobby Richardson and his teammates had to play The Comeback, Part II in this game. Only this time, while the margin was only two runs (9-7), they had only three outs left. Richardson, clutch again, led off the ninth with a single. Dale Long followed with one. The Bronx Bombers were back in business. Roger Maris popped out to the catcher. Mickey Mantle came through again, singling home Richardson! 9-8. Yogi Berra grounded out to first and the Yankees had somehow comeback again. Never would have happened had Richardson not got the ball rolling. New York had trailed 4-0 and 9-7 and somehow were still alive.

But no for long. Ralph Terry pitched to Bill Mazeroski in the bottom of the ninth. A 1-0 pitch was launched over Yogi Berra's head in left for a dramatic walk-off. Everyone on the Yankees were in shock.

The worst part of it was the effort that New York had wasted from Bobby Richardson. How do you explain how 26 runs driven in during the regular season becomes a dozen in the World Series? Bobby would go home without a championship, but not empty-handed. He was given the World Series MVP (Now known as the Willie Mays' Trophy) for his outstanding performance. However, even the prize was not exactly to Richardson's use. As Bobby put it, the losing was not going to subside because of his prize. "After the game, the editor of Sport magazine told me I was the Most Valuable Player, but any air of excitement was gone both because we'd lost and because of the way we had lost."

One final irony, the prize itself didn't exactly end up helping Richardson or his family.

"I took the Corvette home and traded it in for a Jeep. I had two kids, and the Corvette just wasn't big enough." Bobby would have gladly traded in the Jeep, too, for a World Series ring in 1960.



References

Enders, Eric. 100 Years Of The World Series. Sterling Publishing Co., Inc. 2005.

Ford, Whitey, and Phil Pepe. Slick. W. Morrow, 1987.



Fornoff, Susan. “World Series Official Souvenir Scorebook.” Ontario, Toronto, Oct. 1992. (Article, Surprise, Surprise, pg. 12)

Gallagher, Mark. Explosion!: Mickey Mantle's Legendary Home Runs. Arbor House, 1987.

Golenbock, Peter. Dynasty: The New York Yankees, 1949-1964. Contemporary Books, 2000. 

Major League Baseball Productions. World Series Highlights, 1958,  1960, 1961, 1962.  DVD / Youtube. 14 Apr. 2023.

Mantle, Mickey, and Herb Gluck. The Mick. Easton Press, 1996.

------------------and Mickey Herskowitz. All My Octobers: My Memories of Twelve World Series When the Yankees Ruled Baseball. HarperCollins, 1994.


Miller, Lawrence, director. New York Yankees (The Movie). Youtube, Philo / Magig Video, 1987, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AMWAt3v1I0w. Accessed 14 Apr. 2023. 

Neft, David S., Richard M. Cohen, and Michael L. Neft. The Sports Encyclopedia: Baseball, 1992. 12th ed. St. Martin's Press, 1992. 

--------------. The World Series: Complete Play-By-Play of Every Game, 1903-1989, St. Martin's Press, 1990.

Nemec, David et all. 20th Century Baseball Chronicle: A Year-by-year History of Major League Baseball. Collector's Edition. Publications International, 1993. 



Society For American Baseball Research, SABR. https://sabr.org/. 14 Apr. 2023.

Sports Reference LLC. Baseball-Reference.com - Major League Statistics and Information. http://www.baseball-reference.com/. 14 Apr. 2023.

Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, https://en.wikipedia.org/. 14 Apr. 2023.

YouTube, Google, https://www.youtube.com/. 14 Apr. 2023.

World Series: Did You Know?

Whitey Ford drove in the only run he'd need in game six of 1960. His team, the New York Yankees, needed a win. All Ford did was go out and pitch a shutout.

It was Ford's second of the 1960 Fall Classic against the Pittsburgh Pirates. He'd beaten them 10-0 in game three at Yankee Stadium. But game six was at Forbes Field.

The Pirates looked like they might get to Ford early. The Yankees went down 1-2-3 in the top of the first. Pittsburgh, up 3-2 in the World Series and looking for the finishing touches, got a single by Bill Virdon in the bottom of the frame to start their turn. Dick Groat hit into a 4-6-3 double play, however. Roberto Clemente singled to keep the inning alive, only to be stranded at first as Dick Stuart fanned.

The Yankees got into the swinging habit in the top of the second. With one out, Yogi Berra, playing left field as Elston Howard actually caught this one, walked. Moose Skowron singled. Howard was hit by a pitch. Bob Friend was in a jam. He managed to get Bobby Richardson to fly out. Short enough that no one scored. Berra though, came home with the game's first run as Ford hit one back to Friend. Berra beat the throw home. 1-0.

The Pirates got their third hit in the bottom of the second, but again nobody scored. The Yankees sure did in the top of the third. Tony Kubek was hit by a pitch. Roger Maris doubled him to third. Mickey Mantle singled 'em both home to make it 3-0. And the rout was just beginning!

Berra singled Mantle to third. Skowron flied out, and that brought The Commerce Comet home. 4-0. Johnny Blanchard singled to keep this thing going! When Bobby Richardson singled, it was 6-0. Ford and Clete Boyer were retired to end the inning, but the lefty had a nice six-run cushion to work with after 2 1/2 innings of play.

Whitey really settled down to make sure Pittsburgh have any comebacks in mind. He set 'em down 1-2-3 in the third and fourth inning. Hal Smith singled to start the fifth, and Don Hoak got the Bucs their fourth hit of the game. Bill Mazeroski hit into a double play, alas. Pinch hitter Rocky Nelson fanned.

New York added two more in the top of the sixth to make it an 8-0 laugher. Roberto Clemente got his second hit of the afternoon in the bottom of the frame, but Whitey Ford kept the shutout going. Richardson and Ford then picked up another RBI each in the top of the seventh to get it to double digits. 10-0, New York.

In the top of the eighth, Roger Maris singled for his third hit of the game, Mickey Mantle forced him at second, but there was no stopping another Yankees' uprising. Clem Labine, pitching for Pittsburgh, had once shutout the Yankees in a World Series game years earlier for the (then) Brooklyn Dodgers. Here, he was having all sorts of troubles. His wild pitch moved the great Mantle to third. Berra singled to centre, and Mantle scored. Berra took second on Bill Virdon's fielding error. Skowron grounded out, but now the catcher-turned-left fielder was 90 feet away from making it a dozen runs.

Johnny Blanchard, the actual catcher (Having replaced Elston Howard earlier) doubled to right. Berra scored for the third time. Maris, Berra, had company. Blanchard was with them with 3 hits in this must-win game.

Dick Groat singled with two out in the bottom of the frame. Nothing came of it. It was also only the sixth hit off Whitey Ford all day long. Red Witt, the fifth reliever of the game for the Bucs, got New York out 1-2-3 in the top of the ninth to keep the score at 12-0. Ford eyed the shutout, needing just to retire three more men.

Dick Stuart grounded out to short. Gino Cimoli singled. Hit number seven by Pittsburgh. But only Hal Smith and Roberto Clemente managed more than one. Smith came up, and didn't get a hit, He grounded to Clete Boyer at third. Boyer to Richardson covering second, one. Richardson to Skowron at first, double play! A nice 6-4-3. Ford was a 12-0 winner.

Whitey Ford ended the 1960 World Series with a 2-0 record, a 0.00 ERA and only 11 hits allowed over the course of 18 innings. Alas, all this was not enough. The Pittsburgh Pirates won game seven (Ford did not appear) 10-9 to take it. Remarkably enough, Ford came back the next year to win both his starts again. And again he did not allow a run. Ford was simply pitching "Lights out!" in the World Series at this time!


References


Neft, David S., and Richard M. Cohen. The World Series: Complete Play-by-play of Every Game, 1903-1989. 4th ed. New York: St. Martin's, 1990. Print. pp. 281-286.


Sports Reference LLC. Baseball-Reference.com - Major League Statistics and Information. http://www.baseball-reference.com/. Web. 03 Dec. 2016..

World Series: Did You Know?

Roberto Clemente got a hit in every game. And his Fall Classic appearances were eleven years apart.

Clemente was on the 1960 Pittsburgh Pirates who faced off against the New York Yankees in that year's World Series. Clemente was wielding a hot bat!

The home team at Forbes Field saw Roger Maris put the Yankees up 1-0 in the top of the first, but back came the Bucs in the bottom of the frame. Facing Art Ditmar, and having watched his pals score twice, Clemente delivered a single to make it 3-1. That was the end for Ditmar and the Yankees. Pittsburgh won the game 6-4.

New York snapped right back in the next two games, winning 'em 16-3 and 10-0. Roberto did collect two hits in the second contest, and another in game three at Yankee Stadium. But it did little. Pittsburgh won the next two games, however, and were heading home up 3-2, with a chance to finish 'em off in game six.

Clemente had just a hit in games four and five, collecting his second RBI of the postseason in the last game at the Stadium. His team was blown out for a third time, 12-0 in game six, but Roberto got two hits of Whitey Ford, who'd shut 'em out in game three.

So, in the winner-take-all game seven, Clemente popped out in the bottom of the first as Pittsburgh got two runs off Bob Turley. Two more runs in the second seemed good, but Roberto wasn't doing anything. He hit into a double play to end the third. The Yankees seized up on this and scored seven runs to take a 7-4 lead into the bottom of the eighth.

Clemente's single scored the second run of that inning, as the home team refused to die. Trailing still, 7-6, Hal Smith hit a three-run home run off Jim Coates to make it 9-7! Three more outs!

Well, the Yankees refused to die, too. They scored twice in the top of the ninth to tie it at 9. Bill Mazeroski then won it for Roberto and company with a walk-off home run off Ralph Terry in the last of the ninth. Clemente sort of had to take a back seat to Maz's big hit. But so too, did Bill Virdon's great defence and Harvey Haddix's excellent pitching.

The sad thing out of all this for Pittsburgh was, they had a team that seemed destined for a rematch in 1961. The Yankees, of course, were back. The Pirates? Not quite. They dropped below .500 (75-79). New York kept returning until 1965, when the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Minnesota Twins. The Dodgers boasted pitchers Sandy Koufax and Don Drysdale. They'd won in 1959, again in 1963, and finally, '65. They reached back to the Fall Classic the next year, only to be swept by the Baltimore Orioles.

The Yankees fell to Bob Gibson and the St. Louis Cardinals in 1964, and that put 'em on the map. The Cards hadn't made it to the World Series since 1946. They'd return again in 1967 and 1968. The New York Mets amazed the world with a five-game win over the Baltimore Orioles in 1969. The Cincinnati Reds, who were in the 1961 World Series instead of the Pittsburgh Pirates, made it back in 1970. But let me tell you about the next year!

The Pirates had a much different team. Now, they had Willie Stargell, Al Oliver and Bob Robertson. Their pitching staff was great. Dock Ellis, Steve Blass were there. Nelson Briles, who'd helped the Cards make it to the Fall Classic in 1967 and 1968 was there with his experience. Mudcat Grant, there on the Twins in '65 was now a Pirate. Bob Johnson, Luke Walker and Bob Moose completed the lucky seven.

So, after beating the San Francisco Giants in the NLCS, it was off to the Wordl Series against the Baltimore Orioles.

This time, it was on the road for games one and two. The Orioles won 'em both. Clemente lashed two hits in game one, and another pair of 'em in the second contest. Baltimore won game two, 11-3.

So in Pittsburgh, Clemente got just one hit. Willie Stargell got none (Although he walked three times). However, just take a look at the final score: 5-1 for Pittsburgh! Steve Blass had himself a fine 3-hitter!

Game four was close, but Roberto Clemente was all over the place. 3 hits, a walk. Surprisingly, he didn't knock in a run or touch home. But his team did four times to the O's three. And game five? It wasn't close. Pittsburgh won, 4-0. Nelson Briles trumped Mr. Blass. He allowed Baltimore two hits. Speaking of hits, our favourite player on the Pirates had one, and it knocked home the final run of the ballgame in the bottom of the fifth. The Pirates had this contest from the get-go!

In Baltimore for game six, Pittsburgh got a big blow off the bat of Roberto. He tripled his first time up off the great Jim Palmer, who'd whipped Pittsburgh in the second contest. Clemente was stranded, the Pirates scored the next inning. Here's where Roberto took over. He hit a solo home run in the third to make it 2-0. Palmer though, had 'em in the bag after that. He handcuffed the Pittsburgh Pirates the rest of the contest. It took extras, but Roberto Clemente and the Pirates were denied, 3-2.

No denials in the seventh game, however.

It came down to Steve Blass going on the hill for Pittsburgh vs. Mike Cuellar for Baltimore. Clemente could only ground out in the top of the first.

But in the top of the fourth, it was a different story. He took Cuellar out of the park for a home run. That marked the second straight game that Roberto had helped the Pirates with the long ball.

It was still 1-0 Pittsburgh in the top of the eighth when Willie Stargell singled to start the inning. Jose Pagan singled him home. The insurance run was needed, for the Orioles scored a run off Blass in the bottom of the frame.

Steve settled down, and Clemente had to settle for one hit. But when Baltimore was retired 1-2-3 in the bottom of the ninth, the Pittsburgh Pirates had won the 1971 World Series.

Roberto Clemente finished the 1971 Fall Classic with 12 hits, 2 home runs, and a splendid batting average of .414 to nab the MVP honours. He was just so dominating. Sadly, he'd die little more than a year later, and the young age of 38. The Pirates have only won the World Series one more time since, and that was in 1979. But although the time inbetween the World Series was more than a decade for Clemente, he made the most of all seven games each time.


References


Sports Reference LLC. Baseball-Reference.com - Major League Statistics and Information. http://www.baseball-reference.com/. Web. 26 Nov. 2016.

Common Denominator: Haddix And Burdette

 "Opposed each other on May 26, 1959. Pitched at least once in game seven vs, the Yankees in the World Series. Won one of the game sevens they pitched vs. the mighty Bronx Bombers."

Lew Burdette gave up 12 hits over 13 innings pitcher for the Milwaukee Braves vs. The Pittsburgh Pirates on May 26, 1959. Harvey Haddix retired the first 36 batters to face him. He ended the game with 12 2/3 IP.

And poor Harvey lost the game.

The Braves had just come off back-to-back seven game Fall Classics with the mighty New York Yankees, who don't lose too many game sevens, you see. Lew Burdette was masterful in 1957 vs. the Yankees. The scored just two runs off him his first start, none in his second.

So that brings us to game seven at Yankee Stadium. Don Larsen, who like Harvey Haddix knows a thing or two about perfect games (Well, at least what was considered one at the time) started for New York. But he was over-matched.

Don left early. Lew carried a 5-0 lead into the bottom of the ninth. And there was a "4" under the hit total on the scoreboard for the home team. The Yankees went down fighting, getting three hits in their last at-bats, including one by pitcher Tommy Byrne.

However, with two down, it was Eddie Mathews taking Moose Skowron's grounder, stepping on third and ending the 1957 World Series. The Yankees took their revenge the next year, beating Burdette 6-2 at County Stadium. The Braves were up 3-1 at one point, only to see the Yankees, behind Bob Turley (2 wins and a save) battle back.

The Braves did not make it back to the Fall Classic in 1959. They lost a two-of-three playoff to the Dodgers, who were now in Los Angeles. However, they weren't the only team missing from the World Series that year. The Yankees couldn't catch the Chicago White Sox, so for just the second time in the 1950s, they weren't around in October.

It was the Pittsburgh Pirates turn the next season to make it. Harvey Haddix got to pitch. But New York looked too strong. They won game two 16-3 in Pittsburgh. Game three, 10-0 at home. Game six, 12-0 right there at Forbes Field.

Haddix put the Buckos up three games to two with a 5-2 win in game five, despite a solo home run from Roger Maris. Game seven saw Pittsburgh lead 4-0, trailed 7-4, regain the lead 9-7. Oh, they scored five runs in the bottom of the eight frame! The Pirates needed just three more outs for the championship, but no pitcher could hold the fort. Bobby Richardson got it all started with a single. While Haddix came in and got Maris this time, Mickey Mantle singled home a run to put the Yankees to within a run. A grounder by Yogi Berra scored the tying run. Haddix, the lefty, got out with no further damage.

Bill Mazeroski stepped in to begin the bottom of the ninth. The series was tied at three, the game at nine. But two pitches later, it was all over. Maz belted Ralph Terry's second offering over Berra's head in left for a dramatic finish to a wild World Series. Haddix may have lost a heartbreaker to Burdette, but the record book also shows that they were right next to each other (Chronologically) when it came to the winning pitcher in game seven against the great New York Yankees.

References

Enders, Eric. 100 years of the World Series. New York: Sterling Publishing Co., Inc. 2005. Print.

Golenbock, Peter. Dynasty: The New York Yankees, 1949-1964. Lincolnwood, IL: Contemporary, 2000. 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.

Neft, David S., and Richard M. Cohen. The World Series: Complete Play-by-play of Every Game, 1903-1989. 4th ed. New York: St. Martin's, 1990. 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.

Sports Reference LLC. Baseball-Reference.com - Major League Statistics and Information. http://www.baseball-reference.com/. Web. 28 July. 2016.

World Series: Did You Know?

The Pirates' 1960 win was the last time to date that a Pittsburgh team clinched the championship at home at the top level. The Penguins are trying to do that in this year's Stanley Cup Finals.

Pittsburgh has quite an interesting history with the Fall Classic. They played in the inaugural World Series in 1903, even besting the immortal Cy Young in the first game. But it was the American League's Boston Americans that emerged victories to take the first ever Fall Classic in eight games.

From there, Pittsburgh won in 1909 over Ty Cobb and the Detroit Tigers. But they won it all on the road. They did win it all at home for the first time in 1925, coming back from 3-1 down to beat the Washington Senators. But game seven, while at Forbes Field, was no cakewalk. The Pirates had to come back from 4-0 and 6-3 down to beat Walter Johnson. Two years later, the Pirates failed to win a game against the New York Yankees.

So when they beat the Bronx Bombers in 1960, on Bill Mazeroski's walk-off home run in the bottom of the ninth inning of game seven, no one in Steeltown knew it would be the last time they were there with a team to celebrate the clinching of it. The Steelers have been very successful in the National Football League, winning the Superbowl six times, including four times in the 1970s. However, it was never held in Pittsburgh in any of the years. The Pirates soldiered on in the 70s themselves, twice beating the Baltimore Orioles in seven games (1971 and 1979), but both times, it was on the road.

The team didn't make it back in the 1980s despite the arrival of Barry Bonds in 1986. The Penguins of the NHL arrived in 1967, and struggled for years. Mario Lemieux joined in 1984, but had to wait seven years to drink from the Stanley Cup. 1991, it was in Minnesota. The next year, in Chicago. Mario watched proudly from the owner's box as his team won it all in Detroit in 2009. They'd lost to the Wings previous season.

The Pirates were not so lucky during this time. The 90s passed with no World Series appearance. Bonds left after 1992. Bad times rolled around. Then the 00s passed as well. No returns to the Fall Classic. As of this writing, they are still waiting since 1979.

The Steelers won in 2008, a year before the Penguins skated with Lord Stanley's mug that night in June. It was the first time since 1979 that a pro sports team had sipped champagne on the road in game seven.

But then it was the National Hockey League's team from Steeltown's time to wait. Some years passed. The new kids, Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin watched as Chicago and Los Angeles became the sort-of dynasties of hockey? Would they ever make it back?

They made it a point to this season. The 2015/16 Penguins had been quite a team. Getting to the Stanley Cup Finals was not easy. The New York Rangers series was close, although just five games. The scores didn't tell the story. Pittsburgh had to use a pair of new goalies, Matt Murray and Jeff Zatkoff. But they managed.

Washington was next. Pittsburgh was up three games to one, and looked like they wouldn't have to even make it back home. They came at the Capitals in game five in Washington with everything but the kitchen sink. But they lost it 3-1. A 3-0 lead on home ice was erased in the six contest. Pittsburgh needed overtime to win it. Nick Bonino was the man of the hour with the OT dramatics.

Then came Tampa Bay. Even though Steven Stamkos and soon Ben Bishop were sidelined, the Pens couldn't have imagined how close this series was. Leading two games to one, they dropped a pair of one-goal games. Pittsburgh had to scrape by with close wins in the sixth and seven contest, sending them back to the Stanley Cup Finals for the first time in seven years.

The San Jose Sharks came into the league in 1991/92, the same year Mario and Jaromir Jagr took down the Chicago Black Hawks in the minimum amount of time. San Jose watched as new expansion teams like Tampa, Ottawa, Anaheim and Florida made it to the finals. They hadn't. But with Martin Jones in goal (All of 99 career regular season games to his name!), they broke through, pushing aside Los Angeles, Nashville and finally St. Louis.

Pittsburgh outplayed them in the first three games. But you wouldn't know that by the final score. 2-0 lead in game one, erased. The Pens had to win it late. Game two requited overtime for the home team to win. As they headed west, San Jose needed game three or they were looking at the possibility of a sweep. They won it on some overtime magic of their own. Pittsburgh regrouped in game four, winning it 3-1. As they head home for the fifth time, they can join the Pirates of 1960 as giving the city a chance to celebrate with the team in the same building!

References

Diamond, Dan. Total Stanley Cup: An Official Publication Of The National Hockey League. Toronto: Published in Canada by Total Sports Canada, 2000. 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.

Neft, David S., and Richard M. Cohen. The World Series: Complete Play-by-play of Every Game, 1903-1989. 4th ed. New York: St. Martin's, 1990. Print.

Sports Reference LLC. Baseball-Reference.com - Major League Statistics and Information. http://www.baseball-reference.com/. Web. 07 June. 2016.

Sports Reference LLC. Hockey-Reference.com - Hockey Statistics and History. http://www.hockey-reference.com/. Web. 07 June. 2016.

World Series: Did You Know?

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!

World Series: Did You Know?

Mickey Mantle recorded the last out in the 1958 Fall Classic. He was then on the wrong side of the last putout in the 1960 World Series. The Mick could hit a home run or strikeout. Or he could be the last out!

Actually, in 1958, The Mick just wanted some redemption. He'd been hurt in 1957 and wasn't able to perform up to his expectations in the Fall Classic. He'd hit .365 that year, but his Yankees lost 5-0 in game seven to Milwaukee.

In 1958, the Yankees were back and so were the Braves. Although Mantle hit two home runs in game two, New York lost this game 13-5. They'd lost the first game in extra-innings as Billy Bruton hit a gapper between him and Hank Bauer in right. It was a tough loss, but the Yankees were hitting the ball well. Now, if they could get some good pitching...

They did in game three from Don Larsen, winning 4-0 at home at Yankee Stadium. The Braves though, held the Yankees to just four hits. The next day, New York lost 2-0 to Warren Spahn, who held the mighty Bronx Bombers to just two hits. Mantle hit a booming triple in the bottom of the fourth with one out. But Moose Skowron tapped it back to the mound. A fine play by Red Schoendienst stopped Yogi Berra from getting a hit. He was nipped by a step at first, as is.

Mantle tried some humour for game five, as he walked into the Yankees clubhouse with a hat that hat both sides of an arrow sticking out of each side. There wasn't a real arrow in there, as Mantle still had his head and humour. The Yankees were a team laughing and inspired. They went out and won the fifth game, 7-0. The Mick got two hits and a walk. It only led to one run, but it was more than the Braves scored all game.

Mickey scored another run in the sixth game but it was a crucial one. Trailing 2-1 in the top of the sixth contest in Milwaukee, Mantle led off with a single and scored. The Yankees used some extra-inning heroics of their own to win this one, 4-3.

The Mick did not do much in game seven, but it did not matter. The Yankees won it 6-2 and Mickey caught Schoendienst fly in the bottom of the ninth with two down. The Braves, went down swinging alright. They had two men on when the last out was recorded.

In 1960, The Mick and his mates were the better team and the Pittsburgh Pirates were the underdogs. Alas, the Pirates found a way.

It was not Mantle's fault the Yankees one. In game two, he hit two long home runs and New York won, 16-3. Mantle became the the first right-handed hitting player to clear the fence in Forbes Field in Pittsburgh on one of those blasts.

Back at Yankee Stadium for game three, Mickey went yard again. Another blowout for New York, 10-0. But Pittsburgh won games four and five, and went back home to clinch it.

Here's where New York scored a resounding 12-0 win. Mickey had only one hit. But he added a walk to that. Oh, and two runs scored and two more driven in. The Mick was having a great Fall Classic. It's too bad his team did not win it!

Indeed, the Yankees lost game seven, 10-9. But some heads-up baserunning by Mantle sent this thing to the bottom of the ninth. It was 9-8 Pittsburgh in the top of the ninth inning of this grand finale. Yogi Berra grounded out with Mantle on first, and Rocky Nelson made the putout himself, then looked towards second.

The Mick headed there, but scampered back underneath and around Nelsons tag at first. Tie game. But not for long. Moose Skowron hit a grounder, and Mantle was retired at second on the force play. The game seemed destined for so much more from both teams, at this point.

Bill Mazeroski led off the bottom of the ninth for Pittsburgh. He took a high slider for ball one. Johnny Blanchard went out to the mound for a conference with Ralph Terry. A friendly reminder to keep it low. But Terry didn't and the next pitch hung. Maz drilled it over Yogi's head and the fence in left, and that was that.

The Mick had an amazing Fall Classic in 1960. And in his career, he was a part of many seven game classics with the Dodgers, Giants, Braves, Pirates and Cardinals. The Yankees didn't always come out on top, of course. But players like Mickey made the ordinary plays look better. And then they make extraordinary plays, even more incredible. That mammoth home run, that great catch, that stolen base. Or even, that dive back into first. Or just that routine fly to centre. If the Mick or someone like him is involved (Not that there have been many players like him), it makes it memorable!


References


Enders, Eric. 100 Years Of The World Series. New York: Sterling Publishing Co., Inc. 2005. Print.

Golenbock, Peter. Dynasty: The New York Yankees, 1949-1964. Lincolnwood, IL: Contemporary, 2000. Print.

Mantle, Mickey, and Herb Gluck. The Mick. Easton Press, 1996. Print.

Mantle, Mickey, and Mickey Herskowitz. All My Octobers: My Memories of Twelve World Series When the Yankees Ruled Baseball. New York: HarperCollins, 1994. 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.

Seaver, Tom, and Martin Appel. Great Moments in Baseball. New York, NY: Carol Pub. Group, 1992. Print.

Sports Reference LLC. Baseball-Reference.com - Major League Statistics and Information. http://www.baseball-reference.com/. Web. 05 Jan. 2015.

World Series: Did You Know?

In a span of only three pitches, Bill Mazeroski made the final putout and won the 1960 Fall Classic with one swing of bat. The guy with the golden glove was doing it all. The Pirates and Yankees were is classic alright, but this one had a bit of a surprise. The game itself just didn't seem to know where exactly to end. The hometown Pirates' fans went home happy on a home run!

Maz, who'd hit a home run in game one, helped the Pittsburgh widen an earlier lead. The Pirates dashed ahead 2-0 in the bottom of the first on a two-run home run by Rocky Nelson. In the bottom of the next frame, it was Mazeroski who singled to load the bases with nobody out. New York then got a double play. A run did not score as the runner at home and the batter (Vernon Law) was out at first.

So the next batter, Bill Virdon, singled. It shattered his bat, but two runs scored. Mazeroski was one of them. Hey, isn't he going to shatter the Yankee hearts later? But by crossing the plate, Bill had put the Pirates up by four runs, officially.

New York wasn't about to let this thing get away so soon. The scored their first run in the top of the fifth on a Moose Skowron home run. It was only a solo shot, but now the Yankees had waken up, just like the sleeping giant. Look out!

The very next inning, Bobby Richardson singled and Tony Kubek walked. Vernon Law was removed for Elroy Face. Roger Maris was retired, but Mickey Mantle singled to scored Richardson. On an 0-1 pitch to Yogi Berra, the catcher slammed one just fair to right, and suddenly the Bronx Bombers were up, 5-4. And they were not done, either.

With two down in the top of the eighth, Yogi walked. Moose hit a single. Johnny Blanchard singled to score Berra. More breathing room for New York. A double by Clete Boyer made it 7-4, New York. Just six more outs to go and this thing is in the record books.

But Pittsburgh came back with some fireworks out their own in the bottom of the frame. Gino Cimoli singled to right. Bill Virdon sent a double play ball to Tony Kubek at short, and that should have been the end of that. But the ball hit a stone pebble that had been knocked there by a baserunner, bounced up and hit Kubek in the throat. Both runners were safe, and Kubek was out of the game.

Dick Groat singled, and now pitcher Bobby Shantz (pitching ever so well) was also out of the equation. That hit also scored a run, and it was now 7-5, New York. The Pirates though, saw the next two men go down against new pitcher Jim Coates. Coates then got it to 1-2 on Roberto Clemente and was one strike away from getting the Yankees out of this.

Clemente sent a bouncer to first. Skowron fielded it, but Coates didn't go to first, assuming Skowron would make the play himself. A crucial mistake as another run scored. 7-6, New York. Hal Smith then smashed an Coates offering out of the park. 9-7, Pittsburgh! Coastes was now also out of the game and Ralph Terry was in. He also got the final out of the inning.

The Yankees kept right on coming, however. Although three outs away from victory, New York just went about their business and were rewarded. The top of the ninth brought the Yankees back on track! A single by Richardson and another from pinch hitter Dale Long sent new Pirate pitcher Bob Friend to the showers for Harvey Haddix. You know, the guy who threw twelve perfect innings in one game in 1959 and lost it? He wasn't about to lose this one, was he?

Well, Haddix got Roger Maris on a pop out to the catcher in foul territory. Two more outs. But The Mick singled and it was 9-8, Pittsburgh. Yogi Berra grounded out as pinch runner Gil McDougald raced for home. But wait...Mantle is a little off the bag. Rocky Nelson had made the putout, then looked at Mantle and realized that out number three and a World Series ring is a tag away. Mantle dived to his right and twisted back left towards the bag. Wow! He made it! Tie ballgame!

Moose Skowron grounded to Dick Groat, who tossed to Mazeroski covering second for the third out. The only problem here was it was a little too late. It was 9-9. But what Mazeroski didn't know is, he had made the final putout of the game.

Ralph Terry went back to the hill and face Mazeroski to start the ninth. A high slider meant ball one. Johnny Blanchard (Yogi Berra was playing left, as you will see shortly) went out to talk to Terry to tell him to get the pitch lower. With his next delivery, Terry held on to the ball for a shorter span on the slider, but the ball was high and at waist level...Maz swung...

...The ball sailed to left as Yogi Berra went back to the wall...But the ball kept going and cleared it! The Pirates had won this see-saw game (and World Series) with a 10-9 win. One swing of the bat!

Bill Mazeroski was a Gold Glove winner at second base eighth times. As a hitter, he wasn't anything outstanding. Just a .260 batting average and 138 home runs over seventeen seasons. Yet, it was this moment that will never be forgotten. But one thing Bill had no way of knowing: As he rolled the ball back to the mound after the third out in the top of the ninth, he was about to hit that thing into baseball history!

World Series: Did You Know?

Roger Maris went yard in his first plate appearance in the Fall Classic.

Not quite a fan-favourite during his time in New York, Maris nonetheless made an imediate impact there, long before his 61st home run in 1961. There was the matter of Roger Maris in 1960, you know. And it before the World Series, too!

Coming to the Yankees in a one-sided deal with Kansas, Roger hit 39, home runs and 112 RBIs. He had missed three games in April, and then fifteen more in August in a play at second base. At the time of his August injury, Roger had 35 home runs, 95 RBIs and a .291 batting average in only 108 games.

So Roger hit only four more home runs to close out the '60 campaign. But the Yankees, who still had Yogi Berra, Mickey Mantle and Whitey Ford, caught fire in September. Those three, had much to do with it.

So in game one of the 1960 Fall Classic, it was the Pittsburgh Pirates that opposed the New York Yankees. The Series would open in Pittsburgh, where it was played at Forbes Field. The ballpark itself was a pitcher's favourite. But Roger proved otherwise in game one.

Vernon Law started for Pittsburgh. And what a season he had for the Pirates: 20-9 with 18 complete games and a fine 3.08 ERA! Enough to bring home the Cy Young Award.

Tony Kubek greeted him with a single to start things off in the top of the first for New York. So Hector Lopz stepped in. Roger Maris was now in the on-deck circle. All Hector really had to do was get Kubek to second. Roger had to figure, "They'll pitch to me!" Why? Because some chaps named Mantle and Berra were hitting behind him.

Hector, though, did the wrong thing in this situation. He tried to bunt and failed to get the bat on the ball. Then, Hector hit a grounder towards second, which the Pirates quickly did a twin-killing on. Maris went from a potential RBI situation to a bases-empty, two-out situation. Some situations in baseball dry up faster than rain on a humid day.

Roger, though, was undaunted. He smacked a pitch from Law out of the park in right for quite a home run. It was, of course, a solo shot. Mantle flied out to centre, so that was all the mighty Bronx Bombers got.

Pittsburgh did not waste time either, however. They scored three runs themselves in the bottom of the frame to erase that lead. And they didn't relinquish it, either. They went on to win the game, 6-4.



Maris had two more hits for good measure. It was not enough. Vernon Law, who gave up ten hits in only seven innings, ended up with the win. That was his 21st triumph if you include the postseason.

New York Yankee fans have 21 questions on this Fall Classic. Namely, how did they lose it? Their offence was amazing and they seemed to have the pitching, too! The Pirates, were a little better in the timing department, however.

The Yankees had brought Maris over from Kansas when their franchise was on the downward spiral. Or at least, that's what it seemed in 1959 when they finished third. Lost in Maris' impact, and in this disappointing Fall Classic, was Roger's sense of good timing in his first plate appearance!

World Series: Did You Know?

Elroy Face was the first pitcher to record more than two saves in the Fall Classic.

The stat, which was introduced by writers and historians in the 1950s, took on a meaning in as writer Jerome Holtzman put together a more meaningful way of assessing it. Previously, a save was given by some in baseball to pitchers who did little more than finish the game for the winning team but not pick up the win.

So Larry Sherry had pickup up two in 1959, looking great to go along with two wins. That regular season it was Elroy with an 18-1 record in relief. He added 10 saves, going along with the creteria for them at the time. But four of the wins were from blown saves, as was his lone loss. Also, Face blew four additional saves where he failed to pick up a decision.

So in some ways, Elroy was better in 1960. He won 10 games, still a pretty good total. But none of them were the result of blown saves. He also saved 24 games. He blew three saves in his losses, which totalled eight, but only two additional lost saves were in no decisions. Face ended 1960 with more games pitched (68) and innings pitched (114 2/3) then in 1959 (57 and 93 1/3). His ERA rose from 2.70 to 2.90, and the Pirates went 33-23 (one tie) in games Elroy pitched in 1959. In '60 it was actually a little worse. Pittsburgh went 39-28 (again, one tie) in his appearances.

But that should not detract that Elroy Face was clearly the man out of the 'pen in Pittsburgh. Years before Kenny Tekulve (who record three saves of his own in the 1979 Fall Classic) it was Elroy nailing down the last outs when the Pirates needed it the most.

Face had something huge going for him, though, that Tekulve did not. It was still the old system of saves being used. I'm not quite sure when the "new" criteria came into play. I suspect 1969, as that's when saves became an official stat.

Elroy hopped into the first game of the 1960 World Series, in which Pittsburgh was facing the New York Yankees. It was 6-2, Pirates at home. The first two batters had reached base in the top of the eighth. There were no outs. This actually is a save situation by today's standards as the Yankees had the tying run on-deck. But it was Mickey Mantle at the dish and Yogi Berra next. Mantle was not the type of guy to hit into a double-play.

But Face got The Mick to look at strike three. Then it was Berra's turn, as Moose Skowron looked on as the tying run. But Berra could only fly out. Neither Hector Lopez, at second, or Roger Maris at first, advanced. Skowron then became Face's second K.

In the top of the ninth, after Ryne Duren (who posed a 1.88 ERA himself in 1959 and 32 consecutive shutout innings that year from the pen) held Pittsburgh at bay, the Yankees got to Face.

Elston Howard went yard with a man on, and it was now 6-4 Pirates with only one out. Next, Tony Kubek hit a single. The tying run was at the dish!

It was Hector Lopez. He had two weaknesses. 1) He was poor defensively (which didn't matter here) and 2) He was slow (which did matter here).

Face got him to ground into an inning ending double play. So it went into any and all record books, then and now, as a save. But for a while, it didn't look like Elroy would get another in this World Series. The Yankees had too much firepower, you see.



They showed in game two, as New York won 16-3. Then Whitey Ford started his legendary shutout streak with an all-too-easy 10-0 shutout. Mantle, who Face fanned in game one, hit three home runs in those two games. Games four and five would be at Yankees Stadium, where Ford and his mates seemed unstoppable.

But Pittsburgh won game four, 3-2. Face came into pitch in the last of the seventh with Pittsburgh clinging to that 3-2 lead. Then, the Pirates looked done like dinner.

Johnny Blanchard batted for Bobby Shantz and singled. Then, Bob Cerv, crushed one of Face's offerings to deep right centre. It was up to Bill Virdon to make the catch. Joe DeMaestri, who was running for Blanchard, tagged and made it to third. It were two outs, but the tying run was ninety feet away. Kubek grounded back to Face. The inning was over. As was the Yankees offence.

Face got 'em 1-2-3 in the bottom of the eighth as Roger Maris went down on a fly, Mantle fanned and Berra grounded out. When Elroy had another 1-2-3 inning in the bottom of the ninth, the 1960 World Series was square at two, and Elroy Face's name was alongside Larry Sherry's with most saves in a single World Series. After game five, he had that record, all to himself.



Harvey Haddix, went out and held New York to just two runs. Pittsburgh had only four themselves as New York batted in the bottom of the seventh. But they had two more runners on as Lopez moved Kubek (who had singled) to second with a single. Richardson had been retired by Haddix to start the inning, but it was the last out he recorded. The Pirates needed Face to save face and the game.

A grounder by Gil McDougald forced Kubek. And then Face fanned Maris to get out of there. From there on in, all New York got was a walk to Mantle (The Mick's third of the game.). The Pirates scored on Duren in the top of the ninth on a wild pitch.



With a 5-2 win, Pittsburgh was back ahead in the 1960 Fall Classic for the first time since game one. And although the dropped game six back at home, the Pirates ultimately won game seven.

Elroy Face may have not pitched that well in the 1960 World Series, as New York scored four earned runs off him in game seven for good measure. Bill Virdon's catch in game four was also needed. But regardless, when Pittsburgh needed Face, he came in and did the job more often than not in 1960, from April to October!


References


Enders, Eric. 100 Years Of The World Series. New York: Sterling Publishing Co., Inc. 2005. Print.

Golenbock, Peter. Dynasty: The New York Yankees, 1949-1964. Lincolnwood, IL: Contemporary Books, 2000. 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.

Retrosheet. Web. 26 Oct. 2015. <www.retrosheet.org>.

Snyder, John S. World Series!: Great Moments and Dubious Achievements. San Francisco: Chronicle, 1995. Print.

Sports Reference LLC.  Baseball-Reference.com - Major League Statistics and Information. http://www.baseball-reference.com/. Web. 13 Oct. 2014.

Thorn, John, and Pete Palmer. Total Baseball. Vers. 1994. Portland, OR: Creative Multimedia Corp., 1994. Computer software. CD-ROM.

Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation. Web. 13 Oct. 2014. <https://en.wikipedia.org>.

Youtube. Youtube. Web. 13 Oct. 2015. <https://www.youtube.com/>.

World Series: Did You Know?

Bill Mazeroski won the 1960 Fall Classic with a walk off home run in the seventh game. You knew that! But did you also know, that wasn't his only home run in that Series?

Game one of '60 was in Pittsburgh, where the underdog Pirates must have been expecting the worst. Here they were, in from of their fans, and ready to feel the wrath of the New York Yankees. The M and M Boys (Roger Maris and Mickey Mantle) had 79 home runs to their name that year alone. That, to go along with some other guys who knew how to leave the park, must have sent shudders down the Bucks back

But, of course, the Pirates did have guys like Roberto Clemente, Dick Groat, Bob Skinner, and Mazeroski with the sticks, right?

So in game one in Pittsburgh, it was Roger Maris that got things going as expected with a solo home run in the top of the first. Right off the bat, it seemed, it was the Yankees showing the Pirates that they were not in New Yorkès league.

But, if you can believe it, Pittsburgh came back in the bottom of the frame with RBIs from Groat, Skinner and Clemente! It was 3-1 Pirates. Now that was a lift that was needed! But, you had to think Pittsburgh needed more touches of home!

In the top of the fourth, the Bronx Bombers struck back. Maris struck the match again, leading off with a single. Vernon Law, the Pirates' starter, pitched carefully to Mickey Mantle. Too carefully. Vernon walked him. Yogi Berra flied out, but the swift Maris took third. When Moose Skowron singled, it was only a one-run game and only one out. Law managed to get out of there. But more offence was really needed now!

Here's where Mazeroski helped. With one out in the bottom of the fourth, Don Hoak walked. Maz stepped in and smacked a two-run home run to put Pittsburgh up by three, 5-2. Law was then hit by a pitch, but the next two batters were retired.

Pittsburgh did not need anything more from the bats in this game one. They did add another tally in bottom of the sixth to make it 6-2. The Yankees didn't exactly go quietly in the top of the ninth. Elston Howard crashed a surprising two-run home run off Elroy Face to cut it to 6-4. The next batter, Tony Kubek, then got a single to bring the tying run to the dish with only one out. But Hector Lopez grounded into a game-ending double play. The Pittsburgh Pirates had drawn first blood in the 1960 Fall Classic. And they went on to win.

The Pirates already had the lead in this game, unlike game seven, when Bill Mazeroski delivered the long ball. But think about a situation like this, the first game, great opposition, tight game, the list goes on. You need the big hit to make you believe. Maz did just that. His home run put the game out of reach. The Yankees, with their time-honoured tradition of October success, were not about to be an easy push overs. Here, the Pirates had to think sweep (New York had done just that to Pittsburgh in 1927, the Pirates last Fall Classic appearance prior to this) was the likely outcome. They overcame that fear with this win, and it was their slick-fielding second basemen that delivered the unlikely knockout blow!


References


Enders, Eric. 100 Years Of The World Series. New York: Sterling Publishing Co., Inc. 2005. Print.

Ford, Whitey, and Phil Pepe. Slick. New York: W. Morrow, 1987. Print.

Golenbock, Peter. Dynasty: The New York Yankees, 1949-1964. Lincolnwood, IL: Contemporary Books, 2000. Print.

Mantle, Mickey, and Mickey Herskowitz. All My Octobers: My Memories of Twelve World Series When the Yankees Ruled Baseball. New York: HarperCollins, 1994. 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.

Retrosheet. Web. 29 Sept. 2015. <www.retrosheet.org>.

Sports Reference LLC.  Baseball-Reference.com - Major League Statistics and Information. http://www.baseball-reference.com/. Web. 29 Sept. 2014.

Thorn, John, and Pete Palmer. Total Baseball. Vers. 1994. Portland, OR: Creative Multimedia Corp., 1994. Computer software. CD-ROM.

Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation. Web. 29 Sept. 2014. <https://en.wikipedia.org>.

World Series: Did You Know?

Dick Groat and Bob Skinner faced the New York Yankees in the 1960 and 1964 Fall Classic. In '60, they were on the Pittsburgh Pirates. In '64 they were teammates on the St. Louis Cardinals.

Groat went 2-4 with an RBI and a run scored in game 1 of the 1960 World Series. Also in that game, Skinner went 1-3 with an RBI and a run scored. Bob also added a stolen base that led to him touching home. Their efforts were rewarded as the Pirates took game one, 6-4. Neither would be as affective again in this Fall Classic. Skinner himself was replaced in left field with Gino Cimoli in the top of the eighth.



Cimoli played the entire second game, and Groat managed just one hit. The Yankees pounded the Pirates into oblivion in this contest, led by Mickey Mantle's two home runs. The final score was 16-3.



The 1960 World Series, which had started in Pittsburgh, now moved to New York. It was more of the same in game three for the Pirates. Another blowout, 10-0 for New York. Groat, facing Whitey Ford, went hitless in four trips to the plate. Skinner watched this one from the clubhouse, and probably thought it would all be over in two more games.



But Pittsburgh took game four, 3-2. The only problem was that Groat was again 0-4 and Skinner took it all in from the dugout.



In game five, the Pirates plundered the Yankees 5-2, behind a fine pitching effort of Harvey Haddix. Groat got his first hit since game one, but it was just that. In going 1-4, he scored a run. But how about our boy Skinner? Nothing doing, is all I can write.



Groat was back in game six back in the state of Pennsylvania. But Whitey Ford started this one, and threw another shutout. And for the third time in this 1960 Fall Classic, it was a Yankee rout. 12-0. Groat picked up another hit, but it took him another four tries. Skinner took it in for the fifth straight game.



Skinner was finally back in the winner-take-all game seven. He walked and scored on Rocky Nelson's home run in the bottom of the first. Pittsburgh went up 4-0 in this game, then fell behind 7-4 by the end of seven and a half.

Groat, though, singled in the bottom of the eighth off Bobby Shantz. Then Skinner moved him and Bill Virdon up with a bunt. The Pirates used that to eventually take the lead. While the Yankees came back to tie it in the top of the ninth, it was Pittsburgh with the 1960 World Series crown as Bill Mazeroski hit a dramatic walk-off home run in the bottom of the ninth. Pittsburgh had a 10-9, game seven win.



So in 1964, it was Groat and Skinner looking to help another team beat New York. Their new team, the St. Louis Cardinals, won a dramatic pennant race against the Philadelphia Phillies and Cincinnati Reds.

Groat started game one, against Whitey Ford, in St. Louis. This time, Groat's team managed to beat Ford, 9-5. Groat had a hit and a walk. Neither figured into the scoring. Skinner sat it out.



In game two, St. Louis lost 8-3. Groat again had a hit and a walk. This time, however, he scored a run. Skinner got into the game as a pinch hitter. He matched Groat's production by getting a single. But he was stranded.

In game three in New York, Skinner was almost the hero.

Dick Groat, meanwhile, got a hit. It was a double against New York's Jim Bouton. The Cardinals seemed destined to break a 1-1 deadlock at this point as the loaded the bases. However, they failed to score. In the top of the ninth, with Tim McCarver on second and Carl Warwick on first, Bob Skinner went up to bat for pitcher Curt Simmons, who had more than done his job in this game. It was still tied at one. Skinner got the pitch he wanted, a fastball up in the strike zone. He hammered it to deep centre. Roger Maris went all the way to the warning track before he finally got to this one. So close. Mickey Mantle won the game in the bottom of the ninth with a walk-off home run off Barney Schultz.

Groat got one hit in game four. It did not result in St. Louis scoring. However, he reached on an error in the top of the sixth inning. Then, he scored a run on Ken Boyer grand slam home run. That turned a 3-0 Yankee lead into a 4-3 Cardinal advantage. St. Louis ended up winning the game by that score. Skinner did not get to the plate or the field in this contest.

In game five, Skinner watched as Bob Gibson stuck out thirteen Yankees. But the contest was tied at two at the end of nine. In the top of the tenth, Bill White walked and Ken Boyer beat out a bunt. It was Groat to the plate, and his job was the same as Boyer's: Eliminate the double play!

He tried to bunt, but missed. White, running on the play to third, made a fake back to second. But when Yankee catcher Elston Howard threw to second to nail him, White turned on the jets and made it to third. The play was crucial, as Groat ended up forcing Boyer at second. When Tim McCarver ripped a three-run home run to right, St. Louis had what they needed to win, 5-2.

So, it was New York with their backs to the wall in game six, back in St. Louis. Dick Groat had a tough time against Jim Bouton, failing to get a hit in four trips to the plate.  Curt Simmons kept St. Louis in the game, as he had in game three. The game not only tied, but again tied at one. But when Roger Maris and Mickey Mantle went downtown off Simmons in the top of the sixth inning, St. Louis needed some runs. An Elston Howard single in the top of the eighth made it 4-1, New York. Then it was New York's turn to get a grand slam, this time off the bat of Joe Pepitone. 8-1, Yankees. St. Louis managed to get one run back in the bottom of the eighth as Bill White grounded out. But Dick Groat ended up being the last out of that inning.

In the bottom of the ninth, St. Louis again had a mild uprising. With one out, Mike Shannon hit a single. Then Jerry Buckek, who had entered the game a defensive replacement, singled. Bob Humphreys had held New York scoreless in the ninth, but now his spot was up. So Bob Skinner batted for him. The Cardinals had finally found a way to get rid of Jim Bouton. New York then went to the bullpen and brought in Steve Hamilton to face Skinner. Hamilton, an ex-basketball player, was a lefty at 6'6, two inches taller than Skinner.

And he came through! Singling to centre, Shannon scored to make it 8-3. There were two runners on and only one out. But Curt Flood hit into a game-ending double play. This Fall Classic was going to the seventh game, just like in 1960.

In game seven, there was not going to be any pinch hitting by St. Louis, with Bob Gibson back on the hill. Bobby was sitting 'er out!

Groat came up to the plate in the bottom of the fifth inning with the Cards up 4-0. His ground ball out made it 5-0. St. Louis, as it turned out, needed still another run. Tim McCarver flew out to Mantle in right, but Ken Boyer scored from third after the catch. 6-0.

New York was not done as Mickey Mantle hit a three-run home run in the top of the sixth. That seemed to wake up the Yankees, as they started to make better contact.

A home run by Ken Boyer in the bottom of the seventh put St. Louis up by four runs, 7-3. But Gibson tired and allowed a dinger by Ken's younger brother Clete in the top of the ninth. Another home run by Phil Linz made it 7-5 before Bob finally got the last out.



Both Groat and Skinner were going to be almost afterthoughts on a team that had Roberto Clemente, Bill Virdon, Dick Stuart, Bill Mazeroski, Bob Friend, Vernon Law, Harvey Haddix and Elroy Face.

And there was no chance that anyone would think of them on a team with Lou Brock, Curt Flood, Ken Boyer, Bill White, Tim McCarver, Bob Gibson, Curt Simmons, Ray Sadecki. The Pirates of 1960 and the Cardinals of 1964 might have won it all without Dick Groat and Bob Skinner.

But let's look at their stats in 1960 and 1964. Groat won the batting title in '60 with a .325 average. He also led Pittsburgh with a .371 on-base percentage. Skinner was no slough, either. All he did was knock in 86 runs (second on the team behind Clemente's 94) hit .273 (and post a .340 OBP). He even played in the all-star game.

In '64 it was Dick Groat with 70 RBIs despite only hitting one home run. And he batted .292. Skinner hit about what he did in '60, .271. But even as a reserve, he had to take a backseat to Charlie James and Carl Warwick, who both played in 88 games. Skinner appeared in just 55 games.

So while both Groat and Skinner were perhaps overlooked, they sure made things a little easier for two teams that to beat a great Yankee team in the fall.




More from Dick Groat


References


“Allen Craig, Meet Carl Warwick.” On the Outside Corner. WordPress.com. 20 Oct. 2011. Web. 15 Sept. 2014. <ontheoutsidecorner.wordpress.com/2011/10/20/allen-craig-meet-carl-warwick/>.

Enders, Eric. 100 Years Of The World Series. New York: Sterling Publishing Co., Inc. 2005. Print.

Anderson, Dave. "The Phillies' Phlop." Pennant Races: Baseball At Its Best. New York: Doubleday, 1994. Print, pp. 255-288.

Golenbock, Peter. "1964." Dynasty: The New York Yankees, 1949-1964. Lincolnwood, IL: Contemporary, 2000. Print, pp. 530-539.

Halberstam, David. October 1964. New York: Villard, 1994. Print.

Major League Baseball. World Series Of 1964. Major League Baseball Productions, 1964. DVD.

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.

Seaver, Tom, and Martin Appel. Great Moments in Baseball. New York, NY: Carol Pub. Group, 1992. Print.

Retrosheet. Web. 17 Sept. 2014.  <www.retrosheet.org>.

Sports Reference LLC. Baseball-Reference.com - Major League Statistics and Information. http://www.baseball-reference.com/. Web. 17 Sept. 2014.

Youtube. Web. 17 Sept 2014. <https://www.youtube.com/>.