Classic Baseball Daily Highlights

On May 19, 1963 At Dodger Stadium Sandy Koufax fires a 2 hitter to beat Roger Craig and New York Mets 1-0 striking out 5, and walking 1. Craig collected 1 of the 2 Mets hits. Tommy Davis drives in Dodger Hall of Famer Jim Gilliam with their only run in the first inning.

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On October 7, 1961 -- Cincinnati hosted its first World Series in 21 years at Crosley Field.

Game 3 pitted New York's 23-year-old right-hander Bill Stafford against Reds' veteran knuckleballer Bob Purkey. Stafford pitched well for ​6 2⁄3 innings. Purkey also had outstanding control and kept the Yankee hitters off-balance, but New York would triumph on a Maris home run in the ninth. While the Yankees' offense still was stagnant, it was just good enough.

Cincinnati struck first with a run in the bottom of the third when Elio Chacón beat out a bunt and took second when Stafford threw wildly to first. Eddie Kasko fouled out to Bill Skowron and Vada Pinson grounded out to send Chacón to third before Frank Robinson hit a double off the left-field wall to make it 1–0.

In the seventh, the Yankees got a big break to tie the game. Tony Kubek led off with a single to center, then took second on a Johnny Edwards passed ball. After Mickey Mantle struck out, Yogi Berra blooped a ball into short right field that neither second baseman Chacón nor right fielder Robinson called before the two collided, allowing the ball to drop as Kubek scored. The Reds regained the lead in their half of the inning when Edwards doubled into the right-field corner and eventually scored on a Kasko singled to left. Bud Daley came in to relieve Stafford and retired Pinson on a flyout to right to end the inning.

The Reds' lead would be short-lived, as the Yankees tied the score in the eighth. With two outs, Johnny Blanchard (pinch-hitting for Daley), smacked a Purkey knuckler into the right-field bleachers. The Reds went quietly in the bottom of the inning, the score tied at 2–2.

In the ninth, Maris recorded what would be one of only two hits in the Series, but this one went into the right-field bleachers for a go-ahead home run. With ace reliever Luis Arroyo on the mound for the Yankees in the ninth, the Reds had one last shot. After Gene Freese struck out, Leo Cárdenas, batting for Johnny Edwards, doubled off the left-center field scoreboard. Dick Gernert, pinch-hitting for Purkey, grounded out to short, Cardenas holding. The third pinch-hitter in the inning, Gus Bell, ended the Reds' comeback attempt by grounding back to the mound, Arroyo to Skowron, to end the thriller and give the Yankees a two games to one Series lead.

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Uninterrupted full game broadcast of the New York Mets and the Baltimore Orioles. Game 5 of the 1969 World Series. 

Dave McNally shut out the Mets through five innings and helped himself with a two-run homer in the third inning. Frank Robinson homered in the inning as well, and the Orioles looked to be cruising with a 3–0 lead.

The Mets, however, benefited from two questionable umpire's calls. In the top of the sixth inning, Mets starting pitcher Jerry Koosman appeared to have hit Frank Robinson with a pitch, but plate umpire Lou DiMuro ruled that the pitch hit his bat before hitting him and denied him first base. Replays showed, however, that Robinson was indeed hit first — the ball struck him on the hip, then bounced up and hit his bat.

In the bottom of the sixth, McNally bounced a pitch that appeared to have hit Mets left fielder Cleon Jones on the foot, then bounced into the Mets' dugout. McNally and the Orioles claimed the ball hit the dirt and not Jones, but Mets manager Gil Hodges showed the ball to DiMuro, who found a spot of shoe polish on the ball and awarded Jones first base. McNally then gave up Series MVP Donn Clendenon's third homer of the series (a record for a five-game World Series that was tied by the Phillies' Ryan Howard in the 2008 Classic and by Boston’s Steve Pearce in the 2018 Series) to cut the lead to 3–2.

However, the renowned "shoe polish" incident may not be such a simple, straightforward matter. On August 22, 2009, at the 40th anniversary celebration of the Mets' 1969 Championship, held at their new stadium, Citi Field, Jerry Koosman stated in several media interviews that, in actuality, Hodges had instructed him to rub the ball on his shoe, which he did, and after that Hodges showed the ball to the umpire. Koosman's claim doesn't necessarily mean that the ball didn't strike Jones on the foot, nor does it even mean that the polish on the ball seen by the umpire was put there by Koosman — it's certainly conceivable that there was already a genuine spot of polish on the ball, which easily could have escaped Koosman's notice as he hastily created the fraudulent one. In any case, Koosman's allegation at the very least adds an intriguing layer of uncertainty and possible chicanery to an already legendary event. Koosman was known for his sense of humor, and his love of practical jokes when he was an active player. Therefore, his claim of having scuffed the ball against his own shoe could be a ruse. Besides, there are other stories which have been told about that incident, by other players who were in the Mets dugout that day. One of those stories comes from Ron Swoboda, who said during an interview on the Mets 1986 25th Anniversary video, that when the ball came bounding into the Mets dugout, it hit an open ball bag under the bench, and several batting / infield practice balls came spilling out on the dugout floor. According to Swoboda, you couldn't distinguish the actual game ball from any of the ones that spilled out of the bag. Hodges quickly looked down, grabbed a ball that had a black streak on it, and walked it out to the home plate umpire, who then awarded first base to Jones. In any case, this incident provided baseball with yet another entertaining legend, about which the absolute truth will probably never be known.

The Mets then tied the score in the seventh on a home run by the unheralded and light-hitting Al Weis. Weis hit only seven home runs in his big league career; this was the only home run he hit at Shea Stadium and, in fact, was the only home run he hit playing for the home team in any major league park. Weis led all batters in the series with a .455 average.

The winning runs scored in the eighth as Game 4 defensive hero Ron Swoboda doubled in Jones with the go-ahead run. Swoboda then scored when Jerry Grote's grounder was mishandled by first baseman Boog Powell, whose throw to first was then dropped by pitcher Eddie Watt in an...

October 15, 1964 - Bob Gibson pitches on 2 days rest against Mel Stottlemyre a rematch from Game 2. Stottlemyre is 1 of 2 players over 9 Post Starts that was able to beat Gibson. 

Prior to the start of Game Seven of the 1964 World Series, Cardinals starter Bob Gibson grudgingly obliged the press by posing for pictures with his mound opponent, the Yankees’ Mel Stottlemyre.  Stottlemyre handed Gibson 1 of his 2 career loses in his post season career.

By this time in the Series, Gibson was running on fumes; after his 10-inning, complete-game victory in Game Five, he had commented, “I feel as though I’d just come out of a 10-round bout.” 

In light of Gibson’s fatigue, and taking his bulldog competitive nature into account, it should have come as no surprise that — after the photo-taking was at an end — he shook hands with Stottlemyre and said to him, “Hope all of your luck is bad today.”

In the top of the second, Gibson set a World Series record when he fanned leadoff batter Mickey Mantle for his 24th strikeout of this Series; the old record had been set by Los Angeles Dodgers lefty Sandy Koufax against the Yankees just one year earlier . . . here it is . . .

(bottom 2nd)

Stottlemyre matched Gibson pitch-for-pitch as both men put up zeroes for the first three innings. In the bottom of the fourth, however, . . . .

(bottom of 4th)

Up 3-0, Gibson, with 2 on 1 out faces Phil Linz one of the biggest at bats of the game here it is . . .

(Linz top of 5th)

Al Downing replaces Sottlemyre in the bottom of the 5th to face Lou Brock, who hit .348 after his Trade to the Cardinals earlier in the year.

(Bottom of 5th)

Down 7-0, with 2 on future Hall of Fame teammates face off a tiring Gibson faces Mickey Mantle . . .

Mantle’s Homerun is his 18th career World Series Homerun and it will be his last post-season home run. His 18 are 3 more than Babe Ruth who hit 15 in World Series play. Although Manny Ramirez, Bernie Williams, Albert Pujols, and Derek Jeter have all hit more no one has hit as many with so few plate appearances. If Mantle had as many at-bats as Manny Rameriz he would have 32+ home runs. Manny has 29.

Cardinals manager Johnny Keane later affirmed, “There’s no doubt that those three runs gave Gibson something to work with. … I’ve never had a gutsier ballplayer, but it was getting the lead that enabled him to last.”

Now up 7-3, it is closing time, but the Yankees will not be going down easy, here is the top of the 9th . . . . .

We are just seeing the beginnings of his Hall of Fame career. If you are interested in hearing today's game in full check out the link to the game in the show notes.

You can also check out Micky Mantle’s page and Gibson’s page to see check out their career chronology on thisdayinbaseball.com

October 14, 1965 - Game 7 1965 World Series. Sandy Koufax throws a 3 hit shutout on 2 days rest. After walking 2 in the 1st he tells catcher John Roseboro my arm is sore I can’t throw the curve. We’ll just blow them away..

Dodger manager Walt Alston was torn between starting Drysdale on normal rest or Koufax with only two days' rest. He decided on the left-handed Koufax, figuring if needed he would use the right-handed Drysdale in relief, then go back to his left-handed relief ace Ron Perranoski. Koufax told announcer Vin Scullyin a post-game interview that he and Drysdale had come to the ballpark not knowing which would be on the mound. According to Koufax, the manager announced the decision purely in strategic terms regarding lefty vs. righty, saying he worded his announcement without even using the pitchers' names, saying only that he thought he'd "like to start the left-hander." The Twins went with Kaat, also starting on two days' rest. Both managers had relief pitchers warming up as their starters began the game.

Koufax had trouble throwing his curveball for strikes but escaped a couple of early jams, including one in the third inning when Zoilo Versailles stole second base with one out, but was called back after batter Joe Nossek was ruled out for interference. Koufax effectively gave up on his curveball and pitched the late innings almost exclusively with fastballs, still baffling the hard-hitting Twins. In the fourth inning, Dodger left fielder Lou Johnson told Koufax that he would get him the only run he would need. Johnson promptly hit one off the left-field foul pole to give the Dodgers a 1–0 lead. Ron Fairly followed with a double and scored on a Wes Parker single. The two runs came on three consecutive pitches.

Knowing Kaat was on short rest, manager Mele pulled him quickly. Al Worthington, Johnny Klippstein, Jim Merritt, and Jim Perry combined to shut out the Dodgers for the rest of the game. The Twins threatened again in the fifth inning when they had runners on first and second with only one out. Versailles hit a hard grounder down the third base line that appeared to be going for a double. This could have ended Koufax's day as Drysdale was warming up in the bullpen. But third baseman Jim Gilliam (who was often replaced late in games for defensive reasons) made a diving, backhanded stop and stepped on third for a force. Koufax bore down and got the third out. He ended up tossing a three-hit shutout, striking out ten in one of the greatest Game 7 pitching performances ever

Game 7 Broadcast - 

https://youtu.be/XLFV6L3HteM

Koufax Interview - 

https://youtu.be/f3N-vvg-9Kw

https://youtu.be/pBMMs6BTWIk

Drysdale Interview - 

https://youtu.be/vhcR_2urSmI

More Koufax - 

October 13, 1960 -- With the World Series between the Yankees and Pirates knotted at 3 games apiece, Game 7 at Pittsburgh's cavernous Forbes Field would provide one of the most dramatic home runs in World Series history. In the top of the 9th, with a 9-7 lead, the Pirates sent eighteen game winner Bob Friend to the mound but the Yankees would manage to tie things up.

The Yankees would send Ralph Terry to the mound in the bottom of the 9th to face Pirate 2nd baseman Bill Mazeroski and with a 1-0 count, Mel Allen's call of the game tells the rest: "There's a drive into deep left field, look out now... that ball is going, going gone! And the World Series is over! Mazeroski... hits it over the left field fence, and the Pirates win it 10-9 and win the World Series!" As the Pirates erupted, the Yankees stood across the field in stunned disbelief. The improbable champions were outscored, outhit, and outplayed, but had managed to pull out a victory anyhow. Years later, Mickey Mantle was quoted as saying that losing the 1960 series was the biggest disappointment of his career. The only loss, amateur or professional, he cried actual tears over. For Bill Mazeroski, it was the highlight.

Bing Crosby, part owner of the Pirates, was too superstitious to watch the series live. Crosby hired a company to record the game and would only watch it a day later if the Pirates won. His tape of game 7 is the only recording of the 1960 series known to survive as television stations routinely taped over televised sporting events. The tape sat untouched for 49 years when it was found in Crosby's wine cellar in December of 2009. On November 13, 2010, for the 50th anniversary of the series-winning home run, a gala emceed by Bob Costas was hosted in downtown Pittsburgh. The MLB Network would air the game and gala on December 15, 2010.

On October 8, 1934 At Navin Field the St Louis Cardinals Paul Dean won his second game of the series, Dean pitched a complete game 7 hitter, he will go 2-0 in his only World Series appearance.

The Tiger's came into the game up 3 games to 2 and pitched ace Schoolboy Rowe who had beaten the Cardinal's earlier in the series. The tiger's also had hall of famers, Charlie Gehringer, Goose Goslin, Mickey Cochrane, and Hank Greenberg. The Tigers had tied it up 3-3 in the 6th and then in 7th, Durocher hit a one-out doubled to center Dean singled him in to give the Cardinal's the lead for good.  Durocher leads the offense going 3-4

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Whitey Ford and Lew Burdette, facing each other, Game 5 was expected to be a low-scoring affair. However, the game started out with the Yankees looking to score in the first inning. After a leadoff single by Hank Bauer and a sacrifice bunt by Tony Kubek, Gil McDougald hit a line drive that turned into the second out of the inning. Yogi Berra then grounded out. After that, Burdette only allowed multiple Yankee baserunners in the fourth inning. At the start of the sixth inning, the game was still scoreless. In the bottom of the sixth with two outs and nobody on, Eddie Mathews, Hank Aaron, and Joe Adcock singled, scoring Mathews and giving the Braves a 1–0 lead that held up for the rest of the game. The Yankees' best scoring chance came in the eighth inning after a hit by Jerry Coleman to right field. Mickey Mantle came in to pinch-run for Coleman, but was caught stealing at second base by catcher Del Crandall. Ford was then taken out and Yankee reliever Bob Turley came in, striking out two batters while giving up no hits in the inning. Yogi Berra made the last Yankee out in the 1–0 complete-game by Burdette, and the Milwaukee Braves took the series lead three games to two.

https://thisdayinbaseball.com/lew-burdette-shines-as-braves-take-a-3-2-lead-in-world-series-full-radio-broadcast/

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On October 4, 1955,  after more than half a century of futility, the Brooklyn Dodgers finally win a World Championship, thanks to Johnny Podres' 2-0 shutout of the Yankees at Yankee Stadium. The turning point of the historic contest proves to be an outstanding catch by defensive replacement Sandy Amoros in the sixth inning that robs Yogi Berra of an extra-base hit with two on, resulting in a rally-robbing double play. Gil Hodges drives in both runs to support Johnny Podres’ complete game effort.