TODAY IN BASEBALL HISTORY

Dear Readers,

We had two issues arise the last three weeks, one personal and one businesses. We had thought the emails would be sent but they were not. I apologize and I do appriciate the emails letting us know there was a problem. Hopefully they will be back on track and I intend on getting all the emails posted from 9/23 through 10/12 soon.

With 3 games down the underdogs have taken control so far winning all three games. Today is all about one of the bigger underdogs in history in a lopsided World Series somehow came out on top. Mickey Mantle said he cried after this series.

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.

As a quick thank you here is todays highlight game!

Todays Podcast

October 13, 1915 — at the Baker Bowl The Phillies get four runs early off Boston Red Sox pitcher Rube Foster in Game 5 of the World Series. The Red Sox break a tie in the 9th inning for the third time in the Series, as Harry Hooper hits his second home run of the game off reliever Eppa Rixey. Boston wins, 5 – 4, to take the Series in five games.

October 13, 1931, future Hall of Famer Eddie Mathews is born in Texarkana, Texas. He was six years old when his family moved to Santa Barbara, California. The Santa Barbara High School baseball field, where he developed into a star high school baseball player, is named after him. Mathews was signed by the Boston Braves in 1949. He played 63 games that year for the Class D High Point-Thomasville Hi-Toms, where he hit 17 home runs and earned a .363 batting average. The next year he hit 32 home runs for the Class AA Atlanta CrackersMathews will make his major league debut in 1952 for the Boston Braves, he will be the only player to play for Bostom. Milwaukee and Atlanta Braves.

October 13, 1965 — In Game 6, Los Angeles Dodgers starter Claude Osteen did not fare as well as he had in his last start. In the fourth inning, Earl Battey reached on an error by Dick Tracewski, followed by a Bob Allison two-run home run. Mudcat Grant, for the Minnesota Twins, was on his game once again. He also helped himself with a towering three-run home run, after Frank Quilici was intentionally walked to get to Grant. A Ron Fairly home run, his second of the series, put the Dodgers on the board to make the score 5–1, but that’s all they would get as Grant pitched a complete game. The Twins tied the series at 3–3 and get to face Sandy Koufax in game 7.

October 13, 1970 — In Game 3 of the Fall Classic played at Memorial Stadium, Dave McNally goes deep with the bases loaded in the bottom of the sixth inning off the Reds’ right-hander Wayne Granger, becoming the first pitcher in World Series history to hit a grand slam. The Orioles’ hurler’s offensive output contributes to the Birds’ 9-3 victory over Cincinnati and gives Baltimore a commanding 3-0 game advantage in the seven-game series. McNally pitching a complete game and scattering nine hits.

October 13, 1983, Davey Johnson is introduced at a press conference as New York Mets manager, the 11th in franchise history. He would go on to win 595 games and a World Series (1986). Never short on confidence, Johnson thanked Frank Cashen for “being smart enough to hire me.”

October 13, 1985 — St. Louis Cardinals routs the Los Angeles Dodgers, 12 – 2, to even the National League Championship Series. St. Louis, however, loses rookie sensation Vince Coleman to one of the more bizarre injuries in major league history. Coleman is stretching before the game when his left leg becomes caught in Busch Stadium’s automated tarpaulin as it unrolls across the infield, trapping, the freak accident, which traps his left leg for about thirty seconds, will end the season for the 23 year-old rookie.

October 13, 1998 — The New York Yankees advance to the World Series for a record 35th time after beating the Cleveland Indians, 9 – 5, to win the ALCS in six games.

October 13, 2000 – The New York Yankees batter the Seattle Mariners, 8 – 2, to take a 2 games to 1 lead in the ALCS. Bernie Williams and Tino Martinez hit back-to-back home runs in the 2nd inning for New York, while David Justice has three RBI. Mariano Rivera breaks Whitey Ford’s 38 year old record for consecutive scoreless innings pitched in postseason play with 33 1/3 scoreless frames. The Yankees’ Hall of Fame lefty had established the record from 1960 to 1962 with 33 innings as a World Series starter.

 ANSWER TO TODAY’S TRIVIA

TRIVIA ANSWER: CLAYTON KERSHAW

Thank you Horsehide Trivia

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