The St. Louis Cardinals stole three bases in the 1964 Fall Classic. But none were by Lou Brock. The fleet-footed outfielder made his presence felt in other ways with his speed. Yet he failed to pilfer a single base. Even his own catcher did the trick!
Brock singled in the bottom of the first inning of game one, at home. Then he went from first to third on a single. A fly ball to Mickey Mantle in right by Ken Boyer scored him. Well, that's gotta be some speed right there, right? That put St. Louis up 1-0, but they would finish game one without a single stolen base.
Worse, still, it was Kenny's younger brother Clete with a one-out single in the top of the second for New York. The Yankees, having taken the lead on a two-run home run by Tommy Tresh earlier that inning, were looking for more. So with one on, one out, and New York up 2-1, Clete made a break towards second and was save. It proved to be a crucial play, as the next batter was Whitey Ford. The Chairman Of The Board could only single, but with Boyer on second rather than first, New York was up, 3-1. The Cardinals rallied to win, 9-5, but where were their stolen bases in this game? There were none!
The bad news in game two was St. Louis lost. The worse news was they again failed to steal a base. The good news was, New York failed to make a swipe! Dick Groat, not very fast, hit a ball past Hector Lopez (inserted for The Mick) in the bottom of the ninth to end up on third. The triple helped St. Louis score a run in that inning. But New York won this won easily, 8-3. It was off to New York for games three, four and five.
In game three, it was Dick Groat with another extra-base hit, a double that was stranded in the top of the sixth. However, he was stranded. In the next inning, it was Dal Maxvill with a leadoff double. A bunt moved him to third, but Dal stayed there. St. Louis scored a run when Tim McCarver hit a single to right, made it second as it got by Mantle. He then scored on a single by Curt Simmons the pitcher, which deflected of Clete Boyer's glove at third. That was the Cardinals speed at work. No stolen bases. New York was held to just five hits and no stolen bases. But Mickey Mantle, who also had a double earlier, blasted a tremendous home run in the bottom of the ninth to win it for his team, 2-1.
In game four, St. Louis and New York both got only six hits. In the bottom of the first, it was Phil Linz with a leadoff double to right that was just fair. But foolishly, Phil tried to steal third. McCarver, behind the dish, had him right where he wanted him and fired 'er to Ken Boyer. Linz started back to second, a dead duck. But Boyer slipped and his throw went into centre. A Bobby Richardson double made it 1-0, New York. Roger Maris hit a single. When Mantle followed with a single to right, it was 2-0. Mike Shannon bobbled it and The Mick turned on the jets. Shannon nailed him at second. New York did not attempt to steal any more bases, but Mantle was caught off guard in the bottom of the second. On second after Roger Craig (who came into relieve starter Ray Sadecki) walked him and Elston Howard, Mickey went too far of a lead off the bag. Craig caught him there. St. Louis didn't do much on the basepaths. No stolen bases, doubles or triples. But a Ken Boyer grand slam in the top of the sixth erased a 3-0 Yankee lead and made the Cards 4-3 winners.
Game five was tied at two after nine inning. St. Louis got a stolen base in the top of the tenth. And it helped win the game. Bill White had walked to start the inning. Then Boyer beat out a ball hit to right that no one tried to field. White started towards third as Dick Groat batted. It was too late a break and he headed back to second. That convinced Elston Howard, the Yankee catcher, what to do. He fired towards second, not realizing it had all been a fake. As soon as Elston threw towards the bag at second, White turned on the jets and made it towards third. It was scored a steal. A three-run home run by Tim McCarver won the game for St. Louis, 5-2. The Cardinals had their first stolen base, and it was a dandly, and at such a crucial time.
But in game six back in St. Louis, it was the Yankees that absolutely unloaded on the Cardinals. The game was actually close for a while. A potential New York uprising was foiled in the top of the first. With one out, Bobby Richardson continued his assault on St. Louis pitching (he would finish this Fall Classic with thirteen hits) singled. But Curt Simmons, back for another fine start, fanned both Roger Maris and Mickey Mantle.
Simmons carried a 1-0 lead into the top of the 5th. But there, it was Tommy Tresh with a ground-rule double to left. A single by Jim Bouton tied the game. Simmons then gave up back-to-back home runs to Maris and Mantle in the next inning. When Joe Pepitone hit a grand slam in the top of the eighth, this thing was going to a seventh and deciding game. St. Louis did not get any stolen bases, but Lou Brock hit a double. Lou was stranded.
In game seven, two stolen bases may have been the crucial play.
In the bottom of the fourth inning, with St. Louis up 1-0, it was Tim McCarver on third and Mike Shannon on first. Then came a play I love to watch! Shannon broke towards second. When Elston Howard threw there, McCarver broke for home! Timmy beat the throw! Shannon was also save! A double steal! Shannon then trotted home on a single to right by Dal Maxvill!
Brock didn't steal a base in this game, obviously. But he belted reliever Al Downing's first pitch in the bottom of the fifth inning to deep right-centre for a home run. Two more runs scored on a single, a double, a groundout and a sac fly. Man, were the Cards ever scoring in every was possible here! It was also now 6-0 after five.
But Bob Gibson was tiring. And in the top of the sixth, it was Bobby Richardson beating out a roller to second. When Maris singled and Mantle went yard, the lead was cut in half, 6-3.
St. Louis got a little bit more breathing room in the bottom of the seventh as Ken Boyer hit his second home run of the series. But an attempt for more offence in the top of the ninth failed as McCarver tried to score from third on a infield grounder to Clete Boyer at third. There was only one out. The inning ended without a run touching home for St. Louis. And while it was a four-run lead now, Clete hit a solo home run in the top of the ninth to cut it to 7-4. When Phil Linz hit another solo home run with two outs, the lead was down to two, 7-5. Gibby finally got Richardson to end it.
The St. Louis Cardinals may have only stolen three bases, but all three led to the Cards getting a big inning in two crucial games. Speed was returning to the game, and where better to showcase it then in the Fall Classic?
References
Enders, Eric. 100 Years Of The World Series. New York: Sterling Publishing Co., Inc. 2005. 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. 18 Sept. 2014.
Brock singled in the bottom of the first inning of game one, at home. Then he went from first to third on a single. A fly ball to Mickey Mantle in right by Ken Boyer scored him. Well, that's gotta be some speed right there, right? That put St. Louis up 1-0, but they would finish game one without a single stolen base.
Worse, still, it was Kenny's younger brother Clete with a one-out single in the top of the second for New York. The Yankees, having taken the lead on a two-run home run by Tommy Tresh earlier that inning, were looking for more. So with one on, one out, and New York up 2-1, Clete made a break towards second and was save. It proved to be a crucial play, as the next batter was Whitey Ford. The Chairman Of The Board could only single, but with Boyer on second rather than first, New York was up, 3-1. The Cardinals rallied to win, 9-5, but where were their stolen bases in this game? There were none!
The bad news in game two was St. Louis lost. The worse news was they again failed to steal a base. The good news was, New York failed to make a swipe! Dick Groat, not very fast, hit a ball past Hector Lopez (inserted for The Mick) in the bottom of the ninth to end up on third. The triple helped St. Louis score a run in that inning. But New York won this won easily, 8-3. It was off to New York for games three, four and five.
In game three, it was Dick Groat with another extra-base hit, a double that was stranded in the top of the sixth. However, he was stranded. In the next inning, it was Dal Maxvill with a leadoff double. A bunt moved him to third, but Dal stayed there. St. Louis scored a run when Tim McCarver hit a single to right, made it second as it got by Mantle. He then scored on a single by Curt Simmons the pitcher, which deflected of Clete Boyer's glove at third. That was the Cardinals speed at work. No stolen bases. New York was held to just five hits and no stolen bases. But Mickey Mantle, who also had a double earlier, blasted a tremendous home run in the bottom of the ninth to win it for his team, 2-1.
In game four, St. Louis and New York both got only six hits. In the bottom of the first, it was Phil Linz with a leadoff double to right that was just fair. But foolishly, Phil tried to steal third. McCarver, behind the dish, had him right where he wanted him and fired 'er to Ken Boyer. Linz started back to second, a dead duck. But Boyer slipped and his throw went into centre. A Bobby Richardson double made it 1-0, New York. Roger Maris hit a single. When Mantle followed with a single to right, it was 2-0. Mike Shannon bobbled it and The Mick turned on the jets. Shannon nailed him at second. New York did not attempt to steal any more bases, but Mantle was caught off guard in the bottom of the second. On second after Roger Craig (who came into relieve starter Ray Sadecki) walked him and Elston Howard, Mickey went too far of a lead off the bag. Craig caught him there. St. Louis didn't do much on the basepaths. No stolen bases, doubles or triples. But a Ken Boyer grand slam in the top of the sixth erased a 3-0 Yankee lead and made the Cards 4-3 winners.
Game five was tied at two after nine inning. St. Louis got a stolen base in the top of the tenth. And it helped win the game. Bill White had walked to start the inning. Then Boyer beat out a ball hit to right that no one tried to field. White started towards third as Dick Groat batted. It was too late a break and he headed back to second. That convinced Elston Howard, the Yankee catcher, what to do. He fired towards second, not realizing it had all been a fake. As soon as Elston threw towards the bag at second, White turned on the jets and made it towards third. It was scored a steal. A three-run home run by Tim McCarver won the game for St. Louis, 5-2. The Cardinals had their first stolen base, and it was a dandly, and at such a crucial time.
But in game six back in St. Louis, it was the Yankees that absolutely unloaded on the Cardinals. The game was actually close for a while. A potential New York uprising was foiled in the top of the first. With one out, Bobby Richardson continued his assault on St. Louis pitching (he would finish this Fall Classic with thirteen hits) singled. But Curt Simmons, back for another fine start, fanned both Roger Maris and Mickey Mantle.
Simmons carried a 1-0 lead into the top of the 5th. But there, it was Tommy Tresh with a ground-rule double to left. A single by Jim Bouton tied the game. Simmons then gave up back-to-back home runs to Maris and Mantle in the next inning. When Joe Pepitone hit a grand slam in the top of the eighth, this thing was going to a seventh and deciding game. St. Louis did not get any stolen bases, but Lou Brock hit a double. Lou was stranded.
In game seven, two stolen bases may have been the crucial play.
In the bottom of the fourth inning, with St. Louis up 1-0, it was Tim McCarver on third and Mike Shannon on first. Then came a play I love to watch! Shannon broke towards second. When Elston Howard threw there, McCarver broke for home! Timmy beat the throw! Shannon was also save! A double steal! Shannon then trotted home on a single to right by Dal Maxvill!
Brock didn't steal a base in this game, obviously. But he belted reliever Al Downing's first pitch in the bottom of the fifth inning to deep right-centre for a home run. Two more runs scored on a single, a double, a groundout and a sac fly. Man, were the Cards ever scoring in every was possible here! It was also now 6-0 after five.
But Bob Gibson was tiring. And in the top of the sixth, it was Bobby Richardson beating out a roller to second. When Maris singled and Mantle went yard, the lead was cut in half, 6-3.
St. Louis got a little bit more breathing room in the bottom of the seventh as Ken Boyer hit his second home run of the series. But an attempt for more offence in the top of the ninth failed as McCarver tried to score from third on a infield grounder to Clete Boyer at third. There was only one out. The inning ended without a run touching home for St. Louis. And while it was a four-run lead now, Clete hit a solo home run in the top of the ninth to cut it to 7-4. When Phil Linz hit another solo home run with two outs, the lead was down to two, 7-5. Gibby finally got Richardson to end it.
The St. Louis Cardinals may have only stolen three bases, but all three led to the Cards getting a big inning in two crucial games. Speed was returning to the game, and where better to showcase it then in the Fall Classic?
References
Enders, Eric. 100 Years Of The World Series. New York: Sterling Publishing Co., Inc. 2005. Print.
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.
Retrosheet. Web. 18 Sept. 2014. <www.retrosheet.org>.
Seaver, Tom, and Martin Appel. Great Moments in Baseball. New York, NY: Carol Pub. Group, 1992. Print.
Snyder, John S. World Series!: Great Moments and Dubious Achievements. San Francisco: Chronicle, 1995. Print.
Thorn, John, and Pete Palmer. Total Baseball. Vers. 1994. Portland, OR: Creative Multimedia Corp., 1994. Computer software. CD-ROM.
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