The last Yankee retired in games three and five of the 1964 Fall Classic was Roger Maris. But it took the St. Louis ace righty and ace lefty to do it. New York fought to the last at-bat in both games. And on one of them, the Yankees manged to pull it off in dramatic fashion.
Roger Maris was playing centre for the Yankees in 1964. Mickey Mantle was in right. The M and M boys weren't the players they had been in '61, but they were carrying on the legacy and being quite heroic about it.
But in October of 1964, they faced the St. Louis Cardinals. The Cardinals had Bob Gibson, the righty and Curt Simmons the lefty. Each had been instrumental in getting St. Louis this far. Each would also be instrumental in keeping their teams in every Fall Classic game that year when they started.
But Gibson actually lost game two, 8-3, as the Yankees squared things right there in St. Louis. The next three games were in New York. The first one was a classic pitcher's duel.
The Yankees sent Jim Bouton, just in his third season, to go against Simmons. It must have been a bit of an odd sight to see both of them in this game. Bouton had won twenty games in '63, and lost a close 1-0 game to Don Drysdale in game three of the 1963 World Series. It was that kind of progress for him. Only 7-7 in 1962, Jim was proving himself. 1964 seemed to be a bad year for him, though. He started 4-6 despite a good ERA. Bouton kept going, however, and was an impressive 5-1 in the month of July. Finally, he finished off the season winning his last three starts to go 18-13. Despite that, he was clearly the underdog here.
The way the game was going, it looked like a Cardinal win. The teams traded runs, and then Bouton started to struggle. Curt Simmons had given up few hits, and even gotten the Cardinals' RBI. St. Louis loaded the bases in the top of the sixth, only to have Bouton escape. The Yankees did the same, with the same end result in the bottom of the frame.
In the top of the seventh, Dal Maxvill got it all going with a leadoff double. A bunt, and the go-ahead run was ninety feet away. Curt Flood flied out to Maris in centre and Max stayed at third. Lou Brock grounded out to Clete Boyer at third.
Bouton got 'em 1-2-3 in the eighth and Simmons had a splendid time in his half. Phil Linz flied out to Flood in centre. Bobby Richardson could not even get the ball out of the infield. And he'd been troubling St. Louis all the time this fall. Roger Maris was at the dish and Simmons fanned him. It would proved to be the last batter Simmons faced.
But then the ninth inning came, and the wheels seemed to really come off the chariot for young Bouton. Tim McCarver reached on an error by shortstop Phil Linz. Another bunt moved him to second. A walk put two on. Simmons was the next hitter, but the Cards sent up Bob Skinner to hit for him. Skinner, a lefty, sent this thing a mile to centre. Maris scrambled back for it, finally making the catch on the warning track. Curt Flood lined to Mantle in right, with Mickey almost missing the catch.
Mickey was the leadoff hitter in the bottom of the ninth. Barney Schultz came in to face him. Mantle wasted no time. He belted a dramatic walk off on the very first pitch, high into the second deck. A dramatic way to end it. Simmons didn't take the loss, but his fine effort had been wasted by the peerless Yankee star.
Bob Gibson started game five. St. Louis had managed to get things on even ground the previous game. Now Gibby was here to put them ahead. Facing young Mel Stottlemyre, Gibby had the edge. St. Louis scored twice in the top of the fifth off the rookie pitcher (9-3 on the season), and Gibby was in control. St. Louis, though, could not get another run off Stottlemyre, and the Yankees bullpen soon did the job. Stottlemyre himself actually got a single off Gibson, to match him in pitcher's hits on the afternoon. That came in the bottom of the fifth. But Gibby had singled and scored in the top of the frame.
Bobby Richardson got a single to start the sixth, but Gibson got Maris to fly to Flood. Mantle and Elston Howard fanned. The Cards got two more singles off Mel in the top of the seventh, but they didn't get 'em home. Two singles off new pitcher Hal Reniff with only one out gave St. Louis a promising opening in the top of the eighth, but righty Pete Mikkelsen came in, fanned Mike Shannon, and got Del Maxvill on a force to end that.
Gibson had a 1-2-3 bottom of the frame (Maris going down on a grounder to first), but Mikkelsen fanned him to start the ninth. Flood lined out to Clete Boyer at third and Brock flied to Maris. Pete was looking unhittable. St. Louis still had the lead, however, 2-0.
Mantle reached first on an error by Dick Groat to start the ninth. Gibson got the next two outs, but Tom Tresh hit a dramatic two-run home run to tie it. Deep into right-centre. This thing was headed to extras.
Here's where the Yankees went too long with Mikkelsen. The Cardinals got two on with only one out. Steve Hamilton, the tall lefty, was up in the bullpen and ready, but Berra stuck with Mikklesn to face Tim McCarver, also a lefty. On a 3-2 pitch, Mikkelsen made a mistake, and McCarver hammered it over Mantle in right, into the stands, and the Cardinals were back up, 5-2.
Gibson needed just three more outs. He fanned Mike Hegan, who was batting for Mikklesen. Phil Linz popped out to Clete Boyer's older brother Ken at third. But Bobby Richardson stroked his third hit of the game to keep New York alive. Gibson would have to deal with Roger Maris next.
Gibson got Maris to pop it up to third. But it was in foul territory and looked like it would find the seats before Boyer would make it. Boyer leaned in with all of his might and snared it. Bob Gibson had a 5-2 win, St. Louis had a 3-2 lead in the Fall Classic, and things were looking up.
The Cardinals, despite Maris' failed last-ditched efforts to make a difference, must have liked what they saw in Roger. After the 1966 season, the acquired him in a trade with the Yankees. I guess making the last out never crossed their minds. It didn't need two. Roger helped St. Louis win again in '67 and nearly again the next season.
Roger Maris was playing centre for the Yankees in 1964. Mickey Mantle was in right. The M and M boys weren't the players they had been in '61, but they were carrying on the legacy and being quite heroic about it.
But in October of 1964, they faced the St. Louis Cardinals. The Cardinals had Bob Gibson, the righty and Curt Simmons the lefty. Each had been instrumental in getting St. Louis this far. Each would also be instrumental in keeping their teams in every Fall Classic game that year when they started.
But Gibson actually lost game two, 8-3, as the Yankees squared things right there in St. Louis. The next three games were in New York. The first one was a classic pitcher's duel.
The Yankees sent Jim Bouton, just in his third season, to go against Simmons. It must have been a bit of an odd sight to see both of them in this game. Bouton had won twenty games in '63, and lost a close 1-0 game to Don Drysdale in game three of the 1963 World Series. It was that kind of progress for him. Only 7-7 in 1962, Jim was proving himself. 1964 seemed to be a bad year for him, though. He started 4-6 despite a good ERA. Bouton kept going, however, and was an impressive 5-1 in the month of July. Finally, he finished off the season winning his last three starts to go 18-13. Despite that, he was clearly the underdog here.
The way the game was going, it looked like a Cardinal win. The teams traded runs, and then Bouton started to struggle. Curt Simmons had given up few hits, and even gotten the Cardinals' RBI. St. Louis loaded the bases in the top of the sixth, only to have Bouton escape. The Yankees did the same, with the same end result in the bottom of the frame.
In the top of the seventh, Dal Maxvill got it all going with a leadoff double. A bunt, and the go-ahead run was ninety feet away. Curt Flood flied out to Maris in centre and Max stayed at third. Lou Brock grounded out to Clete Boyer at third.
Bouton got 'em 1-2-3 in the eighth and Simmons had a splendid time in his half. Phil Linz flied out to Flood in centre. Bobby Richardson could not even get the ball out of the infield. And he'd been troubling St. Louis all the time this fall. Roger Maris was at the dish and Simmons fanned him. It would proved to be the last batter Simmons faced.
But then the ninth inning came, and the wheels seemed to really come off the chariot for young Bouton. Tim McCarver reached on an error by shortstop Phil Linz. Another bunt moved him to second. A walk put two on. Simmons was the next hitter, but the Cards sent up Bob Skinner to hit for him. Skinner, a lefty, sent this thing a mile to centre. Maris scrambled back for it, finally making the catch on the warning track. Curt Flood lined to Mantle in right, with Mickey almost missing the catch.
Mickey was the leadoff hitter in the bottom of the ninth. Barney Schultz came in to face him. Mantle wasted no time. He belted a dramatic walk off on the very first pitch, high into the second deck. A dramatic way to end it. Simmons didn't take the loss, but his fine effort had been wasted by the peerless Yankee star.
Bob Gibson started game five. St. Louis had managed to get things on even ground the previous game. Now Gibby was here to put them ahead. Facing young Mel Stottlemyre, Gibby had the edge. St. Louis scored twice in the top of the fifth off the rookie pitcher (9-3 on the season), and Gibby was in control. St. Louis, though, could not get another run off Stottlemyre, and the Yankees bullpen soon did the job. Stottlemyre himself actually got a single off Gibson, to match him in pitcher's hits on the afternoon. That came in the bottom of the fifth. But Gibby had singled and scored in the top of the frame.
Bobby Richardson got a single to start the sixth, but Gibson got Maris to fly to Flood. Mantle and Elston Howard fanned. The Cards got two more singles off Mel in the top of the seventh, but they didn't get 'em home. Two singles off new pitcher Hal Reniff with only one out gave St. Louis a promising opening in the top of the eighth, but righty Pete Mikkelsen came in, fanned Mike Shannon, and got Del Maxvill on a force to end that.
Gibson had a 1-2-3 bottom of the frame (Maris going down on a grounder to first), but Mikkelsen fanned him to start the ninth. Flood lined out to Clete Boyer at third and Brock flied to Maris. Pete was looking unhittable. St. Louis still had the lead, however, 2-0.
Mantle reached first on an error by Dick Groat to start the ninth. Gibson got the next two outs, but Tom Tresh hit a dramatic two-run home run to tie it. Deep into right-centre. This thing was headed to extras.
Here's where the Yankees went too long with Mikkelsen. The Cardinals got two on with only one out. Steve Hamilton, the tall lefty, was up in the bullpen and ready, but Berra stuck with Mikklesn to face Tim McCarver, also a lefty. On a 3-2 pitch, Mikkelsen made a mistake, and McCarver hammered it over Mantle in right, into the stands, and the Cardinals were back up, 5-2.
Gibson needed just three more outs. He fanned Mike Hegan, who was batting for Mikklesen. Phil Linz popped out to Clete Boyer's older brother Ken at third. But Bobby Richardson stroked his third hit of the game to keep New York alive. Gibson would have to deal with Roger Maris next.
Gibson got Maris to pop it up to third. But it was in foul territory and looked like it would find the seats before Boyer would make it. Boyer leaned in with all of his might and snared it. Bob Gibson had a 5-2 win, St. Louis had a 3-2 lead in the Fall Classic, and things were looking up.
The Cardinals, despite Maris' failed last-ditched efforts to make a difference, must have liked what they saw in Roger. After the 1966 season, the acquired him in a trade with the Yankees. I guess making the last out never crossed their minds. It didn't need two. Roger helped St. Louis win again in '67 and nearly again the next season.
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