Tuesday, July 26, 2016

World Series: Did You Know?

Ralph Terry pitched in the deciding games for the Yankees from 1960-1962. The New York Yankees won two of those. Ralph, though, had to settle for just one win (and a loss) in those three games.

Finally getting the Yankees out of a hectic inning in 1960, Terry was in no position to save the Bronx Bombers. He relieved Jim Coates in the bottom of the eighth inning of game seven, but it seemed to late. The Pittsburgh Pirates had fought back from 7-4, and now led 9-7. Though Terry finally got the last out of that frame, there seemed little hope of him throwing another pitch.



And exciting rally earned New York the right to play on. Bobby Richardson and Mickey Mantle had the key hits, and the Yankees scored twice. They'd trailed 4-0 and 9-7, and just showed the Pirates why they were such a great team.

The first batter Ralph faced in the bottom of the ninth was Bill Mazeroski. Bill had hit a home run in game one, a 7-4 Pittsburgh win. The pitcher's spot was up next (Harvey Haddix was the pitcher who'd failed like Coates to hold the fort), but you don't want to put the leadoff man on.

Terry threw a high ball. The next pitch was high, but in the strike zone. Maz hit it out of the park for a dramatic walk-off. Worse still, Terry was the losing pitcher. How could New York had lost this one?

Terry was back the next year, winning 16. The Bronx Bombers were simply in the mode all season long. The Cincinnati Reds, winners of the National League, soon found out just how good they were. In the Fall Classic, the teams split the first two games at Yankee Stadium, but Terry took a 6-2 loss in game two. A narrow 3-2 win in game three put New York right back where they wanted to be, Luis Arroyo winning in relief of Bill Stafford. Whitey Ford needed some relief of his own as he protected a close game through five innings. Clete Boyer doubled home a pair in the top of the sixth. 4-0. But Ford was out of the game as the bottom of the frame began. The Yankees outscored the Reds 3-0 the rest of the way, but it wasn't quite an easy of a 7-0 win that you would think.

And their series-clinching 13-5 wasn't accomplished without relief. Ralph Terry started, had a 6-0 lead, but couldn't get the job done. Frank Robinson's 3-run home run in the bottom of the third put Cincinnati right back in it. Terry was gone right there. 2 1/3 IP, 6 H. Bud Daley came in, and gave up two more hits before he put out the fire. The Reds kept hitting the ball hard, and got a two-run home run from Wally Post in the fifth. Five runs in five innings. But the Yankees scored seven runs themselves and the Reds couldn't get anything more (Though they finished with eleven hits). New York won, but Terry didn't get the win.



But all was about to be forgotten. Terry started game seven vs. San Francisco in the Fall Classic the next year. He was brilliant. Staked to only a 1-0 lead, he pitched two-hit ball through eight innings at Candlestick Park. But then...

Matty Alou batted for pitcher Billy O'Dell and singled. Terry bore down and fanned the next two batters. The Say Hey Kid, Willie Mays stepped in. A hit a double to right. Roger Maris, in right, got to it. Fired to Bobby Richardson at second. Richardson to Elston Howard the catcher. Alou held at third. But now, a base hit and the Giants win, 2-1. And it was another Willie at the dish. Willie McCovey. McCovey sent one foul to right. But on the next pitch, he crushed it. But guess what, it was caught by Richardson! Terry and the Yankees had themselves a dramatic 1-0 win. Hey, third times a charm!


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. 26 July. 2016.

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