The greatest home run in the history of Major League Baseball ended the greatest World Series in the history of MLB. As Gino Cimoli, said in the middle of the after game celebration, They (the New York Yankees) scored all the runs and we have the trophy.
The 1960 World Series pitted the NL Champs, the Pittsburgh
Pirates against The Yankees of New York, champions of the AL.
Pittsburgh was the first modern National League Champion in
1901. However championships in Pittsburgh were few and far
between in 1960. Their last pennant was in 1927 when they
were defeated in the World Series by these same Yankees.
The Yankees had a much different history, they played in 8
of the last World Series. The 1960 World Series was one of
the most lopsided fall classics with Yankees overwhelming
Pittsburgh in total runs scored as well as base hits. Gm 1
Pgh 6, NY 4. Gm 2 NY 16, Pgh 3. Gm 3 NY 10, Pgh 0.
Gm 4 Pgh 3 NY 2. Gm 5 Pgh 5, NY 2. Gm 6 NY 12, Pgh 0.
Gm 7 Pgh 10, NY 9. This New York team were truly the
"Bronx Bombers". The team was comprised of Roger
Maris, Mickey Mantle, Yogi Berra, Tony Kubek, Bill
Skowran, Bobby Richardson, with pitchers Whitey
Ford and Ralph Terry and managed by the legendary
Casey Stengle. In games 2 & 3 Mickey Mantle ha 2
home runs and 5 RBIs while Bobby Richardson had
a grand slam home run and 6 RBIs. In Game 5
Stengle went with Game 1 starter Art Ditmar,
who lasted only 1/3 inning in that first game.
The Pirates continued their mastery over Ditmar
and won game 5 by a score of 5-2. Game 6
belonged to New York. Richardson hit 2 triples,
Johnny Blanchard hit 2 doubles and 3 hits,
Maris and Berra also each had 3 hits. The
Yankees had a total of 17 hits and 12 runs.
Game 7 was different than any other game
in the series, the lead went back and forth
almost all during the game. The Pirates fought
to an early 4-0 lead. The Yankees the fought
back to take a 5-4 lead. In the top of the 8th
The Yanks added to their lead, going ahead 7-5.
In the bottom of the 8th Pittsburgh avoided a
sure double play, with runners on 1st and 2nd,
when a ground ball to shortstop Tony Kubek
took a bad bounce and hit him in his Adam's apple.
This caused Kubek much pain and he needed to
leave the game. Dick Groat then singled and
Clemente made it 7-6. Hal Smith then homered
with 2 men on and Pittsburgh was leading 9-7
going into the top of the 9th. Bobby Richardson
and Dale Long (former Pirate) each singled and
Mantle drove one run in with the inning's 3rd
single. Gil McDougal then hit into a fielder's
choice, scoring the tying run. With the score
tied at 9-9 in the bottom of the 9th, Ralph Terry,
who got the final out in the 8th, was on the
mound. Bill Mazeroski, the Pirate 2nd
baseman, came to the batter's box to lead
off the inning for Pittsburgh. With the count
1 ball and no strikes, the future Hall of Famer
smashed a historic home run over the head of
Yogi Berra and the ivy-covered brick wall in left
field. This was the first ever walk-off homerun
that won a World Series. Most baseball experts
consider this to be Major League Baseball's most
famous home run. The Pirates and their fans
erupted in a huge and long-lasting celebration.
The Yankees however, stood in shock and disbelief.
New York knew that they clearly dominated the
series, as a whole but they were unable to finish
the task. The World Champion Pirates were outscored
55-27 and outhit 91-60, but when it counted the
Pittsburgh Pirates prevailed. Years later, in his
autobiography, Mickey Mantle wrote that "losing
the 1960 World Series was the biggest disappointment
of his career." For Bill Mazeroski it was the high
point of his career. " I don't know what the pitch
was to Mazeroski, all I know was that it was the
wrong one". - Ralph Terry Major League Baseball
(MLB.com) calls the 7th game of the 1960 World
Series the greatest game 7 in World Series history.
Bill Mazeroski was awarded the Babe Ruth Award
as the Most Valuable Player of the 1960 World Series.
