On Aug. 31, 1961, the Detroit Tigers trailed the first-place New York Yankees by a just one and one-half games, but by just a unmarried amusement in the all-important damage column. With the outlet of time, it is often forgotten that the great 1961 Yankees were in a blistering labarum foot-race with the Tigers most of the season. Really, A Crucial Series The Tigers were in New York to amusement the Yankees in what very was a essential series starting on Sept. 1. The firstly tournament was a contest of lefties, with Don Mossi coating Whitey Ford.
The devil-may-care was scoreless when Ford had to hop it in the Tigers' fifth due to a perceptive strain. Left-hander Leo "Buddy" Daley, whom the Yankees obtained from their cousins in Kansas City, took over for Whitey and matched zeros with Mossi until Luis Arroyo entered in the ninth. The Tigers failed to make a point off Arroyo, and the Yankees batted in the bottom of the ninth with a fortune to win.
In 1961, it was expected that a pitcher would perfect what he started. Mossi retired Roger Maris on a inoffensive rush ball to unmitigated fielder Al Kaline for the start with out. Mickey Mantle then struck out for the third time. The "M & M" boys went hitless on the night, but the 1961 Yankees were more than Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris. Elston Howard lined a singular to center, and Yogi Berra followed with a only to right, effective Ellie to third.
Mossi deliberate from the twist up, correctly figuring that Elston Howard was not about to attack a lurk of home. Don checked the runners, brought his arms over his head, and delivered a curve ball that Moose Skowron hit to the port of third baseman Steve Boros. Steve lunged for the ball, as 65,566 fans roared their acceptance when the ball trickled into communist field. The Next Game The next day, the Yankees pulse grey nemesis Frank Lary actually without difficulty by a reckon for of 7-2.
Roger Maris hit his 52nd and 53rd lodging runs as Ralph Terry and Luis Arroyo combined to put the Yankees three and one-half games above the Tigers. Must-Win, Mr. Bunning Detroit was faced with a must-win game. They had the pitcher considered their ace, Jim Bunning, set to phiz Bill Stafford.
The Yankees normally did well against Bunning, who finished his shoot with a 7-9 memento against the Bombers. Bunning failed to come through in a also meet that was reviving to his team's standard chances. The Tigers staked Bunning to a one spout take in the first.
After the coming senator from Kentucky retired the beforehand two batters, Maris singled and Mantle, who wasn't expected to play, blasted a household booking sonorous into the lessen amend players stands. Yogi Berra followed with an even longer photo into the bull draw up for his 19th place run. Bunning was not distinguishing himself.
Jim settled down until the fifth, when Bobby Richardson free to the quick Clete Boyer to give the Yankees a 4-1 lead. But the Tigers bailed out Bunning, who was replaced after usual only six innings and allowing four earned runs. The Tigers scored celibate tallies in the sixth and eighth innings to trail within a run. Then came the graphic ninth.
Luis Arroyo was in his alternate inning of work. Chico Fernandez struck out, but the derisive Arroyo, whose best lob was a screwball, walked left-hand hitting Dick McAuliffe. Arroyo fooled Dick Brown, who took a defensive go to and fro at a screwball. The slow-footed catcher hit a dwarf topper in leading of the plate. Arroyo pounced on the ball and fired it to ahead baseman Moose Skowron, who failed to handled the ball.
Detroit had the possibility tying ladder at third and the developing premier danseur zip at second. Skowron was charged with the error. Bubba Morton was intentionally walked to albatross the bases.
Jake Wood followed with a distinct to put the Tigers ahead, 5-4. Bunning was off the hook. Mantle and His Yankees Leading off the Yankees' ninth, Mickey Mantle hit his moment internal string of the prepared earnestly into the good domain bleachers off Gerry Staley to railway tie the game. Yogi singled, bringing up Arroyo, who hit for himself.
Did anyone for an illustration designated hitter, pinch-hitter or pinch-runner? Luis sacrificed Yogi to second, the Moose was walked intentionally, and Elston Howard ended the Tigers' pennon chances with a three-run tellingly direct into the left side green seats. It is not fitting that if Jim Bunning had stopped the Yankees, the Tigers would have won the pennant. The 1961 Yankees are viewed as one of the greatest teams of all-time, but the 1961 Tigers were the Yankees' go with until the leading days of September. If Bunning had beaten the Yankees, and his gang did stroke five runs that game, the Yankees' precede would have been two and one-half, not four and one-half games.
The discouraged Tigers dropped their next five games. In his next start, which was in Boston, with the Tigers' losing whiz at seven games, Jim Bunning lasted only three and one-third innings as the Sox blasted the Tigers, 9-2. In two vital starts, later Hall of Famer Jim Bunning had been less than sterling. References: Yanks Beat Tigers Before 65,566 on Skowron's Two-Out Single in Ninth :HOWARD TALLIES FOR 1-0 VICTORY Three Singles in Row Help Yankees Win and Extend Lead to 2 1/2 Games By ROBERT L. TEAGUE. (1961, September 2). New York Times (1923-Current file),p. 10. Retrieved March 1, 2010, from ProQuest Historical Newspapers The New York Times (1851 - 2006). (Document ID: 98542191). By JOHN DREBINGER. (1961, September 4).
Mantle Makes It 49 and 50 and Yanks Make It Three Straight Over Tigers :HOWARD'S HOMER CAPS 8-5 VICTORY Drive in 9th Defeats Tigers After Mantle Ties Score -- 55,676 See Game. New York Times (1923-Current file),p. 18. Retrieved March 1, 2010, from ProQuest Historical Newspapers The New York Times (1851 - 2006). (Document ID: 98445654).
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