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Cerv was sitting in the Yankee dugout one day in mid-1956 when manager Casey Stengel walked over and told him Enos Slaughter had been acquired from the A's. Casey said, "Nobody knows this, but one of us has been traded to Kansas City." Cerv looked around; he was the only player there. He had spent most of his first five years on the Yankee bench, but briefly became a star after going to the A's. In 1958 Cerv blasted 38 homers and was chosen over Ted Williams as the AL All-Star left fielder in the year of the Boston star's last batting championship. He played a month of that season with his broken jaw wired shut. The Yanks reacquired Cerv in 1960 and, after the Angels claimed him in the expansion draft, traded for him again in 1961. (JCA)

FROM THE BASEBALL CHRONOLOGY » September 11, 1958: Orioles manager Paul Richards lists three pitchers in his starting line-up, hoping for a scoring chance in the first inning, at which point he can remove the extra pitchers for a batter of his choice. Billy O'Dell, batting 9th at P; Jack Harshman in CF, batting 5th; Milt Pappas at 2B, batting 7th. Only O'Dell bats as he goes to 14–11, losing to KC's Ned Garver, 7–1. The A's plate five in the 8th, paced by Bob Cerv's 33rd home run. » September 18, 1958: For the second time in a month, the first two leadoff hitters homer. This time it is KC's Bill Tuttle and Roger Maris connecting off Boston's Ted Bowsfield as the A's win, 4–1. Bob Cerv hits #37 for the A's and Pete Daley homers off winner Bud Daley for Boston's score. » July 3, 1959: After giving up a grand slam to the A's Bob Cerv, Herb Score settles down and strikes out 14 in Cleveland's 8–4 win. » August 20, 1959: The A's Bob Cerv hits three home runs in an 11–10 loss to Boston. The Sox out hit the A's 16–13. Reliever Earl Wilson drives in three runs and earns his first ML victory. » May 19, 1960: The Yankees send SS Andy Carey to the A's for slugger Bob Cerv. Cerv had been with the Yanks for five years before going to KC where he banged 38 home runs in 1958 and was chosen as the American League left fielder over Ted Williams. Cerv will be claimed in the expansion draft in 1960 and the Yanks will again reacquire him. » August 14, 1960: The Yankees lose a doubleheader to Washington and fall to 3rd place in the American League, a half game behind the Orioles and White Sox. P Camilo Pascual's grand slam is the difference in a 5–4 first-game win. In the 2nd, Mickey Mantle, believing there are two outs, jogs to 1B on a grounder to 3B. The Senators turn a DP, with New York's Roger Maris suffering bruised ribs trying to break it up at 2B. Maris will miss 18 games as a result. Mantle is heavily booed, and Casey Stengel replaces him with Bob Cerv. The clubs set a major-league record by using 17 pinch hitters—9 by the Yankees—in the doubleheader (more than 18 innings), while playing a major-league record 24 errorless innings. » August 26, 1960: The Yanks crash five solo homers and four pinch hits, the latter tying an American League record, to top the Indians 7–6. Berra's 2nd homer gives New York the win in the 11th. In game 2, the Yankees win 7–5 with Bob Cerv's 3-run home run the big blow. » May 8, 1961: The Angels trade P Tex Clevenger and OF Bob Cerv to the Yankees for P Ryne Duren, P Johnny James, and OF Lee Thomas. For Cerv, it is his 3rd tour of duty in pinstripes.