The teams took a day off and traveled to New York for Game Three on October 8.
Just a couple of the noteworthy dignitaries among the 70,000 in Yankee
Stadium that Saturday afternoon were former president Herbert Hoover and
India's Prime Minister Nehru. Cardinal broadcaster Joe Garagiola would point
out to Berra the next day that the popular longtime Yankee had become such a
world figure that he drew more applause when announced than Hoover or Nehru.
Yogi replied, "Sure, I'm a better hitter."
Part of the Game Three pregame events included Lucy Monroe singing the
Star-Spangled Banner accompanied by the 69th Veterans Band, and recently
retired Ted Williams throwing out the ceremonial first pitch to Elston Howard. Murtaugh, celebrating his 43rd birthday would be sending veteran Vinegar Bend Mizell to the hill to oppose Yanks lefty Whitey Ford, who was setting a series
record with his 13th start. In the top of the first, Ford set the Pirates down
in order, and the Yankees then picked up where they had left off in Game Two.
Mizell was gone after one-third of an inning with one run in and the bases
full. Former Brooklyn Dodger Clem Labine came in for Pittsburgh and merely
threw gas on the fire. The first batter he faced, catcher Howard, beat out a
slow roller up the third-base line to score Mantle. Then 166 lb. Bobby Richardson, who had only one home run in 1960 hit a grand slam just inside the
left- field foul pole. One out later, the Pirates brought in their third
pitcher of the game, lefty Fred Green, and they would go into the second
inning down 6-0.
Pittsburgh didn't reach base until Virdon's double to lead off the fourth, and
he was stranded at second as the inning ended. Then in the bottom half of the
fourth, New York had another big inning to put the game out of reach. Mantle
hit a two-run shot into the left field bullpen, his third homer of the series,
and Richardson stroked a two-run single. With only seven RBI after the
All-Star break, Richardson, the unlikliest hero, had set a World Series
record with six RBI in one game.
Ford was masterful for New York on the mound, scattering only four hits.
Aside from the one walk he issued to Gino Cimoli in the seventh, he only went
to a count of three balls on two other batters. It would not be a happy
birthday for the Bucs skipper, and with the 10-0 drubbing, New York had
outscored Pittsburgh 26-3 in the previous two games.
The Pirates were able to come back with their ace Law the next day, Sunday,
October 9, as Stengel sent young righty Ralph Terry. Law worked out of a
bases-loaded jam in the first, and the game remained scoreless until the
bottom of the fourth. With two outs, Yankee first baseman Moose Skowron hit a
solo home run into the right field stands. The Bucs came right back in the
next inning as Law helped his own cause with an RBI double. Virdon added a
single that drove in two as Pittsburgh took a 3-1 lead. Law got into a bit of
trouble in the seventh as Richardson's fielder's-choice grounder scored
Skowron. With runners on first and second and only one out, Murtaugh summoned
Roy Face from the bullpen to preserve the slim 3-2 lead. The first batter he
faced, Bob Cerv, hit the ball 400 feet to right center, but a spectacular
leaping catch was made by Virdon. Face then got Kubek to bounce back to the
mound to end the inning, and the lead remained intact. The little forkballer
hurled the final 2 2/3 innings, not allowing the Yankees a hit, and saving the
victory for Law. Aside from Face's great relief work, Mantle credited Pirates
center fielder Virdon and his stellar defensive play in Games One and Four
with keeping Pittsburgh in the series. When reporters went into the Yankee
locker room after the game, they found most members of the team watching the
New York Giants-Pittsburgh football game.
From 1960: The Last Pure Season by Kerry Keene.
Copyright © 2000 by Kerry Keene. Reprinted with permission.