Tommy Henrich was an outstanding New York Yankee outfielder. A sweet hitter.

He was also a great ambassador for the game of baseball and a sensational storyteller. He told me that the following actually happened during the 1965 World Series.

Tommy was attending the opening game of the World Series with his friend and Hall of Fame teammate Lefty Gomez. Gomez was a comic without really trying. He always seemed to find the most unique humor in any situation.

Sandy Koufax was scheduled to pitch this opening game against the Minnesota Twins, but because it fell on a Jewish holiday, which Sandy always honored, he was automatically excused for the day. Don Drysdale was moved up one day in the pitching rotation to pitch the opener. In the third inning, the Twins got to Drysdale for five runs. Walt Alston, the Dodger manager, went to the mound and made a pitching change. As Alston and Drysdale walked off the field toward the dugout, Gomez said to Henrich, "I know what Alston is saying to Drysdale."

Tommy said, "How do you know what Alston is saying?"

"Believe me," said Lefty, "I know exactly what Alston is saying."

"What's he saying?" said Tommy.

"He's saying, `Why couldn't you have been Jewish instead of Koufax?'"

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