The Nineteen Sixty-One Yankees: They Also Served

Nineteen sixty-one was one of the New York Yankees’ best seasons. Almost every fan is familiar with the exploits of Mickey Charles Mantle and Roger Eugene Maris, but not enough credit is given to the other members of that memorable team. Without the supporting cast, the World Series might not have been won.

The Yankees had 109 victories during the season, which was eight more than the runner-up Detroit Tigers. Since baseball was “pure” in the sense that the pennant winner was assured of a trip to the World Series, the Yankees and Cincinnati Reds would meet for Game 1 at Yankee Stadium a few days after the other teams went home for the winter.

The Reds were an outstanding team, led by outfielders Frank Robinson (.323 batting average, 37 home runs, 124 runs batted in, and 22 stolen bases) and Vada Pinson (.343 batting average, 16 home runs, 87 runs batted in, and 23 stolen bases). Joey Jay won 21 games and lost only 10, while Jim O’Toole won 19 and lost only 9.

The Yankees were, of course, led by Mantle and Maris during the season, but Mantle was injured and batted only six times in the Series. While Maris hit a critical home run in Game 3 to give the Yankees the margin of victory, he had only one other hit in nineteen at bats and two RBI’s. It was the lesser-known Yankees who helped to beat Cincinnati.

Game One was a classic pitching match up between the Yankees’ ace, Whitey Ford, and Cincinnati nineteen game winner Jim O’Toole. The pitchers matched zeroes until Yankees catcher Elston Howard hit a fourth inning home run into the right field stands. Bill Skowron, who batted .353 in the Series, hit a home run in the sixth inning and the Yankees won, 2-0.

But they might not have won without the great defensive work of third baseman Clete Boyer. He made a great late inning play to rob Dick Gernet of a double and contributed a number of other excellent plays to help Ford stop the Cincinnati offense. Boyer batted only .224 during the season, but his defense helped the Yankees win the Series. He also hit a key double in Game 4 to help Ford win again.

Game Two saw Cincinnati come back and win behind the pitching of former bonus baby Joey Jay. The game was tied 2-2 when the Yankees defense faltered and the tough National Leaguers evened the Series at one game each. Game 3 would be pivotal, and that brings us to Johnny Blanchard.

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