1962 World Series: Yankees’ most-talked-about championship

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The New York Yankees won the 1962 World Series, which was their 20th title, making them one of the most successful teams in baseball history. The 1962 Yankees had some really famous players like Mickey Mantle, Whitey Ford, Yogi Berra, and Roger Maris, and they played a big part in the team’s success.

The 1962 World Series was a thrilling and intense competition between the Yankees and the San Francisco Giants. They played seven games, and it was a close and exciting contest that got the whole country talking about baseball.

The 1962 World Series was a special event because it was a rematch between the Yankees and the Giants. They had played against each other in the 1961 World Series, too. Since they were rivals, it made the championship even more thrilling and full of excitement. The series had some amazing plays and players showing their best skills, making it a famous and important part of baseball history.

This win marked the end of an era of Yankees’ dominance, and they wouldn’t be as successful again until the late 1970s when they had a resurgence. After their 1962 World Series win, the Yankees had to wait until they won again in 1977.

In baseball history, the Yankees’ 1962 World Series victory is a celebrated and memorable moment. It’s remembered for the team’s star players, exciting games, and its significant impact on the Yankees’ storied legacy in the sport.

The prelude to 1962 World Series: Yankees regular season

During the 1962 regular season, the New York Yankees won 96 games and lost 66. Their performance earned them the American League pennant, which secured their spot in the 1962 World Series.

Mickey Mantle, Roger Maris, and Yogi Berra were among the Yankees’ star players in the 1962 regular season, which gave them a potent offense. Mantle hit .321 with 30 home runs and 89 RBIs, and Roger Maris made significant contributions with 33 home runs and 100 RBIs. Their performances played a big role in the team’s success leading to the 1962 World Series win.

When it came to pitching, Whitey Ford was the standout leader of the rotation with a 17-8 record and a 2.90 ERA. Alongside him, Ralph Terry and Bill Stafford also played important roles and made significant contributions to the team’s success on the mound both in the regular season and in the 1962 World Series.

During the 1962 regular season, the Yankees had tough competition from strong rivals like the Detroit Tigers and the Minnesota Twins in the American League pennant race. However, the Yankees performed exceptionally well and finished in first place in the American League, earning their spot in the 1962 World Series.

The race for the American League pennant was intense and exciting all season long. The Yankees had tough competition from the Minnesota Twins, who finished just 5 games behind them in the standings. Fans were thrilled and couldn’t wait to see who would come out on top until the regular season’s end. The Yankees showed their strong offense, solid pitching, and ability to win in a competitive league. These achievements set the stage for their memorable 1962 World Series victory against the San Francisco Giants.

The 1962 Yankees had great teamwork, with players like Mantle, Maris, and Berra forming a formidable core. Their strong bond and ability to collaborate effectively played a significant role in the team’s success. Ralph Houk, the team’s manager, did a fantastic job leading the Yankees during the regular season. His leadership and smart decisions played a big part in keeping the team united and encouraged.

The Yankees had the advantage of playing in the iconic Yankee Stadium, famous for its intimidating atmosphere and passionate home crowd. Their home-field advantage was a key factor in their success during the regular season leading to the 1962 World Series victory.

The Yankees’ 96 wins in the regular season showed how consistently strong they were against other American League teams. They had a level of dominance over their rivals that made them known as a baseball powerhouse. The Yankees were really consistent during the regular season. They didn’t have long periods of playing poorly, and they stayed competitive in most of their games. Their consistency helped them win the American League pennant.

In summary, the Yankees’ 1962 regular season was filled with impressive team performances, a close pennant race, and the ability to overcome obstacles. Their success in the regular season set the stage for their unforgettable 1962 World Series win and established them as one of the greatest teams in baseball history.

The 1962 World Series: Yankees 4-3 Giants

The New York Yankees’ success seemed almost predictable, and the early 1960s resembled the 1950s when the Yankees played in eight out of the ten World Championships. The team the Yankees faced in the 1962 World Series was a familiar opponent. The Giants had won the National League pennant for the first time since moving to San Francisco from New York (after the 1957 season). It was fitting that before this “Subway Series” revival, there was a playoff between the Los Angeles Dodgers, who used to be based in Brooklyn.

In Game 1 of the 1962 World Series, the Yankees’ experienced pitcher, Whitey Ford, made his usual start. He continued his impressive streak of not allowing any runs in World Series innings, reaching a total of thirty-three. However, in the second inning, the San Francisco Giants managed to score against him. Billy O’Dell, the Giants’ pitcher, matched Ford’s performance through six innings, but in the later innings, the Yankees, behind Clete Boyer and their powerful hitters, secured a 6-2 victory over the Giants.

The next day, Jack Sanford pitched a shutout with only three hits allowed. This led to a 2-0 win for the Giants and tied the series at one game each. In Game 3 of the 1962 World Series, Billy Pierce of the Giants kept the Yankees scoreless for six innings. However, Roger Maris, who had just become the single-season home run leader, changed the game with a two-run single in the seventh inning and later scored a run on a force-out grounder. The Yankees’ closer, Bill Stafford, almost let the lead slip away in the ninth inning when he gave up a two-run home run to Ed Bailey, but he managed to regroup and secure a 3-2 victory for the Yankees.

In Game 4 of the 1962 World Series, something unforgettable happened when the Giants’ Chuck Hiller stepped up to the plate. Even though he wasn’t known for hitting home runs, he surprised everyone by smacking a grand slam with the bases loaded in the seventh inning. This rare breakout performance by the second baseman came against the Yankees’ reliever, Marshall Bridges.

Chuck Hiller hit the first grand slam by a National League player in a World Series game, breaking the tie and leading the Giants to victory at Yankee Stadium. Adding to the intrigue, the winning pitcher for the Giants was Don Larsen, who exactly six years earlier had thrown a perfect game for the Yankees against the Brooklyn Dodgers. It was a remarkable twist of fate for Larsen on the same anniversary day.

In Game 5 of the 1962 World Series, Ralph Terry, who had struggled in previous World Series games, finally found success. The match was tightly contested like the others, with both teams tied late in the game. Then, it was Tom Tresh’s moment to shine. The young New York rookie hit a three-run homer in the eighth inning, giving his team the lead. Despite Jack Sanford’s impressive ten strikeouts in 7 1/3 innings, he took the loss as the Giants fell short.

After a five-day break, the 1962 World Series resumed, and the Giants were well-rested and determined to even the score. Billy Pierce pitched a great game, allowing only three hits, and Orlando Cepeda’s impressive performance with three hits and two RBIs led San Francisco to a crucial 5-2 victory. This win leveled the Fall Classic at a 3-3 tie.

Yet again, the strong Yankees managed to defeat a tough opponent, even though they couldn’t win two games in a row throughout the series. Surprisingly, two of their star players, Roger Maris and Mickey Mantle, had low batting averages. This showed how well the Giants’ pitchers performed since “The M&M Boys” had hit a total of 178 home runs in the past two seasons. However, these stats didn’t stop the American League’s dynasty from showing that they were back and eager for more success.

Game 1: Yankees 6-2 Giants

The game happened at Candlestick Park in San Francisco. It was a close and exciting match, with both teams’ pitchers, Whitey Ford for the Yankees and Billy O’Dell for the Giants, doing exceptionally well. Roger Maris, who hit a two-run double, and Clete Boyer, who hit a two-run homer, were the Yankees’ top hitters.

In the first game of the 1962 World Series, the Yankees took the lead at the beginning, with Roger Maris hitting a double that brought in two runs in the first inning. But then, the Giants fought back, and in the second inning, Willie Mays scored a point, which ended the Yankees’ long streak of not allowing any points in the World Series for about 33 innings and two-thirds. In the third inning, the Giants caught up with the Yankees when Chuck Hiller hit a double and Felipe Alou hit a single, tying the game. But in the seventh inning, the Yankees broke the tie when Clete Boyer hit a home run, putting them ahead once again.

In the next inning of the baseball game, Dale Long got a single and was hit by a pitch. Then he hit the ball and brought in a run, making the score 4-2 in favor of the Yankees, and the pitcher, Billy O’Dell, was taken out of the game. Later, Boyer hit a fly ball that helped the Yankees score another run, making it 5-2. In the ninth inning, the Yankees scored one more run when Elston Howard hit the ball and brought in a teammate. The pitcher, Don Larsen, was responsible for that run. Whitey Ford, the Yankees’ pitcher, played the entire game and led his team to victory. This was the first of six victories in the 1962 World Series, with four going to the Yankees and two to the Giants.

The baseball game was really exciting, and both teams had excellent pitchers who performed really well. It marked the beginning of the 1962 World Series and got everyone pumped up for a thrilling championship showdown between the Yankees and the Giants. It’s going to be a competitive and unforgettable matchup.

Game 2: Yankees 0-2 Giants

During Game 2 of the 1962 World Series, the Giants took the lead early in the first inning. Chuck Hiller hit a double right at the beginning of the inning and then scored a point with the help of two groundouts. In the seventh inning, Willie McCovey hit a home run, making the score 2-0 in favor of the Giants. Their pitcher, Jack Sanford, who had won 24 games that season, was fantastic on the mound. He only allowed the Yankees to get three hits and didn’t let them score any runs, securing the victory for the Giants.

Game 3: Yankees 3-2 Giants

After a day of rest for the teams, the 1962 World Series continued in New York. In Game 3, there were no points scored until the seventh inning. That’s when Roger Maris hit a single and brought in two runs for the Yankees. Shortly after, he scored a run himself when Clete Boyer hit a ground-out. The Yankees were now leading.

In the same game, Roger Maris once again stepped up to bat. With two runners already on base after hitting singles, Maris hit the ball and brought in two more runs. He then advanced to third base when one of his teammates hit a sacrifice fly. Maris finally scored the winning run for the Yankees when Clete Boyer hit a groundout, and the Giants couldn’t complete a double play to end the inning.

In the ninth inning, the Giants tried to catch up with a two-run homer by their catcher, Ed Bailey, making the score 3-2. But the Yankees’ pitcher, Bill Stafford, stayed strong and managed to retire Jim Davenport, securing the victory for the Yankees and giving them the lead in the 1962 World Series.

Game 4: Yankees 3-7 Giants

Marichal, the pitcher for the Giants, did really well and didn’t allow any points for four innings. Unfortunately, he got hurt while batting in the fifth inning, so he had to leave the game. Other players came in to replace him and held their ground until the seventh inning.

In the seventh inning, Chuck Hiller, who plays second base for the Giants, hit a grand slam, scoring four runs in one swing! This gave the Giants a 6-2 lead. The game ended with a score of 7-3, and now both teams had won two games each in the 1962 World Series.

In the second game in a row, a Giants catcher hit a home run and brought in two runs. This time, it was Tom Haller, and he did it in the second inning against Whitey Ford, the Yankees’ pitcher. Later in Game 5 of the 1962 World Series, the Yankees caught up and tied the score 2-2 in the sixth inning. This happened when two batters in a row got walks, thanks to pitcher Bobby Bolin, who had replaced the original Giants pitcher. Then, Bill Skowron and Clete Boyer hit singles that brought in the runs, making the score even.

But the Giants didn’t let the tie last for long. In the seventh inning, their second baseman, Chuck Hiller, hit a grand slam, which is when a batter hits a home run with all the bases loaded. This was the first time this happened in World Series history for a National League team. The grand slam brought in four runs for the Giants, two of which were charged to Jim Coates, the relief pitcher who replaced Whitey Ford.

In the ninth inning, the Giants scored one more run. Matty Alou got a single right at the start of the inning, then he moved to second base with a sacrifice bunt, and finally, he scored a run when Chuck Hiller hit a single.

The Yankees didn’t give up and tried to catch up. They managed to score one more run when they hit three consecutive singles with two outs. The last single was by Tom Tresh, and it brought in the run. However, their star player, Mickey Mantle, hit into a forceout, ending Game 4 of the 1962 World Series with the Giants winning 7-3.

This game was special because it was the only time Juan Marichal, who was the starting pitcher for the Giants, played in the 1962 World Series. Unfortunately, in the fifth inning, Marichal hurt his pitching hand while trying to bunt the ball. He couldn’t continue to play, so he was put on the disabled list for the rest of the series.

Don Larsen won the game as a relief pitcher, which means he came in to pitch later in the game. This victory happened exactly six years after he achieved something amazing in the 1956 World Series. On that day, he threw a perfect game in the same stadium where he had thrown a perfect game before. 

Game 5: Yankees 5-3 Giants

Game 5 of the 1962 World Series was a close match, with both teams tied at two runs each. But things changed in the bottom of the eighth inning when Tom Tresh, the Yankee left fielder, hit an awesome three-run homer off Jack Sanford, the Giants’ pitcher. This gave the Yankees a lead.

The Giants tried to catch up by scoring one run in the top of the ninth inning, but it wasn’t enough. Ralph Terry, the Yankees’ pitcher, did an amazing job and pitched the whole game, securing a victory for his team with a final score of 5-3.

In game 5 of the 1962 World Series, Jose Pagan, who was hitting really well, got a single at the beginning of the third inning against Ralph Terry, the Yankees’ pitcher. He then moved to second base with a sacrifice bunt and scored a run when Chuck Hiller hit a single, helping the Giants take the lead. The game was tied in the fourth inning due to a wild pitch from Jack Sanford, the Giants’ pitcher. But in the fifth inning, José Pagán hit a home run, and the Giants were ahead again with a score of 2-1. However, another wild pitch from Sanford in the sixth inning tied the game once more.

In the eighth inning, Bobby Richardson and Tony Kubek hit singles back-to-back, and then Tom Tresh hit an amazing three-run home run, which became the game-winning hit, putting the Yankees in the lead. The Giants managed to score one more run in the ninth inning when Willie McCovey got a single and Tom Haller hit a double, bringing McCovey home. However, Ralph Terry, the Yankees’ pitcher, was able to retire the next two hitters, ending the game.

As the 1962 World Series went back to San Francisco, the Yankees had an advantage, leading the series three games to two. Unfortunately, the sixth game had to be delayed for four days due to rain.

Game 6: Yankees 2-5 Giants

In Game 6 of the 1962 World Series, both teams had left-handed starting pitchers on the mound. Billy Pierce was the pitcher for the Giants, and he outshined Whitey Ford from the Yankees. Pierce pitched the entire game and only allowed three hits, helping the Giants secure a 5-2 victory. This win tied the 1962 World Series at three wins each for both teams.

The Giants took the lead first in the fourth inning. Whitey Ford made a mistake trying to pick off a runner after a player got a single and another one walked, which allowed a run to score. Then, Orlando Cepeda hit a double and Jim Davenport hit a single, bringing in one run each for the Giants. In the following inning, the Giants added to their lead with RBI singles by Felipe Alou and Orlando Cepeda.

The Yankees managed to score their only two runs during the game. Roger Maris hit a home run in the fifth inning, which produced the first run. Then, in the eighth inning, Tony Kubek hit an RBI single after a double, bringing in another run for the Yankees. But Billy Pierce’s complete-game pitching and the Giants’ timely hitting helped them secure the victory.

Game 7: Yankees 1-0 Giants

In this classic game of the 1962 World Series, there was only one run scored, and it happened in the fifth inning. Tony Kubek hit a ground ball that resulted in a double play, and Bill Skowron managed to score from third base.

Ralph Terry was the pitcher for the seventh game instead of Jim Bouton because of the rain. Two years earlier in Pittsburgh, he had given up Bill Mazeroski’s walk-off home run that cost them the World Series. But this time, Terry was on top of his game and managed to shut down the Giants’ power hitters.

In the bottom of the ninth inning, pinch-hitter Matty Alou, batting for reliever Billy O’Dell, started the inning with a bunt hit after a dropped foul ball. However, Terry quickly struck out the next two batters, Felipe Alou and Hiller. Willie Mays hit a double into the right-field corner, but Roger Maris played it well and then threw the ball to the cutoff man, Bobby Richardson, who made a quick relay throw to home plate.

In the game’s crucial moment, Alou was at third base. He knew that Roger Maris had a strong throwing arm, so he decided not to try to run home on a hit. With two outs and Willie McCovey up to bat, Ralph Terry, the pitcher, had a tough decision to make. He could either pitch to McCovey or intentionally walk him to load the bases, which would bring up the powerful hitter Orlando Cepeda next.

Terry chose to pitch to McCovey. On the second pitch, Terry’s fastball surprised McCovey, making it difficult for him to swing. Despite the challenge, McCovey adjusted his swing in the middle of it and hit the ball. He later said it was the hardest-hit ball he had ever struck. At first, it seemed like the ball might go over the head of Bobby Richardson, who was in a good position to catch it. But the ball had topspin and started to sink. Richardson reacted quickly, making the catch without jumping, and this ended the game and the series.

If Richardson hadn’t made the catch, McCovey’s hit would likely have brought Alou home to tie the game. There was even a chance that Willie Mays could have scored the winning run if the ball had gotten past Richardson.

In the end, Ralph Terry’s great pitching and Richardson’s timely catch played a crucial role in the Yankees’ victory. Terry’s outstanding performance throughout the series earned him the title of 1962 World Series Most Valuable Player (MVP).

Off the Winning Path

The Yankees celebrated their 20th World Series victory, which was a significant milestone for them. However, it would take quite a while before they won another World Series title, and that didn’t happen until 1977. San Francisco made it back to the World Series in 2002, but unfortunately, they lost in a thrilling seven-game series against the Anaheim Angels.

Rain affected Games 5 and 6 of the 1962 World Series. Game 5, which was supposed to be played in New York, got pushed back by just one day. However, Game 6, scheduled to take place in San Francisco, had to be delayed for four days because of heavy rain on the West Coast. It made the 1962 World Series last for an extended period of time, and this wasn’t the first time it happened for the Giants. In the past, they were also involved in two other lengthy World Series due to rain postponements: one in 1911 and the other in 1989.

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