1962 World Series
Encyclopedia
The 1962 World Series matched the defending American League
and World Series champions New York Yankees
against the National League
champion San Francisco Giants
, who had won their first NL
pennant since 1954
and first since moving from New York in 1958, defeating the Los Angeles Dodgers
in a three-game playoff.
This World Series, which was closely matched in every game, is remembered for its then-record length of 13 days, caused by rain in both cities, and its appropriately dramatic conclusion. The Yankees took the Series in seven games for the 20th championship in team history. The Yankees had won their first World Series in 1923; of the 40 Series played between 1923 and 1962, the Yankees won half.
The Giants had a higher cumulative batting average and lower earned-run average, hit more home runs, triples, and doubles, yet lost the Series.
The Giants would not return to the Fall Classic for another 27 years
. After a long dominance of the World Series picture, the Yankees would not win another World Series for another 15 years
despite appearances in 1963 and 1964.
in San Francisco, California
Roger Maris
' two-run double in the first inning set up Yankee starter Whitey Ford
with a lead, but Willie Mays
scored for the Giants in the second, ending Ford's record World Series consecutive scoreless inning streak at . Chuck Hiller
's double and Felipe Alou's hit in the third tied the game, but the Yankees broke the tie in the seventh on Clete Boyer
's home run and scored three insurance runs in the final two innings. Ford's complete-game victory was the first of six in the series, four for the Yankees and two for the Giants.
in San Francisco, California
With the Giants protecting a 1–0 lead in the seventh inning, Willie McCovey smashed a tremendous home run over the right-field fence to boost 24-game winner Jack Sanford
to 2–0 shutout of the Yankees, who managed only three hits.
The Yankees ended a scoreless tie in the seventh with three runs. Roger Maris drove a base hit off starter Billy Pierce
for two runs, and alert base-running allowed him to score the winning run in a 3–2 Yankee victory. Giants catcher Ed Bailey
's two-run homer in the top of the ninth left the Giants a run short.
For the second time in as many games, a Giants catcher stroked a two-run homer, when Tom Haller
hit his off Whitey Ford in the second inning. After the Yankees tied the score at 2–2, second baseman Chuck Hiller
hit the first National League grand slam in World Series history in the seventh, and the Giants went on to win 7–3. The game marked the only appearance in this series of Juan Marichal
, who started for the Giants.
Don Larsen
was the winning pitcher in relief, six years to the day of his perfect game
in the 1956 World Series
.
Games 5 and 6 were postponed by rain. Game 5 at New York
was pushed back one day, but Game 6 in San Francisco was pushed back four days due to torrential rain on the West Coast. Three of the longest World Series in terms of total days, due to various postponements, involved the Giants: the 1911
and the 1989
were the other two.
In Game 5, hot-hitting José Pagán
drove in two runs with a single in the third and a home run in the fifth. But with the score tied 2–2 in the eighth, Tom Tresh
walloped what proved to be the winning homer, a three-run shot that also scored Bobby Richardson
and Tony Kubek
. With the series returning to San Francisco
the Yankees had the edge, three games to two, only to have the sixth game delayed four days by rain.
in San Francisco, California
In a battle of left-handed starting pitchers, Pierce out-dueled Ford with a complete-game three-hitter as the Giants evened the series at three wins apiece with a 5–2 victory. The Yankees' only runs came on a Maris solo home run in the fifth inning and an RBI single by Tony Kubek in the eighth inning.
in San Francisco, California
The only run of this classic game came in the fifth inning when Tony Kubek
grounded into a double play, Bill Skowron scoring from third. Ralph Terry
, pitching the seventh game instead of Jim Bouton
because of the rain delays, had given up Bill Mazeroski
's Series-winning walk-off home run
two years earlier in Pittsburgh, but in his third start stifled the Giants' power hitters. In the bottom of the ninth, pinch-hitter Matty Alou
, batting for reliever Billy O'Dell
, led off the inning with a bunt hit after first having a foul ball dropped, but Terry struck out the next two batters, Felipe Alou and Hiller. Mays hit a double into the right-field corner, but Maris played the carom well, then hit cut-off man Richardson with a throw that was quickly relayed home. Alou, aware of Maris' strong arm, stopped at third. Facing Willie McCovey
with two outs, Terry elected to pitch to him rather than walk the bases loaded
, which would have brought up slugger Orlando Cepeda
. Terry's inside fastball on the second pitch handcuffed McCovey, who nonetheless adjusted his bat in mid-swing to extend his arms and hit what he later claimed was the hardest ball he had ever struck. The line drive appeared at first to be going over the head of a well-positioned Richardson, but was in fact sinking from topspin and Richardson made the catch without leaping to end the game. The Yankees won their 20th World Series; they would not win another until 1977.
(A.L.) over San Francisco Giants
(N.L.)
comic strip of December 22, 1962, cartoonist and Giants fan Charles M. Schulz
depicted Charlie Brown
sitting glumly with Linus
, lamenting in the last panel, "Why couldn't McCovey have hit the ball just three feet higher?" The January 28, 1963 strip featured a nearly identical scene, except in the last panel Charlie Brown moaned, "Or why couldn't McCovey have hit the ball even two feet higher?"
During the 1981 Major League Baseball strike, Giants radio flagship KNBR
rebroadcast Game 7, electronically re-editing NBC Radio announcer George Kell's description to make it sound as if McCovey's ninth-inning hit had gotten past Richardson and Mays had scored to win the game and Series for San Francisco.
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
and World Series champions New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
against the National League
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...
champion San Francisco Giants
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
, who had won their first NL
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...
pennant since 1954
1954 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:* World Series: New York Giants over Cleveland Indians * All-Star Game, July 13 at Municipal Stadium: American League, 11-9-Other champions:* Caribbean World Series: Caguas Creoles [Criollos de Caguas]...
and first since moving from New York in 1958, defeating the Los Angeles Dodgers
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
in a three-game playoff.
This World Series, which was closely matched in every game, is remembered for its then-record length of 13 days, caused by rain in both cities, and its appropriately dramatic conclusion. The Yankees took the Series in seven games for the 20th championship in team history. The Yankees had won their first World Series in 1923; of the 40 Series played between 1923 and 1962, the Yankees won half.
The Giants had a higher cumulative batting average and lower earned-run average, hit more home runs, triples, and doubles, yet lost the Series.
The Giants would not return to the Fall Classic for another 27 years
1989 World Series
†: Game 3 was originally slated for October 17 at 5:35 pm; however, it was postponed when an earthquake occurred at 5:04 pm.-Game 1:Saturday, October 14, 1989 at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum in Oakland, California...
. After a long dominance of the World Series picture, the Yankees would not win another World Series for another 15 years
1977 World Series
-Game 1:Tuesday, October 11, 1977 at Yankee Stadium in Bronx, New YorkThe Dodgers drew first blood off Don Gullett in the first when Davey Lopes walked and scored on a Bill Russell triple. Ron Cey made it 2–0 on a sacrifice fly...
despite appearances in 1963 and 1964.
Summary
Game 1
Thursday, October 4, 1962 at Candlestick ParkMonster Park
Candlestick Park is an outdoor sports and entertainment stadium located in San Francisco, California, in the Bayview Heights area. The stadium was originally built as the home of Major League Baseball's San Francisco Giants, who played there from 1960 until moving into Pacific Bell Park in 2000...
in San Francisco, California
San Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
Roger Maris
Roger Maris
Roger Eugene Maris was an American Major League Baseball right fielder. During the 1961 season, he hit a record 61 home runs for the New York Yankees, breaking Babe Ruth's single-season record of 60 home runs...
' two-run double in the first inning set up Yankee starter Whitey Ford
Whitey Ford
Edward Charles "Whitey" Ford is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who spent his entire 18-year career with the New York Yankees. He was voted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1974.-Early life and career:...
with a lead, but Willie Mays
Willie Mays
Willie Howard Mays, Jr. is a retired American professional baseball player who played the majority of his major league career with the New York and San Francisco Giants before finishing with the New York Mets. Nicknamed The Say Hey Kid, Mays was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1979, his...
scored for the Giants in the second, ending Ford's record World Series consecutive scoreless inning streak at . Chuck Hiller
Chuck Hiller
Charles Joseph Hiller was an American professional baseball player, coach and manager. As a Major Leaguer, he primarily played second base. He batted left-handed, threw right-handed, stood tall and weighed . Hiller attended the University of St...
's double and Felipe Alou's hit in the third tied the game, but the Yankees broke the tie in the seventh on Clete Boyer
Clete Boyer
Cletis Leroy "Clete" Boyer was a Major League Baseball player.A third baseman who also played shortstop and second base occasionally, Boyer played for the Kansas City Athletics , New York Yankees and Atlanta Braves...
's home run and scored three insurance runs in the final two innings. Ford's complete-game victory was the first of six in the series, four for the Yankees and two for the Giants.
Game 2
Friday, October 5, 1962 at Candlestick ParkMonster Park
Candlestick Park is an outdoor sports and entertainment stadium located in San Francisco, California, in the Bayview Heights area. The stadium was originally built as the home of Major League Baseball's San Francisco Giants, who played there from 1960 until moving into Pacific Bell Park in 2000...
in San Francisco, California
San Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
With the Giants protecting a 1–0 lead in the seventh inning, Willie McCovey smashed a tremendous home run over the right-field fence to boost 24-game winner Jack Sanford
Jack Sanford
John Stanley Sanford was an American right-handed starting pitcher in Major League Baseball, and later in his career a relief pitcher as well, for the Philadelphia Phillies, San Francisco Giants, and California Angels. He finished his career playing very briefly with the Kansas City...
to 2–0 shutout of the Yankees, who managed only three hits.
Game 3
Sunday, October 7, 1962 at Yankee Stadium in Bronx, New YorkThe Yankees ended a scoreless tie in the seventh with three runs. Roger Maris drove a base hit off starter Billy Pierce
Billy Pierce
Walter William Pierce is a former left-handed starting pitcher in Major League Baseball who played most of his career for the Chicago White Sox. He was the team's star pitcher between 1952 and 1961, and was named the American League's top pitcher in 1956 and 1957 after being runner-up in both 1953...
for two runs, and alert base-running allowed him to score the winning run in a 3–2 Yankee victory. Giants catcher Ed Bailey
Ed Bailey
Lonas Edgar Bailey, Jr. was an American professional baseball player who played catcher in the Major Leagues from through . Bailey batted left-handed and threw right-handed. He was born in Strawberry Plains, Tennessee...
's two-run homer in the top of the ninth left the Giants a run short.
Game 4
Monday, October 8, 1962 at Yankee Stadium in Bronx, New YorkFor the second time in as many games, a Giants catcher stroked a two-run homer, when Tom Haller
Tom Haller
Thomas Frank Haller was an American professional baseball player and baseball executive. He played as a catcher in Major League Baseball with the San Francisco Giants , Los Angeles Dodgers and Detroit Tigers...
hit his off Whitey Ford in the second inning. After the Yankees tied the score at 2–2, second baseman Chuck Hiller
Chuck Hiller
Charles Joseph Hiller was an American professional baseball player, coach and manager. As a Major Leaguer, he primarily played second base. He batted left-handed, threw right-handed, stood tall and weighed . Hiller attended the University of St...
hit the first National League grand slam in World Series history in the seventh, and the Giants went on to win 7–3. The game marked the only appearance in this series of Juan Marichal
Juan Marichal
Juan Antonio Marichal Sánchez is a former right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball. Playing for the San Francisco Giants most of his career, Marichal was known for his high leg kick, pinpoint control and intimidation tactics, which included aiming pitches directly at the opposing batters'...
, who started for the Giants.
Don Larsen
Don Larsen
Donald James Larsen is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. During a 15-year baseball career, he pitched from 1953-67 for seven different teams. Larsen is best known for pitching the sixth perfect game in baseball history, doing so in game 5 of the 1956 World Series...
was the winning pitcher in relief, six years to the day of his perfect game
Perfect game
A perfect game is defined by Major League Baseball as a game in which a pitcher pitches a victory that lasts a minimum of nine innings and in which no opposing player reaches base. Thus, the pitcher cannot allow any hits, walks, hit batsmen, or any opposing player to reach base safely for any...
in the 1956 World Series
1956 World Series
The 1956 World Series of Major League Baseball was played between the New York Yankees and the defending champion Brooklyn Dodgers during the month of October 1956. The Series was a rematch of the 1955 World Series...
.
Game 5
Wednesday, October 10, 1962 at Yankee Stadium in Bronx, New YorkGames 5 and 6 were postponed by rain. Game 5 at New York
Yankee Stadium
Yankee Stadium was a stadium located in The Bronx in New York City, New York. It was the home ballpark of the New York Yankees from 1923 to 1973 and from 1976 to 2008. The stadium hosted 6,581 Yankees regular season home games during its 85-year history. It was also the former home of the New York...
was pushed back one day, but Game 6 in San Francisco was pushed back four days due to torrential rain on the West Coast. Three of the longest World Series in terms of total days, due to various postponements, involved the Giants: the 1911
1911 World Series
-Game 1:Saturday, October 14, 1911 at Polo Grounds in Manhattan, New York-Game 2:Monday, October 16, 1911 at Shibe Park in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania-Game 3:Tuesday, October 17, 1911 at Polo Grounds in Manhattan, New York-Game 4:...
and the 1989
1989 World Series
†: Game 3 was originally slated for October 17 at 5:35 pm; however, it was postponed when an earthquake occurred at 5:04 pm.-Game 1:Saturday, October 14, 1989 at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum in Oakland, California...
were the other two.
In Game 5, hot-hitting José Pagán
José Pagán
José Antonio Pagán Rodríguez was a Puerto Rican Major League Baseball player.-Baseball career:Pagán made his major league debut with the San Francisco Giants on August 8, . He played for the Giants until 1965, then was traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates. In he played his final career games with...
drove in two runs with a single in the third and a home run in the fifth. But with the score tied 2–2 in the eighth, Tom Tresh
Tom Tresh
Thomas Michael Tresh was a Major League Baseball infielder and outfielder who played for the New York Yankees and Detroit Tigers . Tresh was a switch-hitter and threw right-handed...
walloped what proved to be the winning homer, a three-run shot that also scored Bobby Richardson
Bobby Richardson
Robert Clinton "Bobby" Richardson is a former second baseman in Major League Baseball who played for the New York Yankees from through . Batting and throwing right-handed, he was a superb defensive infielder, as well as something of a clutch hitter, who played no small role in the Yankee baseball...
and Tony Kubek
Tony Kubek
Anthony Christopher "Tony" Kubek is a retired American professional baseball player and television broadcaster....
. With the series returning to San Francisco
Monster Park
Candlestick Park is an outdoor sports and entertainment stadium located in San Francisco, California, in the Bayview Heights area. The stadium was originally built as the home of Major League Baseball's San Francisco Giants, who played there from 1960 until moving into Pacific Bell Park in 2000...
the Yankees had the edge, three games to two, only to have the sixth game delayed four days by rain.
Game 6
Monday, October 15, 1962 at Candlestick ParkMonster Park
Candlestick Park is an outdoor sports and entertainment stadium located in San Francisco, California, in the Bayview Heights area. The stadium was originally built as the home of Major League Baseball's San Francisco Giants, who played there from 1960 until moving into Pacific Bell Park in 2000...
in San Francisco, California
San Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
In a battle of left-handed starting pitchers, Pierce out-dueled Ford with a complete-game three-hitter as the Giants evened the series at three wins apiece with a 5–2 victory. The Yankees' only runs came on a Maris solo home run in the fifth inning and an RBI single by Tony Kubek in the eighth inning.
Game 7
Tuesday, October 16, 1962 at Candlestick ParkMonster Park
Candlestick Park is an outdoor sports and entertainment stadium located in San Francisco, California, in the Bayview Heights area. The stadium was originally built as the home of Major League Baseball's San Francisco Giants, who played there from 1960 until moving into Pacific Bell Park in 2000...
in San Francisco, California
San Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
The only run of this classic game came in the fifth inning when Tony Kubek
Tony Kubek
Anthony Christopher "Tony" Kubek is a retired American professional baseball player and television broadcaster....
grounded into a double play, Bill Skowron scoring from third. Ralph Terry
Ralph Terry
Ralph Willard Terry is a former right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for the New York Yankees , Kansas City Athletics , Cleveland Indians and New York Mets...
, pitching the seventh game instead of Jim Bouton
Jim Bouton
James Alan "Jim" Bouton is a former American Major League Baseball pitcher. He is also the author of the controversial baseball book Ball Four, which was a combination diary of his season and memoir of his years with the New York Yankees, Seattle Pilots, and Houston Astros.-Amateur and college...
because of the rain delays, had given up Bill Mazeroski
Bill Mazeroski
William Stanley Mazeroski , nicknamed "Maz", is a former Major League Baseball player who spent his entire career with the Pittsburgh Pirates...
's Series-winning walk-off home run
Walk-off home run
In baseball, a walk-off home run is a home run that ends the game. It must be a home run that gives the home team the lead in the bottom of the final inning of the game—either the ninth inning, or any extra inning, or any other regularly scheduled final inning...
two years earlier in Pittsburgh, but in his third start stifled the Giants' power hitters. In the bottom of the ninth, pinch-hitter Matty Alou
Matty Alou
Mateo Rojas "Matty" Alou was a Dominican outfielder who spent fifteen seasons in Major League Baseball with the San Francisco Giants , Pittsburgh Pirates , St. Louis Cardinals , Oakland Athletics , New York Yankees and San Diego Padres...
, batting for reliever Billy O'Dell
Billy O'Dell
William Oliver O'Dell , is a former professional baseball player who pitched in the Major Leagues from 1954 and 1956-1967...
, led off the inning with a bunt hit after first having a foul ball dropped, but Terry struck out the next two batters, Felipe Alou and Hiller. Mays hit a double into the right-field corner, but Maris played the carom well, then hit cut-off man Richardson with a throw that was quickly relayed home. Alou, aware of Maris' strong arm, stopped at third. Facing Willie McCovey
Willie McCovey
Willie Lee McCovey , nicknamed "Mac", "Big Mac", and "Stretch", is a former Major League Baseball first baseman. He played nineteen seasons for the San Francisco Giants, and three more for the San Diego Padres and Oakland Athletics, between and...
with two outs, Terry elected to pitch to him rather than walk the bases loaded
Bases loaded
In the sport of baseball, the bases are loaded when there is a runner on each base . This presents a great scoring opportunity for the batting team, but it also presents an easy double play opportunity for the defense. Causing the bases to become loaded is called loading the bases...
, which would have brought up slugger Orlando Cepeda
Orlando Cepeda
Orlando Manuel Cepeda Pennes is a former Puerto Rican Major League Baseball first baseman.Cepeda was born to a poor family. His father, Pedro Cepeda, was a baseball player in Puerto Rico, which influenced his interest in the sport from a young age. His first contact with professional baseball was...
. Terry's inside fastball on the second pitch handcuffed McCovey, who nonetheless adjusted his bat in mid-swing to extend his arms and hit what he later claimed was the hardest ball he had ever struck. The line drive appeared at first to be going over the head of a well-positioned Richardson, but was in fact sinking from topspin and Richardson made the catch without leaping to end the game. The Yankees won their 20th World Series; they would not win another until 1977.
Composite box
1962 World Series (4–3): New York YankeesNew York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
(A.L.) over San Francisco Giants
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
(N.L.)
Quotes
Aftermath
For the PeanutsPeanuts
Peanuts is a syndicated daily and Sunday American comic strip written and illustrated by Charles M. Schulz, which ran from October 2, 1950, to February 13, 2000, continuing in reruns afterward...
comic strip of December 22, 1962, cartoonist and Giants fan Charles M. Schulz
Charles M. Schulz
Charles Monroe "Sparky" Schulz was an American cartoonist, whose comic strip Peanuts proved one of the most popular and influential in the history of the medium, and is still widely reprinted on a daily basis.-Early life and education:Born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Schulz grew up in Saint Paul...
depicted Charlie Brown
Charlie Brown
Charles "Charlie" Brown is the protagonist in the comic strip Peanuts by Charles M. Schulz.Charlie Brown and his creator have a common connection in that they are both the sons of barbers, but whereas Schulz's work is described as the "most shining example of the American success story", Charlie...
sitting glumly with Linus
Linus van Pelt
Linus van Pelt is a character in Charles M. Schulz's comic strip Peanuts. The best friend of Charlie Brown, Linus is also the younger brother of Lucy van Pelt and older brother of Rerun van Pelt. He first appeared on September 19, 1952; however, he was not mentioned by name until three days later....
, lamenting in the last panel, "Why couldn't McCovey have hit the ball just three feet higher?" The January 28, 1963 strip featured a nearly identical scene, except in the last panel Charlie Brown moaned, "Or why couldn't McCovey have hit the ball even two feet higher?"
During the 1981 Major League Baseball strike, Giants radio flagship KNBR
KNBR
KNBR, The Sports Leader, is the on-air branding used by two AM radio stations in the San Francisco, California, area broadcasting a sports radio format, owned by Cumulus Media....
rebroadcast Game 7, electronically re-editing NBC Radio announcer George Kell's description to make it sound as if McCovey's ninth-inning hit had gotten past Richardson and Mays had scored to win the game and Series for San Francisco.