1964 World Series
Encyclopedia
The 1964 World Series pitted the National League
champion St. Louis Cardinals
against the American League
champion New York Yankees
, with the Cardinals prevailing in seven games. St. Louis won their seventh world championship, while the Yankees, who had appeared in 14 of 16 World Series since 1949, did not play in the Series again until .
In an unusual twist, the Yankees fired Yogi Berra
after the Series ended, replacing him with Johnny Keane
, who had resigned from the Cardinals after the Series. His job had been threatened by Cardinals management, and it was unexpectedly saved by the Cardinals' dramatic pennant drive.
New York Times bestseller
October 1964. The Series is seen as a bellwether point in baseball history as it was the last hurrah for the 1950s Yankee Dynasty of Mantle
, Maris
, Ford
and Berra
, among others, and it demonstrated that the National League's growing enthusiasm to sign black and Latino players (such as those of the '64 Cardinals) was a permanent paradigm shift
in fielding a championship team. The Yankees would be in last place by 1966, and they did not appear in another World Series until .
The Series featured the brother-against-brother match-up of Ken Boyer
of the Cardinals and Clete Boyer
of the Yankees, both of whom started at third base for their respective teams.
For the first time in Series history, all six umpires rotated through their positions. In all Series from 1947 through 1963, only the four infield umpires had rotated, with the last two umpires working only in the outfield throughout the Series.
As of 2008, the Cardinals are the only one of the "classic eight" National League teams to hold a winning edge over the Yankees, winning three (1926
, 1942
, 1964) while losing only two (1928
, 1943
). The expansion Arizona Diamondbacks
and Florida Marlins
have single Series wins over the Yankees, in 2001
and 2003
respectively.
Mickey Mantle
, playing in his last Series, hit three home runs, raising his total to a record-setting 18, surpassing Babe Ruth
's mark of 15.
Utility infielder Chet Trail, who had no prior major league experience, appeared on the Yankees' World Series roster to fill the opening created by an injury to Tony Kubek
. Trail did not play in the series (Phil Linz
played in place of Kubek), and Trail never appeared in a major league game during his career.
in St. Louis, Missouri
The Cardinals' scouting report indicated that injuries had taken their toll on Mickey Mantle's defense and that he could be run on. They acted on this intelligence, taking extra bases repeatedly and scoring from second on singles in the second and sixth innings. The Cardinals also believed that they should swing early in the count against Whitey Ford, and this strategy also paid off, as Ray Sadecki, Carl Warwick and Mike Shannon all drove in runs on the first or second pitches of at-bats.
The Yankees led this game 4–2 after innings behind the pitching of Whitey Ford
, but the Cardinals sent eight men to the plate in the sixth inning and scored four runs, including two on a home run by Mike Shannon
. Ford pitched with severe pain and numbness in his arm for much of the 1964 season, and that day he was again in pain and missing with sliders inside. Shannon came up looking for sliders and hit one 500 feet. This was the last World Series appearance by Ford, whose shoulder had been injured during the season. Ford had pitched in 22 World Series games with the Yankees, compiling ten victories, going back to the sweep of the Philadelphia Phillies
in 1950
, and set a record which still stands by pitching consecutive scoreless innings in three different World Series (1960–62).
in St. Louis, Missouri
Rookie Mel Stottlemyre, called up from the minors in August, dominated for New York and the Cardinal bullpen wilted in the late innings, and the Yankees won 8–3 to even the series up.
Curt Simmons and Jim Bouton were both very effective. Simmons got 17 ground-ball outs. Bouton stranded the go-ahead run four times and held the top five hitters in the Cardinal lineup to a 2 for 21 day.
In the bottom of the ninth, Mickey Mantle reached deep for one of the last ounces of Yankees magic. With the game tied at one, Mantle, the leadoff hitter, told on-deck hitter Elston Howard
to go back to the clubhouse because he was going to hit a home run. Mantle swung at the first pitch from Cardinal pitcher Barney Schultz
, a knuckleball
that failed to move, and hit it into the right field stands to win the game for the Yankees. Schultz had been a mainstay of the Cardinals' stretch run and Yankee scouting reports had advised his knuckler was most vulnerable on the first pitch when he threw harder than usual to try for a strike. Mantle's home run (his sixteenth Series home run) broke Babe Ruth
's record for most home runs hit in World Series play.
Cardinal starting pitcher Ray Sadecki let the first four Yankees hit safely and was promptly removed by manager Keane with the Yankees already up 2–0. Roger Craig came in to pitch and gave up an RBI single to Howard but allowed no more damage. After five innings, New York was still up 3–0 and St. Louis had only one hit off of Downing. Then disaster struck in the sixth. Carl Warwick led off with his third pinch hit base hit, tying a World Series record. Curt Flood singled to put runners on first and second. Second baseman Bobby Richardson
fumbled a double-play ground ball struck by Dick Groat
with two men on base and one out. Instead of being out of the inning, the Cardinals had the bases loaded.
In the first game, Yankee Al Downing struck Cardinal Ken Boyer
out with a high changeup. Downing faced Boyer again with the bases loaded, and Boyer guessed that he'd see the high changeup again. He guessed right, and hit a grand slam home run. Ron Taylor relieved Craig and gave up one hit over the last four innings. The Cardinals won the game 4–3 and evened the series at two games apiece.
This game was as exciting as the previous. It was again lost by the Yankees on an error by second baseman Bobby Richardson. The game was scoreless in the top of the fifth inning when trouble came. Pitcher Bob Gibson led off the inning with a single. Then Richardson fumbled a double-play ground ball struck by Curt Flood with one on and one out. Now there were two on with one out, instead of the half-inning being over. Lou Brock, 0 for his last 14 in the series, promptly singled in one run, and another came in on a ground ball hit by Bill White after Phil Linz made another misplay, throwing a ball into the dirt at first on what should have been the back end of a double play.
The Yankees were still down 2–0 when they rallied in the ninth inning. Mantle reached base on an error by Dick Groat. With one out and one on, Joe Pepitone smashed a bouncer off Bob Gibson's leg, the ball ricocheting towards the third-base line. Gibson recovered quickly and threw to first, and the Cardinals were one out away. With two out, though, Tom Tresh crushed a long drive into the right center field bleachers and the game was tied. The game went to extra innings, and it was the Cardinals who seized the initiative. With two on and one out and lefty hitter Tim McCarver
up, Berra stuck with right-hander Pete Mikkelsen
rather than using lefty specialist Steve Hamilton
. McCarver delivered a three run home run in the tenth inning to send the Cardinals back to St. Louis with a 3–2 lead in the series. Just 22 years old at the time, McCarver would go 11-for-23 (.478) in the series. For his entire career McCarver would hit .271.
in St. Louis, Missouri
Mickey Mantle hit his second home run of the Series and Joe Pepitone broke the game open with a grand slam home run onto the right field pavilion roof in the eighth inning. The Series was tied at three games apiece.
in St. Louis, Missouri
"Something had to give" in Game 7, as the Yankees had lost back to back World Series only once (to the New York Giants in 1921–22, and were in danger of doing so again, having lost to the Dodgers in 1963) and the Cardinals had never lost a World Series Game 7.
Bob Gibson
pitched his third start in this Series on two days rest. He was tired but deliberately worked fast to hide his fatigue from the Yankees. In the bottom of the fourth the Cardinals scored three times. Again the Yankees botched a double play when Linz's throw to first went wide, and Bill White scored. McCarver then scored from third on a double steal. Al Downing came in for the fifth after Stottlemyre developed shoulder stiffness and Lou Brock hit his first pitch for a home run. Two more runs made it 6–0.
Mantle cut the gap in half with a three-run homer in the sixth, adding to his own record for total home runs in the World Series. Ken Boyer responded with a solo shot in the seventh that pushed the lead to 7–3. Bobby Richardson broke a hit record in the seventh. Gibson continued to tire, but manager Keane left him in. Ken Boyer's brother Clete
hit a home run for New York with one out in the ninth, making the score 7–4. Pinch-hitter Johnny Blanchard
struck out. Linz hit another home run, pulling New York to within two, 7–5. Keane was finally ready to relieve Gibson, with Ray Sadecki waiting in the bullpen, but the next batter, Richardson, popped up to shortstop Dal Maxvill
and the Cardinals won the Series.
Bob Gibson won the Series MVP award for his 2–1 record, 3.00 ERA, and 27 IP. Jim Bouton
, pitching for the Yankees, started two games and won them both, compiling a 1.56 Series ERA. Six years later, he would write the classic baseball memoir, Ball Four
. After the series, the Yankees fired manager Yogi Berra
and replaced him with the Cardinal manager, Keane, who quit St. Louis due to his differences with Cardinal owner Gussie Busch.
(N.L.) over New York Yankees
(A.L.)
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 St. Louis Cardinals
1964 St. Louis Cardinals season
The St. Louis Cardinals season was the team's 83rd season in St. Louis, Missouri and its 73rd season in the National League. The Cardinals went 93-69 during the season and finished first in the National League, edging the co-runner-ups Cincinnati Reds and Philadelphia Phillies by one game each on...
against the American League
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...
champion New York Yankees
1964 New York Yankees season
The New York Yankees season was the 62nd season for the Yankees. The team finished with a record of 99-63, winning their 29th pennant, finishing 1 game ahead of the Chicago White Sox. New York was managed by Yogi Berra. The Yankees played at Yankee Stadium. In the World Series, they were defeated...
, with the Cardinals prevailing in seven games. St. Louis won their seventh world championship, while the Yankees, who had appeared in 14 of 16 World Series since 1949, did not play in the Series again until .
In an unusual twist, the Yankees fired Yogi Berra
Yogi Berra
Lawrence Peter "Yogi" Berra is a former American Major League Baseball catcher, outfielder, and manager. He played almost his entire 19-year baseball career for the New York Yankees...
after the Series ended, replacing him with Johnny Keane
Johnny Keane
John Joseph Keane was an American manager in Major League Baseball. Born in St. Louis, Missouri and known as a patient manager of young players, Keane participated in one of the strangest turns of events in baseball history in , his final season at the helm of the St...
, who had resigned from the Cardinals after the Series. His job had been threatened by Cardinals management, and it was unexpectedly saved by the Cardinals' dramatic pennant drive.
Background
The 1964 World Series, and the season leading up to it, later became the subject for the David HalberstamDavid Halberstam
David Halberstam was an American Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, author and historian, known for his early work on the Vietnam War, his work on politics, history, the Civil Rights Movement, business, media, American culture, and his later sports journalism.-Early life and education:Halberstam...
New York Times bestseller
New York Times Best Seller list
The New York Times Best Seller list is widely considered the preeminent list of best-selling books in the United States. It is published weekly in The New York Times Book Review magazine, which is published in the Sunday edition of The New York Times and as a stand-alone publication...
October 1964. The Series is seen as a bellwether point in baseball history as it was the last hurrah for the 1950s Yankee Dynasty of Mantle
Mickey Mantle
Mickey Charles Mantle was an American professional baseball player. Mantle is regarded by many to be the greatest switch hitter of all time, and one of the greatest players in baseball history. Mantle was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1974.Mantle was noted for his hitting...
, 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...
, 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:...
and Berra
Yogi Berra
Lawrence Peter "Yogi" Berra is a former American Major League Baseball catcher, outfielder, and manager. He played almost his entire 19-year baseball career for the New York Yankees...
, among others, and it demonstrated that the National League's growing enthusiasm to sign black and Latino players (such as those of the '64 Cardinals) was a permanent paradigm shift
Paradigm shift
A Paradigm shift is, according to Thomas Kuhn in his influential book The Structure of Scientific Revolutions , a change in the basic assumptions, or paradigms, within the ruling theory of science...
in fielding a championship team. The Yankees would be in last place by 1966, and they did not appear in another World Series until .
The Series featured the brother-against-brother match-up of Ken Boyer
Ken Boyer
Kenton Lloyd Boyer was an American Major League Baseball third baseman and manager. During a 15-year baseball career, he played for 1955-1969 for four different teams, playing primarily for the St. Louis Cardinals...
of the Cardinals and 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...
of the Yankees, both of whom started at third base for their respective teams.
For the first time in Series history, all six umpires rotated through their positions. In all Series from 1947 through 1963, only the four infield umpires had rotated, with the last two umpires working only in the outfield throughout the Series.
As of 2008, the Cardinals are the only one of the "classic eight" National League teams to hold a winning edge over the Yankees, winning three (1926
1926 World Series
The 1926 World Series was the championship series of the 1926 Major League Baseball season, featuring the St. Louis Cardinals against the New York Yankees...
, 1942
1942 World Series
The 1942 World Series featured the defending champion New York Yankees against the St. Louis Cardinals, with the Cardinals winning the Series in five games for their first championship since and their fourth overall....
, 1964) while losing only two (1928
1928 World Series
In the 1928 World Series, the New York Yankees swept the St. Louis Cardinals in four games. Along with , this was the first time a team had swept consecutive Series....
, 1943
1943 World Series
The 1943 World Series matched the defending champion St. Louis Cardinals against the New York Yankees, in a rematch of the 1942 Series. The Yankees won the Series in five games for their tenth championship in 21 seasons. It was Yankees' manager Joe McCarthy's final Series win...
). The expansion Arizona Diamondbacks
Arizona Diamondbacks
The Arizona Diamondbacks are a professional baseball team based in Phoenix. They play in the West Division of Major League Baseball's National League. From 1998 to the present, they have played in Chase Field...
and Florida Marlins
Florida Marlins
The Miami Marlins are a professional baseball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. Established in 1993 as an expansion franchise called the Florida Marlins, the Marlins are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Marlins played their home games at...
have single Series wins over the Yankees, in 2001
2001 World Series
-Game 1:Saturday, October 27, 2001 at Bank One Ballpark in Phoenix, ArizonaArizona showed no fear and chased Yankees starter Mike Mussina after just three innings. The Yankees gave up five unearned runs and the Diamondbacks rode Curt Schilling's seven strong innings to a 9–1 rout...
and 2003
2003 World Series
The 2003 World Series marked the 99th baseball World Series event. The Florida Marlins defeated the New York Yankees in six games, 4–2.-Background:...
respectively.
Mickey Mantle
Mickey Mantle
Mickey Charles Mantle was an American professional baseball player. Mantle is regarded by many to be the greatest switch hitter of all time, and one of the greatest players in baseball history. Mantle was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1974.Mantle was noted for his hitting...
, playing in his last Series, hit three home runs, raising his total to a record-setting 18, surpassing Babe Ruth
Babe Ruth
George Herman Ruth, Jr. , best known as "Babe" Ruth and nicknamed "the Bambino" and "the Sultan of Swat", was an American Major League baseball player from 1914–1935...
's mark of 15.
Utility infielder Chet Trail, who had no prior major league experience, appeared on the Yankees' World Series roster to fill the opening created by an injury to Tony Kubek
Tony Kubek
Anthony Christopher "Tony" Kubek is a retired American professional baseball player and television broadcaster....
. Trail did not play in the series (Phil Linz
Phil Linz
Philip Francis Linz is an American former backup infielder in Major League Baseball. From 1962 through 1968, Linz played for the New York Yankees , Philadelphia Phillies and New York Mets...
played in place of Kubek), and Trail never appeared in a major league game during his career.
Summary
Game 1
Wednesday, October 7, 1964 at Busch Stadium (I)Sportsman's Park
Sportsman's Park was the name of several former Major League Baseball ballpark structures in St. Louis, Missouri, USA, all but one of which were located on the same piece of land, the northwest corner of Grand Boulevard and Dodier Street on the north side of the city.- History :From...
in St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
The Cardinals' scouting report indicated that injuries had taken their toll on Mickey Mantle's defense and that he could be run on. They acted on this intelligence, taking extra bases repeatedly and scoring from second on singles in the second and sixth innings. The Cardinals also believed that they should swing early in the count against Whitey Ford, and this strategy also paid off, as Ray Sadecki, Carl Warwick and Mike Shannon all drove in runs on the first or second pitches of at-bats.
The Yankees led this game 4–2 after innings behind the pitching of 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:...
, but the Cardinals sent eight men to the plate in the sixth inning and scored four runs, including two on a home run by Mike Shannon
Mike Shannon
Thomas Michael Shannon is an American-born former Major League Baseball player and current radio sportscaster.Shannon is a radio broadcaster for the St. Louis Cardinals. He was raised in St. Louis, Missouri and played with the Cardinals during some of the team's most successful years...
. Ford pitched with severe pain and numbness in his arm for much of the 1964 season, and that day he was again in pain and missing with sliders inside. Shannon came up looking for sliders and hit one 500 feet. This was the last World Series appearance by Ford, whose shoulder had been injured during the season. Ford had pitched in 22 World Series games with the Yankees, compiling ten victories, going back to the sweep of the Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
in 1950
1950 World Series
The 1950 World Series was the 47th World Series between the American and National Leagues for the championship of Major League Baseball. The Philadelphia Phillies as 1950 champions of the National League and the New York Yankees, as 1950 American League champions, competed to win a best-of-seven...
, and set a record which still stands by pitching consecutive scoreless innings in three different World Series (1960–62).
Game 2
Thursday, October 8, 1964 at Busch Stadium (I)Sportsman's Park
Sportsman's Park was the name of several former Major League Baseball ballpark structures in St. Louis, Missouri, USA, all but one of which were located on the same piece of land, the northwest corner of Grand Boulevard and Dodier Street on the north side of the city.- History :From...
in St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
Rookie Mel Stottlemyre, called up from the minors in August, dominated for New York and the Cardinal bullpen wilted in the late innings, and the Yankees won 8–3 to even the series up.
Game 3
Saturday, October 10, 1964 at Yankee Stadium in Bronx, New YorkCurt Simmons and Jim Bouton were both very effective. Simmons got 17 ground-ball outs. Bouton stranded the go-ahead run four times and held the top five hitters in the Cardinal lineup to a 2 for 21 day.
In the bottom of the ninth, Mickey Mantle reached deep for one of the last ounces of Yankees magic. With the game tied at one, Mantle, the leadoff hitter, told on-deck hitter Elston Howard
Elston Howard
Elston Gene Howard was an American Negro League and Major League Baseball catcher, left fielder and coach. During a 14-year baseball career, he played from 1955–1968, primarily for the New York Yankees...
to go back to the clubhouse because he was going to hit a home run. Mantle swung at the first pitch from Cardinal pitcher Barney Schultz
Barney Schultz
George Warren "Barney" Schultz , was a professional baseball player. He was signed by the Philadelphia Phillies in 1944. He was a pitcher in the Major Leagues from 1955-1965. He would play for the St. Louis Cardinals, Detroit Tigers, and Chicago Cubs...
, a knuckleball
Knuckleball
A knuckleball is a baseball pitch with an erratic, unpredictable motion. The pitch is thrown so as to minimize the spin of the ball in flight. This causes vortices over the stitched seams of the baseball during its trajectory, which in turn can cause the pitch to change direction—and even...
that failed to move, and hit it into the right field stands to win the game for the Yankees. Schultz had been a mainstay of the Cardinals' stretch run and Yankee scouting reports had advised his knuckler was most vulnerable on the first pitch when he threw harder than usual to try for a strike. Mantle's home run (his sixteenth Series home run) broke Babe Ruth
Babe Ruth
George Herman Ruth, Jr. , best known as "Babe" Ruth and nicknamed "the Bambino" and "the Sultan of Swat", was an American Major League baseball player from 1914–1935...
's record for most home runs hit in World Series play.
Game 4
Sunday, October 11, 1964 at Yankee Stadium in Bronx, New YorkCardinal starting pitcher Ray Sadecki let the first four Yankees hit safely and was promptly removed by manager Keane with the Yankees already up 2–0. Roger Craig came in to pitch and gave up an RBI single to Howard but allowed no more damage. After five innings, New York was still up 3–0 and St. Louis had only one hit off of Downing. Then disaster struck in the sixth. Carl Warwick led off with his third pinch hit base hit, tying a World Series record. Curt Flood singled to put runners on first and second. Second baseman 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...
fumbled a double-play ground ball struck by Dick Groat
Dick Groat
Richard Morrow Groat is a former two-sport athlete best known as a shortstop in Major League Baseball. He played for four National League teams, mainly the Pittsburgh Pirates and St. Louis Cardinals, and was named the league's Most Valuable Player in after winning the batting title with a .325...
with two men on base and one out. Instead of being out of the inning, the Cardinals had the bases loaded.
In the first game, Yankee Al Downing struck Cardinal Ken Boyer
Ken Boyer
Kenton Lloyd Boyer was an American Major League Baseball third baseman and manager. During a 15-year baseball career, he played for 1955-1969 for four different teams, playing primarily for the St. Louis Cardinals...
out with a high changeup. Downing faced Boyer again with the bases loaded, and Boyer guessed that he'd see the high changeup again. He guessed right, and hit a grand slam home run. Ron Taylor relieved Craig and gave up one hit over the last four innings. The Cardinals won the game 4–3 and evened the series at two games apiece.
Game 5
Monday, October 12, 1964 at Yankee Stadium in Bronx, New YorkThis game was as exciting as the previous. It was again lost by the Yankees on an error by second baseman Bobby Richardson. The game was scoreless in the top of the fifth inning when trouble came. Pitcher Bob Gibson led off the inning with a single. Then Richardson fumbled a double-play ground ball struck by Curt Flood with one on and one out. Now there were two on with one out, instead of the half-inning being over. Lou Brock, 0 for his last 14 in the series, promptly singled in one run, and another came in on a ground ball hit by Bill White after Phil Linz made another misplay, throwing a ball into the dirt at first on what should have been the back end of a double play.
The Yankees were still down 2–0 when they rallied in the ninth inning. Mantle reached base on an error by Dick Groat. With one out and one on, Joe Pepitone smashed a bouncer off Bob Gibson's leg, the ball ricocheting towards the third-base line. Gibson recovered quickly and threw to first, and the Cardinals were one out away. With two out, though, Tom Tresh crushed a long drive into the right center field bleachers and the game was tied. The game went to extra innings, and it was the Cardinals who seized the initiative. With two on and one out and lefty hitter Tim McCarver
Tim McCarver
James Timothy "Tim" McCarver is an American former Major League Baseball catcher, and a current sportscaster in residence for Fox Sports.-Playing career:...
up, Berra stuck with right-hander Pete Mikkelsen
Pete Mikkelsen
Peter James Mikkelsen was a relief pitcher in Major League Baseball who played from 1964 through 1972 for the New York Yankees , Pittsburgh Pirates , Chicago Cubs , St. Louis Cardinals and Los Angeles Dodgers . Mikkelsen batted and threw right-handed...
rather than using lefty specialist Steve Hamilton
Steve Hamilton
Steven Absher Hamilton was a Major League Baseball and NBA player....
. McCarver delivered a three run home run in the tenth inning to send the Cardinals back to St. Louis with a 3–2 lead in the series. Just 22 years old at the time, McCarver would go 11-for-23 (.478) in the series. For his entire career McCarver would hit .271.
Game 6
Wednesday, October 14, 1964 at Busch Stadium (I)Sportsman's Park
Sportsman's Park was the name of several former Major League Baseball ballpark structures in St. Louis, Missouri, USA, all but one of which were located on the same piece of land, the northwest corner of Grand Boulevard and Dodier Street on the north side of the city.- History :From...
in St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
Mickey Mantle hit his second home run of the Series and Joe Pepitone broke the game open with a grand slam home run onto the right field pavilion roof in the eighth inning. The Series was tied at three games apiece.
Game 7
Thursday, October 15, 1964 at Busch Stadium (I)Sportsman's Park
Sportsman's Park was the name of several former Major League Baseball ballpark structures in St. Louis, Missouri, USA, all but one of which were located on the same piece of land, the northwest corner of Grand Boulevard and Dodier Street on the north side of the city.- History :From...
in St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
"Something had to give" in Game 7, as the Yankees had lost back to back World Series only once (to the New York Giants in 1921–22, and were in danger of doing so again, having lost to the Dodgers in 1963) and the Cardinals had never lost a World Series Game 7.
Bob Gibson
Bob Gibson
Robert "Bob" Gibson is a retired American professional baseball player. Nicknamed "Hoot" and "Gibby", he was a right-handed pitcher who played his entire 17-year Major League Baseball career with St. Louis Cardinals...
pitched his third start in this Series on two days rest. He was tired but deliberately worked fast to hide his fatigue from the Yankees. In the bottom of the fourth the Cardinals scored three times. Again the Yankees botched a double play when Linz's throw to first went wide, and Bill White scored. McCarver then scored from third on a double steal. Al Downing came in for the fifth after Stottlemyre developed shoulder stiffness and Lou Brock hit his first pitch for a home run. Two more runs made it 6–0.
Mantle cut the gap in half with a three-run homer in the sixth, adding to his own record for total home runs in the World Series. Ken Boyer responded with a solo shot in the seventh that pushed the lead to 7–3. Bobby Richardson broke a hit record in the seventh. Gibson continued to tire, but manager Keane left him in. Ken Boyer's brother Clete
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...
hit a home run for New York with one out in the ninth, making the score 7–4. Pinch-hitter Johnny Blanchard
Johnny Blanchard
John Edwin Blanchard was a professional baseball player who played in the Major Leagues primarily as an outfielder and catcher from 1955 and 1959-1965. A defensive liability for the New York Yankees for most of his career, Blanchard is probably best-known for his play in the 1961 World Series...
struck out. Linz hit another home run, pulling New York to within two, 7–5. Keane was finally ready to relieve Gibson, with Ray Sadecki waiting in the bullpen, but the next batter, Richardson, popped up to shortstop Dal Maxvill
Dal Maxvill
Charles Dallan Maxvill is a former shortstop, coach and general manager in Major League Baseball. A graduate of St. Louis' Washington University, where he earned a degree in electrical engineering, Maxvill signed a professional baseball contract in 1960 with the hometown St...
and the Cardinals won the Series.
Bob Gibson won the Series MVP award for his 2–1 record, 3.00 ERA, and 27 IP. 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...
, pitching for the Yankees, started two games and won them both, compiling a 1.56 Series ERA. Six years later, he would write the classic baseball memoir, Ball Four
Ball Four
Ball Four is a book written by former Major League Baseball pitcher Jim Bouton in . The book is a diary of Bouton's 1969 season, spent with the Seattle Pilots and then the Houston Astros following a late-season trade. In it Bouton also recounts much of his baseball career, spent mainly with the...
. After the series, the Yankees fired manager Yogi Berra
Yogi Berra
Lawrence Peter "Yogi" Berra is a former American Major League Baseball catcher, outfielder, and manager. He played almost his entire 19-year baseball career for the New York Yankees...
and replaced him with the Cardinal manager, Keane, who quit St. Louis due to his differences with Cardinal owner Gussie Busch.
Composite box
1964 World Series (4–3): St. Louis CardinalsSt. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
(N.L.) over 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...
(A.L.)