Aug. 28, 1964 - There was no shoe-throwing or locker-punching in the clubhouse of the Orioles after they suffered perhaps their most painful defeat of the season today at Memorial Stadium in Baltimore. There was just the sound of baseball players sipping something cool and spooning ice cream. It was pretty quiet.
But the quiet lasted just something less than 20 minutes. The Orioles had dropped out of first place with a 2-1 loss to the Chicago White Sox, but in 20 minutes they would have a chance to go back into first place. That’s the beauty of twi-night doubleheaders — about the only one to the players.
So, the Orioles went out and won the second game, 8-3, and were back in first place by a half-game.
Students of baseball psychology say you pitch your best man in the first game of the doubleheader. If you win it, you have the emotional edge for the second game. The way the Orioles lost the first game should have left them pretty limp, but the O’s have been bouncing back all year. “Just like the Pirates in ’60,” says relief pitcher Harvey Haddix, who was a Pirate that year.
The White Sox had scored both runs in the first game on Floyd Robinson’s single after an error by first baseman Norm Siebern opened the door. Siebern, who had made three good plays earlier, couldn’t handle a hurried toss from second baseman Jerry Adair on a chopper. “I just booted it, that’s all,” Siebern said. “The ball should’ve been caught.”
Jim Landis then walked, and catcher Dick Brown threw too late to third base on Don Buford’s bunt. Robinson drove in the runs with a line drive to center.
Manager Hank Bauer (pictured) could have given a Knute Rockne pep talk between games for the broken hearts. “I just wanted to leave them alone,” he said. “What was I supposed to say? Forget it? How can they forget it? They know what they have to do. They’re pros.”
The pros recovered quickly enough with Siebern making the greatest recovery. His two-run homer broke a 1-1 tie in the third inning. Brooks Robinson followed with another, and rookie Sam Bowens hit a three-run homer in the fifth.
Steve Barber, who is trying to turn a bad season into a not-so-bad season, won his ninth against 10 defeats. He has beaten the White Sox and the Yankees three times each.
Support this project at patreon.com/realtime1960s
Comments