Sept. 22, 1964 - All of a sudden, there’s a pennant race in the National League. A real, live, honest-to-goodness pennant race. That’s the Phillies, chugging along in front, with an offense that’s gone kitten-weak. And that’s the Reds, churning along in second place, with plenty of pitching and a hutch full of jackrabbits.
The Reds beat the Phillies, 9-2, tonight, and all of a sudden the Reds are 4½ games back. The Cardinals are five games back.
Philadelphia manager Gene Mauch doesn’t want to look back. “I’d rather be where we are than where anyone else is,” he said tonight, reading from Chapter one, verse six of the Bible for league-leading managers of teams in September slumps.
“This is the first time in a couple of months anyone came in with big ideas and our club didn’t pop ‘em. And it just might happen tomorrow.”
That’s tomorrow night, and Mauch plans to start Dennis Bennett, who has a shoulder so sore he can barely tip his hat. “I’ll start warming up 20 minutes before the game,” Bennett said. “If I can’t get it up, I’ll have to tell him.”
“Bennett will pitch,” Mauch said, with the kind of faith that moves mountains and heals sore shoulders. Cortisone would do the trick, but Bennett has pimples on his back, and the doctors can’t stick him with cortisone. And when was the last time acne had an effect on a pennant race?
And how does Reds acting manager Dick Sisler feel about the race?
“I’d rather be over there than over here,” he said. “And don’t forget the Cardinals. It’s going to be tough on the Phillies because they play the Cardinals, and that’s two teams fighting for position. The Cards are tough on the Phillies. It could very well go down to the end.”
The end finds the Phillies playing two games in Cincinnati, and Sisler is no stranger to last-day heroics. “If we can get within 2½ games, there will be some tightening up.
“When you’ve got the big lead, you can hardly believe what’s happening. You say, ‘They’re bound to lose.’ But when you see a team right behind you, you feel tight. I’m not saying anyone is going to choke up. But the pressure will be there, from all over town.”
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