Oct. 6, 1964 - Experience will make the biggest single difference between the Yankees and the Cardinals in the World Series, which starts tomorrow at Busch Stadium. The Yankees have lots of it, the Cards very little.
Among the Cardinals, only Dick Groat and Bob Skinner, who were with the Pirates in 1960, and Roger Craig, who was a Dodger in Brooklyn in 1955 and 1956 and in Los Angeles in 1959, have had a taste of World Series conditions.
Curt Simmons was a member of the 1950 pennant-winning Phillies, but he was called into service before the season ended and missed the Series.
Among the Yankees, only Mel Stottlemyre, Pete Mikkelsen, Pedro Gonzalez, Archie Moore, and Mike Hegan are in the Series for the first time, and the last two are unlikely to see action. Roland Sheldon was with the Yankees in the 1961 and 1962 Series but didn’t get to pitch.
For Mickey Mantle, this is his 12 World Series; for Whitey Ford, his 11th; for Elston Howard, his ninth; for Bobby Richardson, his seventh; for Roger Maris, Hector Lopez, Johnny Blanchard, Clete Boyer, Ralph Terry, and Bill Stafford, their fifth in succession.
Tom Tresh, Phil Linz, Jim Bouton, Stan Williams, Hal Reniff, and Al Downing are on hand for the third time, Joe Pepitone for the second.
Yogi Berra, who holds the record for most Series played (11), will be managing for the first time. For Frank Crosetti, this will be his 23rd series in Yankee uniform as player or coach.
The ballpark in St. Louis is not totally unfamiliar to the Yankees, who last played an exhibition game there in April 1961. Mantle and Ford played there when the St. Louis Browns were still in the American League.
It is a good home run park, shorter in right field than in left, with a screen in right field that must be cleared for a home run. It is somewhat similar to what Ebbets Field used to be, but with a bit more room in dead center.
When and if Mantle hits a home run, he will break the record for home runs in World Series play. He is tied with Babe Ruth at 15.
There have been four previous Series between the Yankees and Cardinals. The Cardinals won two (1926 and 1942), and the Yankees won two (1928 and 1943).
Support this project at patreon.com/realtime1960s
Comments