Oct. 5, 1963 - After today’s third succcessive defeat at the hands of the Dodgers, the Yankees sat around quietly, not quite believing what’s been happening to them. Jim Bouton, the 24-year-old 21-game winner who made his first World Series appearance today, was the most shaken. Although Bouton uncorked two wild pitches to tie a Series record, including the bouncing delivery that put Jim Gilliam in scoring position, he had pitched courageously to pull himself out of a half dozen jams. “I walked too many,” he said dismally. “It was a curveball on the wild pitch. I never thought one bad pitch like that so early would be the deciding thing. But it was.” Manager Ralph Houk was more generous to his young hurler. “It was a real well pitched game on both sides,” said Houk. “If that last one by Pepitone had been hit just a little sharper, we might still be playing. I just know we’re not hitting as we’re capable of hitting.” Houk praised Don Drysdale’s performance, but he said he was a little more impressed by Koufax. “I think Koufax baffled us a little more,” he said, “although we didn’t exactly hurt Drysdale either.” Although it would take a history-making comeback to survive, the Yanks are not waving the white flag. “That last game is the toughest to win,” Houk warned the Dodgers. “Nothing is impossible. We’ve won more than four in a row in our life. They say this thing is never over until the last out. Well, we’ve got 27 more outs.” Usually, the Yankees set positive World Series records. In this one, the accent is on the negative. Nine of them struck out today for a total of 28, which equalled the record set by the 1928 Cardinals (against the Yankees) in a four-game series. With Koufax blazing the ball tomorrow, they’re certain to set the mark.
