Sept. 10, 1964 - The Yankees returned home tonight sassy and happy. Today’s 5-2 victory over the Tigers completed a successful 7-3 road trip. Yogi Berra’s team is stepping hard on the heels of the White Sox and Orioles. No Yankee takes more satisfaction in this than Berra.
It was a trip of changes, and none if more important than the change in Berra. He has finally made the complete transition and stepped into the tradition of Yankee managers who lead with authority. Roger Maris turned 30 today, and 32-year-old Hector Lopez told him, “You finally became a man.” Maris also became the regular center fielder today.
Mickey Mantle becomes the Yankee right fielder at home. Why right instead of left, where Mantle has placed the last seven games? “It’s closer,” Berra said. There are also the special problems of shadows and light for a left fielder in Yankee Stadium which Tom Tresh and Hector Lopez are most familiar with.
The biggest concern for Mantle is to make the most of what’s left in his legs. He can still run quite well when moving steadily, but he makes his stars and stops with the painful moves of the partially crippled. It has taken patient handling by Berra to convince Mantle that the strain on him was greater in center.
Berra couldn’t do it with words alone. Mantle became the center fielder during 1952, the season after Joe DiMaggio retired. Mantle deserved the chance to learn certain things himself, rather than be issued a direct order. And this Berra handled skillfully.
To start the road trip, Mantle played three games in center at Los Angeles. Then Berra said: “Mickey will play left in Kansas City because the fence out there is almost squared off. The caroms figure to be less tricky. It will be easier on his legs in left. Maybe in Minnesota, too.” Mantle played left in Detroit as well.
The opportunity to play seven straight games in a position other than center proved to Mantle that it is easier on his legs.
Mantle’s impression on his teammates will always be an inspiration. Elston Howard was last season’s MVP in the American League. Now he is playing with a swollen right pinkie, a painful memory of a foul tip.
Because of this, the Yankee receiver has had trouble catching low pitches. He also has trouble squeezing his bat. But his three-run homer in today’s first inning gave the Yankees the runs they needed. It was suggested to Howard that, in most ways, this has been as fine a season for him as last — that the possibility of a repeat MVP award wouldn’t be a foolish thought.
“No way - just no way,” Howard said and laughed. “We win, it belongs to No. 7. Do you think I could play on his legs?”
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