Ford Frick, replacing “Happy” Chandler, is selected by the owners to be the third commissioner of the sport. The former National League president, best remembered for suggesting the single-season home run records of Babe Ruth and Roger Maris be listed separately based on the length of the season, will hold the position for fourteen years.
The Yankees are victorious when Mickey Mantle hits a three-run homer off Chicago’s Lou Kretlow to win, 5 – 3. A small crowd of 12,127 watch the game at the Stadium. The two teams have been tied now for 11 days. The Yanks now have nine games left, eight against Boston.
In St. Louis, Preacher Roe is given a Cadillac by his neighbors from the Ozarks, then pitches a 3 – 0 five-hitter over the Cards. Roe is now 21-2. Filling in for the ailing Roy Campanella, backup catcher Mickey Livingston has two RBI.
At Wrigley Field, the Phils’ Bubba Church (15-10) defeats the Cubs, 5 – 1, for his 10th win in a row over the Cubs in his two years with Philadelphia. Bob Rush takes the loss.
Indian Larry Doby walks five times in a 15-2 drubbing of the Red Sox when Early Wynn picks up his 20th victory. The intimidating right-hander, who will win exactly 300 games in a 23-year big league career, will post 20 or more wins in five of those seasons.
In the first of two games today, Browns pitcher Tommy Byrne hits a grand slam off the Senators’ Sid Hudson in the 9th inning to ice the game, 8 – 0. It’s the first grand slam for the Browns this year. In the nitecap, Byrne cracks a 10th-inning pinch single to give the Browns a 3 – 2 victory,
In St. Louis, the Cardinals cuff Ralph Branca for a 7 – 1 win over the Dodgers. It is Brooklyn’s fourth loss in seven road games. Adding insult to injury, Stan Musial and Enos Slaughter pull off a double steal with Stan scoring.
Cleveland beats Boston, 6 – 4, as Mike Garcia wins his 20th. With the Yanks losing to Billy Pierce and Chicago, 7 – 1, the Indians and Yankees are tied for first place. This is the 10th time the two teams have been in a tie for first place, surpassing the major-league record of nine set in the National League race of 1889 and the Federal League race of 1914.
After a day off, the Giants edge the Reds, 6 – 5, in Cincy, though Dave Koslo is touched for 13 hits. Willie Mays has two of the three Giants errors, but George Spencer saves the game in his 55th appearance.
In the bottom of the ninth, Joe DiMaggio scores the winning run on a squeeze bunt by Phil Rizzuto off Cleveland starter Bob Lemon, giving the Yankees a 2-1 walk-off victory. The dramatic win breaks the tie for first place with the Tribe, and the Bronx Bombers will stay in front for the rest of the season.
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