Willie Mays Autographed Picture - 8x10

“The Catch”, Part 2. A year and a half after one of baseball’s most celebrated moments, Willie Mays again robs Vic Wertz again

ByTom

1956 – “The Catch”, Part 2. A year and a half after one of baseball’s most celebrated moments, Willie Mays again robs Vic Wertz. New York Times beat writer Louis Effrat reports: “Those who saw Willie Mays of the Giants rob Vic Wertz of the Indians in the first game of the 1954 World Series should have seen what the Say Hey Kid did to the same man today. The occasion was a Cactus League expedition, which the Tribe won, 10 – 5. With the Giants five runs behind in the 5th inning, Willie ran from center to right center and reached a spot 400 feet away from home plate a fraction of a second before the ball would have hit the wall. Mays caught the ball in his gloved hand and cushioned his crash against the fence with his other hand. He lost his cap but held tightly to the ball for the third out. There were two Indians aboard, so Mays’ catch blocked a couple of runs.”

Two Triples and one Triple Play, courtesy of Roberto Clemente and Eddie O’Brien 

Two Triples and one Triple Play, courtesy of Roberto Clemente and Eddie O’Brien 

ByTom

1956 – Two Triples and one Triple Play, courtesy of Roberto Clemente and Eddie O’Brien respectively. These, along with the first home runs of the spring for Frank Thomas and Jack Shepard, are the highlights of Pittsburgh’s exhibition win over Detroit, a somewhat slovenly 10 – 5 affair. For sheer novelty, O’Brien’s spectacularly unsuccessful 6th-inning sacrifice attempt is hard to top. Les Biederman of the Pittsburgh Press reports: “O’Brien tried to bunt but popped the ball to pitcher Bill Black, who threw to first and the relay went to second base in time for the first triple play of the exhibition season.” Going from the ridiculous to the sublime, there’s Clemente, who, in Fort Myers as in Forbes Field, has quickly established himself as the fan favorite. By far the most incendiary of today’s highlights are Clemente’s two two-run triples. “Clemente brought down the house when he twice tripled with two aboard,” writes Biederman, “and the 1,289 fans gave him the glad hand.”

Dale Murphy Stats & Facts

Dale Murphy Stats & Facts

ByThis Day in Baseball

Dale Murphy Positions: Outfielder, First Baseman and Catcher Bats: Right  ‱  Throws: Right 6-4, 210lb (193cm, 95kg) Born: March 12, 1956  in Portland, OR Draft: Drafted by the Atlanta Braves in the 1st round (5th) of the 1974 MLB June Amateur Draft from Woodrow Wilson HS (Portland, OR). High School: Woodrow Wilson HS (Portland, OR) School: Brigham Young University (Provo, UT) Debut: September 13, 1976 (13,827th in major league history) vs. LAD 4 AB,


Mickey Mantle blasts a spring training homerun and Stan Musial contends, “no home run has ever cleared my head by as much as long as I can remember.”

Mickey Mantle blasts a spring training homerun and Stan Musial contends, “no home run has ever cleared my head by as much as long as I can remember.”

ByTom

1956 – At Al Lang Stadium in St. Petersburg there are no maybes about it as Mickey Mantle hits a Grapefruit League pitch from Larry Jackson over the left field wall into the bay. The Yankees top the Cardinals, 4 – 3. Stan Musial contends, “no home run has ever cleared my head by as much as long as I can remember.” Mantle will hit another at Al Lang Field on March 20th off Bob Mabe that also lands in the water, and will clock a 500-foot shot in Miami four days later against the Dodgers.

Roberto Clemente hits Pittsburgh’s inaugural dinger of spring training in an in-house affair

Roberto Clemente hits Pittsburgh’s inaugural dinger of spring training in an in-house affair

ByThis Day in Baseball

1956 – Pirates second-year man Roberto Clemente hits Pittsburgh’s inaugural dinger of spring training in an in-house affair, coached by two key figures in Clemente’s career: “Roberto Clemente slammed three hits today,” reports the Associated Press, “including the first homer by a Pittsburgh Pirate, as the ‘Sukeforths’ defeated the ‘Murtaughs’ 9 – 3 in an intra-squad game.”

The Players Association accept the owners’ decisions on minimum pay and the World Series television agreement

ByTom

1956 – The Players Association accept the owners’ decisions on minimum pay and the World Series television agreement. They seek workman’s compensation coverage. The PA rehire J.M. Lewis as their representative.

“Clemente Wows Bucs; Outfielder Amazes New Boss, Crowd With Fly-Chasing.” 

“Clemente Wows Bucs; Outfielder Amazes New Boss, Crowd With Fly-Chasing.” 

ByTom

1956 – “Clemente Wows Bucs; Outfielder Amazes New Boss, Crowd With Fly-Chasing.” Pittsburgh’s sophomore star-in-waiting blows away both his rookie manager and the Fort Myers, FL faithful in this spring’s first intra-squad game. “Bobby Bragan didn’t hesitate when he picked out Roberto Clemente’s spectacular fielding as the most impressive thing he saw in yesterday’s game,” reports Pittsburgh Press writer Les Biederman. “Until yesterday, Bragan never had seen Clemente play and was amazed at the way he runs down fly balls and turns them into tumbling catches. ‘I know he doesn’t do that all the time because even Willie Mays doesn’t, but I thought for sure he’d drop a couple of those he lunged for,’ Bragan added. ‘He seems to have sure hands.’ Clemente also contributed a single that scored a run, but his best work was saved for the field. He was all over the premises in right field, came in, went back, and to either side to spear fly balls that might have been base hits. He threw out one runner at third and almost nipped another. The fans in the stands ate it up too and when Clemente came to bat for the last time, they applauded him. He was the only Pirate who drew applause from the free-loaders.”