In a game described by Pirate shortstop Dick Groat as “the greatest I ever played in,” Pirates win 1-0 over the Giants.

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In a game described by Pirate shortstop Dick Groat as “the greatest I ever played in,” and by veteran Forbes Field observer Les Biederman as “probably the most thrilling spectacle ever witnessed by the greater portion of the 33,304 wild-eyed fans,” the World Series-bound Bucs buttress their 1st-place margin over Milwaukee by pulling out a 1 – 0 win over the 5th-place Giants. The game’s only run comes in the 8th inning, with Pirate centerfielder Bill Virdon scoring from first on an errant throw by pitcher Sam Jones. But it’s the non-scoring plays that are most spectacular: for the Giants, Willie Mays nips a 7th-inning Bucs uprising in the bud with a brilliant throw to cut down Don Hoak going first to third. However, it’s the Pirates’ Vinegar Bend Mizell who’s the chief beneficiary of this game’s defensive prowess: the “Say Hey Kid” himself is robbed of a sure extra-base hit by Roberto Clemente in a terrifying catch and crash that knocks the Pirates’ right fielder out of the game and out of the lineup for a week as he smashes face-on into the concrete base of the right-centerfield stands, at the 395-foot mark, and collapses on the dirt warning track. Five stitches are required to close a laceration on his chin, and his left knee is sorely damaged. An inning before that, Virdon made a tremendous running grab of Felipe Alou’s bomb to the distant left center light tower, and, in the 8th, Virdon makes what Biederman will describe as “the play of the season,” coming close to making a leaping grab of Andre Rodgers’ drive to the 406-foot mark in left center, then recovering almost instantly to make a strong, accurate throw to 3B Hoak. Out by a mile is Rodgers, making an ill-advised, two-out try for third.

Believing that Chicago’s Jim Brewer is throwing at him, Reds 2B Billy Martin throws his bat toward the mound. Then, he advances to retrieve it from Brewer, who has picked it up. The two exchange words and Martin launches a hard overhand right that fractures the orbital bone of Brewer’s right eye. Both benches empty and Martin continues swinging, decking Frank Thomas. Brewer requires surgery and will be out of action for a month. The Cubs win, 5 – 3, on Ernie Banks’ homer. Martin will be fined $500 for the punch and Brewer and the Cubs will sue the combative infielder on August 22 for $1,000,000. Years later, when the courts award Brewer $100,000, Martin’s comment will be, “How can they ever collect it? I haven’t got that kind of money,”

Believing that Chicago’s Jim Brewer is throwing at him, Reds 2B Billy Martin throws his bat toward the mound. Then, he advances to retrieve it from Brewer, who has picked it up. The two exchange words and Martin launches a hard overhand right that fractures the orbital bone of Brewer’s right eye. Both benches empty and Martin continues swinging, decking Frank Thomas. Brewer requires surgery and will be out of action for a month. The Cubs win, 5 – 3, on Ernie Banks’ homer. Martin will be fined $500 for the punch and Brewer and the Cubs will sue the combative infielder on August 22 for $1,000,000. Years later, when the courts award Brewer $100,000, Martin’s comment will be, “How can they ever collect it? I haven’t got that kind of money,”

ByBaseball

Believing that Chicago’s Jim Brewer is throwing at him, Reds 2B Billy Martin throws his bat toward the mound. Then, he advances to retrieve it from Brewer, who has picked it up. The two exchange words and Martin launches a hard overhand right that fractures the orbital bone of Brewer’s right eye. Both benches empty and Martin continues swinging, decking Frank Thomas. Brewer requires surgery and will be out of action for a month. The Cubs win, 5 – 3, on Ernie Banks’ homer. Martin will be fined $500 for the punch and Brewer and the Cubs will sue the combative infielder on August 22 for $1,000,000. Years later, when the courts award Brewer $100,000, Martin’s comment will be, “How can they ever collect it? I haven’t got that kind of money,”

Frank Lane trades managers with Detroit GM Bill DeWitt. The Indians’ Joe Gordon (49-46) is dealt to the Tigers for Jimmy Dykes (44-52).

ByThis Day in Baseball

Frank Lane trades managers with Detroit GM Bill DeWitt. The Indians’ Joe Gordon (49-46) is dealt to the Tigers for Jimmy Dykes (44-52).

Pirates right fielder Roberto Clemente is robbed on a 430-to-450-foot putout. With two on, two out and no score in the 6th, Dodgers centerfielder Duke Snider goes to considerable lengths to frustrate his favorite right fielder. Frank Finch of the Los Angeles Times reports: “Clemente clouted an ‘extra-baser’ which Snider caught with one hand near the center-field wall.” Clemente, however, has little cause for complaint. A mere two innings earlier, he himself performed a bit of “armed” robbery with Norm Larker playing the hapless victim though Larker, for his part, would claim it’s the umpire who robbed him. Frank Finch continues: “Round Four started well enough for L.A. when Tom Davis got a bad-hop single and raced to third on Norm Larker’s single to right. However, Bob Clemente’s rifle peg to Rocky Nelson nipped Larker trying to get back to first base. Larker snorted and stomped like a Brahma bull, getting the bum’s rush from umpire Ken Burkhart for throwing the tantrum. From the press box, it appeared that Larker had gotten back in time, but he had no excuse for the play even being close.” Clemente’s “lethal weapon” once again proves pivotal two innings later. George Lederer of the Long Beach Independent writes: “Stan Williams learned how costly his [7th-inning] error was when John Roseboro led off the 8th with a single. Roseboro, batting for Williams, lined Vern Law’s first pitch into the right field corner and was held to a single only by Roberto Clemente’s quick retrieve and bullet throw to second. Trailing by three runs instead of one, manager Walter Alston could not call for the bunt that otherwise would have been in order. Maury Wills, leading off in Alston’s revised lineup, promptly grounded into a double play to wipe out the Dodgers’ last serious bid.”

ByThis Day in Baseball

Pirates right fielder Roberto Clemente is robbed on a 430-to-450-foot putout. With two on, two out and no score in the 6th, Dodgers centerfielder Duke Snider goes to considerable lengths to frustrate his favorite right fielder. Frank Finch of the Los Angeles Times reports: “Clemente clouted an ‘extra-baser’ which Snider caught with one hand near the center-field wall.” Clemente, however, has little cause for complaint. A mere two innings earlier, he himself performed a bit of “armed” robbery with Norm Larker playing the hapless victim though Larker, for his part, would claim it’s the umpire who robbed him. Frank Finch continues: “Round Four started well enough for L.A. when Tom Davis got a bad-hop single and raced to third on Norm Larker’s single to right. However, Bob Clemente’s rifle peg to Rocky Nelson nipped Larker trying to get back to first base. Larker snorted and stomped like a Brahma bull, getting the bum’s rush from umpire Ken Burkhart for throwing the tantrum. From the press box, it appeared that Larker had gotten back in time, but he had no excuse for the play even being close.” Clemente’s “lethal weapon” once again proves pivotal two innings later. George Lederer of the Long Beach Independent writes: “Stan Williams learned how costly his [7th-inning] error was when John Roseboro led off the 8th with a single. Roseboro, batting for Williams, lined Vern Law’s first pitch into the right field corner and was held to a single only by Roberto Clemente’s quick retrieve and bullet throw to second. Trailing by three runs instead of one, manager Walter Alston could not call for the bunt that otherwise would have been in order. Maury Wills, leading off in Alston’s revised lineup, promptly grounded into a double play to wipe out the Dodgers’ last serious bid.”

A game between Memphis and Chattanooga (Southern Association) is postponed because the 94-degree weather is too much for the spectators in Memphis’s roofless Tobey Field.

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A game between Memphis and Chattanooga (Southern Association) is postponed because the 94-degree weather is too much for the spectators in Memphis’s roofless Tobey Field.

At Yankee Stadium, the A’s push over three unearned runs in the 11th on two throwing errors by 3B Hector Lopez to top New York, 5 – 2.

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At Yankee Stadium, the A’s push over three unearned runs in the 11th on two throwing errors by 3B Hector Lopez to top New York, 5 – 2.

Yankee manager Casey Stengel celebrates his 70th birthday and quips, “most people my age are dead at the present time.” The ‘Old Perfessor’ and Connie Mack will be the only two skippers to manage in the major leagues into their seventies until they joined by 72 year-old Jack McKeon, who will pilot the Marlins to a World Championship in 2003, as well as Frank Robinson (2002-2006) and Davey Johnson (2011-2013), who will both lead the Nationals, respectively.

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Yankee manager Casey Stengel celebrates his 70th birthday and quips, “most people my age are dead at the present time.” The ‘Old Perfessor’ and Connie Mack will be the only two skippers to manage in the major leagues into their seventies until they joined by 72 year-old Jack McKeon, who will pilot the Marlins to a World Championship in 2003, as well as Frank Robinson (2002-2006) and Davey Johnson (2011-2013), who will both lead the Nationals, respectively.

1960 – Just as he predicts, Philadelphia P Art Mahaffey, just called up from Buffalo, picks off the first batter to get a hit against him. Then, with the next batter to get a hit, he does it again. Curt Flood and Bill White are the baserunner victims, but St. Louis still wins, 6 – 3. In his next game, the first batter to get a hit off Mahaffey will be Jim Marshall, and Mahaffey will pick him off as well.

ByBaseball

1960 – Just as he predicts, Philadelphia P Art Mahaffey, just called up from Buffalo, picks off the first batter to get a hit against him. Then, with the next batter to get a hit, he does it again. Curt Flood and Bill White are the baserunner victims, but St. Louis still wins, 6 – 3. In his next game, the first batter to get a hit off Mahaffey will be Jim Marshall, and Mahaffey will pick him off as well.