1968 – In Mickey Mantle’s last appearance at Yankee Stadium, he slices a two-out 1st-inning single off Cleveland’s Luis Tiant, the only hit for the Yankees. Tiant tosses his 9th shutout of the year, tops in the American League, to win, 3 – 0. El Tiante’s ERA drops to 1.60; the previous low for an Indian pitcher was Stan Coveleski’s 1.87 in 1917.
On September 19, 1968, Denny McLain’s 31st win is overshadowed by Mickey Mantle’s 535th homer. McLain allegedly calls C Jim Price out and tells him to inform Mantle he’s throwing the slugger nothing but fastballs. The home run gives Mantle undisputed hold of 3rd place on the all-time home run list. Mantle tips his cap to Denny as he rounds third…
Detroit clinches the American League pennant with a 2 – 1 win over the Yankees. Detroit is ahead, 1 – 0, when Red Sox owner Tom Yawkey phones Tiger general manager Jim Campbell with the news that the Sox have beaten the Orioles, clinching the pennant for the Tigers. Campbell keeps the score off the radio and the scoreboard, fearing the news will send fans rampaging onto the field. Don Wert singles home the winner in the 9th and the fans tear down the left field screen.
1968 – Jim Merritt loses his shutout in the 9th inning when Mickey Mantle parks a pinch homer at the Metrodome. The Twins win, 3 – 1. Mick’s homer ties him with Jimmie Foxx for 3rd place on the all-time list.
1968 – On Old Timers’ Day at Yankee Stadium, the Twins stop the Yankees, 3 – 2. New York’s only scores are two solo shots by Mickey Mantle off Jim Merritt. It is the Mick’s 46th two-homer game.
Al Downing, en route to a 5-3 complete game victory at Cleveland Stadium, strikes out the side in the second frame on nine consecutive pitches. The victims of the Yankee southpaw’s immaculate inning are clean-up batter Tony Horton, Don Demeter, and Duke Sims.
The Red Sox obtain catcher Elston Howard from the Yankees for cash and two players to be named later, with pitchers Peter Magrini and Ron Klimkowski being sent to New York to complete the trade. The 38 year-old backstop will hit only .147 for his new team, but his veteran presence will contribute to Boston capturing the American League pennant.
On June 21, 1967 In retaliation for Joe Foy getting struck in the helmet in the top of the frame, Red Sox starter Jim Lonborg promptly plunks opposing pitcher Thad Tillotson in the back, igniting a bench-clearing brawl in the second inning of the Yankees’ 8-1 loss to Boston at Yankee Stadium. The…
On May 30, 1967, Whitey Ford of the New York Yankees announces his retirement. Plagued by a bone spur in his left elbow, the future Hall of Famer leaves the game with a record of 236-106. His final appearance was a start in Detroit on May 21, but he lasted just one inning for the…
On May 14, 1967, around 4:16 pm in the bottom of the 7th Mickey Mantle of the New York Yankees joins the 500-home run club when he connects against Stu Miller of the Baltimore Orioles. His shot went into the lower deck into the right-field corner of the lower deck at Yankee Stadium. It was…
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