Author Archive
A Look Back: John Kennedy Becomes the New York »
Nan C. Pahlohsee rooted for the Washington Senators and any team that was playing the New York Yankees. Nan has been around baseball longer than she cares to admit, and recalls when the team that was no longer the Bronx Bombers obtained the services of John Kennedy to play shortstop. The great New York Yankees' infield of Bobby Richardson at [...]
Joe Pepitone Did Not Make New York Proud »
Joe Pepitone became the New York Yankees' first baseman when Bill Skowron was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers following the 1962 season. The Yankees had signed Pepitone in 1958, and after spending four seasons in the minors, Joe joined the big team for the 1962 season. While a student at Manual Trades High School in Brooklyn, Joe [...]
NY Yankee’s Whitey Ford Had No Choice: He »
As the New York Yankees opened spring training in 1967, they had many question marks, not the least of which was the status of 38-year-old Whitey Ford. The greatest pitcher in Yankees' history was a free agent, but only because he didn't want to occupy a spot on the roster until he discovered if he could still pitch. Physical Problems [...]
The New York Yankees Had to Trade Roger Maris »
Geoff Britches remembers when his St. Louis Cardinals acquired the services of Roger Maris prior to the 1967 season. He responds to a recent article whose position is that the New York Yankees should not traded Roger. Roger Maris Would Not Play for the Yankees Roger Maris would not have returned to the New York Yankees after the [...]
The New York Yankees Traded Roger Maris for Him? »
Dave Paderson is a die-hard New York Mets' fan. In 1966, Dave was attending New York University's graduate school. One December night that year, on his way back to his home in Flushing, Dave received a wonderful present from New York's other team. "We are committed to making a fresh start with young players. Smith gives us an [...]
Mickey Mantle’s Most Important Catch »
"The biggest game I ever played in was probably Don Larsen's perfect game." Those were the words of Mickey Mantle, who played in many big games. On Oct. 8, 1956, Mickey Mantle had one of the best games of his great career. Don Larsen and Sal Maglie The Brooklyn Dodgers and the New York Yankees each had beaten the other twice in the [...]
Johnny Keane Was Not to Blame »
After losing the 1964 World Series to the St. Louis Cardinals, the Yankees fired manager Yogi Berra and hired the manager who had beaten them in that World Series, Johnny Keane. World Champions Again? Keane, like so many others, failed to realize that the key Yankees' players were mere shells of themselves. He never got to know them, [...]
Jim Bunning Couldn’t Stop the New York Yankees »
On Aug. 31, 1961, the Detroit Tigers trailed the first-place New York Yankees by a mere one and one-half games, but by just a single game in the all-important loss column. With the passage of time, it is often forgotten that the great 1961 Yankees were in a torrid pennant race with the Tigers most of the season. Really, A Crucial Series [...]
The Great New York Yankees’ Clinching on Sept. »
Although he was born in the Bronx, right in the shadow of Yankee Stadium, Rich Chaynee never liked the New York Yankees. He complained that the crowds disrupted his life. The worst part was there were too many times during the baseball season that Rich couldn't a decent corned beef sandwich because the two delicatessens on 161 St, were too [...]
New York Yankees: What a Wonderful Labor Day Present »
Glen Bheck was so happy that he couldn't believe it. At the end of play on Sept. 5, 1966, the New York Yankees were eliminated from the pennant race. It was the earliest this wonderful event had occurred since 1925. Sixth-Place Yankees I suffered so much. Oh, how much I suffered. I started watching baseball in the early 1950s, and [...]