Original Document

"Pirate Champs 'Team of Destiny'

Maz, Smith Homers Kill Yankee Hopes-
Nelson Also Bombs As Haddix Gains Win In 10 -9 Finale,"
by Lester J. Biedman

CLOUD NINE, Pa., Oct. 14 - Team of destiny? Well, can you think of a better word to describe the brand new World Champion Pirates?

This surely was a team of destiny with tremendous spirit and unmatched desire. They bolted through the National League like true champions, then carried the power-packed Yankees to seven games before beating them yesterday at Forbes Field, 10-9, with their very own weapon-the deadly home run.

And with it, they won the greatest prize baseball has to offer-the world championship in their first opportunity since 1927, when the same Yankee organization humiliated them in four straight games.

Mark it: Dept repaid in full.

Until yesterday, the Pirates had only hit one home run (Bill Mazeroski in the opener) to eight for the Yankees in the first six games. Then after the American Leaguers blasted a pair in this vital seventh game, the Pirates saved their best two shots until they needed 'em.

Hal Smith came through with a dramatic three-run blast over the left-field wall with two outs and the Pirates trailing, 6-7, in the eighth inning that rocked old Forbes Field and brought the 36,683 fans up screaming.

The Yankees tied it in the top of the ninth but this was only temporary. Then when Bill Mazeroski drilled Ralph Terry's second pitch over the left-field wall leading off the ninth inning to crack the 9-9 tie and bring Pittsburgh its first world championship since 1925 with a 10-9 victory, there was a thunderous ovation awaiting Maz and his teammates when he finally touched home plate.

There have been similar scenes at Forbes Field all season long but none that meant as much as this one.

The whirlwind finish was as dramatic as any World Series game in many years. Yet it seemed the Mazeroski game winning homer was a little anticlimactic after Smith's two-out three-run homer that came with such swiftness it almost numbed the tans before they really cut loose.

The Pirates and their fans figured the game was over then and there but the Yankees tied it in the ninth only to allow Maz to become the hero with his home run that sailed majestically over the left field wall and sent the crowd into a frenzy never matched in this city.

This blow touched off a celebration in Pittsburgh that lasted far into the night and was heard around the world.

The Pirates simply had one more last-inning rally left in their, systems and they gave the Yankees a dose of it. They won 23 games during the year in their final turn at bat and this time they proved that lightning can and does strike more than once.

By the time Maz circled the bases and was escorted to the dugout, the fans had started swarming on the field, making it difficult for the Yankees to trudge silently and solemnly to their clubhouse.

The game started out as a duel between Vern Law, trying for his third victory despite a lame right ankle, and Bob Turley, who won the second game here.

Rocky Nelson gave Law a fast 2-0 lead when he homered in the first inning after Bob Skinner walked and in the second inning, the Pirates chased Turley when Smokey Burgess led off with a single.

They filled the bases on Bill Stafford with a walk and Maz's safe bunt but when Stafford took Law's bouncer and started a double play, it appeared he was home safe. However, Bill Virdon cracked a two-run single and now Law enjoyed a 4-0 lead.

Bill Skowron spoiled the shutout with a right-field homer in the fifth but when Bobby Richardson singled and Tony Kubek walked to open the sixth, Danny Murtaugh felt Law's ankle was acting up and he called in Roy Face.

Face retired Roger Maris but Mickey Mantle singled for one run and Yogi Berry drilled a three-run homer into right field and now the Yankees had a 5-4 lead.

Bobby Shantz protected this margin expertly and then Face yielded two more runs in the top of the eighth on a walk, Skowron's scratch single, John Blanchard's looping single to center and Cletis Boyer's double to left.

But in their half of the eighth, the Pirates got a break, a big break. Gino Cimoli dropped a pinch-single into right, and Kubek waited for Virdon's grounder but it took a bad hop and hit him in the throat.

Instead of one out or a double play, the Pirates now had runners on first and second, and the fans were screaming. Dick Groat singled for a run and Jim Coates relieved Shantz. Skinner sacrificed but Nelson flied out and fans moaned.

Then came another real break. Roberto Clemente grounded to Skuwron but Coates didn't cover first base and Clemente beat it for a hit, Virdon scoring.

This seemed to breathe new life into the Pirates and they took advantage of it as they've clone so often during the season.

Coates had two strikes on Smith and even had him swing and miss strike two but the husky catcher took dead aim on a 2-2 low fast ball and the moment he connected everybody knew the destination -Schenley Park.

When Smith touched home plate with the run that gave the Pirates a 9-7 edge, the customers were limp from excitement.

But the Yankees still had some fight left. Bob Friend came in to pitch the ninth and Richardson singled and so did pinch-hitter Dale Long. Exit Friend, enter Harvey Haddix. Maris fouled out but Mantle singled for a run.

Berra hit a sharp grounder down the first base line but Nelson grabbed it, stepped on first and tried to tag Mantle but Mickey slid back safely as the tying run crossed the plate.

Maz didn't keep the fans waiting long in the Pirate ninth. He took the first pitch for a ball, then met a high fast ball and sent it sailing over the left-field wall and the Pirates became the champions of all baseball.

No game today!


Credit: "Reprinted from the pages of the Pittsburgh Press, reproduced with permission."