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Home , 1960 World Series, Bill Mazeroski, Bill Virdon, Danny Murtaugh, Don Hoak, Game seven

20 WESTERN HISTORY | SUMMER 2010 By Anne Madarasz Director, Museum Division and THE STORY OF THE 1960Western Pennsylvania PIRATES Sports Museum

WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA HISTORY | SUMMER 2010 21 Previous spread: Two slides taken by Edward Foote, and merged here, capture one of the 1960 games at . HC L&A, The Edward Foote Papers and Photographs.

Below: The famous front page. HC L&A.

hough it lasted seven games, the is Tremembered best for the final moment. On October 13 at 3:36 p.m., launched a pitch over the left field wall at Forbes Field, winning and the Series.

22 WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA HISTORY | SUMMER 2010 Maz, who finished with a lifetime .983 , was best known at the Ahead in the early of Game 7, the time for his defensive play at second base. Yet, that single moment, Maz’s game-and-Series Bucs fell behind in the sixth, but caught up winning home , came to define both his career and that Series. Preserved on film and with a spectacular showing in the eighth in the memory of those who witnessed it, it has become part of the shared consciousness when Hal Smith’s put of fans everywhere. A young man, his cheek rounded by a the Pirates ahead and turned Forbes Field wad of chew, stands in the batter’s box; the count one ball and no strikes. Ralph Terry into “an outdoor insane asylum.” stretches and delivers the pitch; Maz makes contact and smashes a long drive to left field. Yankee wheels back to make the Game 5, which they won 5-2, never seemed catch, and then watches in disbelief as the ball who had their biggest margin of victory in to feel the pressure. They were the little guys, clears the wall. The crowd rises to its feet as one as Maz dances his way around the base paths, windmilling his batting helmet on his finger in joy. At third Maz gathers a small crowd of fans who trail him home where his teammates await. A celebration explodes on the field and spreads throughout as thousands take to the streets to scream and dance and marvel at the Bucs beating the seemingly invincible Yankees. For Pirates fans, the win had about it a David-slaying-Goliath subtext. The Yankees seemed unbeatable; they a record .338 for the Series and outscored the Pirates 55-27. They took Game 2 by a score of 16-3, Game 3, 10-0, and then Game 6, 12-0. But the Pirates,

Above: pinches the cheek of Pirates Bill Mazeroski. His game shirt is now in the History Center’s

collection. Courtesty of Pittsburgh Post Gazette.

Left: A rare ticket to the ’60 Series. HC L&A.

WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA HISTORY | SUMMER 2010 23 This 1970 view of Forbes Field shows the ’s expanding campus and helps place its location. HC, Allegheny Conference on Community Development Collection MSP285.B022.F03.102.

Danny Murtaugh in their first Fall Classic since they lost to the Yankees in 1927, were seeking their first world had proved an able championship in 35 years. Ahead in the early innings of Game 7, the Bucs fell behind in leader, turning the sixth, but caught up with a spectacular showing in the eighth inning when Hal around a losing Smith’s home run put the Pirates ahead and turned Forbes Field into “an outdoor team and showing insane asylum.” The Yankees surged back in the ninth, tying the game at nine apiece and skill in platooning setting the stage for Maz’s moment of glory. his players. He stepped to the plate and in his one and

24 WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA HISTORY | SUMMER 2010 The team had balance; what they lacked offensively in power, they made up for with league-leading statistics in runs and hits. They had sound defense, especially and Clemente in the outfield and Groat and Mazeroski in the infield, and their pitching squad was solid and anchored by the accomplished reliever ElRoy Face.

wins together, as only swing in that , made history. Clemente recalled: Yet, an examination of the team and “This year we win the times suggests that for many in 1960, three or four, lose the Pirates win came as no surprise. The one and come back players themselves had a special feeling about to win three or four the season. Many were convinced that their more.” losing years were now behind them and that a The team had pennant in 1960 felt certain. began balance; what they Police descend on home plate after Maz’s home run. Courtesy of Baseball Club. thinking about a pennant as early as spring lacked offensively in training, but felt convinced by April: “The one power, they made up for with league-leading way without too much trouble. Everyone series that made me certain we could go all statistics in runs and hits. They had sound carries the load. No one man is doing it all the way was the time we beat the Braves three defense, especially Bill Virdon and Clemente alone at bat.” straight at Forbes Field in April.” Vernon in the outfield and Groat and Mazeroski in The Yankees brought power in Mickey Law reported that after a big win against the the infield, and their pitching squad was solid Mantle and ; they had confidence, Reds in April, Hal Smith asked him, “Where and anchored by the accomplished reliever finishing their season with 15 straight wins; do we get our Series tickets?” got ElRoy Face. Danny Murtaugh had proved an and they had a winning tradition on their on board in June, by mid-July, able leader, turning around a losing team and side. Right before the Series began, in a and became a true believer showing skill in platooning his players. No poll of baseball writers by the United Press as the season progressed. He saw, as did the less than the great , who finished International, the Yankees held a 2-1 margin, writers and fans, a team that never seemed third in the MVP voting with 66 writers naming them as victors to 36 out of a game, frequently coming back to win behind Groat and Hoak, declared the Pirates who favored the Bucs. But some got it right; in the final inning. A team able to string those impressive, stating, “They should go all the the esteemed Red Smith from the

WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA HISTORY | SUMMER 2010 25 Herald Tribune went with the Pirates in seven games, joined by Pittsburgh writers Myron Cope and Al Abrams. At that point, nothing remained but to play the games and see what happened. And play they did that October, the Pirates thrilling their fans and stunning the bookmakers with a 6 to 4 win at home in that first game. Games two and three proved equally stunning, leading many to give the Pirates up for dead. But they didn’t die. They continued to play ball the way they had all season, each man contributing when called upon, doing the little things right, and putting the pieces in place that set up that one moment, that one pitch, that one man, who ended it all. We remember Maz and his moment, but it truly is the “Beat ’em Bucs” that are the story of that 1960 season and that magical Series.

Above and left: This record album of Pirates highlights

was issued in the glow of the ’60 Series win. HC L&A.

The crowd rises to its feet as one as Maz dances his way around the base paths, windmilling his batting helmet on his finger in joy.

26 WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA HISTORY | SUMMER 2010 By Ray Werner

f it’s not the best souvenir from the I Pirates’ 1960 World Series victory, it has to be the highest. Hey, I had to shimmy up an 80-foot steel pole to get it.

But I had some help—a downtown crowd of Pirates get lambasted by the Yankees, 16 to 3. But cheering, babbling, half-crazy Pirates fans fueled by I got to see hit two over the wall at Iron City. When I stopped to catch my breath, they right center, 400 feet and flying. They left the park yelled at me. When I shimmied up a few more feet, faster than a gasp. they cheered me like an Olympic athlete. When I Then the 7th game. No sense reliving it looked down, I darn near lost it. There was nothing, for you. You’ve seen Maz’s miraculous homer a The prized bunting. that’s nothing, to hold on to. My arms and legs were thousand times. But the mayhem afterwards, that History Center museum collection. wrapped around the pole like Velcro, which had was something to behold. I took a trolley downtown, barely been invented. where all traffic had stopped, where our particular I had my eye on the prize, waving in the part of the earth stood still, where the confetti filled Now I can’t say for sure if any of the members breeze above the Duquesne Club. Red, white, and the streets knee-deep and people rolled around in it of the Duquesne Club were at the bottom of the pole blue bunting, as American as it gets, a kind of flag like it was snow drifts. cheering me on, but I wouldn’t doubt it. It was that waving in the wind, waving in victory, waving to After an hour of celebrating, I had to make it to kind of a day. One city, one voice, one victory party. me. No, calling to me, “Here I am, son. I’m yours. the bus stop on Liberty to catch the Beaver County The greatest we’ve ever had or perhaps ever will. Your unique keepsake of the greatest World Series bus to Ambridge, and then another one to Freedom. Prejudices, bias, and class distinctions came down. in history.” And still is, to this day. Had to make it home for night turn in the mill. And so did that flag. Never in my wildest dreams did It was my first year at , I walked down Smithfield, turned left on Oliver, I ever think I would one day be a member of that and while I could ill afford to cut classes, my baseball and there it was. Right across from the Duquesne prestigious club. genes kicked in and I scrounged up the $7.70 each Club it fluttered, elegant, smart, and proud. I stared What a thrill, the greatest game, in one of the for two tickets to Forbes Field, including the last at it for a few minutes and contemplated the absolute greatest baseball parks ever, Forbes Field. But the game, if it needed to be played. Did it ever. lack of anything to grab on to of any sort. What the bus ride to Freedom, hugging that red, white, and A few games before, I watched the struggling heck, I reasoned. And up I went. blue prize, that was a close second.

WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA HISTORY | SUMMER 2010 27