1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:07,000 This is Retro Sports Radio. Visit RetroSeasons.com for more sports history. 2 00:00:07,000 --> 00:00:13,000 Big bouncer over the mound, over second base. Up with it is Mantia, throws low and wild. 3 00:00:13,000 --> 00:00:16,000 Hodges scores, we go to Chicago! 4 00:00:16,000 --> 00:00:24,000 The date, September 29, 1959. At precisely 5 minutes and 55 seconds after 5 o'clock Pacific Standard Time, 5 00:00:24,000 --> 00:00:30,000 Gil Hodges touched home plate and the fabulous Los Angeles Dodgers had won the National League pennant. 6 00:00:30,000 --> 00:00:37,000 Never in the history of baseball had a team finished seventh one year and come back to win the championship the following season. 7 00:00:37,000 --> 00:00:43,000 To trace the story of the Cinderella Dodgers, the starting point would be April 18, 1958. 8 00:00:43,000 --> 00:00:48,000 Good afternoon everybody, this is Ben Scully speaking to you from the Los Angeles Coliseum 9 00:00:48,000 --> 00:00:51,000 as opening day has finally come to Southern California. 10 00:00:51,000 --> 00:00:58,000 After spending more than half a century in Brooklyn, the Dodgers came west to settle in Los Angeles. 11 00:00:58,000 --> 00:01:02,000 Over 78,000 fans were on hand to see history in the making. 12 00:01:02,000 --> 00:01:06,000 The first major league game ever played in Southern California. 13 00:01:06,000 --> 00:01:12,000 Carl Erskine threw the first official pitch and the Los Angeles Dodgers began what proved to be a dismal season. 14 00:01:12,000 --> 00:01:20,000 The team finished in seventh place, although the novelty of Major League Baseball drew over 1,800,000 fans into the huge Coliseum. 15 00:01:20,000 --> 00:01:29,000 You know when the Dodgers started the 1959 season, most of the experts figured they'd wind up about fifth, at least no better than fourth. 16 00:01:29,000 --> 00:01:35,000 Well, the 59 team contained practically the same personnel as the 1958 squad, 17 00:01:35,000 --> 00:01:41,000 with the exception of Wally Moon, an in and out left handed batting outfielder. 18 00:01:41,000 --> 00:01:45,000 Wally was obtained from the St. Louis Cardinals in an off-season trade. 19 00:01:45,000 --> 00:01:50,000 But what a difference Mr. Moon made, as you will hear later on. 20 00:01:50,000 --> 00:01:55,000 The Dodgers got off to a good start in 1959, staying in contention right from the opening gun. 21 00:01:55,000 --> 00:02:03,000 Shortly after the season began, May the 3rd, 1959, President Walter O'Malley staged Roy Campanella Night at the Coliseum. 22 00:02:03,000 --> 00:02:08,000 The world champion New York Yankees came to town to play the Dodgers in an exhibition game, 23 00:02:08,000 --> 00:02:15,000 with all proceeds going to help Roy in his fight to recover from a serious automobile accident, which had left him paralyzed. 24 00:02:15,000 --> 00:02:23,000 Los Angeles fans responded to this great cause in such fantastic numbers that 93,103 paid their way into the Coliseum, 25 00:02:23,000 --> 00:02:28,000 making this the largest crowd in history to watch a professional baseball game. 26 00:02:28,000 --> 00:02:36,000 It was one of the most dramatic moments in sports when Roy was wheeled out on the field and surrounded by civic and baseball dignitaries 27 00:02:36,000 --> 00:02:40,000 and Yankee and Dodger ballplayers spoke to the huge gathering. 28 00:02:40,000 --> 00:02:45,000 I want to thank each and every one of you from the bottom of my heart. 29 00:02:45,000 --> 00:02:50,000 This is something that I'll never forget as long as I live. 30 00:02:50,000 --> 00:03:04,000 I'd like to thank the Yankees, the players, Mr. Delwed, Mr. Dan Topping, for having their ball club participate in this game. 31 00:03:04,000 --> 00:03:10,000 I'd like to thank Mr. O'Malley and all of my Dodger teammates. 32 00:03:10,000 --> 00:03:19,000 It's a wonderful tribute, and I thank God that I'm here living to be able to see. 33 00:03:19,000 --> 00:03:21,000 Thanks a million. 34 00:03:24,000 --> 00:03:31,000 Before the first pitch, the 93,000-plus Coliseum fans gave Roy Campanella their personal salute. 35 00:03:31,000 --> 00:03:33,000 This is the way Vince Gulley described it. 36 00:03:33,000 --> 00:03:39,000 Friends, right now the Yankees have been asked to leave the field and the Dodgers are not out on the field. 37 00:03:39,000 --> 00:03:48,000 For right now, the Coliseum, all of the lights will be turned out as Pee Wee Reese wheels the chair that holds Roy Campanella 38 00:03:48,000 --> 00:03:54,000 across the first base foul line and heads him towards the pitcher's mound. 39 00:03:54,000 --> 00:03:56,000 The lights are going out. 40 00:03:56,000 --> 00:04:05,000 As a final tribute to Roy Campanella, the lights will be lowered and everyone at the ballpark, 93,000 people, 41 00:04:05,000 --> 00:04:11,000 are asked in silent tribute to light a match to Roy Campanella. 42 00:04:11,000 --> 00:04:20,000 And we would like to think that as 93,000 people light the match, that would be 93,000 prayers for a great man. 43 00:04:20,000 --> 00:04:27,000 The lights now are starting to come out like thousands and thousands of fireflies, starting deep in center field, 44 00:04:27,000 --> 00:04:34,000 glittering around to the left and slowly the entire ballpark, lighting up with individual lights. 45 00:04:34,000 --> 00:04:41,000 And Roy Campanella, as the years go back, standing off to the right is Pee Wee Reese. 46 00:04:41,000 --> 00:04:46,000 Three. Three. Three. Three. Three. Three. Three. Three. Three. Three. Three. Three. 47 00:04:46,000 --> 00:04:53,000 Sea of Lights at the Coliseum, perhaps the most beautiful and dramatic moment in the history of sport. 48 00:04:53,000 --> 00:04:58,000 Let there be a prayer for every light. 49 00:04:58,000 --> 00:05:04,000 And wherever you are, maybe you, in silent tribute to Campanella can also say a prayer for his well-being. 50 00:05:04,000 --> 00:05:11,000 Roy Campanella for thousands of times made a trip to the mound to help somebody out. 51 00:05:11,000 --> 00:05:15,840 A tired pitcher, a disgusted youngster, a boy who's perhaps had his heart broken in 52 00:05:15,840 --> 00:05:16,840 a game of baseball. 53 00:05:16,840 --> 00:05:23,640 And tonight, on his last trip to the mound, the city of Los Angeles says hello to him. 54 00:05:23,640 --> 00:05:24,640 Listen. 55 00:05:24,640 --> 00:05:31,720 Few will remember the final score of that Yankee Dodger exhibition. 56 00:05:31,720 --> 00:05:35,880 But the thousands who were there and the many thousands who heard it on radio will remember. 57 00:05:35,880 --> 00:05:38,720 When the Dodgers moved west, so did the Giants. 58 00:05:38,720 --> 00:05:42,800 And if anyone thought this great baseball rivalry would suffer from the change, they 59 00:05:42,800 --> 00:05:44,800 couldn't have been more wrong. 60 00:05:44,800 --> 00:05:47,080 The date is May the 30th, 1959. 61 00:05:47,080 --> 00:05:52,280 Los Angeles and San Francisco met at the Coliseum in their first important series of the season. 62 00:05:52,280 --> 00:05:54,000 It's the top of the sixth inning. 63 00:05:54,000 --> 00:05:58,480 Orchards to Vin Scully for a magnificent description of one of the wildest rhubarbs 64 00:05:58,480 --> 00:06:01,400 baseball has ever known. 65 00:06:01,400 --> 00:06:03,800 Drysdale ready on the 1-1 pitch. 66 00:06:03,800 --> 00:06:08,360 Curveball cut on is a high fly ball right down the left field line. 67 00:06:08,360 --> 00:06:12,400 Right on the line hits the foul pole and kicks foul. 68 00:06:12,400 --> 00:06:17,240 That's just about as foul as you can get without being fair. 69 00:06:17,240 --> 00:06:23,280 Willie Mays hit the foul pole and it kicked off in foul ground. 70 00:06:23,280 --> 00:06:26,640 Rigney is telling Mays to trot all the way around. 71 00:06:26,640 --> 00:06:33,640 Soly Parker and Bill Rigney appealing to third base umpire Dusty Boggess. 72 00:06:33,640 --> 00:06:45,760 And now they're going to wave Mays around and here come the Dodgers after Boggess. 73 00:06:45,760 --> 00:06:50,840 If you know the Coliseum at all and you know the girder that supports the screen right 74 00:06:50,840 --> 00:06:57,200 down the left field line Willie Mays hit a fly ball that actually hit that girder and 75 00:06:57,200 --> 00:07:00,320 then kicked off into foul territory. 76 00:07:00,320 --> 00:07:07,000 At first Dusty Boggess called it foul but Rigney told Mays to go around anyway and after 77 00:07:07,000 --> 00:07:13,080 Rigney and Soly Parker got into the discussion Boggess suddenly rolled home run. 78 00:07:13,080 --> 00:07:16,960 The Dodgers came racing out of the dugout. 79 00:07:16,960 --> 00:07:23,800 A firecracker goes off back a home plate like to scare everybody out of 10 years growth. 80 00:07:23,800 --> 00:07:28,280 And the argument continues directly back of third base along the line. 81 00:07:28,280 --> 00:07:34,560 All four umpires along with a heated group of Dodgers and the rhubarb continues about 82 00:07:34,560 --> 00:07:36,880 30 feet down the line. 83 00:07:36,880 --> 00:07:44,080 So Willie Mays who is normally causing a lot of noise either at the Coliseum or SEAL Stadium 84 00:07:44,080 --> 00:07:51,320 has now really set off a bomb here at the Coliseum. 85 00:07:51,320 --> 00:07:57,000 When you look at that girder down the left field line there are many cables and wires 86 00:07:57,000 --> 00:08:00,320 that make it a very tough spot to look at. 87 00:08:00,320 --> 00:08:07,280 No doubt the Dodger contention is that the ball hit one of the wires to make it foul. 88 00:08:07,280 --> 00:08:09,840 But Boggess is now sticking to his guns. 89 00:08:09,840 --> 00:08:15,960 Drysdale is so mad he almost kicked 20 feet of the Coliseum out of the park. 90 00:08:15,960 --> 00:08:21,880 Gil Hodges right now is jaw to jaw with Dusty Boggess. 91 00:08:21,880 --> 00:08:26,840 Gil pointing first with his left hand then with his right hand. 92 00:08:26,840 --> 00:08:32,760 Drysdale appealing to the gods right now he just wants to holler at anybody who'll listen. 93 00:08:32,760 --> 00:08:36,360 Don Zimmer is arguing with Tommy Gorman. 94 00:08:36,360 --> 00:08:42,920 The other three umpires now leave Boggess alone and he is in the midst of lions. 95 00:08:42,920 --> 00:08:51,920 Don Zimmer, Don Drysdale, Walter Alston, Gil Hodges and Wally Moon are blistering Boggess 96 00:08:51,920 --> 00:08:57,880 and Dusty every now and then seems to punctuate a Dodger sentence by pointing with his left 97 00:08:57,880 --> 00:09:01,920 hand to that left field foul pole. 98 00:09:01,920 --> 00:09:07,000 At the very top of the foul pole there are two slanting guide wires. 99 00:09:07,000 --> 00:09:11,840 One goes from the top of the pole to the right down to the screen and the other one goes 100 00:09:11,840 --> 00:09:15,920 from the top to the left down to the floor of the stand. 101 00:09:15,920 --> 00:09:20,600 The Dodger contention is that the ball hit the guide wire going to the left and would 102 00:09:20,600 --> 00:09:23,920 be fouled. 103 00:09:23,920 --> 00:09:28,800 Alston and Hodges and Zimmer and Moon continue to appeal. 104 00:09:28,800 --> 00:09:34,840 Gorman now tells Hodges to walk away but Hodges goes right after Gorman. 105 00:09:34,840 --> 00:09:38,360 Zimmer will be hoarse in another two minutes. 106 00:09:38,360 --> 00:09:43,320 The veins on each side of his neck bulging out like the cable that actually holds up 107 00:09:43,320 --> 00:09:45,160 the left field screen. 108 00:09:45,160 --> 00:09:52,280 Boggess sticking to his guns the Dodgers continue to appeal but Mays has touched all the bases 109 00:09:52,280 --> 00:09:54,480 and will come in with a home run. 110 00:09:54,480 --> 00:10:02,280 Gorman who is the captain of this umpiring quartet has now summoned Bill Rigney out of 111 00:10:02,280 --> 00:10:09,480 the giant dugout and both Gorman and Sawley Parker are flanking Bill Rigney and of course 112 00:10:09,480 --> 00:10:12,640 Gorman doing all the talking. 113 00:10:12,640 --> 00:10:18,760 Meanwhile the Dodgers are still around Boggess at third but watching Rigney's reaction it 114 00:10:18,760 --> 00:10:28,840 looks like Gorman is going to call it foul and Rigney is about ready to eat his glasses. 115 00:10:28,840 --> 00:10:33,680 Alston has walked away like a Philadelphia lawyer who has just won his case. 116 00:10:33,680 --> 00:10:38,600 Rigney slams his hat down and the gray hair is glistening under the lights. 117 00:10:38,600 --> 00:10:43,960 Bill is now going jar to jar with Boggess now he kicks at the dirt hands on his hip 118 00:10:43,960 --> 00:10:50,440 left hand thrown high in the air Ed Sudol comes in to quiet the giant manager down. 119 00:10:50,440 --> 00:10:59,120 Rigney's left hand then his right hand up in the air now his hat is back on. 120 00:10:59,120 --> 00:11:04,640 So first the Dodgers appeal and walk away and now it's Rigney's turn to be on the griddle. 121 00:11:04,640 --> 00:11:11,760 All four umpires appear to be trying to placate Rigney presenting their case the giant manager 122 00:11:11,760 --> 00:11:17,160 now starting to walk around slamming his hands together pointing with the right hand then 123 00:11:17,160 --> 00:11:21,560 with the left now a big sweeping gesture with the left hand. 124 00:11:21,560 --> 00:11:26,180 Gorman comes after him now as if Rigney must have touched a nerve and Gorman goes chewing 125 00:11:26,180 --> 00:11:29,880 right back after the giant manager. 126 00:11:29,880 --> 00:11:34,120 Rigney now goes after Gorman points with his left hand to that girder. 127 00:11:34,120 --> 00:11:36,680 Gorman answers with a right handed gesture. 128 00:11:36,680 --> 00:11:41,520 Rigney bows at the waist with a sweeping right hand and Gorman and Rigney are really going 129 00:11:41,520 --> 00:11:42,520 at it. 130 00:11:42,520 --> 00:11:48,320 Bodges comes over and Rigney like a mad traffic cop now with a right hand indicating that 131 00:11:48,320 --> 00:11:50,720 all the umpires are mad. 132 00:11:50,720 --> 00:11:55,440 Rigney kicks at the dirt walks away with a hopeless gesture of bow hand. 133 00:11:55,440 --> 00:12:01,000 Willie Mays comes out Rigney drapes his left arm around Mays's shoulder and sounds him 134 00:12:01,000 --> 00:12:02,600 to go to second base. 135 00:12:02,600 --> 00:12:08,920 I'll meet you halfway and what a riot. 136 00:12:08,920 --> 00:12:19,200 First it was ruled foul then it was ruled fair then the Dodgers won half a case and 137 00:12:19,200 --> 00:12:23,360 got Mays to go to second base. 138 00:12:23,360 --> 00:12:28,480 As soon as we get the ground rules on this particular play off the back of a batting 139 00:12:28,480 --> 00:12:32,240 card we can pass them along. 140 00:12:32,240 --> 00:12:37,720 Willie Mays hits the loudest double ever heard in Southern California or in the United States 141 00:12:37,720 --> 00:12:39,800 for that matter. 142 00:12:39,800 --> 00:12:44,400 Rigney now comes to argue with the plate umpire Ed Soudal. 143 00:12:44,400 --> 00:12:48,360 Soudal pointing with his right hand towards the screen Rigney pointing with his right 144 00:12:48,360 --> 00:12:51,720 hand let's say towards the Dodger dugout. 145 00:12:51,720 --> 00:12:56,640 Now Sully Parker comes down and it's Rigney with his head just jerking a mile a minute 146 00:12:56,640 --> 00:13:01,640 and now Soudal wants to talk to third base umpire Dusty Bodges. 147 00:13:01,640 --> 00:13:06,880 It's a fight a blow by blow verbal battle. 148 00:13:06,880 --> 00:13:11,920 Rigney has Bodges on his left and Soudal on his right and right now Rigney is laying down 149 00:13:11,920 --> 00:13:17,920 the law and the umpires come right back with words and gestures. 150 00:13:17,920 --> 00:13:23,040 Sully Parker third base coach with his arms folded across his chest just listening right 151 00:13:23,040 --> 00:13:25,160 now. 152 00:13:25,160 --> 00:13:30,800 Rigney is concentrating his verbal fire on third base umpire Dusty Bodges. 153 00:13:30,800 --> 00:13:36,040 Soudal is now trying to draw some of the wrath of the giant manager but Bill wants to stay 154 00:13:36,040 --> 00:13:38,560 with Bodges. 155 00:13:38,560 --> 00:13:47,960 Now plate umpire Ed Soudal has hollered up to the press box that the Giants will play 156 00:13:47,960 --> 00:13:52,400 the ball game under protest and it must be announced to the crowd. 157 00:13:52,400 --> 00:14:00,440 Listen here comes the announcement. 158 00:14:00,440 --> 00:14:05,840 San Francisco manager Bill Rigney quickly forgot his protest because sad Sam Jones pitched 159 00:14:05,840 --> 00:14:10,040 a one hit two nothing shutout. 160 00:14:10,040 --> 00:14:17,040 On August 31st 82,794 fans came to the Coliseum to see the Giants in their final appearance 161 00:14:17,040 --> 00:14:19,200 of the year in Los Angeles. 162 00:14:19,200 --> 00:14:23,280 Little did they realize that baseball history was to be made that night and a young left 163 00:14:23,280 --> 00:14:27,720 hander named Sandy Koufax would attain baseball immortality. 164 00:14:27,720 --> 00:14:32,080 Koufax has struck out 15 San Francisco batters through eight innings. 165 00:14:32,080 --> 00:14:37,180 He had to strike out the side in the top of the ninth to set a new National League record 166 00:14:37,180 --> 00:14:40,280 and tie the all-time major league record. 167 00:14:40,280 --> 00:14:44,840 It'll be Eddie Bressoux the shortstop then Danny O'Connell and we'll see about Sanford 168 00:14:44,840 --> 00:14:46,680 spot. 169 00:14:46,680 --> 00:14:50,320 No one throwing in the giant bullpen. 170 00:14:50,320 --> 00:14:56,240 Bressoux this evening has popped a short fouled out and struck out batting 255. 171 00:14:56,240 --> 00:15:01,600 It's a 2-2 tie and Sandy Koufax who came within a whisker I believe of coming out of the ball 172 00:15:01,600 --> 00:15:05,760 game is now in it again. 173 00:15:05,760 --> 00:15:08,240 Sandy checking signs with Roseboro. 174 00:15:08,240 --> 00:15:15,400 Now nods in agreement goes to his windup and delivers curved ball for a strike. 175 00:15:15,400 --> 00:15:18,800 Sandy has struck out 15. 176 00:15:18,800 --> 00:15:24,600 He has numbered every giant in his strikeouts. 177 00:15:24,600 --> 00:15:29,720 The strike one pitch to Bressoux fastball fouled away 0 and 2. 178 00:15:29,720 --> 00:15:34,960 We'll repeat that note on Koufax we gave you earlier in the eighth inning. 179 00:15:34,960 --> 00:15:38,840 Sandy his last time out struck out 13 fills. 180 00:15:38,840 --> 00:15:43,480 Tonight he has struck out 15 giants a total of 28 strikeouts in two games. 181 00:15:43,480 --> 00:15:48,760 That sets a new National League record and ties Bob Feller's all-time record. 182 00:15:48,760 --> 00:15:57,000 Curved ball cut on and missed he's all by himself. 183 00:15:57,000 --> 00:16:02,680 Sandy Koufax has now established a major league record and boy that's something to go above 184 00:16:02,680 --> 00:16:06,120 the name Bob Feller in strikeouts. 185 00:16:06,120 --> 00:16:11,720 He has struck out 29 men in his last two games 16 tonight. 186 00:16:11,720 --> 00:16:15,200 One out here is Danny O'Connell walks struck out and doubled. 187 00:16:15,200 --> 00:16:18,080 Danny batting 244. 188 00:16:18,080 --> 00:16:24,840 Koufax's first pitch a fastball for a strike. 189 00:16:24,840 --> 00:16:27,600 Fess looks in to get his sign from Roseboro. 190 00:16:27,600 --> 00:16:34,960 The strike one pitch curved ball cut on and missed 0 and 2. 191 00:16:34,960 --> 00:16:40,560 This crowd is screaming to the skies. 192 00:16:40,560 --> 00:16:58,480 The strike two pitch fastball got him looking. 193 00:16:58,480 --> 00:17:04,440 Sandy Koufax strikes out Eddie Brassou and Danny O'Connell on six pitches and now has 194 00:17:04,440 --> 00:17:09,160 established another all-time record this one for at night games. 195 00:17:09,160 --> 00:17:17,280 He has struck out 17 men and here comes pitcher Jack Sanford. 196 00:17:17,280 --> 00:17:21,680 With his 17 strikeouts tonight he has tied a National League record established by a 197 00:17:21,680 --> 00:17:25,160 pretty good pitcher by the name of Dizzy Dean. 198 00:17:25,160 --> 00:17:27,720 Fastball cut on and missed. 199 00:17:27,720 --> 00:17:34,340 Koufax is shooting for all the marbles. 200 00:17:34,340 --> 00:17:39,120 Just to add spice if he should strike out Sanford he will tie the all-time record for the most 201 00:17:39,120 --> 00:17:42,280 strikeouts in one game. 202 00:17:42,280 --> 00:17:45,480 Curved ball inside one ball and one strike. 203 00:17:45,480 --> 00:17:46,840 So have you got it? 204 00:17:46,840 --> 00:17:53,360 Koufax with 17 strikeouts tonight establishes a night game record ties a National League 205 00:17:53,360 --> 00:17:56,400 record held by Dizzy Dean. 206 00:17:56,400 --> 00:18:01,280 The 1-1 pitch to Sanford cut on and missed strike two. 207 00:18:01,280 --> 00:18:08,760 Sandy now is one strike away from tying Bob Feller's record. 208 00:18:08,760 --> 00:18:12,960 This crowd just ready to lift the Coliseum. 209 00:18:12,960 --> 00:18:13,960 The 1-2 pitch. 210 00:18:13,960 --> 00:18:14,960 Fastball got him swinging. 211 00:18:14,960 --> 00:18:43,100 Boy I never thought he'd make it this far with a hit on Mr. And the Ball is competitive. 212 00:18:43,100 --> 00:18:52,100 Boy, I never thought I'd see it. I never thought I'd see a man strike out 18 major league players in a game. 213 00:18:52,100 --> 00:18:58,100 And Sandy Koufax did it. The end of 8 1⁄2 innings of play, it's a 2-2 tie. 214 00:18:58,100 --> 00:19:02,100 Koufax had set the record, but he had not won the ballgame. 215 00:19:02,100 --> 00:19:06,100 In the bottom of the ninth, Sandy got a single and moved to second on a sacrifice. 216 00:19:06,100 --> 00:19:09,100 Jim Gilliam was given an intentional walk. 217 00:19:09,100 --> 00:19:16,100 And with two on and one out, the amazing Wally Moon came to bat against relief pitcher Alan Worthington. 218 00:19:16,100 --> 00:19:23,100 Wally Moon, hitting 3-0-1, has struck out twice, bounced out and walked. 219 00:19:23,100 --> 00:19:31,100 Comes up with the ballgame on the line. Sandy Koufax, as Reese told him, took his lead and scratched the line in the dirt. 220 00:19:31,100 --> 00:19:38,100 Now looks over at the bag. Gilliam away from first. One out, ninth inning a 2-2 tie. 221 00:19:38,100 --> 00:19:44,100 The 1-1 pitch to Moon. Cut on is a high fly ball. The deep left field, it is done! 222 00:19:44,100 --> 00:20:13,100 The crowd goes wild. 223 00:20:13,100 --> 00:20:32,100 Wally Moon just hit a home run over the left field screen. 224 00:20:32,100 --> 00:20:43,100 82,000 people have gone wild. And wasn't it a wonderful touch that technically the winning run was brought over by Sandy Koufax. 225 00:20:43,100 --> 00:20:48,100 Oh, what a night. And by the way, the Dodgers are now one game out of first place. 226 00:20:48,100 --> 00:20:54,100 No doubt for a time, Dodger players missed those wacky, wonderful, delirious Brooklynites. 227 00:20:54,100 --> 00:21:00,100 But it didn't take long for them to discover a pretty fantastic species of Dodger fan in Los Angeles. 228 00:21:00,100 --> 00:21:05,100 The mad mobs who gathered at the Coliseum weren't content to just watch the game. 229 00:21:05,100 --> 00:21:11,100 They had a lesson too. And they came to the ballpark in droves with portables and transistor radios. 230 00:21:11,100 --> 00:21:16,100 On the night of September the 11th, the Dodgers were playing the Pirates at Twineye Doubleheader. 231 00:21:16,100 --> 00:21:23,100 The Giants were in San Francisco for a single game with the Phillies. 232 00:21:23,100 --> 00:21:29,100 By the way, we have direct control to SEAL Stadium now in San Francisco. 233 00:21:29,100 --> 00:21:35,100 Jackie Brandt was the first man up in the bottom of the ninth inning as a pinch hitter for the Giants. 234 00:21:35,100 --> 00:21:40,100 And Brandt popped up. So there's one out in the bottom of the ninth inning. 235 00:21:40,100 --> 00:21:44,100 Willie Mays is up in the bottom of the ninth inning. He has just popped up. 236 00:21:44,100 --> 00:21:52,100 So there are two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning at SEAL Stadium. Philadelphia leading 1-0. 237 00:21:52,100 --> 00:21:57,100 Willie McCovey is up at the plate at SEAL Stadium with two out in the ninth inning. 238 00:21:57,100 --> 00:22:01,100 And Philadelphia leading 1-0. 239 00:22:01,100 --> 00:22:08,100 So Robin Roberts has already disposed of Jackie Brandt, the pinch hitter, and the always dangerous Willie Mays. 240 00:22:08,100 --> 00:22:13,100 Soon as we get a report about Willie McCovey up at the plate, you shall have it. 241 00:22:13,100 --> 00:22:16,100 So the Giants have one out left to them. 242 00:22:16,100 --> 00:22:21,100 Strike one on Willie McCovey up there at San Francisco. 243 00:22:21,100 --> 00:22:24,100 We'll try and follow that one for you. 244 00:22:24,100 --> 00:22:27,100 Ron Fairley is in center field. 245 00:22:27,100 --> 00:22:29,100 Wally Moon is now in left. 246 00:22:29,100 --> 00:22:32,100 And Carl Frillo is in right. 247 00:22:32,100 --> 00:22:41,100 We have direct wire now to San Francisco to count to Willie McCovey one ball and one strike. 248 00:22:41,100 --> 00:22:44,100 Two out, bottom of the ninth, 1-0 Philadelphia. 249 00:22:44,100 --> 00:22:47,100 We're in the sixth inning, 3-0 Dodgers. 250 00:22:47,100 --> 00:22:51,100 Green fouls it away, 0-1. 251 00:22:51,100 --> 00:22:55,100 Well, we're doing two ball games almost simultaneously. 252 00:22:55,100 --> 00:23:03,100 Next pitch missed to McCovey and they count two balls and one strike to Willie McCovey. 253 00:23:03,100 --> 00:23:05,100 Chery getting a sign from Fred Green. 254 00:23:05,100 --> 00:23:07,100 The right-hander delivers 2-1. 255 00:23:07,100 --> 00:23:14,100 The pitch fouled away, 2-2. 256 00:23:14,100 --> 00:23:17,100 Well, if somebody tunes in late feeling good, they're really going to get confused. 257 00:23:17,100 --> 00:23:22,100 Ball three to Willie McCovey. 258 00:23:22,100 --> 00:23:24,100 Three and one to count to McCovey. 259 00:23:24,100 --> 00:23:27,100 Two out, bottom of the ninth, 1-0 Philadelphia. 260 00:23:27,100 --> 00:23:30,100 Chery's pitch, a curve outside to Fred Green. 261 00:23:30,100 --> 00:23:33,100 Ball three. 262 00:23:33,100 --> 00:23:37,100 Well, it's confusing, but if you're a baseball fan, you ask for it. 263 00:23:37,100 --> 00:23:40,100 Ball four to Willie McCovey. 264 00:23:40,100 --> 00:23:44,100 Well, the Giants have a tying run at first base 265 00:23:44,100 --> 00:23:55,100 with two out in the bottom of the ninth inning, Philadelphia leads 1-0. 266 00:23:55,100 --> 00:23:58,100 Here's the pitch to Fred Green, cut on and missed. 267 00:23:58,100 --> 00:24:00,100 Strike three. 268 00:24:00,100 --> 00:24:05,100 Larry Chery has reached a career high of nine strikeouts. 269 00:24:05,100 --> 00:24:07,100 One out, here's Bob Skinner. 270 00:24:07,100 --> 00:24:14,100 The batter for the Giants with two out on the ninth inning is Orlando Cepeda. 271 00:24:14,100 --> 00:24:18,100 Willie McCovey is at first, and the crowd here at the Coliseum, 272 00:24:18,100 --> 00:24:23,100 many of them with transistors and the U's and the R's, really whirling around the saucer. 273 00:24:23,100 --> 00:24:26,100 We'll try and keep you right up to every pitch. 274 00:24:26,100 --> 00:24:36,100 Bob Skinner the batter, Chery's curve, a strike on one. 275 00:24:36,100 --> 00:24:39,100 Thanks to the ingenuity of our producer, engineer Clay Sanders, 276 00:24:39,100 --> 00:24:42,100 we're giving you every pitch in both ballparks. 277 00:24:42,100 --> 00:24:45,100 Curve ball to Skinner, a bouncer to Charlie Neal. 278 00:24:45,100 --> 00:24:49,100 He's up with it, throws him out. 279 00:24:49,100 --> 00:24:53,100 Orlando Cepeda has just hit a fly ball to the outfield, 280 00:24:53,100 --> 00:24:57,100 and it is caught. Philadelphia won it. 281 00:24:57,100 --> 00:25:25,100 Boy, don't we have fun. 282 00:25:25,100 --> 00:25:32,100 And understatement, Vinnie, Pittsburgh captain and shortstop Dick Groat was the on-deck hitter that night, 283 00:25:32,100 --> 00:25:36,100 and he almost jumped out of his uniform when that roar from the crowd went up. 284 00:25:36,100 --> 00:25:42,100 As the 1959 season came down to the wire, the Dodgers were faced with an eight-game road trip. 285 00:25:42,100 --> 00:25:45,100 When Walt Alston's warriors swept three straight from the Giants, 286 00:25:45,100 --> 00:25:48,100 the pennant fever reached a maddening pitch. 287 00:25:48,100 --> 00:25:52,100 After a two-game split in St. Louis, the Dodgers moved to Wrigley Field, Chicago, 288 00:25:52,100 --> 00:25:55,100 for the final three games of the season. 289 00:25:55,100 --> 00:26:01,100 There loomed the possibility of a three-way tie for the pennant among Los Angeles, Milwaukee, and San Francisco. 290 00:26:01,100 --> 00:26:07,100 The closing day of this pulsating pennant race saw the Giants fade away by losing a doubleheader to the Cardinals. 291 00:26:07,100 --> 00:26:12,100 The Braves and the Dodgers won their final games and wound up in a flat-footed tie. 292 00:26:12,100 --> 00:26:18,100 For the third time in National League history, the pennant was to be decided by a best two-out-of-three-game playoff. 293 00:26:18,100 --> 00:26:22,100 On September the 28th, on a gray overcast day at County Stadium in Milwaukee, 294 00:26:22,100 --> 00:26:28,100 the Dodgers shaded the defending champs 3-2 on Larry Sherry's brilliant relief pitching 295 00:26:28,100 --> 00:26:31,100 and Johnny Roseboro's sixth inning home run. 296 00:26:31,100 --> 00:26:36,100 Tuesday, September 29th, the playoff moved to Memorial Coliseum. 297 00:26:36,100 --> 00:26:40,100 The Braves behind Lou Burdette were leading 5-2 in the bottom of the ninth. 298 00:26:40,100 --> 00:26:45,100 The Los Angeles Dodgers come roaring back in the bottom of the ninth, 299 00:26:45,100 --> 00:26:48,100 and 36,000 people are roaring with them. 300 00:26:48,100 --> 00:26:57,100 Here in the ninth, Moon single, Snyder single, Hodges single, and Larkins single off the screen to drive in two. 301 00:26:57,100 --> 00:27:02,100 Runners at first and third, nobody out in the ninth, 5-4 Milwaukee. 302 00:27:02,100 --> 00:27:06,100 And the Dodgers ask Perillo to at least get Hodges over. 303 00:27:06,100 --> 00:27:10,100 High fly ball into deep right field, Aaron Goerner way back. 304 00:27:10,100 --> 00:27:15,100 He one-hands it. Hodges scores. It's a brand new ballgame. 305 00:27:18,100 --> 00:27:21,100 The Dodgers are one base hit away from Chicago. 306 00:27:21,100 --> 00:27:24,100 But the hit was not to come until the twelfth inning. 307 00:27:24,100 --> 00:27:28,100 The old pros were at it again. Hodges on second, Perillo at bat. 308 00:27:28,100 --> 00:27:31,100 Braves pitcher Bob Rush delivers. 309 00:27:31,100 --> 00:27:37,100 Big bouncer over the mound, over second base. Up with it is Mantia. Throws low and wild. 310 00:27:37,100 --> 00:27:40,100 Hodges scores. We go to Chicago. 311 00:27:42,100 --> 00:27:45,100 The Cinderella team of the National League. 312 00:27:45,100 --> 00:27:52,100 For the first time in history, a seventh-place club has come back to win the pennant the following year. 313 00:27:52,100 --> 00:27:54,100 And it had to be the Dodgers. 314 00:27:54,100 --> 00:28:00,100 In their third playoff, they finally win one and go into the series. 315 00:28:01,100 --> 00:28:04,100 It went as a base hit for Perillo and an error. 316 00:28:04,100 --> 00:28:10,100 And the crowd going wild as the fairy tale has come true. 317 00:28:10,100 --> 00:28:16,100 The Los Angeles Dodgers have won the National League pennant for 1959. 318 00:28:16,100 --> 00:28:21,100 One of the more unbelievable stories in the wild and wacky world of baseball. 319 00:28:21,100 --> 00:28:26,100 Perillo hit a bouncer to Mantia, who threw late to first. 320 00:28:26,100 --> 00:28:30,100 It was a base hit, but his throw was in the dirt and got away from Torrey. 321 00:28:30,100 --> 00:28:35,100 Mantia got the error and the Dodgers got the National League pennant. 322 00:28:36,100 --> 00:28:42,100 So our suitcases that are down in the clubhouse are not there to idle out the night. 323 00:28:42,100 --> 00:28:48,100 They'll go on the plane and the Dodgers will meet head-on with the Chicago White Sox on Thursday. 324 00:28:48,100 --> 00:28:59,100 Well, one of the truly great stories, and I am sure the oldest member of the Dodger family as far as playing is concerned is Pee Wee Reese. 325 00:28:59,100 --> 00:29:07,100 And I would bet you that for Pee Wee, this would be the most satisfying pennant of them all. 326 00:29:07,100 --> 00:29:29,100 That's the ballgame. It took four hours and ten minutes and seemed like an eternity, but the Dodgers win it 6-5.