1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:07,000 This is RetroSports Radio. Visit RetroSeasons.com for more sports history. 2 00:00:07,000 --> 00:00:12,440 This is Elson Howard of the New York Yankees and in a few moments I'll tell you about my 3 00:00:12,440 --> 00:00:15,940 greatest sports thrill. 4 00:00:15,940 --> 00:00:31,380 This is Harry Wismar. What you're about to hear is a transcribed story of one of baseball's 5 00:00:31,380 --> 00:00:37,140 outstanding players and an event our special guest Elson Howard considers his greatest 6 00:00:37,140 --> 00:00:43,140 sports thrill. And Elson himself is here to tell us all about it. But first, here is Bill 7 00:00:43,140 --> 00:00:48,020 Reddick with a message of interest from your United States Air Force. 8 00:00:48,020 --> 00:00:53,420 Young men, your first few years after college graduation can be very important years. You 9 00:00:53,420 --> 00:00:58,740 can be earning good pay building toward a secure future. Yes, all these advantages can 10 00:00:58,740 --> 00:01:04,740 be yours if you qualify for officer training with the U.S. Air Force. As an Air Force officer, 11 00:01:04,740 --> 00:01:09,980 you will be recognized as a leader, a man of high mental, physical and moral standards. 12 00:01:09,980 --> 00:01:15,020 And along with the important work you do for the Air Force in the great new age of space, 13 00:01:15,020 --> 00:01:20,060 you will enjoy excellent recreational facilities as well as liberal vacation periods and the 14 00:01:20,060 --> 00:01:25,220 opportunity for world travel. If you're a college graduate between 20 and a half and 15 00:01:25,220 --> 00:01:30,860 27 and a half years old in good physical condition, make arrangements now for an interview with 16 00:01:30,860 --> 00:01:35,700 your Air Force recruiting officer. He will give you complete details on the new officer 17 00:01:35,700 --> 00:01:41,180 training school program. This can be your first step toward a bright future with the 18 00:01:41,180 --> 00:01:47,700 greatest defense team in the world, the United States Air Force. And now, back to Harry 19 00:01:47,700 --> 00:01:51,860 Wismer. In the reasonably short span of four seasons, 20 00:01:51,860 --> 00:01:56,660 Elston Howard, the first Negro to wear a New York Yankee uniform, has moved up to star 21 00:01:56,660 --> 00:02:02,020 ranking. Manager Casey Stengel considers him the best catcher in the American League, 22 00:02:02,020 --> 00:02:07,060 which means that Casey must regard him above Yogi Berra, a three-time winner of the most 23 00:02:07,060 --> 00:02:13,540 valuable player award in the league. Elston Howard is a Yankee untradable. Set Stengel, 24 00:02:13,540 --> 00:02:17,940 I can get any player in the league for him, and don't think I can't, but I'm not going 25 00:02:17,940 --> 00:02:22,620 to do it. Every time a fellow comes to me with a list of names he's willing to deal, 26 00:02:22,620 --> 00:02:28,220 he also has a list of Yankees he must have. And Elston Howard is at the top of the list. 27 00:02:28,220 --> 00:02:33,020 Well, he ain't gonna go anywhere. He's worth more than any ball player in the league in 28 00:02:33,020 --> 00:02:40,060 a trade. Elston Howard can hit. He's the best hitter on the club, as indicated by his 314 29 00:02:40,060 --> 00:02:45,540 batting average in 1958, highest among the Yankees. Howard can catch. He learned the 30 00:02:45,540 --> 00:02:50,820 lessons taught to him by the Yankees' hall of famer Bill Dickey and learned them well. 31 00:02:50,820 --> 00:02:55,100 Behind the plate, Howard is a polished workman, playing up as close behind the hitters as 32 00:02:55,100 --> 00:03:02,140 anyone, taming the would-be base-dealers with a throwing arm that's the best on the Yankees. 33 00:03:02,140 --> 00:03:06,180 Howard can also play the outfield, where he spent most of his time as a Yankee while 34 00:03:06,180 --> 00:03:11,180 waiting for Barrett to slow up. It was in the outfield that he starred during the 1958 35 00:03:11,180 --> 00:03:16,580 World Series, on the way to winning the Babe Ruth Award as the outstanding player of the 36 00:03:16,580 --> 00:03:21,980 series. Elston Howard is a better catcher than he is an outfielder, although it was 37 00:03:21,980 --> 00:03:26,460 his brilliant defensive play in left field in the World Series with the Milwaukee Braves 38 00:03:26,460 --> 00:03:32,220 in 1958 that helped turn the tide in favor of the Yankees. During most of the first four 39 00:03:32,220 --> 00:03:38,380 games, Elston was confined to the Yankee dugout. The Braves won three of them. Howard was given 40 00:03:38,380 --> 00:03:42,940 a shot at the difficult left field position after Norm Seaburn's faulty handling of the 41 00:03:42,940 --> 00:03:49,380 job had cost them the fourth game and left them only one game from elimination. The ensuing 42 00:03:49,380 --> 00:03:54,460 three-game sweep marked only the second time in World Series history that a team won after 43 00:03:54,460 --> 00:03:59,980 losing three of the first four in a seven-game set. It was engineered almost as much by Elston 44 00:03:59,980 --> 00:04:05,260 Howard's fielding and hitting as by the pitching of Bob Turley, who appeared in all three final 45 00:04:05,260 --> 00:04:10,980 games. In the sixth inning of the fifth game, Howard made a diving catch of Brad Shane Deane's 46 00:04:10,980 --> 00:04:16,300 low liner and double Bill Brutonoff's first base to preserve Turley's seven-to-nothing 47 00:04:16,300 --> 00:04:21,460 shutout. The series shifted to Milwaukee for the sixth game and Howard remained in left 48 00:04:21,460 --> 00:04:27,100 field. In the second inning, with Milwaukee ahead two-to-one, and the bases full, Howard 49 00:04:27,100 --> 00:04:33,260 caught a fly by Johnny Logan and fired a no-bounce throw to the plate to nail Andy Paphko trying 50 00:04:33,260 --> 00:04:38,180 to score after the catch. The Yankees won the game four-to-three in ten innings when Howard 51 00:04:38,180 --> 00:04:44,460 singled and scored the winning run. Those were sparkling events in Elston Howard's career, 52 00:04:44,460 --> 00:04:49,660 but the high mark came in the eighth inning of the grand finale. With the score tied 2-2, 53 00:04:49,660 --> 00:04:54,780 Yogi Vara hit a two-out double off Luber Depp. Howard then hit a sharp single through the 54 00:04:54,780 --> 00:05:00,220 middle to put the Yankees ahead three-to-two. The bombers kept going, and Bill Scarran's 55 00:05:00,220 --> 00:05:06,740 homer settled the final count at six-to-two. Elston Howard isn't just one of those baseball 56 00:05:06,740 --> 00:05:12,180 mechanics. A man whose athletic skill is limited to the routines of the diamond. He was an 57 00:05:12,180 --> 00:05:16,620 all-around high school athlete in St. Louis, where he grew up as a member of the Cardinals' 58 00:05:16,620 --> 00:05:22,060 Not-Hole Gang. It was easy for young Elston to become interested in baseball. He lived 59 00:05:22,060 --> 00:05:27,380 only a few blocks from Sportsman's Park, now Bush Stadium. 60 00:05:27,380 --> 00:05:32,300 Elston Howard was scouted by the Yankees as intensely off the field as on it. The Yankees 61 00:05:32,300 --> 00:05:37,260 were determined that their first Negro player would be a man of pride and desire, a credit 62 00:05:37,260 --> 00:05:42,940 to his team and to his race. Elston's background was researched as completely as his athletic 63 00:05:42,940 --> 00:05:49,100 records. The Howard family was well regarded. Elston's father, Travis, is an educator and 64 00:05:49,100 --> 00:05:54,020 a descendant of George Washington Carver. He is now principal of a Negro high school 65 00:05:54,020 --> 00:06:01,860 in New Madrid, Missouri, 130 miles southeast of St. Louis. Ellie is the only child. 66 00:06:01,860 --> 00:06:07,300 The Yankees acquired Elston Howard in 1950, two years after he was out of high school 67 00:06:07,300 --> 00:06:13,660 for $15,000 and sent him to Muskegon, Michigan, at the Class A Central League in July. He 68 00:06:13,660 --> 00:06:20,540 played 54 games, all as an outfielder, and knocked in 42 runs on only 52 hits, a third 69 00:06:20,540 --> 00:06:26,620 of them being for extra bases. They were going to send Howard to San Francisco in 1951, but 70 00:06:26,620 --> 00:06:31,580 he went farther than that. He was drafted into the service and shipped to Japan where he 71 00:06:31,580 --> 00:06:38,700 spent 14 months. Discharged in the winter of 1952, Elston Howard was assigned for the 72 00:06:38,700 --> 00:06:43,860 Yankees to Kansas City, then their farm club in the American Association. He had a good 73 00:06:43,860 --> 00:06:49,740 year hitting 286 and knocking in 70 runs. It was in the latter part of the season that 74 00:06:49,740 --> 00:06:54,900 orders went out from the Yankees to begin making a catcher of Elston Howard. When Elston 75 00:06:54,900 --> 00:07:01,300 reported to the Yankee Rookie School in St. Petersburg in February of 1954, Bill Dickey 76 00:07:01,300 --> 00:07:06,500 was assigned to teach him the art of catching, and he learned quickly. 77 00:07:06,500 --> 00:07:11,220 Still crude as a catcher, Howard was farmed out to Toronto of the International League. 78 00:07:11,220 --> 00:07:18,060 There he made it big. He hit 330 for the pennant-winning Maple Leafs, and had 109 runs batted in. He 79 00:07:18,060 --> 00:07:23,980 followed 22 homers and led the league with 16 triples. Even more significant, he led 80 00:07:23,980 --> 00:07:29,300 the league's catchers in fielding. It was obvious that he was now ready for the Yankees. 81 00:07:29,300 --> 00:07:33,860 The following spring Howard impressed in the Florida Exhibition Games, and he was formally 82 00:07:33,860 --> 00:07:39,740 inducted into the Order of the Bronx Bombers. He became a helpful hand very quickly, although 83 00:07:39,740 --> 00:07:44,500 confined to pinch-hitting roles for the first two months. His pinch-triple in the night 84 00:07:44,500 --> 00:07:50,540 beat the Red Sox one afternoon at Yankee Stadium. A few days later, he won another game with 85 00:07:50,540 --> 00:07:55,980 a pinch hit. When it happened a third time in the same home stand, the appreciative Yankee 86 00:07:55,980 --> 00:08:00,700 players formed a guard of honor for him as he entered the clubhouse. They stood in two 87 00:08:00,700 --> 00:08:05,940 lines and laid out a path of towels leading from the dressing room door to his locker 88 00:08:05,940 --> 00:08:11,940 as a red carpet. It was the player's way of showing Elston Howard they were happy to have 89 00:08:11,940 --> 00:08:17,860 him on the New York Yankees. Now before you meet our special guest, Elston Howard in person 90 00:08:17,860 --> 00:08:22,620 in an interview from Yankee Stadium and hear about his greatest sports thrill, here is 91 00:08:22,620 --> 00:08:28,660 a message of interest to all young men with an eye on the future. 92 00:08:28,660 --> 00:08:33,220 The search for a bright promising career leads many of America's finest young men to the 93 00:08:33,220 --> 00:08:39,700 U.S. Air Force. As officers in this great forward-looking service, they are given unlimited opportunity 94 00:08:39,700 --> 00:08:46,300 for advancement. They are trained to be leaders in the age of space. Can you qualify for officer 95 00:08:46,300 --> 00:08:52,220 training? If you are a U.S. citizen, a college graduate between 20 and a half and 27 and 96 00:08:52,220 --> 00:08:57,940 a half years old, married or single, and if you possess good health and good moral character, 97 00:08:57,940 --> 00:09:02,780 you may be eligible to become an Air Force officer, an important member of the greatest 98 00:09:02,780 --> 00:09:08,140 defense team in the world. This would include the opportunity for exciting foreign travel, 99 00:09:08,140 --> 00:09:12,720 further education, and wonderful sporting and recreational activities which are provided 100 00:09:12,720 --> 00:09:18,540 on Air Force bases. Make arrangements now for an interview with a recruiting officer. 101 00:09:18,540 --> 00:09:23,980 Learn how you may become a technical or flying officer in the U.S. Air Force, the man with 102 00:09:23,980 --> 00:09:29,420 a bright future in the new age of space. Now back to Harry Wismert. 103 00:09:29,420 --> 00:09:32,220 Elston Howard, what was your greatest sports thrill? 104 00:09:32,220 --> 00:09:39,540 Harry, I have to say my greatest sports thrill was in 1955, I think my first appearance, 1955 105 00:09:39,540 --> 00:09:44,500 World Series where I hit at least my first pitch, I hit a home run against Don Nukum 106 00:09:44,500 --> 00:09:48,780 of the Brooklyn Dodgers. And we went on to win the World Series and I think that because 107 00:09:48,780 --> 00:09:52,220 I say it was my greatest thrill because my first time up I was real nervous and when 108 00:09:52,220 --> 00:09:56,140 I hit the home run it was just like any other ball game. 109 00:09:56,140 --> 00:09:59,260 If you had a choice, would you rather play the outfield or catch? 110 00:09:59,260 --> 00:10:03,660 Well, Harry, if I had a choice I'd rather be catch because since I've been in the major 111 00:10:03,660 --> 00:10:08,140 leagues I've been playing outfield and also I've been catching. Anything that I can do 112 00:10:08,140 --> 00:10:12,540 is to help the ball club, that's what I'm willing to do but if I had to pick one I'd 113 00:10:12,540 --> 00:10:14,180 prefer catching. 114 00:10:14,180 --> 00:10:19,260 Who would you say has been most helpful to you in your development as a major leaguer? 115 00:10:19,260 --> 00:10:22,860 Harry, I have to say that Bill Dickey because when I was down in spring training I went 116 00:10:22,860 --> 00:10:27,220 down to Casey Stingles School and Bill Dickey took me on a sad and he worked hard with me 117 00:10:27,220 --> 00:10:31,780 every day showing me all the points and all the tricks of catching and I think that at 118 00:10:31,780 --> 00:10:35,500 the present time he's still, when he's in the stand, if he come down doing the game 119 00:10:35,500 --> 00:10:39,900 before the game he look at me and he'd tell me all the mistakes that I'm making and I 120 00:10:39,900 --> 00:10:43,060 have to give all the correct to him because he's really helpful to me since I've been 121 00:10:43,060 --> 00:10:44,300 in the big leagues. 122 00:10:44,300 --> 00:10:49,380 Ellie, when playing left field at the Yankee Stadium, do the shadows bother a fielder as 123 00:10:49,380 --> 00:10:51,220 much as they say it does? 124 00:10:51,220 --> 00:10:55,900 Well, Harry, I think I have played left field in Yankee Stadium but I never had trouble 125 00:10:55,900 --> 00:10:59,980 with the sun which is, I think it's one of the roughest fields in any major league ball 126 00:10:59,980 --> 00:11:06,220 part because late in the year the shadows fall behind the stand and as the sun forms 127 00:11:06,220 --> 00:11:09,980 in the lower part of the stand, I mean it really is a reflection on any left fielder 128 00:11:09,980 --> 00:11:16,020 because the sun is direct in the left field's eyes and I never have, as I said before, lost 129 00:11:16,020 --> 00:11:20,100 the ball in the sun but if you recall, Stephen in West Covington had a little trouble in 130 00:11:20,100 --> 00:11:22,500 the field during the World Series. 131 00:11:22,500 --> 00:11:27,020 Then the following day I went to the outfield and where I had a pretty good day I didn't 132 00:11:27,020 --> 00:11:31,060 have a question enough to make a catch against Red Chambers which a lot of people say was 133 00:11:31,060 --> 00:11:36,100 turning tired of the World Series and as I said before, I think that any ball player 134 00:11:36,100 --> 00:11:39,140 that has played left field in Yankee Stadium and they'll say that it's as tough as I'll 135 00:11:39,140 --> 00:11:40,740 feel in the league. 136 00:11:40,740 --> 00:11:45,260 Ellie, do you go along with the thinking that a batter should just try and hit the ball 137 00:11:45,260 --> 00:11:47,500 where it is pitched? 138 00:11:47,500 --> 00:11:52,980 Well, Harry, that's the case that helped me over the past year where I hit 3-14 in 1958. 139 00:11:52,980 --> 00:11:59,100 I led the Yankee Ball Club in Hidden where the years before, 1954 and 1955, I was pulling 140 00:11:59,100 --> 00:12:03,100 the ball but I hit 2-90 and I hit 2-71. 141 00:12:03,100 --> 00:12:07,100 Well I would say that hitting the ball where it's pitched is very important because offensive 142 00:12:07,100 --> 00:12:11,100 for a fellow, keep the ball away from you and you try to pull the ball, majority of 143 00:12:11,100 --> 00:12:13,540 the times you're going to hit the ball right back to the pitcher. 144 00:12:13,540 --> 00:12:16,420 But during the times I have been hitting the ball where it's pitched, offensive I had a 145 00:12:16,420 --> 00:12:20,420 wonderful year, I hit the ball the right field, right center, then when the ball comes inside 146 00:12:20,420 --> 00:12:21,620 I pull the pitch. 147 00:12:21,620 --> 00:12:27,060 So I think that it really helped me and thanks to Casey Stingel because he was the one who 148 00:12:27,060 --> 00:12:31,500 always was preaching about hit the ball where the ball is pitched and that's what I did 149 00:12:31,500 --> 00:12:34,140 and it really helped me tremendously. 150 00:12:34,140 --> 00:12:38,860 Do you recall your first appearance at the plate in the Yankee uniform? 151 00:12:38,860 --> 00:12:43,460 Well my first appearance at the plate in the Yankee uniform was in 1955, right here in 152 00:12:43,460 --> 00:12:47,980 Yankee Stadium when I faced one of the top pitchers in the major league at the time was 153 00:12:47,980 --> 00:12:50,180 Mike Garcia. 154 00:12:50,180 --> 00:12:55,900 My first time up I think that I came in for a pitch hitter for Tom Sturvin who was pitching 155 00:12:55,900 --> 00:13:00,020 the ball game, he came out and my first time up I hit a line, dragged down a left field 156 00:13:00,020 --> 00:13:05,300 line which was fouled and three pitchers later he walked me and naturally I was a little 157 00:13:05,300 --> 00:13:10,460 nervous because my first appearance in the big leagues and later on I went up to Boston 158 00:13:10,460 --> 00:13:14,300 and I played in the ball game and fortunately enough I got five for five, that was my first 159 00:13:14,300 --> 00:13:16,020 big break in the big leagues. 160 00:13:16,020 --> 00:13:21,260 Ellie what is the most unusual play you've ever been involved in? 161 00:13:21,260 --> 00:13:26,180 Well Harry I think the most unusual play that I've been involved in was on the sister double 162 00:13:26,180 --> 00:13:31,260 play which we were playing in the Baltimore Orioles and Tom Sturvin was a pitcher and 163 00:13:31,260 --> 00:13:36,700 I was a catcher and I think the hitter was Gus Triandos with runners on third and first 164 00:13:36,700 --> 00:13:41,620 and Gus hit the ball back in time and the runner was Billy Claus, he started breaking 165 00:13:41,620 --> 00:13:47,100 towards the plate and I hollered at Tom and he threw the ball at me and I run as the fellow 166 00:13:47,100 --> 00:13:52,180 Claus back down the third base to get him in the chase but this time I tagged Claus out 167 00:13:52,180 --> 00:13:56,260 and the other runner was right at third base and as he slid in I tagged him out so that 168 00:13:56,260 --> 00:14:00,740 was on the sister double play I think that was my most unusual. 169 00:14:00,740 --> 00:14:05,180 Thank you very much Alston Howard of the New York Yankees, one of baseball's outstanding 170 00:14:05,180 --> 00:14:13,340 players.