As I mentioned in my last blog post,
many times I have been the fan of the team that lost the World Series. I called those painfully disappointing losses
my World Series nightmares. One of
those nightmares involved Hall of Fame slugger Willie McCovey who died this
past October 31.
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| Willie McCovey |
Before the boom in television coverage of sporting events, all World Series games were played in the afternoon. In grade school, I could only watch the first innings during my lunch break. The games were over by the time school ended. I would have to wait until the weekends to see a complete game.
In Game One at Candlestick Park the
Giants’ stopped pitcher Whitey Ford’s World Series scoreless streak at 33 2/3
innings, but still lost to the Yankees 6-2. With Ford being a left-handed pitcher,
left-handed hitting Willie McCovey did not play.
The Giants’ continued the World Series miseries of Yankees’
pitcher Ralph Terry in Game Two, winning 2 – 0.
Willie McCovey hit a seventh inning home run. Terry, who won 23
games during the 1962 regular season, had been the goat of the 1960 World Series
surrendering the walk-off Seventh Game winning home run to Bill Mazeroski of
the Pittsburgh Pirates. In the 1961 World Series Terry dropped Game
Two; New York’s only loss to the Cincinnati Reds.
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| Willie McCovey's Game 2 HR in 1962 World Series |
When I came home for lunch during Game Four the next
day, the Giants were ahead 2 – 0. Juan
Marichal had held the Yankees scoreless the first four innings, but left the
game with a sore hand. After my lunch
break, the Yankees tied the score. But later,
from a friend who missed school due to a stomach ache, I learned the Giants scored
five runs the last three innings to win 7 – 3.
Claiming to have the same type of stomach ache the next morning, I stayed
home to watch Game Five. However, it
rained in New York forcing the game to be cancelled! My mother told me though the expression on her
face, “You got what you deserved for your stunt”. Returning home from school the next day, I
had no more “sick day” options, I painfully learned the Yankees had won
Game Five behind Ralph Terry’s sound pitching 5 – 3. McCovey, playing first base, got one hit.
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| Willie McCovey, 1962 World Series |
A Northern California rain storm cancelled Game Six a
Series’ record three times, including during the weekend when I would have been
able to watch. When play resumed, the
Giants won 5 – 2 tying the Series at three games apiece.
My school’s janitor had a bet with my teacher that New
York would win the World Series. After
listening to Game Seven on his transistor radio, he came into my classroom to
collect on his bet. I learned the details
on the game after school. With Ralph
Terry pitching, the Yankees led 1 – 0 going into the bottom of the ninth
inning. Matty Alou singled to lead-off
for the Giants. With two outs, Willie Mays
doubled. Willie McCovey, who had tripled in the seventh inning, then
hit a line drive to second baseman Bobby Richardson to end the
Series.
