McLain vs. Mantle

[tycobb420]

http://www.examiner.com/baseball-history-in-detroit/mickey-mantle-moves-into-third-on-the-all-time-home-run-list

 

[tinselwolverine]

The version of the story I used to hear growing up, McClain got ahead two quick strikes, and then Mantle made a motion to McClain to groove a meatball down the middle - and it appeared as if McClain complied.

After the game, reporters asked McClain if he had intentionally served Mantle a fat one.

"Of course not," McClain answered, and then smiled continued wryly, "you know, Mickey Mantle has always been my hero."

I do like the version here, though, because Pepitone was a character, and a notorious jokester - and the idea of Pepitone doing that and McClain buzzing one right past his ear is hilarious.

 

[kalinecountry]

http://www.baseball-almanac.com/box-scores/boxscore.php?boxid=196809190DET
Boxscore September 19, 1968.

I remember watching some baseball show on that saturday and they showed the whole at bat.

 

[turok]

I seem to vaguely remember watching that game being broadcast on local TV (or maybe it was just the game highlights shown later on the local news?) I really just remember seeing Mantle hit it out on TV, and that McLain had grooved the pitch. Not absolutely positive that the whole game was broadcast, b/c that was just before my drug-buzzed teens, and fucking eons ago...lol.

 

[tycobb420]

I have heard Jim Price talk about this game. Mantle apparently did not believe him. Denny later said that Mantle was not very smart.

 

[turok]

I have heard Jim Price talk about this game. Mantle apparently did not believe him. Denny later said that Mantle was not very smart.

Yeah, well maybe the ex-con McLain should have been a little "bit" more humble, (which the degree of humility, being an indication of true intelligence, IMO) b/c obviously he thought himself to be smarter than he really was...lol.

 

[turok]

The link below is game 155 of the '68 season, detailing the game's play by play of the Tigers vs Yankees, being the one that McLain grooved a pitch (or pitches) to Mantle with one out in the top of the 8th inning...but it does NOT show the pitch-count...damn.

It also shows that <10,000 were in attendance @ Tiger Stadium to witness that piece of baseball history, on that Thursday afternoon in September, bet that @ least a quarter of the fans who were there for the game are deceased by now. So if anyone that you meet claims that they were at that game, then they are very probably lying....haha!!

http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/DET/DET196809190.shtml

 

[tycobb420]

The link below is game 155 of the '68 season, detailing the game's play by play of the Tigers vs Yankees, being the one that McLain grooved a pitch (or pitches) to Mantle with one out in the top of the 8th inning...but it does NOT show the pitch-count...damn.

It also shows that <10,000 were in attendance @ Tiger Stadium to witness that piece of baseball history, on that Thursday afternoon in September, bet that @ least a quarter of the fans who were there for the game are deceased by now. So if anyone that you meet claims that they were at that game, then they are very probably lying....haha!!

http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/DET/DET196809190.shtml

I just watched GM 5 from the 68 WS, and was thinking...I bet 15,000 or more of these (53,000) people are dead...