foreign baseball from Shea Stadium in New York the Yankees meet the Cleveland Indians participating advertisers are the Miller Brewing Company Brewers of Miller High Life if you’ve got the time we’ve got the beer the Con Edison Company serving nearly 9 million people in New York and Westchester Panasonic in radio black and white in color TV tape recorders and techniques High Fidelity components just slightly ahead of our time First Federal Savings and Loan Association and the New York Yankees
together foreign everybody from Shea Stadium in New York on Old Timers day I’m Frank Messer along with Phil Rizzuto Bill white and well so many stars of the decade of the 50s on this old-timer’s day that I feel very very insignificant but we’re going to have a great afternoon for you the introduction of the old-timers the old timers game and then this afternoon’s game between the New York Yankees and the Cleveland Indians of course the big announcement this morning you read it I’m sure in your papers it became official at 9 30 this morning at
a press conference Billy Martin former Yankee infielder now manager of the New York Yankees having replaced bill verton in just a moment we’re going to meet Billy Martin with Phil Rizzuto we have so many many people here it’s just uh almost impossible to say where to start and right now I’d like to bring over with me my broadcast partner the scooter Phil Rizzuto and uh Phil I know you have so many things on your mind today the old-timers game seeing a lot of your buddies and uh of course the managerial change it’s uh just uh it’s
got my head spinning Frank to tell you the truth we had heard a lot of scuttle but as you know last night that we’re passing notes back and forth the rumor was there that Billy was coming we couldn’t quite believe it and then when the bombshell hit late last night we everybody knew the news it was a feeling of sadness of course for Bill burden but also gladness of Billy Martin coming back to the team that he started with and always wanted to be with now Phil Rosetto you played with Billy Martin uh you’ve seen him manage what kind of a
manager is going to be here in New York well first I room with Billy and Billy has always had the reputation of being Peck’s Bad Boy as you know right but he roomed with me when I won the MVP room with yogi when he wanted and meddled twice when he won it he said what kind of a bad influence could I have been unfortunately gotten that scrape in the Copa Cabana and he took the brunt of it and they shipped him out but he’s been a battler all his life and I think that’s why the Yankees got him Bill Burton as we know I compared him with Joe McCarthy
a low keyed manager but a great student of the game of baseball well if you compare him with Joe McCarthy that’s a heck of a comparison because I know the way you feel about Joseph he I figured he was the best manager I had ever played for I saw and Billy Martin is a type manager who can get things going by either a pipe with his own ball players there was somebody on the press or an opposing team or an Umpire and I I know in just a few minutes you’re going to be bringing Billy out along with Yankee president Dave wall and then of course
you have the old-timers game to participate in yourself yeah and I don’t know which is more exciting right now I mean these Old-Timers games are great I’ve seen people that I haven’t seen in years like here somebody gave me this 1941 World Series my first World Series he we reached oh here he is here’s the skipper all right let me bow out right now and let this gentleman bow and Billy congratulations welcome to New York again well Billy uh Frank Messer and I were just talking about your days with the Yankees and what I thought of you and I
told him what a great influence you were on me and Yogi and Nikki your room with all of us we all won the MVP right they told you you were a bad influence I think your ability had awful lot to do no no no you know you’re the kind of guy and I’m sure that’s one of the reasons they got you as a manager hey I didn’t even congratulate you ready congratulations and I know you’re happy to be back in the Pinstripes where you first started Casey’s little Bobo you know Phil is like when you’re a young boy or one of your dreams are to be a
Yankee and then now you’re becoming yanking out of your Yankee manager your boyfriend asked for more than that no but really one of the reasons the Yankees I’m sure hired you is your ability to spark a team whether it’s uh having a fight with one of your own ball players or if you’re an Umpire or the opposing team but in some way you managed to get a team up well bill I think it’s because I I live and breathe the truth and also togetherness and when you have togetherness and you put the players on a pedestal instead of the
manager I think the players will give you a little bit more well I’m sure they do because if they know you’re in back of them 100 they’re going to Bear down I remember early in the year and last year every one of the Texas Rangers ball players I taught they said they’d run through a brick wall field they were awful wonderful to me Phil I really appreciate that well Billy uh with the Yankees now uh you’ve got to come in you you know the personnel and uh you know the pitching staff and it’s going to get you a little time to get acclimated with
this style of play you haven’t seen them that often but you’re a real student of the game that’s something I try to impress on people a manager is not just a man he doesn’t go out there and write the lineup card well no I think I have to uh watch and study every one of our players now and see what they do in different situations in other words you just can’t say I want to put the hit and run on or the suicide squeeze when you got a guy that’s going to miss the ball and the runner’s gonna get thrown out of second or the suicide squeeze the guy’s
gonna miss the button the guy’s gonna be thrown out of home so I have to find out what every one of them can do after I can find that out then I can execute the way I’d like to execute all right now uh how about the pitching staff now when you were with the Texas Rangers uh did you run the pitching staff exclusively good pitching coach help you out well my pitching coach so our father did tremendous job for me but I set up the rotation and also make all the decisions on who stays in who goes out and now we’d like to call in Gabe Paul
Gabe congratulations on this coup you got with Billy Martin and we had hoped to get you both here together as we introduced Billy to the New York public he needs no introduction of course but maybe you can tell us a little bit of how this happened if that’s possible well uh being an old fisherman uh Billy was fishing and we had in Colorado and Colorado is a big state we had to track them down and we located them through his father-in-law Psy Winkler who knew where he was but it said it was in transit and he finally called a grocery store
close to the cabin he was staying at the grocer went down and got Billy to come back to the grocery store where they had the only phone and call we were in Chicago at that time and to call the call in Chicago and we set up a meeting in Denver for the next day all right now you had the meeting and uh Billy the terms were laid down to you what was your first feeling really uh how did you feel when you were first approached I was very thrilled and excited uh really and uh I you know I just you know how how do you say to one
moment you’re you’re fired and you’re you feel like the world just left you in the next moment you have an opportunity to manage the Yankees I remember one time uh right after you had been Let Go by the Texas Rangers you said uh well three strikes and I’m out it’d probably be nobody want to um hire me again well you that’s how you feel Phil when you get fired I guess all right we’re going to bring Frank Messer in in just a moment Gabe I think he’ll want to talk with you a little bit and uh again congratulations on getting
Billy Mark you’d say it looks pretty good there’s a pretty good shortstop second base combination right here that’s right we did play that together for many years good he’s in shape I’m in shape uh what kind of shape no we won’t say Frank here’s Frank Messer now Billy you want to hold that one second okay thank you very much Phil and uh well I guess everybody hopes uh Gabe this is the beginning of a new era for the New York Yankees and through the latter weeks of the 1975 season the club can come right back well we hope so and
we’re looking forward to big things Gabe uh I think everybody thinks you made a great choice and the young man over there on your left well he’s got something he he’s got an indefinable something and I think some of it is right in here Billy you going to play today well I’m playing in the first game my second game I’m staying out of okay all right Gabe Billy Boyd thank you very much for being with us here and we’ll continue with our old timers day ceremonies we have a fellow right now that’s always been a favorite of mine
the only man I know of that has the name to the American League All-Star team at three different positions Third Base shortstop and second base Gil McDougall how are you free not too bad Gillen it’s always a great pleasure to see you on Old-Timers Day of course I know you’re always going to be here thank you Frank I enjoy coming back I don’t know if I’ll enjoy playing in this kind of weather I’m not used to it you ever played on the Texas League yes I played down there I think it was a little hotter than it
is Right today what would you estimate maybe 110 120 here on the field today I would say it’s pretty wild close to 100 but we got a little breeze which makes it a little palatable all right deal now today the Yankees celebrate the decade of the 50s in which you starred the Yankees had eight pennant winners what are your most memorable moments of that decade well I think being fortunate enough to be with a good ball club during those years where we could play all the World Series I thought it was uh super to think that you could play 8 out of 10
years in a World Series and I think those are the most rewarding experiences because it shows that you’ve accomplished something during the year and you know I that’s that was my goal as a ball player was to play in a warehouse series that meant you were the best team at that time and I was a part of it as far as you personally are concerned any one or two or three moments stand up not really Frank I I think every time you step on a ball field it’s a challenge because a lot of things can happen in maybe even a poor
game that is being played uh maybe you’ll boat a ball and you’ll want to do so well the next time and boot the next Ball but baseball is a funny game maybe I’ll come up on a latter part of the game you’ve still got a chance to come out of those two areas by getting a base hit and I always looked at every game as a challenge and tried to hustle all the time I was on the field Gil McDougall a lot for chatting with us good luck this afternoon thank you Frank Gail McDougall Third Base shortstop second base you name the infield position and he made it
as an All-Star right now we’d like to call in a another good buddy of ours Bill white by broadcast partner and this gentleman in the middle needs no introduction whatsoever [Music] it was my first uh roommate in the big leagues we were just talking about it over there he made me spend a lot of money I’m sitting upstairs getting room service when he’s getting room service yeah well who paid the bib right now you did it all right he spent a lot of money huh really let me say it’s good to see you here best wishes to you thank you
very much okay Bill only a lot of people I suppose want to know uh first of all uh what you’re doing well first of all bill I I really just traveled around I uh I’m under contract with the match and my four uh different other companies around in our country but uh my main soil is all with the medicine I what I do for them right now is just Revelation work I think I should be doing more with the players but sometime uh when you get out of baseball it’s very difficult to go back on the field and try to teach and uh this is what I’ve been trying to
tell him that uh Hey for 23 years I’ve been on the field give me time to reach adjusted you know not being on the field maybe two or three more years I might want to go back on I really don’t know right now well are the young players receptive uh to being shown by one of the greatest of all ball players how to play baseball I I think this could be very well true bill because uh I I don’t want to push myself on to ball players because I never did if they come to me I as you know me very well I would do anything I can to have a ball player but
I just won’t go to the ball play himself and say hey do this and do that because they might tell me where to go and I don’t want to you don’t want to go there no I don’t want to go man I don’t want to be in that situation saying hey uh I went to him I I might be embarrassed myself so I just sit back and wait and see what happened how about managing Willie no I I don’t want to manage bill because uh the guys that I’m playing with for uh halfway with uh I I don’t think the the reaction would be too great that I don’t want the
responsibility of trying to manage it when I play 23 years I just don’t feel that my family would be you know too well secure there because as you know manager of five day in and day out and I don’t want that job well that just happened here last night when the Yankees uh got rid of Bill verton who was doing let’s face an incredible job and they brought in Billy Martin to take over uh you have played I know uh against virgin in the National League and you played against Billy Martin in uh some All-Star games and also in some
World Series games uh do you feel that as an outsider and I know you might not want to comment on it do you feel that uh the change in managers will make a difference in this Yankee ball Club well I don’t I don’t think so Bill I think the player is going to be a player the best way I uh he can at all times I don’t think uh just because you changed manager the player is going to change that much because let’s face it we only have uh not even a half a season to go and how can you change a player so quickly I would say maybe in the
beginning of the Season that might be true but uh of course I know when I was playing I didn’t care who managed the ball Club I went out there and did my job consistent with a Herman a Leo or happened was that it does it didn’t make any difference with me so when you say changing a manager in the middle of the screen I don’t see how that can help too much but of course I’m not in a position to say hey this is what the they should do and what they shouldn’t do because they know more about it than I do let’s talk about the highlight of Willie May’s
career a long career you had to have a lot of fun playing you you always seemed as though you had fun playing the ball game how about a highlight it well I I like the four home runs but I I think I told you that before but uh you know my high I went in between the and if I made 40 000 people happy that was my highlight for the day it may sound a little strange to you because uh sometimes a guy said well hey I made this play and that was the greatest highlight in my career but that wasn’t if I made people happy day in and day out that was enough
for me because hey I I know the fans make the playoff even though the player may hit 500 or 600 or whatever it may hit uh if you don’t have the fans behind you well then you’re just not gonna be a complete ball player and I felt that I had to play for the fans and that’s what I did all the time and when it became a job when I said a job is that when I was coming to the ballpark and it seemed like I was bringing a lunch pail I wanted to quit and that’s exactly what I did let’s talk about that catchy bait on Vic wordson in the World Series I’ll
I’ll choose a highlight well that catch wasn’t as hard as a lot of people say but of course it was in the World Series and I wasn’t going to argue about it because so many people have seen that uh but I made many more catches than that during the regular season but didn’t that many people see the kitchen so uh I was they’re gonna holla about it but uh I made a catch in uh in Edwardsville that off of Bobby Morgan that I feel that was much better than the big worst case but of course like I say maybe 32 000 seen that catch where maybe a
million seen the one in Big Woods how about the Giants although you’re wearing a matte uniform for so many years you played for the Giants here in New York then they moved out to San Francisco and you finally had to come here to the Mets but are you upset by the fact that horror Stoneham and the San Francisco Giants seem to be having financial trouble in San Francisco just might lose that ball Club well first of all uh let me say that I was very upset when I it was traded I felt that I should be a giant you are playing 23 years with a
ball club right there I should stay right there but uh only thing I was set up upset about is that if they had told me that I was going to be traded to a ball Club I think I could have put prepared myself a little more by coming to New York but if I had to go to another club I wouldn’t have won I would only New York that I would have came to and I’ve been treated very well here but as soon as Mr storm is concerned I think he’s a very uh fair man as far as baseball goes actually he might be too Fair because he’s he’s just about losing
ball club and I think he should stay in baseball now there’s a rumor Willie that you might be part of the group where there was a rumor that you might have been part of the group that was attempting to buy now we know that Herman Franks the former manager of the San Francisco Giants and you you’re very good friends and it seems that Herman’s put together a group who wants to buy it and uh we assumed then that it was a rumor but do you think that Herman is serious well first of all let’s clarify that when I’m working for the mess I
cannot uh go in and participate in another ball Club as you will know so but what I think happened there is that if Herman had a bought the club he would probably put me in there there without me knowing anything about it which I don’t think is right either because uh the Mets could have came back and said hey if you want to work for the the Giants you go ahead and work we’re gonna you know determinate your contract and I didn’t want that but of course when you own a part of a ball Club it’s much better than just being a part of a ball
Club so I would say if I had the opportunity to own a ball club that would be a thrilling lifetime for me really have had many drills great talking to you always appreciate talking to you thank you very much go down to the field to Frank Messer babe today we are saluting the decade of the 50s and we’ve got a great lineup of former stars on hand to greet this afternoon our first guest is here today from Minnesota he broke in with the Yankees in 1959 and found himself a member of the power teams of the early 60s
contributing 21 homers to the record 240. 1 Club one of three Yankee catchers to hit 20 homers That season a great pinch hitter our old friend Johnny Blanchard foreign seasons of the major leagues mostly with the Philadelphia Phillies an outstanding shortstop who had as many as 20 home runs one season one of the Phillies Whiz Kids in 1950 who batted 429 in the World Series against the Yankees here for his first Old-Timers Day in New York Granville Wilbur granny yeah he came over to the Yankees after a fine career in Kansas City and played a vital
part in Five Tenant winners originally an infielder he turned to the Outfield when he arrived here and went on to become one of the most popular and highly regarded of all the great Yankees of the early 60s now a resident of nearby Hempstead here’s Hector Lopez foreign [Music] he started with the Dodgers in the early 40s and was still with them when they moved to Los Angeles in 1958.
you know him not only as a great Dodger shortstop but later as an NBC sportscaster now working for the Louisville Slugger people that all-time great marble champion and first class guy Pee Wee Reese thank you Native New Yorker New Yorker this was one of the crafty pitchers of his day joining the Yankees in 1948 after a trade with the White Sox this man showed everyone that he knew how to pitch he was 16-4 in 1948 and won 21 games in 1951. 51.
later a big league manager and currently a major league Scout for Montreal always a big welcome back to steady Eddie Lopez foreign [Music] as it is today this man led the Phillies to the 1950 Bennett by winning the League’s Most Valuable Player award for his efforts out of the bullpen later a member of the Yankees he started the opening game of the 1950 World Series only to lose one to nothing to Ali Reynolds let’s welcome back Jim custody simultaneous arrival Jim couldstadty and Eddie Lopez catfish won 21 games with three consecutive Seasons recently but it
wasn’t the first time that had been done this one time Yankee star did it in 1949 1950 and 1951 and wrote the membership on five straight world championship teams winner of five World Series games down here from upstate New York the Springfield rifle Vic Rashi and Brooklyn they called him Weiss now that should be enough to identify our next guests one of the greatest Dodger right-handers for a dozen Seasons releasing the Yankees in five different world series series Once struck out 15 Yanks in one Series game from Indiana
here is Carl Erskine yeah among the dignitaries here today we are delighted to have the president of the American League Mr Lee mcvale his predecessor Hall of Famer Joe Cronin former national league president Warren Giles and one of the longtime members of the Yankee family speaker’s Bureau director Jackie Farrell all are seated on the Press level for today’s game also here today the man after whom this ballpark was named Mr Bill Shea [Music] [Applause] there’s always been something lovable about our next guest he had great power great heading ability
but he’s always been a warm-hearted individual who we’re proud to call an old friend he bouted 429 and five All-Star games and played in seven World Series how about a regular old-fashioned Yankee Stadium welcome for the moose bill skaura foreign ER has a spark plug and shortstop the 1957 and 1958 Braves were no exception their man a native of Endicott New York was a durable performer with some power and a great arm he broke in with the old Boston Braves in 1951 and concluded his career with the Pirates in 1963. here’s Johnny Logan
thank you [Music] a link for the great catching tradition of Yankee history the winner of The Babe Ruth award as an outfielder in the 1958 World Series at All-Star nine times and a member of 10 World Series teams he hit a career high of 348 in 1961. the League’s most valuable player in 1963 Yankee first base coach Elston Howard foreign the third base slot in the Yankee lineup for 1952 to 1960 playing in four World Series and twice batting 300.
let’s welcome back an old buddy Andy Carey [Music] an unpredictable picture who once claimed to have lost a ground ball in the Sun he was a member of the planet-winning Brooklyn Dodger clubs of 1955 and 1956 and then continued to face the Yankees when he became a member of the Baltimore Orioles now A New Jersey resident let’s welcome Billy Lowe’s [Music] this fellow hit the all-time All-American blast in 1951.
the shot heard around the world they called it and we can still hear Russ Hodges shouting the Giants win the Bennett the Giants win the better he had 263 other home runs but no one will ever forget where they were when that memorable moment occurred here he is again Bobby Thompson my next guest made the American League All-Star team as a second baseman shortstop and third baseman the first Yankee to win the Rookie of the Year award beating out Mickey mattle in 1951 and a grand slam Homer in the world series that year now the baseball coach
at Fordham University here is Gil McDougall the Yankees have won six Rookie of the Year Awards since they started giving him and this man took the honor in 1954. he won 20 games that season and the X103 but could only finish second to Cleveland Our Guest did Pitch in two Yankee World Series and in the 1957 All-Star game Let’s welcome back Bob grip that’s a special guest today seated in a box behind the Yankee Dugout As Old St Louis Cardinal who opposed the Yankees in the 1926 World Series one of the first players to wear glasses we’re
happy to have him as a guest today how about a hand for George specks divorcer [Applause] our next guest is with us today for the first time at a Yankee Old-Timers Game he joined the Yanks 20 years ago at a 1956 and 1957 compiled a 32-14 combined record playing a big role in two Yankee pennants a member of four Yankee pennant winners at all and one of the Selectmen to work for both the Yanks and the Mets a long overdue welcome for Tom Sturdivant foreign this New Jersey resident belted two homers in one World Series game in 1955.
a member of seven got it winning Yankee ball clubs spent his entire Big League career in a Yankee uniform our old friend Joe Collins [Music] is this man’s game today but he was quite a pitcher first signed by the Yankees in the mid 50s he went to Kansas City and learned his craft then came back and became a 20-game winner in New York the hero of the 1962 World Series a 23-game winner That season ladies and gentlemen Ralph Perry my next guest has an unforgettable name and how to find career as a catcher for six major league clubs batting 268. he’s
achieved greater Fame as a super scum twice getting Catfish Hunter to sign contracts what’s with Kansas City and we’re happy to say once with the Yankees you’ve heard a lot about him and now we’d like you to meet Clyde klutz foreign [Music] hits in a season holder of the American League record for at-bats one of the greatest fielding’s second baseman of modern times now the highly successful baseball coach at the University of South Carolina Welcome Back Bobby Richardson only put in seven seasons in the big leagues but he made them go a first
baseman on the two Milwaukee Brave pennant winners twice a 300 hitter hit 300 with a pair of homers in the 1957 World Series against the Yankees his brother Joe now stars for the Mets let’s welcome Brooklyn Born Frank Tory but now here’s a local resident with an ever-present smile it was a mighty big hero in 1956.
Casey stangle had it in the ball to Mitch the seventh game of the World Series and he stopped the fabulous Dodgers with a nine to nothing shutout to return the world championship to Yankee Stadium an 18-game winner That season here’s Johnny Cooks foreign but we can still pretend to look at that left field foul pole see this little fella make a miraculous catch fired a Peewee recent short and watch that magic double play all over again a native of Cuba who left his name forever in Brooklyn Dodger history welcome back Sandy amoros man to this mother throw it was a good
thing he wore glasses for opposing hitters were always on edge anyway but Casey stangle called him in from the bullpen the American Lakes rookie pitcher of the year in 1958 and the League’s top relief man that year struck out 14 men and nine innings in the world series that fall the one and only Ryan Duren our next guest has seen them come and go all in a quiet and very efficient way we can honestly say Nolan who has ever met this man didn’t like it and today we are happy to announce that in the new Yankee stadium the home team Clubhouse
will be forever named after the man who next season will begin his 50th year as chief of the Yankee Clubhouse here’s Yankee equipment manager Pete Sheehy thank you the winner of 21 games is the rookie for the Dodgers this man fought Superstition by wearing the number 13 throughout his Dodger career a local resident who has become in his show a good sportsmanship one of the really popular figures on the local sports scene at one time a Yankee himself welcome back big number 13 Ralph breaker a member of all five World Championship
clubs of Casey stengels between 1949 and 1953. a great competitor a fine outfielder and owner of one of the most unique batting stances in the game he had 318 as a Yankee and 284 lifetime voted the all-time Baltimore Orioles left fielder here’s Gene Woodley our next guest is the Cleveland Indians pitching coach and what a fine selection that was in his 14-year career he was noted as one of the craftiest pitchers of them all and he was never better nor was anyone on May 26 1959 he pitched 12 perfect Innings against
the Braves only to lose on a hit in the 13th the winning pitcher a year later in the seventh game of the World Series against the Yanks here’s Harvey Haddix foreign you know I wouldn’t be an old-timer’s day without our next guest he was one of the great clutch hitters of all time and it’s hard to believe that he broke in with the Yankees 38 years ago a member of One of baseball’s legendary outfields he hit the home run to win a one-nothing game in the 1949 World Series only one man is remembered as Old Reliable and
that’s Tommy Henry thank you two men who figured prominently in the decade of the 50s by their presence at so many of the biggest games they are with us today as old-time umpires to work the old-timers game here are retired Major League buyers John Stevens and Bill Green [Music] thank you well folks Buffalo the crew cut may be gone the little house has changed about our next guest one of the most powerful lead-off men in baseball history and he still holds the record by hitting safely in 17 straight World Series games later
a successful Major League manager it’s great to welcome back Hank Bauer but now here’s a man who’s made thousands of friends for himself and for baseball over the years the star of the 1951 World Series for the Giants earlier a superstar of Negro League Baseball which helped him earn Hall of Fame selection a year ago now part of the staff of the commissioner of baseball let’s welcome Marty Urban we invited several people this year whom held our previous commitments prevented from being with us two whom we particularly want to pass along readings
from Yogi Yogi Berra the Yankees Hall of Fame catcher yogis in Pittsburgh at the moment making up his lineup guard foreign best wishes from his California home where doctors have urged him to limit his traveling from the old Professor Casey stenkel Casey stangle was 85 years young this past Wednesday although he never had the opportunity to play in the big leagues everyone who followed baseball deal of this great Third Base star from the Negro Leagues he had a long and distinguished career there and South of the Border and we’re
delighted that he was able to be with us today two weeks prior to his induction into the Hall of Fame how about a long overdue hand from a major league crowd for William William Judy Johnson [Music] back today for his ninth Alzheimer’s day one of the hardest throwing right-handers in Yankee history the first American Leaguer to win the Cy Young Award but he won 21 games for the 1958 Yankees adding two more in the World Series made the no wind-up delivery famous one of the really popular Yankees of the 50s here’s Bullet
Bob Turley another native of Rosedale New York who joined the long tradition of great Cleveland pitchers by winning 16 as a rookie in 1955 and leading the league in strikeouts as a sophomore he won 20 has struck out 263 batters then a tragic line drive setting back and he was never the same again he’s still a Fan’s favorite here today as a popular broadcaster with the Cleveland Indians let’s welcome Herb Score foreign will open its doors to this one time Cleveland Indian star on August 18th a five-time All-Star with a lifetime
batting average of 316. he was some kind of center fielder belted 238 career home runs including one his first time up all the way from Snohomish Washington is Earl April April ladies and gentlemen it’s no surprise that our next guest always gets one of the biggest hands of all our old-timer’s guests to those of us in the business I can truly say he represented the very best amen we’re delighted that each Year’s old-timer’s Day gives us the opportunity to once again call on the voice of the Yankees for a quarter of a
century Bell Allen thank you foreign the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1941. they said the Dodgers just won themselves a pennant and that’s what happened well this was the national League’s top second baseman in his day batting 304 Lifetime and a career mostly spent with the Cubs here today because he’s one of the new members of the Baseball Hall of Fame welcome Billy Herman [Music] [Applause]
[Music] the whole idea of honoring former players is due to the worship we hold for those who once played the game and no two ever played it more and here as always on Alzheimer’s day seated in the stands the widows of these Immortal figures in sports history Mrs Babe Ruth and Mrs Lou Gehrig thank you and this is Gary are seated in the club level behind the third base Dugout thank you ladies
well this next fellow has been in the Yankee Organization for 38 years he was the American League’s most valuable player in 1950 and the Babe Ruth Award winner in the 1951 World Series the first man ever to win the Hickok belt emblematic of the best athlete of the year voted by you fans as the greatest shortstop in Yankee history how can they keep him out of the Hall of Fame Rizzuto thank you [Applause] well I think that moves through the vote we’re taken here today my broadcast partner would be in the Hall of Fame
and now one of the most beloved sports figures in the history of this city a three-time most valuable player in the National League while catching for the Brooklyn Dodgers what a treat it is for us to have him with us each year at this time how about a great Yankee welcome to everybody’s friend the great Roy Cavanaugh thank you [Applause] foreign was the greatest left-hander of the 50s
and the greatest pitcher in Yankee history he has the highest winning percentage of all lifetime 200 game winners and won more World Series games than any man in history when it comes to class this guy’s got it the Yankee pitching coach thank you ladies and gentlemen one of the most exciting performers in the history of baseball a man who could fit right into an all-time All-Star team New Yorkers loved him since he first played stickball outside the ball of grounds we loved it when the Giants moved to San Francisco
and when he came home to play for the Mets a future Hall of Famer Willie Mays foreign [Music] the greatest switch hitter in baseball history thank you
[Music] here is baseball’s greatest living player Joe DiMaggio [Music]
ladies and gentlemen ladies and gentlemen we now have a very special introduction to make a man celebrating one of the biggest days of his life once this man wore a Yankee uniform he never lost the Yankee pride in his heart the spark plug of the Yankee infield of the 1950s the hero of the 1952 and 53 World Series victories over the Dodgers this morning he was officially named as the 20th manager of the New York Yankees thank you [Music] for the old timers assembled on the
field would you all please rise and face the flag as we remember some of those who have passed away in the last year and some names we always remember on old-timer’s day [Music] Joe bush Harry Hooper Sam rice [Music] Robinson Jill Hodgkin [Music] and our ladies and gentlemen ladies and gentlemen accompanied by the award-winning Wanderers band of Huntington here is Metropolitan Opera star Robert merrilled to sing our
national anthem [Music] all right clutch Billy Herman Earl April Sandy Alamo amarose remember this great catch in fact I think Keith Morris that was against Joe DiMaggio in the series one of the most exciting plays in Baseball Johnny Logan [Music] oh it’s going to be some afternoon like to thank you Morris for getting the lineups for us and the American Leaguers will have Rizzuto and Madeleine DiMaggio and Bauer and Woodling and Andy Carey and Bill skauer and Ellie Howard Bobby Richardson the Old Reliable Tommy Henry
I have Johnny Blanchard Hector Lopez and uh Joe McDougall [Music] on Young [Music] sweep three in a row to beat the Braves in order to tone for having lost the World Series to them in 1957. [Applause] the Yankee infield Andy Carey at third base Bill Rizzuto shortstop at second base Bobby Richardson and just for a change of pace [Applause] in order to give the other side a little advantage
at first base Mickey Mantle [Applause] out in left field number 11. Hector Lopez [Applause] starting out into center field one of the greatest of all time the Yankee Clipper Joe DiMaggio [Applause] and in our book a fellow who one day ought to go into the Hall of Fame won many a game for the Yankees in his career Old Reliable Tommy Henry [Applause] back of the plate Alston Howard [Applause] foreign back the plate will be John Stevens and at first base full grave
[Applause] leading off for the Yankee opponents only if they face during the 50s none other than the little captain now the great Brooklyn Dodgers Pee-Wee Reese [Applause] [Music] it’s about ball two inside [Music] Joe D getting under it there was quite a breeze that blew up at the last moment Marie singles to Center and now coming to bed I know they’re the
greatest ball players of all time Willie Mays [Applause] [Music] he’ll be going in the Hall of Fame for long [Applause] Andy carry over to Bobby Richardson Richardson the mantle too late at first Reese [Applause] forced it second by Maze one away and now coming to Baton Bobby Thompson [Applause] [Music] a new pitcher for the Yankees the Springfield rifle big brashy a member of that great staff of Rashi Reynolds and Lopez and Ford that carried the Yankees to many a pennant and during
the 50s an unprecedented achievement which bank has already told you about when the Yankees won five straight Penance and five consecutive World Championships inside for a ball Willie Mays on first wow boss a 1-1 count the Yankees Giant got four hits in one game almost got five stole home in that Series against Reynolds and now with the office of the baseball commissioner Bob Grimm doing the pitching in place of Beck rashie close play nice going la
two-way there goes Willie bow back out of place foreign [Applause] three balls two strikes two outs there’s a higher fly to center field to
matcho drifts back and makes the catch the sign that side is flying no runs one hit no errors and one man left on base at the end of the first half of the first inning Yankee opponents nothing the Yankees coming to bed [Music] [Applause] on the mound for the Yankee opponents [Applause] [Music] Carl Erskine who once struck out 13 Yankees in a World Series [Music] Yankee Scout now
chief of the Scots but doing the catching is Clyde Klutz at third base Bobby Thompson shortstop Pee-Wee Reese at second base Randy Hamner at first base Frank Tory in left field Sandy amros and center field Willie Mays and in right field Bonnie Irvine the better the scooter [Music] that’s a first punt he’s missed in his entire career a 1-1 count on Rizzuto [Music]
a one-two count Bill’s greatest fun a lot of you remember when he squeezed Joe DiMaggio home against Bob lemon and the Indians to win a key game during the 50s due to the count [Music] three and two [Music] and he’s on ball four [Applause] and now coming to bed Mickey Mouse [Applause] [Applause] [Music] for those of you who never saw Mickey met right-handed against the right-handed pitcher he being a switch hitter he did do it once in a while in a
regular game a two-nothing count don’t worry about it folks it’s going to take more than four balls to walk him today [Music] a three one time [Music] [Applause] [Music] here goes one over the fence volleyball he went over the wrong fence [Applause] amarose hundred boy Willie [Music] Willie wouldn’t take any chances
or with Sandy’s great catch the turn to Yankee rally in 1955 into a double play that led the Dodgers to their first world title when he threw to Reese race to Hodges and doubled up kill McDougall and now coming to Baton the one and only DiMaggio it’s in there for a strike and on the mound Harvey headaches [Applause] Harvey headaches who gave us Who Loved baseball such a great thrill blowing inside when he pitched 12 perfect Innings only to lose in the 13th inning out of play [Music] s it to right
Monty Urban tossing it back in to Hampton and Rizzuto holds a second and now coming up Hank Bauer great player great manager and a great guy [Music] come on it’s in there a 1-1 count one out Rizzuto on second Rizzuto on second to match you on first out of play in the counts one and two out of play count remains one and two there goes Phil there’s a Fly ball to center field Willie Mays Bank 100 makes
the basket catch the Judo returns to second to Macho to First the two away [Music] [Applause] [Music] and now coming up Old Faithful Gene Woodling doing the pitching now for the Yankee opponents the great Herb Score outside for a ball inside ball too a little dribble to the third Bobby up with it they throw to Frank Tory gets away Rizzuto rounds third coming on into score
and now they’ve got Whitley hung up between no and so the ground rule the ground rule prevails van touch the ball [Music] the magical moves over to third on the ground rule whittling to Second the batter Andy Carey [Applause] outside ball one [Applause] there’s a drive to right field money Irvin makes the catch that retires the side and the score at the end of one inning in the play the Yankees won Yankee opponents nothing we’re very happy to tell you folks that the Yankee pen office received a call from a young man
who was the Yankee bat boy during the mid 50s asking if he could serve in that capacity today he’s still living nearby in Long Island it’s a nice gift a nice round of applause to the Yankee bat boy of the mid 50s Eddie Carr [Applause] and by the way each old-timer this year will receive a beautiful piece of crystalware and blazing with the Yankee emblem [Music] and don’t forget next year we’ll be back home how about that [Music] prank Torrid man
it’s low ball one Tom sturdivin doing the pitching [Music] Hector Lopez takes the catch Billy Martin’s now playing second base [Music] Ryan Duren has just gone into pitch Joe Collins said first base as we look around [Music] thank you [Music] man
[Music] ball too [Music] good time turn one goodbye [Music] two base hits knocks out Ryan Duren and brings in Johnny Cooks [Music] I got some change
the battery Billy Herman [Music] Center Hank Bowers now in center field as a bouncer to Billy Martin flips on to first base to Moose Karen foreign to do the pitching now for the Yankees Apollo who changed from a great pitcher he won the last game of the World Series for the Yankees against the Giants out in San Francisco and then became an outstanding golfer Ralph Terry [Music] thank you
the better Johnny Logan played against the Yankees and the 57-8 World Series [Music] a scrapping shortstop [Music] [Music] loosen up a little bit there Ralph foreign did you see the last two pitches [Music] we’ll let you know when the ball’s coming it’s going to be a curve
[Music] Billy Martin the bus garage that retires the side and the score at the end of an inning and a half the Yankees won Yankee opponents nothing [Music] in behalf of the Yankee Old-Timers we like to call it reunion day they’d like me to express to you their appreciation for the warm welcome that you’ve given them and how proud they are to be back again in the Yankee uniform [Music] Ralph Franca on the mound and Jeff torborg back of the plate [Music] who’s got in the left field
hey does everybody who knows that left field guess who’s playing Left Field Harvey headaches the moose as a bouncer slow guys made a beautiful place [Music] and now coming to bed Yankee coach Elston Howard [Music] [Music]
coming into pitch now for the Yankee opponents Jim custody well in 1950s a member of The Whiz Kids whom the Yankees played in the World Series [Applause] where’s the major League’s outstanding relief pitcher appearing in 78 games and yet he started the first game of That World Series and only lost it one to nothing how about that there’s a good drive to left field it’s in there Howard rounds first on his way to second rushing of course two base hit for Alston Howard [Music] Bobby Richardson [Music]
and now coming up once again all reliable [Music] Tommy Henry Henry [Music] [Music] Billy laws on the mound now former Dodger great once lost a one hopper hit back to him his excuse was the ball got in his eyes son did it’s in there for a strike [Music] two strikes
[Music] this is the last innings [Music] absolutely introduction [Music] [Applause]
behalf of everybody we thank you hope to see you all next year on the other side oh back here at Jay we hope that you viewers watching the Yankee Old-Timers Game and the old-timers enjoyed it Willie Mays uh the Same Old Willie Mays Sandy Admiral lost that fly ball in the Sun out in left field in that maze ranging from over in Centerville making a typical Willie Mays catch still is showing that he can play making everything look easy is effortlessly effortless roaming of central making a catch worse the American League with the net
with the New York Old-Timers winning it by a score of three nothing all the guys back and see that they still can play baseball in fact they’ve been out for quite a while Reese and Maze and Bobby Thompson and Monty Irwin and Frank Tory Clyde Klutz Klutz uh got a double Billy Irvin and Earl April Lonnie Logan granny and for the old time Yankees imagine Bauer and Gene Woodley Andy Carey and a moose Ellie Howard Bobby Richardson Old Reliable Tommy Henrik he made a good catch out in right field these guys can still play
despite the fact always roommate in the big leagues and Joe DiMaggio the ball player of the century and while we’re talking about Joe DiMaggio Mari Allen up with us Mario writes for the [Music] he’s got a book on Joe DiMaggio and it’s called where have you gone Joe DiMaggio by Amari Allen and Martin before we talk about your book let’s talk about uh your impression of some of the old timers a lot of them got a little maybe not too good of shape as they could be in but on a day like this I think they all handle themselves
well well I think it’s just fantastic to see them out there you know 100 degree weather I think we’re just sitting around and spree clothes and sweating and to watch Willie cover that territory and pull that ball out of you know out of House’s hands and the Maggio making that catch and Henrik out there I think it’s an impressive thing to see ball players you know some of these guys are 60 years old and older and still able to you know to do those kind of things and still have the feel of the fun of it you know that’s the thing that I find
Sensational about Old Timers days I think they’re you know there should be 30 Old-Timers days a year I just love them I buy batting products on things for the first time the fans at least who came to the Ball Game got a chance to see the players take batting practice which was an innovation great fun a great thing to see and you know it’s interesting and I’m sure you know the ball player never ever stop enjoying hitting the baseball getting the fastball right fastball but I’ve never heard an old ball player come to the
ballpark and say I wish somebody would hit me 10 fly balls of this kind of weather but they love the sound of the bat against the wall and it’s just great to see them and it looks like a lot of these guys really don’t even lose the the smoke smoothness the fluid swing the watching them uh swing the bat you can see that kind of style that stays 25 30 40 years and I was impressed by DiMaggio running that ball down and just to his left and center field and you know I didn’t get a chance to see uh Joe play that much I’m from Warren Ohio
about 50 miles south of Cleveland and at that time certainly I was not a Yankee fan get to know the Rivalry there and near the end of his career of course and but you could see the grace of the madness bill I think the thing that DiMaggio had which no other Outfield has ever had as far as I have ever seen is the ease at catching a ball Joe had the Knack of making the hot play look easy his his ability to size up the ball where it was going to be before it was hit or as it was it was a skill that I don’t think has ever been repeated I
think it’s great an outfielder as uh Mays was and is uh Willie could make an easy catch look very very hot and I think that DiMaggio was certainly the opposite the grace the style the way he moved I think people recognized imagio on the field almost in the way he glided Lefty Gomez his good friend his great friend had a nickname for him so they used to call him Cruiser because the way he ran after a Fly ball with such ease with such Grace and I don’t think you see that kind of of thing anymore because ball players are rushed up to
the major leagues so they don’t have the time to really learn those great defensive skills now you’ve got a book uh talking about the fella you’ve just been talking about Joe DiMaggio and and you’re written a book about Joe called uh where have you gone to it imagine what what inspired you to uh go back and uh sort of Arrested resurrect uh do it imagine basically bill it was as a kid growing up in New York I always admired DiMaggio as a player I was a Dodger fan growing up in Brooklyn but I always respected DiMaggio always enjoyed
watching him and what fascinated me about him as a player and later on is the esteem that he had the great Fame and how this Fame lasted here it is 25 years later DiMaggio’s name is as big as it was in 1951 when he retired as you listen to the crowd today mantle and Joe DiMaggio got the biggest hand male retired relatively recently 1969.
the Maggio hasn’t played since 1951. the recognition of many people in his ballpark are simply hearsay they never saw him they never watched him play but they knew what he did his achievements lasted when you talk about the greatest hitting feed in baseball it’s probably the 56 games free when you talk about teams that were successful and over a long period of time the Yankees you know from Joe DiMaggio’s time 36-39 again 49-53 the group that we’re honoring here today and I think just trying to find out what people thought of them why he
lasted what his teammates thought of him basically that’s why I wanted to do the book you know it’s hard to get to Joe he doesn’t talk too often with people right he was sort of shy as a player and reluctant uh when when the book came about to contribute to it but everybody was so good about him that it was just tremendous fun to go back and talk to these people one of the things that was interesting about DiMaggio is that he never really realized his great impact on the public Edward Bennett Williams uh his attorney and his great friend said
that DiMaggio never understood that Fame that he had he never really appreciated he said one time he went to a fight in Yankee Stadium after DiMaggio retired he was with uh touch Shore Governor Avril Harriman Joe and Edward Bennett Williams and as we they went up the aisle the fans gathered around DiMaggio asked for his autograph and Joe signed a few autographs and finally somebody looked at Ernest Hemingway who was in the group and said hey you’re somebody ain’t you and Hemingway sort of laughed and smiled
and pointed to DiMaggio I said yeah I’m his doctor you know even Hemingway played second fiddle to DiMaggio well maybe that’s part of the man’s greatness he evidently did not acquire the the uh negative things that a lot of so-called stars do acquire right I think what he was really was a person incredibly dedicated to Excellence as a ball player the only thing that motivated Joe DiMaggio as I’m available to find out and researching the book and talking to people was simply Excellence as a performer wanting to do his best all the
time again I think this is illustrated by something that Edward Bennett Williams said about when DiMaggio would play in a town like St Louis there might be three or four thousand people in a ballpark and he said to Williams and to other players on a team I owe as much to these three or four thousand people in a ball for my Excellence my performance as I do before seventy thousand in Yankee Stadium he felt this public obligation to the fans and to the people who came to see him I think maybe the ball players today don’t have that that same
identification with the fans that’s a different error now Mari Allen of course has written a book it’s called where have you gone uh Joe DiMaggio and it might be worthwhile reading it because we’ve read it and we enjoyed it helped me a little bit on Yankee background Mari uh rumors here last night that bill burden will be let go and Billy Martin would be brought in and as a reporter of course I’m sure you heard the rumors last night did you put much stock in them last night yes I did Bill uh generally uh two reasons one the club
was losing Billy Martin was available and gave Paul the president Club simply would not deny it uh outright usually in a situation like that when it’s merely a rumor the president of the club uh would deny it completely would say this is nonsense there’s nothing to it uh you know you’re wasting your time pursuing this story and the Very fact that Gabe did not deny it convinced me that the story was accurate that there was a change about to be made and uh that the change was made and certainly Billy Martin is the kind of manager if
available as the Yankees proved today by hiring that any ball club would want and they simply decided I ask you to stop me there now Billy Martin has lost jobs in Minnesota he’s lost jobs in Detroit he lost his job in Texas I would ask schools reporter why then would people continue to want Billy Martin I think there are two things bill number one he wins wherever he’s been and number two he brings people in a ballpark the Yankees are not going to win the pennant this year I think that’s a realistic uh uh statement therefore going into Yankee
Stadium next year I think they’ve got to create excitement they’ve got to create the kind of drama that should have been created this year by bonds and by Hunter and unfortunately was not created so I think that’s what they’re saying they’re saying we hope he helps us on the field which nobody knows well uh you know Mari uh I think the Texas Rangers and the Washington Center said the same thing with Ted Williams now I don’t feel as a former player that a matter is going to bring anybody to Beaufort you better you
better have them people down on the field and they better be winning then the fans will come up I think there have been three or four managers in History Bill who really have created enough press attention and enough controversy to really make people say hey I want to go out and see what all these are not see him manage but see what all the excitement I think Casey Stengel was one I think Williams in the early part of his career was definitely another and I think Dick Williams was definitely another I think Williams became the
manager at Oakland there was excitement created about that team and people really were interested in Dick Williams which is one of the reasons the Yankees were interested were they interested in Dick Williams or were they interested in Reggie Jackson Bando and Catfish Hunter I you know we’re not going to debate up here but I’ve always felt that a manager of a ball Club was a consequence you can ask a player do something he doesn’t have a player on that bench or on that field who can do that then he’s in a lot of
trouble and uh not uh discussing this this incident here but a manager and a team are only as good as the players on that team their front office and their owners last time for the first inning [Applause] two potential Hall of Famers Whitey port on the mound Mickey Mantle at the plate [Applause] [Music] a 1-1 count
