The ‘Catch’ and the clutch hit

Today marks the 71st anniversary of the most famous catch in World Series history — the one of Giants center fielder Willie Mays racing to the nether regions of straightaway center at New York’s old Polo Grounds to rob Cleveland of at least two runs in Game 1 of the 1954 Series.

Today also marks the 71st anniversary of the most famous cheaply hit home run in World Series history, this one turning out to be the game winner in the 10th inning of the same Game 1 at the Polo Grounds.

First, there is Mays’ moment, which comes in the eighth inning with two on, none out and the powerful Vic Wertz, the pride of York, Pa., at the plate.

Facing Don Liddle, fresh in the game for Giants starter Sal Maglie with the score tied at 2, Wertz drills Liddle’s first pitch to deep center field, which at the Polo Grounds is a Major League-long 483 feet from the plate and way over the head of Mays.

Willie Mays’ game-saving catch for the Giants

Or so it seems.

Mays, arguably the game’s greatest all-around player, races back, catches Wertz’s drive toward another area code – or, in this case, 425 feet or so from the plate – and miraculously keeps Larry Doby, Cleveland’s runner on second base, from advancing beyond third after the catch.

The pitch is the only one Liddle throws in the game, but that pitch is enough to record the longest out in World Series history.

After replacing Liddle, Marv Grissom wriggles out the jam and the inning, leaving the score at 2-2.

And there it stays until the 10th inning, when Mays walks with one out and steals second base before Cleveland starter Bob Lemon intentionally walks Hank Thompson.to set up a double play with slow-footed Dusty Rhodes coming up to hit for Monte Irvin.

Good strategy, if only it works.

Dusty Rhodes rounds first after his Game 1 game-winning homer

Instead of getting his inning-ending double play grounder on Rhodes’ bat, Lemon becomes victim to the cheapest home run in World Series history.

Naturally, a game-winner, too, as Rhodes lifts Lemon’s first pitch to him over the wall in right field for a three-run homer and a 5-2 victory.

Keep in mind, the wall Rhodes clears in right field at the old Polo Grounds is only 270 feet from home plate – a mere 70 beyond today’s standard Little League fences, and about 155 feet short of the distance on Wertz’s epic drive and Mays’ more epic catch.

“We were beaten by the longest out and the shortest home run of the year,” Cleveland manager Al Lopez growls after the game.

Rhodes also torments Cleveland in Games 2 and 3, going 3-for-5 in those two games with another homer and four more runs batted in.

The Giants do not need him for Game 4, which they also take to sweep a heavily favored Cleveland team that wins 111 games in the regular season but nary a one in the postseason.

Rhodes ends up going 4-for-6 in the three games he plays with two homers and seven RBIs.

Not surprisingly, he is named the Series MVP.

“I couldn’t buy a drink in New York,” Rhodes says years later to the New York Daily News. “Nobody would let me.”

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