50 years ago tonight,June 21,1966,HOF Orioles outfielder,Frank Robinson,made-or did not make-a game saving catch of Roy White's bid for a homer in the bottom of the ninth at Yankee Stadium in the first game of a twi-night doubleheader,giving the Orioles a 7 to 5 win.
It was the last day of school for my sophomore year-and my 16th birthday.My friends and I hurried down to the PATH taking us to the old Hudson Terminal,then across Broadway to the No.4 train.
The Orioles were running away with the AL race,under the tutelage of former Yankee outfielder,Hank Bauer.They would go on to win the Series in the fall,but none of this was known at the summer solstice.
Mel Stottlemyre( Wow! A Myre in this game as well) was knocked around as the Orioles took a commanding lead.
The Yankees battled back to the point where White was the winning run with two out and two on.
From my seat in lower reserved between the mound and home,I could hear the crack of the bat very well.Immediately,all eyes focused on right field where Robinson was going back,back,back until both he and the ball went over the then low right field fence,both disappearing from view.
After about 7-10 seconds,Robinson reappeared holding the ball,at which time the umpire called White out.
Yankees Manager,Ralph Houk went out of his mind.The Major probably wanted to summon a platoon to attack umpire Hank Soar,but the call stood without the rule or the technology to make it otherwise.
The papers the next day interviewed several spectators who claimed that Robinson never caught the ball,that he scrambled to find it and pick it up.
When the kid from Old Tappan got Jeter a homer 30 years later,I had a Biff Tanner moment:"There's something familiar about this."
It was the last day of school for my sophomore year-and my 16th birthday.My friends and I hurried down to the PATH taking us to the old Hudson Terminal,then across Broadway to the No.4 train.
The Orioles were running away with the AL race,under the tutelage of former Yankee outfielder,Hank Bauer.They would go on to win the Series in the fall,but none of this was known at the summer solstice.
Mel Stottlemyre( Wow! A Myre in this game as well) was knocked around as the Orioles took a commanding lead.
The Yankees battled back to the point where White was the winning run with two out and two on.
From my seat in lower reserved between the mound and home,I could hear the crack of the bat very well.Immediately,all eyes focused on right field where Robinson was going back,back,back until both he and the ball went over the then low right field fence,both disappearing from view.
After about 7-10 seconds,Robinson reappeared holding the ball,at which time the umpire called White out.
Yankees Manager,Ralph Houk went out of his mind.The Major probably wanted to summon a platoon to attack umpire Hank Soar,but the call stood without the rule or the technology to make it otherwise.
The papers the next day interviewed several spectators who claimed that Robinson never caught the ball,that he scrambled to find it and pick it up.
When the kid from Old Tappan got Jeter a homer 30 years later,I had a Biff Tanner moment:"There's something familiar about this."
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