October 13 - Bill Mazeroski Walks it off in 1960

October 13, 1960 – With the World Seriesbetween the Yankees and Pirates knotted at 3 games apiece, Game 7 atPittsburgh’s cavernous Forbes Field would provide one of the most dramatic homeruns in World Series history. In the top of the 9th, with a 9-7 leadthe Pirates sent eighteen game winner Bob Friend to the mound but the Yankeeswould manage to tie things up. The Yankees would send Ralph Terry to the mound inthe bottom of the 9th to face Pirate 2nd baseman BillMazeroski and with a 1-0 count Mel Allen’s call of the game tells the rest:  “There'sa drive into deep left field, look out now… that ball is going, going gone! Andthe World Series is over! Mazeroski… hits it over the left field fence,and the Pirates win it 10-9 and win the World Series!”As the Pirates erupted, the Yankeesstood across the field in stunned disbelief. The improbable champions wereoutscored, outhit, and outplayed, but had managed to pull out a victory anyhow.Years later, Mickey Mantle was quoted as saying that losing the 1960 series wasthe biggest disappointment of his career. The only loss, amateur orprofessional, he cried actual tears over. For Bill Mazeroski, it was thehighlight.Bing Crosby, part owner of the Pirates,was too superstitious to watch the series live. Crosby hired a company torecord the game and would only watch it a day later if the Pirates won.  His tape of game 7 is the only recording ofthe 1960 series known to survive as television stations routinely taped overtelevised sporting events. The tape sat untouched for 49 years when it wasfound in Crosby’s wine cellar in December of 2009. On November 13, 2010, forthe 50th anniversary of the series winning home run, a gala emceed  by Bob Costas was hosted in downtownPittsburgh. The MLB Network would air the game and gala on December 15, 2010.