1960 ended on a distinct down note for the storied New York Yankees. With Bill Mazeroski's seventh game, ninth-inning home run giving the Pittsburgh Pirates the World Series, Yankee manager Casey Stengel was out of a job. At 70, despite record-tying totals of 10 pennants and seven world titles, Stengel was considered past it. If the Bronx club was to return to near-automatic October titles, its owners felt new and younger leadership was required.
Ralph Houk Becomes Manager
Ralph Houk had been identified as a potential future manager from his days as a catcher in the Yankees' farm system and as an occasional reserve catcher behind Yogi Berra. A World War II Army Major, he exuded leadership and intelligence, and was given an opportunity to manage the club's minor league team art Denver. Successful there, he was brought back to New York as a coach under Stengel and, after the latter's firing, entrusted with his first major league managerial assignment.
Although the Yanks had been the dominant baseball team of the 1950's with eight pennants and six world championships, their disappointing 1960 World Series loss seemed to reveal troubling weaknesses. Ace pitcher Whitey Ford had finished the regular season with 12 victories, and no one had won more than 15. Mickey Mantle, although leading the league with 40 home runs, had slumped to a .275 batting average. Veteran slugging catcher Yogi Berra was playing more and more in the outfield and his catching career seemed to be over.
Houk had the benefit of three years with the team and moved decisively. Among his key decisions: Ford would pitch a regular schedule and not be held out to face the opposition's top pitcher and Elston Howard would become the everyday catcher.
The Pennant Race
The Detroit Tigers posed almost a season-long threat to New York's prospects. First baseman Norm Cash had a career year, leading the league with a .361 batting average. Future Hall of Fame outfielder hit .324 and Rocky Colavito hit 45 home runs. The pitching staff was led by 23-game winner Frank Lary, who had already earned a reputation as a Yankee-killer, and future Hall of Famer and U.S. Senator Jim Bunning, who won 17.
But Ford, too, had a career year, exceeding 20 wins for the first time with a 25-4 record. AAlthough he hurled only 11 complete games, Luis Arroyo blossomed as a relief pitcher with 15 wins and 29 saves. Ra;ph Terry, who had surrendered the historic Mazeroski homer, reached his full potential with a 16-3 record. Howard batted .348 and caught superbly. Of course, the biggest story of the year was the Mantle-Roger Maris duel in pursuit of the home run record, with Maris prevailing at 61. Mantle's career-high 54 before a late-season injury helped the team to a new major league high of 240 home runs.
The Tigers hung on until an early September head-to-head series won by the Yanks, who took the pennant with an eight-game margin. They crushed the Cincinnati Reds in five games in the World Series.
The '27-'61 Comparison
Murderer's Row had a better winning percentage with 110-44 in a 154-game schedule to Houk's team's 109-53 in the newly expanded schedule. The 1961 ball club had more home runs, 240-158, but only a .263 batting average against an awesome .307 for the '27 team. Each had one twenty-game winner and one outstanding relief pitcher. It's pretty close, but it's hard to rate anyone over Ruth and Gehrig, 110 wins and a World Series sweep.
Reference: Baseball Reference
