Yanks-Giants matchup in Mike Bunch’s 1962 postseason baseball replay

Yesterday I posted some stats from Mike Bunch’s 1962 full season replay.  Mike wrote back with a follow-up including some background on his 1960s project and what happened in the ensuing World Series between the Yankees and the Giants.

Here is his summary. 

-Tom

by Mike Bunch

This is my 5th season that I have completed. I first did 1967, then 1968. I then decided to replay the entire 1960’s. So I started with 1960, then 1961, and now 1962. 1963 will be next. The good Lord willing. I used line-ups and box scores from Retrosheet.org. The 1967 and 1968 were done before I went to actual line-ups. I may redo those years. I will decide when I get to that point. Since I am a Cardinal fan there is a good possibility I will redo those years.

Now for the year just completed (1962). In the A.L., the Yankees were supposed to win the league with 96 wins by 5 games over the Twins. The Twins finished with 91 Wins and one tie. In my replay the Yankees struggled winning only 90 games and beating the Twins by just a game and a half. Mickey Mantle was the real life MVP although looking at the stats I’m not sure why. I would have voted for Killebrew. In my replay both players had really good years but I chose Harmon Killebrew for MVP. As for the Cy Young Award back in 1962 there was only one chosen for all of baseball. Don Dysdale won that award. In my replay I chose a Cy Young from each league. In the A.L. it was Camili Pascual of the Twins. As for the National League, in real life the Giants and Dodgers tied after 162 games. Then the Giants won a three game play-off to go to the World Series. In my replay the Giants played much better. The Giants won 112 games to finish 11 games ahead of the Reds who won 101 games. The Cardinals finished third with the Dodgers coming in fourth. Maury Will won the MVP with his 104 stolen bases. Maury stole 117 in my replay but was beaten out by Willie Mays for MVP who had a really great year. Don Drysdale won the Cy Young for both leagues and Don had a really good year but Billy O’Dell was better.

So now we are up to the World Series. Again I used actual line-ups. The Yankees won the series in real life in seven games with Ralph Terry being names the WS MVP. In my replay it was a lot different. Ralph Terry got hammered bad. Game #1: The Yankees broke open a 4-4 game in the 8th with four runs to win 9-4. Game #2: The Giants hit Terry early and often. Scoring 4 runs in the first and 3 in the second, the Giants added another 3 in the fourth as Terry was pulled in the 4th inning. The Giants won the game 11-2. Series tied at 1 win apiece.

The series shifted to Yankee Stadium for game # 3. The Giants lead 6-5 going into the bottom of the 8th when Tony Kubek hit a 3-run Homer to give the Yankees a 8-6 lead. The Giants got one back in the 9th with a solo homer by Chuck Hiller, but the Yankees go up 2-1 in the series with a 8-7 win. Game #4 in Yankee Stadium. With the Giants leading 2-1 going into the bottom of the 5th the Yankees put up 5 runs highlighted by a 3-run home by Roger Maris. The Yankees win the game 8-3 to take a 3-1 series lead. The Yankees send Ralph Terry to the mound with the Giants’ backs to the wall. But Ralph Terry had his second bad start of the series giving up 7 runs in the first three innings. The Yankees made a come back thanks to a Grand Slam by Roger Maris. But the Giants win 10-7.

With the Yankees leading 3-2 the series shifted back to San Francisco for game # 6. The Yankees jump of to an early lead scoring 3 in the first. The Giants get 1 back in the 5th and then take the lead with 3 in the bottom of the 7th. Whitey Ford had a no-no going into the 5th when Ed Bailey hit a solo homer to break the no hitter and the shutout. In the 7th with 2- out and the bases loaded John Orsino a rookie third string catch came off the bench for a 3-run double. After walking Matty Alou, Whitey’s night was finished. Daley came on for the final out. Neither team scored in the 8th. So going into the top of the 9th the Giants lead 4-3. Tony Kubek lead off the 9th getting on by an error on Chuck Hiller. Bobby Richardson kept up his good hitting with a single sending Kubek to third. Kubek then scored on a balk by Billy O’Dell who was on in relief. Tom Tresh grounded out bringing up Mickey Mantle to the plate. Billy O’Dell not wanting to walk Mantle to get to Maris gave up a 2-run homer. So going into the bottom of the 9th the Yankees lead 6-4. Bill Stafford came on to pitch as Marshall Bridges had already been used. Bill got Mays to ground out and struck out Cepeda. One more out for a World Series win. Jim Davenport worked Stafford for a walk. Ed Bailey followed with a single sending Davenport to 3rd. Jose Pagan the worked Stafford for another walk to load the bases with 2-outs. Tom Haller came off the bench to hit for Bill O’Dell. Haller got ball 2 (13-14) and the ball four (45-14) to win the game 7-6 setting up a game seven final.

It was Ralph Terry against Jack Sanford. The Yankees look to be in trouble given the two really bad starts Terry had already had in the series. Plus the bullpen was used a lot in the previous two games. But Terry was on his game this time. Terry gave up a 2-out double to Felipe Alou in the third inning followed by a run scoring single for a 1-0 Giants lead. It stayed that way until the 6th when Tom Tresh lead off with a double and Mickey Mantle singled him in to tied the game 1-1. It stayed that way until the bottom of the 8th. Sanford lead off by striking out. Felipe Alou the walked and two singles by Hiller and Mays gave the Giants a 2-1 lead. Sanford need just three out for a series win. But a leadoff double by Elston Howard started things. Jack Reed came on to run for Howard. Moose Skowron hit a fly to right field advancing Reed to third base. Clete Boyer Followed with a single tying the game at 2, but Boyer was out trying to advance on the throw home. Pinch Hitter Blanchard hitting for Ralph Terry ended the inning with a long fly ball to right field. Marshall Bridges the Yankees closer came on for the bottom of the 9th. Tom Haller lead off with a ground out to Bobby Richardson. That brings up Jim Davenport. There it goes a walk off World Series Home Run!!!! The Giants win game #7 3-2.

What a World Series!