o/t - ahh, baseball & great catches

[Archive]

Posted By: Frank Wakefield

Lary Doby was at second, Al Rosen at first, tie game 2-2 in the top of the 8th.

Vic Wertz hit the ball to center. Not to the deepest part at the offset where it was 483 feet, but just to the right of the offset, 420 is more realistic. Mays turns, runs without looking, makes the over the head catch, spins and throws the ball back in... Doby tagged and went to third, Rosen held at first. The Indians' golden opportunity for runs was quelled.

But one more little highlight. Durocher came in to relieve Don Liddle after Wertz' long fly. Sal Maglie had started the game and began the 8th, but after Doby and Rosen reached base Liddle had relieved. Durocher waved in Marv Grissom. Liddle had retired only 1 batter, Wertz. The story goes that as Grissom got to the mound Liddle handed him the ball, and said, "I got my man, you get yours."



And in person I've seen Ozzie catches, Edmonds and Jones catches; watched Willie McGee's catches in the 1982 World Series, watched Willie's 1954 catch again and again... trust me, you have to read Donald Honig's section about Spud Chandler, when he describes the best catch he ever saw.