Mickey Mantle’s Grand Slam Turned the 1953 World Series Around
February 20, 2011 · Harold Friend · Jump to comments
Article Source: Bleacher Report - New York Yankees
Videographer and filmmaker Tom Molito’s most successful production was The 500 Home Run Club, hosted by Bob Costas and Mickey Mantle. Mr. Molito and Mickey Mantle became good friends and remained good friends until Mantle passed away.
Tom, his wife, Mickey and Mickey’s companion, Greer Johnson, were watching the 1992 World Series at Mickey’s home, when Lonnie Smith of the Atlanta Braves hit a grand slam home run.
Tom and Mickey were pulling for the Toronto Blue Jays to beat the Atlanta Braves simply because the New York Yankees and the Blue Jays were in the American League. Now, Interleague play has blurred the differences between leagues and it is not unusual for Series opponents to have played each other during the season.
The conversation quickly turned to Mickey’s World Series grand slam against the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1953.
Mickey was impressed by Smith’s home run, especially since he hit it off Jack Morris. Tom chirped in and asked Mickey how he felt when he hit his grand slam in the 1953 World Series.
Mickey chuckled sheepishly as he usually did when he was a little embarrassed.
“I got lucky. The Dodgers, especially Carl Erskine, were pitching me inside and for some reason, I kept pulling away…When I faced Russ Meyer, I decided that I was going to step into the pitch. I had struck out four times in a row a couple of days before.
“Well,” Mickey continued in his drawl, “Meyer threw me a curveball on the outside. It was just above my knees. I was ready and I really hit it.
“I remember that Meyer told the writers after the game that when you throw your best pitch and a guy hits it the way I did, there’s nothing you can do about it. I felt almost as good about what Meyer said as hitting the home run.”
Tom asked Mickey in what inning he hit the home run, and Mickey recalled that it was in the third—the Yankees led 2-1.
Mickey leaned back in his chair. He had a slight grin as he addressed Tom.
“Hey Tom, who started that game for the Dodgers?”
Tom was taken aback. “Russ Meyer, the guy you hit the home run off.”
“Nope. Do either of you ladies know who started the game?”
Tom’s wife Kathleen, who really wasn’t much of a fan, just gave Mickey a hard stare. Greer said that she didn’t remember.
Tom said he didn’t know that she was that old (she wasn’t) and immediately knew that he was in hot water.
Mickey laughed and told everyone Johnny Podres started for Brooklyn and that Meyer came in from the bullpen to face him. Meyer’s first pitch became Mantle’s first World Series grand slam.
Tom winced when Podres’ name was mentioned. He still hadn’t gotten over 1955 when Podres shut out the Yankees in the seventh game.
Mickey got up out of his chair, excused himself, and when he returned, he asked if anything had happened. Kathleen told him that the score was still 7-2 Atlanta. Then Mickey related a little-known story.
“You know Yogi walked to load the bases before I got up, but he was really upset because some guy who could watch the game from his apartment was using a mirror to shine the sun in Yogi’s eyes. They stopped the game. The cops found where the apartment was, got the guy and made him stop.”
Kathleen said that she was amazed. Mickey asked why and she said that if it happened today, the guy would be hauled off to jail.
The Yankees hit four home runs in an 11-7 win in that game to take a 3-2 Series lead. The next day they beat Brooklyn, who had to start Carl Erskine on only two days rest, to become World Champions for the fifth consecutive time.
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