The New York Yankees Seemed To Confuse Whitey Ford's Arm with His Heel

April Winters fondly remembers how the Cardinals beat the New York Yankees in the 1964 World Series and how the Yankees tried to mislead everyone about Whitey Ford's sore arm.

"Honesty is such a lonely word
Honesty is hardly ever heard"
Billy Joel

Beating the Mets Was More Difficult Than Beating the Yankees

1964 was a great year for the St. Louis Cardinals.

I remember the last weekend of the season vividly, as my team had more trouble beating the New York Mets to win the pennant than it did beating New York's other team in the World Series.

The 'Cards led the second-place Cincinnati Reds by a half-game on Friday morning. That night, little Al Jackson, the Mets' fine left-hander, out-dueled Bob Gibson 1-0, but our friends in Philadelphia beat the Reds.

The next day, the Reds were off. The Mets blasted 20-game winner Ray Sadecki as they again beat us, this time by the unlikely score of 15-5.

The Reds and Cards were now tied for first.

Bob Gibson Was Needed Again

On the last day of the season, the Cardinals finally beat the Mets, but nothing was assured until Bob Gibson, who had worked eight innings on Friday, relieved Curt Simmons in the fifth and shut down the Mets.

Future senator Jim Bunning shut out the Reds to give the 'Cards first place.

Bring on the Yankees.

An Injured Heel?

The Yankees were leading in the series opener at Busch Stadium, 4-2, when the Cardinals rallied in the sixth inning, scoring four runs, and knocking Ford out of the box.

We won, 9-5.

The Yankees claimed that Ford had to leave the game because his heel, which he had injured near the end of the season, was bothering him.

A few days later, they announced that young Al Downing would start Game Four at Yankee Stadium instead of Ford.

Al Downing Dominated for Five Innings

For the first five innings, Downing made everyone forget Whitey Ford, and maybe even Sandy Koufax, as he held the Cardinals to just a single hit.

Carl Warwick pinch-hit a single to lead off the sixth, and Curt Flood followed with a single to right field to bring the potential tying run to the plate.

Bad Luck

Lou Brock flied out to Mantle for the first out, bringing up Dick Groat, who knew the Yankees from the 1960 World Series. Fate stepped in as Groat hit a ground ball up the middle toward second base.

Bobby Richardson, moving to his right, fielded the ball. An inning-ending double play was all that I could see as I watched the game, but Richardson bobbled the ball, and his flip to shortstop Phil Linz glanced off Linz's glove.

The bases were loaded with Kenny Boyer the batter.

"If Groat got a hit," explained manager Yogi Berra, "Downing was out. I had Ralph Terry ready to face Ken Boyer."

Since Groat had not gotten a hit, Downing remained in the game. Boyer hit a grand slam, and future Met Ron Taylor held the Yankees hitless the rest of the way for a 4-3 Cardinals' victory.

Ford Couldn't Start

The Cardinals won the fifth game and the Series shifted back to St. Louis for Game Six, which Ford was scheduled to start.

The Yankees announced that, "Whitey says his heel feels a little better, but not well enough to throw." Jim Bouton started and won.

Ford's heel still didn't allow him to start the following day.

Rookie Mel Stottlemyre, on two days' rest, started against Bob Gibson, who was also on two days' rest, in Game Seven.

Remember the big deal when Curt Schilling started on three days' rest in 2001 and when Josh Beckett did the same in 2003?

World Champion Cardinals

The Cardinals won, to become the only National League team to hold a World Series edge over the Yankees at that time (1926, 1942, and 1964 to their 1928 and 1943).

Finally, the Truth

The next day, the Yankees finally told the truth.

Yogi Berra, who soon would be relieved of his managerial duties, told the press that the reports about Whitey Ford's injured heel had been untrue. Ford had a sore arm.

Whitey had injured his heel, but it had healed by World Series time. Yogi explained.

"I thought it might keep them [St. Louis Cardinals] off balance, not knowing whether Ford could pitch or not. It's the same kind of thing he had in 1957. It has something to do with circulation. Maybe it'll clear up, like it did then, just by his staying on his diet."

Yankees and Reporting Injuries

A case can be made that it was "gamesmanship," and an equally strong case could be made that it was simply the Yankees' deliberately misleading the opposition and the fans. The Yankees have a history of obfuscating injuries.

Tony Kubek sprained his right wrist on Sept. 20. The Yankees stated that he would be out "only a few days." Kubek missed the entire World Series.

Would Kubek have been able to handle Richardson's errant throw in the sixth inning of the fourth game that set up Ken Boyer's home run?

Anyway, the Cardinals won the World Series, and as the years have passed, fans who saw the Series tend to forget players' injuries, while young fans usually don't know about them.

That is fine, but it would be nice if the truth were told more often.

References:

Lyrics

1964 World Series at Retrosheet

By JOSEPH DURSO Special to The New York Times . (1964, October 8). Cards Rally to Beat Yanks In Series Opener, 9 to 5. New York Times (1923-Current file),1. Retrieved February 1, 2010, from ProQuest Historical Newspapers The New York Times (1851 - 2006). (Document ID: 97422098).

Downing to Start Today In Peace of Ailing Ford. (1964, October 11). New York Times (1923-Current file),p. S4. Retrieved February 1, 2010, from ProQuest Historical Newspapers The New York Times (1851 - 2006). (Document ID: 101495395).

By LEONARD KOPPETT. (1964, October 14). FORD GIVES WAY TO RIGHT-HANDER :Berra Selects Bouton After Whitey Indicates His Heel Still Troubles Him. New York Times (1923-Current file),p. 58. Retrieved February 1, 2010, from ProQuest Historical Newspapers The New York Times (1851 - 2006). (Document ID: 118538405).

Special to The New York Times . (1964, October 16). FORD'S INJURIES: REAL AND UNREAL :It Turns Out Now His Arm Was Sore, Not His Heel. New York Times (1923-Current file),p. 45. Retrieved February 1, 2010, from ProQuest Historical Newspapers The New York Times (1851 - 2006). (Document ID: 118683639).