Carl Furillo and the New York Giants: Unlike Yankees-Red Sox, Hatred Was Real

It was probably 1965. I was riding my bicycle on Northern Blvd in Flushing when I decided to go north. I made a left turn across traffic onto Union St. As I was crossing 32nd Ave, I looked to the right, and the sign above a grocery store caught my eye.

It read, "Furillo and Totto."

My friends had told me that Carl Furillo owned a grocery store Flushing, but they never told me its location. I leaned my bicycle against the store's wall and entered. Just my luck, Totto's wife Julia, not Furillo, was behind the counter.

I discovered that Furillo and Totto had been friends when Furillo played for Brooklyn. Furillo lived in Flushing and he and Totto decided to buy the store.

As a New York Yankees fan, I always "hated" Carl Furillo, but it was the "hate" that fans feel for opponents that they admire and would love to have on their team.

Furillo played against the Yankees in six World Series from 1947 to 1956. In 1955, the only time Brooklyn beat the Yankees, Furillo hit .296 with a home run and three RBI.

In 1953, Furillo hit .344 to edge out Red Schoendienst, who hit .342, for the batting title. Brooklyn won its second consecutive pennant and again faced the Yankees in the World Series.

I can still see Furillo on the small-screen Fada black and white television set as he hit a two-run ninth inning home run at Yankee Stadium to tie the sixth game of that World Series at 3-3.

Fortunately for the Yankees, Billy Martin singled home Hank Bauer in the Yankees' half of the inning to win the game and the World Series.

Furillo belonged to what is referred to today as "old school." He asked no quarter and he gave none to opponents. Players of that era didn't belong to the same union.

Since free agency, opposing players are friendly because they change teams so often. Todays "enemy" is next season's teammate. Many consider the owners to be the real opposition.

Throughout the late 1940s and especially in the 1950s, Brooklyn's primary rival was the New York Giants.

Those who lived through the rivalry realize that it was more intense than that between the Yankees and Boston Red Sox. The difference is that the Yankees-Red Sox receive national coverage that was not available to the Dodgers and Giants.

The old Dodgers/Giants rivalry of the 1950s made the Yankee/Red Sox games look like a series of loving family reunions.

After he retired, Furillo put the Dodgers-Giants relationship into proper perspective.

"We hated the Giants. We just hated the uniform."

Brooklyn's greatest tormentor was Giants right-hander Sal Maglie, who was known as "The Barber" because he pitched close to the batter's chin.

There were numerous violent altercations between Maglie and the Dodgers throughout the 1950s. Furillo was often in the middle.

Late in 1953, Giants rookie pitcher Ruben Gomez hit Furillo on the wrist. As he went to first base, Furillo heard Giants manager Leo Durocher yell at him while making a gesture with one finger.

Furillo ran toward the Giants dugout where Durocher, flanked by 10 players, rose to meet him. Furillo managed to get Durocher in a headlock when the scuffle flowed onto the field.

Durocher and Furillo were on the ground fighting until the brawl was finally broken up. The newspapers reported that a player had stepped on Furillo's hand, breaking his finger.

Years later Furillo insisted there were no spike marks on his hand because Durocher had bent his finger back and broken it in the fight.

Brooklyn won the World Series in 1955, but going into the 1956 season, management knew that the pitching staff needed help. They received it from an unexpected source.

On May 15, they purchased the contract of the hated Sal Maglie from the Cleveland Indians.

On Maglie's first day as a Brooklyn Dodger, he tensely walked into the clubhouse. He looked around until he and Furillo locked eyes. The other Dodgers watched intensely.

Furillo broke the silence.

"Hello. Goombar."

Maglie hesitated for a second before responding. "Hello, Goombar."

Furillo and Maglie became roommates.

No wonder I always wanted the Yankees to get Carl Furillo.

References:

Kahn, Roger. The Era, 1947-1957: When the Yankees, the Giants, and the Dodgers Ruled the World. Lincoln Nebraska: Bison Press. 2002.

Robinson, Murray. "From Hero to Heroes." New York Journal-American. Oct. 1955.

Carl Furillo