RIP Hal Smith
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RIP Hal Smith
Just read on the Trib the former Bucs catcher Hal Smith passed away. Smith was 89 years old, and he hit a huge homer for the Bucs in game 7 of the 1960 World Series. It could have been a game winner if the Yankees hadn’t scored two in the top of the ninth. Letting Maz become our hero.
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Bobster21
RIP Hal Smith
Yes, very sad. I've met him and he was a great guy. Smith was an integral part of the 1960 Bucs sharing the catching with Smoky Burgess in a strict L/R platoon. Both had great years and both were great in the World Series. When he hit the 2 out, 3-run HR in the bottom of the 8th in game 7, he turned a 7-6 Yankee lead into a 9-7 Pirate lead. The crowd went insane and the cheering lasted through Casey Stengel's subsequent pitching change. And he had only entered the game to catch in the top of the 8th after Burgess had singled in the 7th and been removed for a pinch runner. Smith has his place in Pittsburgh sports lore as a genuine World Series hero.
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WiffleballHero
RIP Hal Smith
While not surprising for an obvious reason, it's a shame his 8th inning home run in that game isn't more celebrated by Pirate fans and appreciated by baseball fans in general. It really is insane to think about: the second most dramatic/important home run in Pirates' history took place ONE INNING before the most dramatic/important home run in Pirates' history.
There was virtually no time for his clutch homer to even settle in as a piece of Pirates lore. In any other circumstance -- other than blowing a two-run lead and needing another hero to win the game -- he would likely have his own statues, memorabilia, legends, stories. He would have become a household name. He'd be up there with Babe Ruth calling his shot or Reggie Jackson becoming Mr. October. Poems would be written, tales would be told, children would sing songs about him.
Instead, I'd bet less than 10 percent of Pirate fans have even heard of him anymore.
That entire half inning was made in Hollywood. The Pirates blew an early 4-0 lead and were now down 7-4 entering the bottom of the 8th against the mighty Yankees. Gino Cimoli lead off with a base hit, but then Bill Virdon rapped a tailor-made double play ball right to Yankees' SS Tony Kubek. Thanks to a pebble on the notorious Forbes Field infield, though, the ball jumped up and hit Kubek in the throat and everyone was safe. Kubek had to leave the game. The superb Bobby Shantz then was chased by an RBI single from Dick Groat. New York manager Casey Stengel brought in Jim Coates.
Bob Skinner sac bunted the runners to second and third, but Rocky Nelson popped up a can of corn to short right. Now with two outs, it was up to Roberto Clemente, who didn't look comfortable and fought off a number of pitches with late swings. With a 1-2 count, he tapped a dribbler to the right side that bounded between Coates and first baseman Bill Skowron. It was a perfect tweener; nobody covered first, Clemente legged out the infield hit and Virdon scored the Pirates' sixth run from third.
With Groat now on third and Clemente on first, Hal Smith -- who had entered the game to catch in the top of the 8th -- came up. Smith looked very aggressive -- he nearly swung out of his shoes on the 1-1 pitch, then on the 1-2 pitch he wildly checked his swing; he most certainly would have been rung up nowadays for strike three. Still in the box, though, on a 2-2 count, he drove the next pitch over left fielder Yogi Berra and well into Schenley Park.
Groat scored. Clemente bounced and leapt and hopped around like a kid and scored. Smith floated around the bases, scored their ninth run, and was mobbed by his teammates. Forbes Field went nuts. The Yankees were stunned. The typewriters in the press box sounded like machine guns. Mel Allen called it "one of the most dramatic base hits in the history of the World Series." Stengel brought in Ralph Terry to finish the 8th...
There was virtually no time for his clutch homer to even settle in as a piece of Pirates lore. In any other circumstance -- other than blowing a two-run lead and needing another hero to win the game -- he would likely have his own statues, memorabilia, legends, stories. He would have become a household name. He'd be up there with Babe Ruth calling his shot or Reggie Jackson becoming Mr. October. Poems would be written, tales would be told, children would sing songs about him.
Instead, I'd bet less than 10 percent of Pirate fans have even heard of him anymore.
That entire half inning was made in Hollywood. The Pirates blew an early 4-0 lead and were now down 7-4 entering the bottom of the 8th against the mighty Yankees. Gino Cimoli lead off with a base hit, but then Bill Virdon rapped a tailor-made double play ball right to Yankees' SS Tony Kubek. Thanks to a pebble on the notorious Forbes Field infield, though, the ball jumped up and hit Kubek in the throat and everyone was safe. Kubek had to leave the game. The superb Bobby Shantz then was chased by an RBI single from Dick Groat. New York manager Casey Stengel brought in Jim Coates.
Bob Skinner sac bunted the runners to second and third, but Rocky Nelson popped up a can of corn to short right. Now with two outs, it was up to Roberto Clemente, who didn't look comfortable and fought off a number of pitches with late swings. With a 1-2 count, he tapped a dribbler to the right side that bounded between Coates and first baseman Bill Skowron. It was a perfect tweener; nobody covered first, Clemente legged out the infield hit and Virdon scored the Pirates' sixth run from third.
With Groat now on third and Clemente on first, Hal Smith -- who had entered the game to catch in the top of the 8th -- came up. Smith looked very aggressive -- he nearly swung out of his shoes on the 1-1 pitch, then on the 1-2 pitch he wildly checked his swing; he most certainly would have been rung up nowadays for strike three. Still in the box, though, on a 2-2 count, he drove the next pitch over left fielder Yogi Berra and well into Schenley Park.
Groat scored. Clemente bounced and leapt and hopped around like a kid and scored. Smith floated around the bases, scored their ninth run, and was mobbed by his teammates. Forbes Field went nuts. The Yankees were stunned. The typewriters in the press box sounded like machine guns. Mel Allen called it "one of the most dramatic base hits in the history of the World Series." Stengel brought in Ralph Terry to finish the 8th...
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Bobster21
RIP Hal Smith
78464949434A4D4E4343674A5D402F0 wrote: While not surprising for an obvious reason, it's a shame his 8th inning home run in that game isn't more celebrated by Pirate fans and appreciated by baseball fans in general. It really is insane to think about: the second most dramatic/important home run in Pirates' history took place ONE INNING before the most dramatic/important home run in Pirates' history.
There was virtually no time for his clutch homer to even settle in as a piece of Pirates lore. In any other circumstance -- other than blowing a two-run lead and needing another hero to win the game -- he would likely have his own statues, memorabilia, legends, stories. He would have become a household name. He'd be up there with Babe Ruth calling his shot or Reggie Jackson becoming Mr. October. Poems would be written, tales would be told, children would sing songs about him.
Instead, I'd bet less than 10 percent of Pirate fans have even heard of him anymore.
That entire half inning was made in Hollywood. The Pirates blew an early 4-0 lead and were now down 7-4 entering the bottom of the 8th against the mighty Yankees. Gino Cimoli lead off with a base hit, but then Bill Virdon rapped a tailor-made double play ball right to Yankees' SS Tony Kubek. Thanks to a pebble on the notorious Forbes Field infield, though, the ball jumped up and hit Kubek in the throat and everyone was safe. Kubek had to leave the game. The superb Bobby Shantz then was chased by an RBI single from Dick Groat. New York manager Casey Stengel brought in Jim Coates.
Bob Skinner sac bunted the runners to second and third, but Rocky Nelson popped up a can of corn to short right. Now with two outs, it was up to Roberto Clemente, who didn't look comfortable and fought off a number of pitches with late swings. With a 1-2 count, he tapped a dribbler to the right side that bounded between Coates and first baseman Bill Skowron. It was a perfect tweener; nobody covered first, Clemente legged out the infield hit and Virdon scored the Pirates' sixth run from third.
With Groat now on third and Clemente on first, Hal Smith -- who had entered the game to catch in the top of the 8th -- came up. Smith looked very aggressive -- he nearly swung out of his shoes on the 1-1 pitch, then on the 1-2 pitch he wildly checked his swing; he most certainly would have been rung up nowadays for strike three. Still in the box, though, on a 2-2 count, he drove the next pitch over left fielder Yogi Berra and well into Schenley Park.
Groat scored. Clemente bounced and leapt and hopped around like a kid and scored. Smith floated around the bases, scored their ninth run, and was mobbed by his teammates. Forbes Field went nuts. The Yankees were stunned. The typewriters in the press box sounded like machine guns. Mel Allen called it "one of the most dramatic base hits in the history of the World Series." Stengel brought in Ralph Terry to finish the 8th...
Good recap. Although Coates did try to cover 1B; he just got there late because he initially ran toward the ball, which Skowron fielded. I think fans of the 1960 team truly appreciate Smith's dramatic contribution. When the HR was hit, the crowd went just as nuts as they did an inning later for Maz because they thought in the 8th that Smith had just won the game for them. But that was 60 years ago and many fans of that team are no longer with us. And more recent fans who appreciate the 1960 team without actually experiencing it are told first and foremost that Maz won the game with his HR. Which he indeed did! Without Maz I believe they lose in extra innings as their bench was pretty much spent and the Yankees had owned every pitcher left in the BP. But Hal Smith put them in position to win. He had been a valuable player all season and the WS was no exception for him. I still remember as a little kid in Charleroi, PA my father telling me about Smith's dramatic HR. From my earliest memories of Pirate baseball I have appreciated what Hal Smith did for the Pirates. So meeting hm many years later was quite a thrill for me. And Smith always knew that at least within the confines of Pittsburgh he was appreciated as a true WS hero. And BTW, Rocky Nelson's 1st inning, 2-run HR was just as valuable in a 10-9 win.
There was virtually no time for his clutch homer to even settle in as a piece of Pirates lore. In any other circumstance -- other than blowing a two-run lead and needing another hero to win the game -- he would likely have his own statues, memorabilia, legends, stories. He would have become a household name. He'd be up there with Babe Ruth calling his shot or Reggie Jackson becoming Mr. October. Poems would be written, tales would be told, children would sing songs about him.
Instead, I'd bet less than 10 percent of Pirate fans have even heard of him anymore.
That entire half inning was made in Hollywood. The Pirates blew an early 4-0 lead and were now down 7-4 entering the bottom of the 8th against the mighty Yankees. Gino Cimoli lead off with a base hit, but then Bill Virdon rapped a tailor-made double play ball right to Yankees' SS Tony Kubek. Thanks to a pebble on the notorious Forbes Field infield, though, the ball jumped up and hit Kubek in the throat and everyone was safe. Kubek had to leave the game. The superb Bobby Shantz then was chased by an RBI single from Dick Groat. New York manager Casey Stengel brought in Jim Coates.
Bob Skinner sac bunted the runners to second and third, but Rocky Nelson popped up a can of corn to short right. Now with two outs, it was up to Roberto Clemente, who didn't look comfortable and fought off a number of pitches with late swings. With a 1-2 count, he tapped a dribbler to the right side that bounded between Coates and first baseman Bill Skowron. It was a perfect tweener; nobody covered first, Clemente legged out the infield hit and Virdon scored the Pirates' sixth run from third.
With Groat now on third and Clemente on first, Hal Smith -- who had entered the game to catch in the top of the 8th -- came up. Smith looked very aggressive -- he nearly swung out of his shoes on the 1-1 pitch, then on the 1-2 pitch he wildly checked his swing; he most certainly would have been rung up nowadays for strike three. Still in the box, though, on a 2-2 count, he drove the next pitch over left fielder Yogi Berra and well into Schenley Park.
Groat scored. Clemente bounced and leapt and hopped around like a kid and scored. Smith floated around the bases, scored their ninth run, and was mobbed by his teammates. Forbes Field went nuts. The Yankees were stunned. The typewriters in the press box sounded like machine guns. Mel Allen called it "one of the most dramatic base hits in the history of the World Series." Stengel brought in Ralph Terry to finish the 8th...
Good recap. Although Coates did try to cover 1B; he just got there late because he initially ran toward the ball, which Skowron fielded. I think fans of the 1960 team truly appreciate Smith's dramatic contribution. When the HR was hit, the crowd went just as nuts as they did an inning later for Maz because they thought in the 8th that Smith had just won the game for them. But that was 60 years ago and many fans of that team are no longer with us. And more recent fans who appreciate the 1960 team without actually experiencing it are told first and foremost that Maz won the game with his HR. Which he indeed did! Without Maz I believe they lose in extra innings as their bench was pretty much spent and the Yankees had owned every pitcher left in the BP. But Hal Smith put them in position to win. He had been a valuable player all season and the WS was no exception for him. I still remember as a little kid in Charleroi, PA my father telling me about Smith's dramatic HR. From my earliest memories of Pirate baseball I have appreciated what Hal Smith did for the Pirates. So meeting hm many years later was quite a thrill for me. And Smith always knew that at least within the confines of Pittsburgh he was appreciated as a true WS hero. And BTW, Rocky Nelson's 1st inning, 2-run HR was just as valuable in a 10-9 win.
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2drfischer@gmail.c
RIP Hal Smith
You guys are giving me chills remembering the seventh game and especially that eighth inning. There were many heroes in that inning, none bigger than Hal Smith. As an eight year old, the '60 Pirates were like gods to me. Smith has always held a special place in my heart for that timely HR. Sad to hear of his passing.
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Bobster21
RIP Hal Smith
782E382C233929222F380A2D272B232664294A0 wrote: You guys are giving me chills remembering the seventh game and especially that eighth inning. There were many heroes in that inning, none bigger than Hal Smith. As an eight year old, the '60 Pirates were like gods to me. Smith has always held a special place in my heart for that timely HR. Sad to hear of his passing.
Doc, I wrote a book about the 1960 Bucs covering every day of the season. You might like it. "Pirate Gold: the 1960 Season."
Doc, I wrote a book about the 1960 Bucs covering every day of the season. You might like it. "Pirate Gold: the 1960 Season."
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2drfischer@gmail.c
RIP Hal Smith
6A474A5B5C4D5A1A19280 wrote: You guys are giving me chills remembering the seventh game and especially that eighth inning. There were many heroes in that inning, none bigger than Hal Smith. As an eight year old, the '60 Pirates were like gods to me. Smith has always held a special place in my heart for that timely HR. Sad to hear of his passing.
Doc, I wrote a book about the 1960 Bucs covering every day of the season. You might like it. "Pirate Gold: the 1960 Season."
Can I get it on Amazon and download it to my Kindle? Sounds like a great trip back to my childhood.
Doc, I wrote a book about the 1960 Bucs covering every day of the season. You might like it. "Pirate Gold: the 1960 Season."
Can I get it on Amazon and download it to my Kindle? Sounds like a great trip back to my childhood.
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Bobster21
RIP Hal Smith
3264726669736368657240676D61696C2E63000 wrote: You guys are giving me chills remembering the seventh game and especially that eighth inning. There were many heroes in that inning, none bigger than Hal Smith. As an eight year old, the '60 Pirates were like gods to me. Smith has always held a special place in my heart for that timely HR. Sad to hear of his passing.
Doc, I wrote a book about the 1960 Bucs covering every day of the season. You might like it. "Pirate Gold: the 1960 Season."
Can I get it on Amazon and download it to my Kindle? Sounds like a great trip back to my childhood.
Yes and yes.
Doc, I wrote a book about the 1960 Bucs covering every day of the season. You might like it. "Pirate Gold: the 1960 Season."
Can I get it on Amazon and download it to my Kindle? Sounds like a great trip back to my childhood.
Yes and yes.
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2drfischer@gmail.c
RIP Hal Smith
7D505D4C4B5A4D0D0E3F0 wrote: You guys are giving me chills remembering the seventh game and especially that eighth inning. There were many heroes in that inning, none bigger than Hal Smith. As an eight year old, the '60 Pirates were like gods to me. Smith has always held a special place in my heart for that timely HR. Sad to hear of his passing.
Doc, I wrote a book about the 1960 Bucs covering every day of the season. You might like it. "Pirate Gold: the 1960 Season."
Can I get it on Amazon and download it to my Kindle? Sounds like a great trip back to my childhood.
Yes and yes.
Thanks. I'll do that today.
Doc, I wrote a book about the 1960 Bucs covering every day of the season. You might like it. "Pirate Gold: the 1960 Season."
Can I get it on Amazon and download it to my Kindle? Sounds like a great trip back to my childhood.
Yes and yes.
Thanks. I'll do that today.
RIP Hal Smith
NBC broadcaster Chuck Thompson "Forbes Field is,at this moment, an outdoor insane asylum. We have seen and shared in one of baseball's great moments." After Smith in the 8th. Bet ole Chuck would have liked to have sat on that one for one more inning.