Mazeroski’s walk-off blast clinches title for Pirates

They had blown two leads already in Game 7, squandering a chance to close out the game with a 9-7 advantage in the top of the ninth by surrendering two runs on a one-run single by Mickey Mantle and an RBI groundout by Yogi Berra.

Yet in the bottom of the ninth, with the score tied 9-9, it was Mantle and Berra, in center and left field, respectively, who watched Mazeroski’s blast fly over the left field wall at Pittsburgh’s Forbes Field to secure the 10-9 victory.

“I’ve said all along that this is the fightingest ball club I’ve ever seen,” shortstop Dick Groat told the Associated Press. “Our guys never know when they’re licked. Nobody gave us a chance after the third game but us. I knew we’d do it because that’s the way we’ve done it all year – coming from behind to win after everybody counted us out.”

Few might have guessed that the one to end it would be Mazeroski, who had amassed just 48 homers in five seasons up to that point, including 11 in 1960.

Once the ball went over the fence, pandemonium ensued, as Mazeroski raced around the bases with his helmet in his hand, teammates gathered at home plate and the crowd of 36,683 at Pittsburgh’s Forbes Field erupted and began spilling onto the diamond.

“We kept telling each other we could do it,” Mazeroski said. “All year we’ve been a fighting, come-from-behind club. We always felt we could pull it out – even after the Yankees tied it up in the ninth – but I didn’t think I’d be the guy to do it.”

The euphoric outburst seemed an appropriate response for the moment, as Mazeroski’s homer was a thrill the likes of which baseball had never seen before, and would rarely see again. It marked the first time a World Series had ever ended on a walk-off home run – an occurrence that would not repeat itself until 33 years later, when Joe Carter’s three-run shot won the 1993 Fall Classic for Toronto.