Bill Virdon was one of the major leagues' smoothest-fielding center fielders of the 1950s and early '60s. He managed four teams, winning division championships with the Pittsburgh Pirates and Houston Astros and bringing a surprising New York Yankees team to the brink of one. But many remember him most for hitting a seemingly routine ground ball that was anything but: It sent the Pirates on their way to a dramatic Game 7 victory over the Yankees in the 1960 World Series.
As we think back sixty years ago to that memorable 1961 baseball season what first comes to mind is the dramatic race to break Babe Ruth’s single-season .
Remembering Bill Freehan, the Thinking Man s Catcher (1941–2021) fangraphs.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from fangraphs.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
History shows 6-11 Yankees might be in BIG trouble
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The Yankees’ many early-season slumpers include catcher Gary Sanchez (left), center fielder Aaron Hicks (top right) and designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton (bottom right).AP
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The Yankees hoped their big win the other night was the start of a slump-busting run.
Not even close. When you lose five, win one, drop another and look lifeless every single time, you’re still in a funk. That’s exactly what the Yankees still are dealing with after Wednesday night’s 4-1 stinker to the Atlanta Braves.
Introducing Yankees Insider:
As the days pass, the Yankees are digging themselves a bigger and bigger hole. At 6-11, they’re last in the AL East and trailing the first-place Red Sox by five games. They’re also tied with the Minnesota Twins for the worst record in the American League.