The Forgotten August Night That Defined A Dynasty, Baltimore Orioles at New York Yankees, August 15, 1960 (Recreation)

The ageing empire of Casey Stengel’s Yankees is in a desperate three-way street fight for the American League against the Chicago White Sox (the defending champions) and the ‘Kiddie Krops’ of the Baltimore Orioles. With only half a game separating them in the loss column, every game is a make-or-break.

In tonight’s game, the Yankees welcome the Orioles into the cauldron of the House that Babe Built. Stengel’s Yankees are still playing as they did during their dominant fifties with a platoon full of power that will reach the fence or fall short over nine innings. The team crumbled in 1959. Can the old ways still work?

Meanwhile, Orioles manager Paul Richards has young arms aplenty, and playing small ball built around bunts, singles and aggressive base running. Will that take them through September and beyond? 

The Orioles have their own aged war-horse. Hoyt Wilhelm, in his ninth year in the majors, is back where he belongs, pitching in relief with a knuckleball that seems to defy the laws of physics. It's paired with the comically oversized glove of Clint Courtney, because it's the only way any catcher has a hope of getting the ball into the back of the leather.

Stengel is watching the sun set on his pinstripes, and Richards is welcoming the sun rise over his baby birds. Only one will stamp their authority in the race for the pennant…

Ewan Spence and the Classic Baseball Radio team bring you this recreated radio broadcast from September 28, 1950. This should not be considered a complete or fully accurate historical record. Nevertheless, this is our story of the game.

We thank Retrosheet, Sports Reference, Sports Logos Net, Tom R Audio, and  Crafting The Call.

** LINKS **

Boxscore:

https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/NYA/NYA196008150.shtml

1960 Major League Baseball season

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1960_Major_League_Baseball_season 

Ron Hansen, by Jimmy Keenan for SABR

https://sabr.org/bioproj/person/ron-hansen/

Brooks Robinson at the Baseball Hall Of Fame

https://baseballhall.org/hall-of-famers/robinson-brooks

Who Was the Better Third Baseman, Brooks Robinson or Clete Boyer?

https://www.baseballhistorycomesalive.com/who-was-the-better-third-baseman-brooks-or-clete/ 

Hoyt Wilhelm’s Knuckleball (The Inside Pitch, with Bob Wolff)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g5kdNI_gKLg 

So long, 45-inch catcher's glove

https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/happy-anniversary-so-long-45-inch-catchers-glove/ 

Art Ditmar Obituary

https://ripbaseball.com/2021/06/19/obituary-art-ditmar-1929-2021/ 

Casey Stengel: The Most Colorful Manager in Baseball History

https://www.cmgworldwide.com/2023/07/05/casey-stengel-the-most-colorful-manager-in-baseball-history/ 

Once upon a time, the Orioles had the ‘Kiddie Korps’

https://www.shepherdstownchronicle.com/sports/2018/06/22/once-upon-a-time-the-orioles-had-the-kiddie-korps/