Joe Pepitone

Career Overview

Joe Pepitone Interviewed by Leo Cloutier / Leo Cloutier interviews Joe Pepitone of the NY Mets in 1970.

New York Yankees vs Detroit Tigers - Clincher - Radio Broadcast / On Tuesday, September 17, 1968, the Detroit Tigers hosted the New York Yankees at Tiger Stadium. Stan Bahnsen took the mound for the Yankees, while Joe Sparma was the starting pitcher for the Tigers. At this point in the season, the Tigers were on the brink of clinching the pennant, leading the American League, while the Yankees were struggling, sitting in the middle of the pack. Mickey Mantle, a perennial star for the Yankees, was nearing the end of his illustrious career, and the 1968 season was notable for the "Year of the Pitcher," with pitchers dominating hitters to an extent not seen in decades.

Cleveland Indians vs New York Yankees - Clinch - Radio Broadcast / On Saturday, October 3, 1964, the New York Yankees hosted the Cleveland Indians at Yankee Stadium in a day game that was a part of the final stretch of the regular season. The Yankees started the game with Al Downing on the mound, a left-handed pitcher who had been a key part of their rotation throughout the season. The Indians countered with Lee Stange, a right-hander who was looking to improve on a challenging season, as reflected in his 7-14 record. At this point in the season, the Yankees were in a tight race for the American League pennant, while the Indians were playing for pride, well out of contention for the postseason. The baseball world was abuzz with the tight pennant races, especially in the National League where the Philadelphia Phillies, St. Louis Cardinals, and Cincinnati Reds were locked in a fierce battle. The game started with the Yankees taking an early lead, scoring two runs in the first inning thanks to a Mickey Mantle double that drove in Phil Linz and Bobby Richardson. The Indians managed to score a run in the top of the third on a single by Chico Salmon, but the Yankees responded in the bottom of the inning with a run of their own, extending their lead to 3-1. The Indians showed signs of a comeback in the sixth inning, scoring two runs to tighten the game at 3-3. However, the Yankees' offense proved too strong, exploding for five runs in the eighth inning to secure a commanding lead. Key contributions in this inning came from Mantle and Elston Howard, who both drew walks and later scored, while Joe Pepitone and Clete Boyer added crucial hits. The final score was 8-3 in favor of the Yankees, a victory that played a significant role in their successful chase for the American League pennant. The 1964 season was a memorable one for the Yankees, as they won the AL pennant but eventually lost to the St. Louis Cardinals in a thrilling seven-game World Series. Mickey Mantle, despite battling injuries, had a solid season, and the Yankees' roster was dotted with All-Stars, including Howard, who won the American League's Most Valuable Player award.

1963 MLB All-Star Game - Radio Broadcast / 1963 marked the first time in 5 years that only one game was played at the midseason break. The game took place at Cleveland Stadium in front of only 44,000 in a ballpark that could hold twice as many. It didn't help that the Indians entered the break in 6th place, and their only representative on the all-star team was "Mudcat" Grant , who didn't even see any action. The game was notable however in that Stan Musial made his 24th and final appearance in the all-star game. And youngster Carl Yastrzemski would make his 1st of 18 future appearances.