Johnny Blanchard

Career Overview

Cleveland Indians vs New York Yankees - Game 1 of DH - Radio Broadcast / In the midst of the 1961 baseball season, the New York Yankees faced off against the Cleveland Indians at Yankee Stadium on Sunday, September 10. The Yankees were in the midst of their legendary season, with Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris, known as the M&M Boys, chasing Babe Ruth's single-season home run record. Meanwhile, the Indians were a solid team trying to stay competitive in the American League. The starting pitchers were Whitey Ford for the Yankees and Barry Latman for the Indians. Ford was having a strong season, but this game would prove to be a challenge for him. Latman, on the other hand, was looking to hold back the powerful Yankee lineup. The game started off with a bang as the Indians put up two runs in the first inning, with Johnny Romano and Willie Kirkland driving in runs. The Yankees, however, answered back in the second inning, plating six runs. The big blow was a two-run homer by Johnny Blanchard, and Whitey Ford himself drove in a run with a single. The Indians fought back in the third inning, scoring four runs, highlighted by a three-run homer from Vic Power. The Yankees' relief pitcher, Jim Coates, then came in and settled things down, holding the Indians to just one run over the next six innings. In the eighth inning, the Yankees managed to push across the go-ahead run, thanks to a pinch-hit single from Bob Cerv. Luis Arroyo then came in to close out the game in the ninth, securing a 7-6 victory for the Yankees. It was a hard-fought game, with both teams showing their offensive prowess. The 1961 season is remembered as one of the most exciting in baseball history, largely due to the home run chase between Mantle and Maris. Ultimately, Maris would break Ruth's record, hitting 61 homers, while Mantle would finish with 54. The Yankees would go on to win the World Series, defeating the Cincinnati Reds in five games. The Indians, meanwhile, would finish the season in fifth place in the American League. Despite their loss in this particular game, they showed their ability to compete with the best, contributing to the memorable narrative of the 1961 season.

New York Yankees vs Baltimore Orioles - Radio Broadcast / On September 2, 1960, the Baltimore Orioles hosted the New York Yankees at Memorial Stadium for a day game. the Orioles opened the scoring in the first inning with a run from Brandt, driven in by a double from Robinson. the Yankees couldn't respond, despite a single from Kubek, as Maris grounded into a double play. the second inning saw both teams held scoreless, with the Yankees striking out twice and the Orioles leaving two on base. the game progressed with the Orioles gradually extending their lead. They added two runs in the fourth inning, another in the fifth off a solo home run from Dropo, and a final run in the seventh inning. Meanwhile, the Yankees' offense was held in check by Pappas, the Orioles' pitcher, who gave up only three hits and struck out nine Yankees over the course of the game. the Yankees had a particularly difficult time in the third inning, going down in order with two strikeouts and a groundout. the Orioles' 5-0 victory over the Yankees was largely due to Pappas's stellar pitching performance, which earned him the win. Ford, the Yankees' starting pitcher, took the loss. Following this game, Pappas's record improved to 13-8 while Ford's dropped to 9-8. As of my knowledge cutoff in September 2021, I don't have the specific historical data for the 1960 season. However, both the Yankees and Orioles were competitive teams during this period. the Yankees, in particular, were in the midst of a successful era, having won the World Series in 1958 and going on to win again in 1961 and 1962. This loss would have been a minor setback in their season, but not a decisive factor in their overall performance.