Yankees at Red Sox, August 16, 1958

Since the Brewers took a travel day back from the west coast on Monday, I listened to this Yankee / Red Sox game from 1958, just over 68 years ago (almost as old as me !):

http://www.otrannex.com/

http://www.otrannex.com/files/Baseball-New_York_Yankees_v_Boston_Red_Sox-580816.mp3

Here are a few observations:

No organ at Fenway then, although maybe it was just hard to hear on the roof where the broadcasters were :)

The announcers weren't afraid of a little dead air.

Fewer commercials just Atlantic Imperial gasoline and Ballantine beer.  Thankfully no adult diaper commercials !

Weird breaking news from the local station after the anthem, 1460 WOKO in Albany, a guy tried to kill his family and then killed himself, yikes ! 

A moment of silence at the start for Babe Ruth who played for both clubs.  The Babe died 10 years to the day before this game, August 16, 1948.

The Negro American League was still playing, Phil mentioned an upcoming game at Yankee Stadium, Detroit Clowns and Kansas City Monarchs, a double header on Sunday afternoon.
 

Mantle made an error in the outfield although he later hit a homer.

Jeff Davis did the commercials and inter-inning fill.

Phil Rizzuto and Mel Allen alternated between radio and TV starting with Rizzuto.

Mel Allen took over after 4 innings (you could hear him walking on the Fenway roof :) and he started with a Ballantine beer commercial.

Phil took the last coupla innings.

Amazing to hear all the players names in this game: Ted Williams AND Jimmy Piersall for the Sox, Marvelous Marv Throneberry, Mickey Mantle, Yogi Berra, Tony Kubek and Don Larson pitching for the Yankees.  Larson was NOT in perfect game form.  Marv was also 1st baseman on Stengel's Amazing Mets :)

You can hear the Boston fans, no organized chants or crowd responses like today though.

The box score:

https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/BOS/BOS195808160.shtml

A picture of Yankees (all wearing "stirrups" :)

very few players today wear the "stirrups"

source: https://www.ebay.com/itm/333246351279

No, I don't recognize them except for Mantle, Kubek and Berra on the right side.

Here's a picture of Ted Williams and Jimmy Piersall in the locker room:

I never would have imagined that these two knew each other !

source: https://www.reddit.com/r/ClassicBaseball/comments/2w4tc2/players_ted_williams_and_jimmy_piersall_in_the

Anyhow, an interesting trip back in time, the game itself was very similar to the modern game (although the Boston pitcher went 9 innings) but the fan experience appears to have been much different.

Of course the Braves and the Yankees played in the 1958 series, I'll have to look for any MP3s of those games on the radio.

Best Regards,
Chuck, WB9KZY
http://wb9kzy.com/ham.htm