September 29, 1954: "The Catch"

[AutographCollector]

Here's a photo-diagram of the Polo Grounds Diamond as Willie Mays made his sensational 8th inning catch on Vic Wertz's 450 foot fly to centerfield. Wertz, rounding first, watches Mays make the plate grab. Willie had to run and run to get it. Al Rosen, midway between first and second, heads back to first. Larry Doby goes back to second to tag up. He made third on the throw. Wertz was the only batter relief hurler Don Liddle faced. Giant Manager Leo Durocher pulled him out, replacing him with Marv Grissom who retired the next two Indian batters, ending the inning. Giants beat Cleveland in the series opener, 5-2, on Dusty Rhode's pinch 3-run homer in the 10th.

[AutographCollector]

"There's a long drive way back in center field . . . way back, back! It is . . . oh, what a catch by (Willie) Mays! The runner on second, (Larry) Doby, is able to go to third. Willie Mays . . . just brought this crowd to its feet . . . with a catch . . . which must have been an optical illusion to a lot of people. Boy!"
- Jack Brickhouse of NBC-TV

[AutographCollector]

Another tidbit

Kodak, in association with The Sporting News, hosted a YOU RANK 'EM contest and "The Catch" by Willie Mays during the eighth inning of Game 1 finished in ninth place.

[AutographCollector]

"The Catch" refers to a memorable defensive baseball play by Willie Mays on September 29, 1954, during Game 1 of the 1954 World Series between the New York Giants and the Cleveland Indians at the Polo Grounds in New York. The score was tied 2-2 in the top of the eighth inning. Starting pitcher Sal Maglie walked Larry Doby and gave up a single to Al Rosen. So, with runners on first and second, Giants manager Leo Durocher summoned left-handed relief pitcher Don Liddle to replace Maglie and pitch to Cleveland's Vic Wertz, also a left-hander.

Wertz worked the count to two balls and a strike, before crushing Liddle's fourth pitch to deep center field. Some reports say the ball traveled 450 feet, which is an exaggeration, but in many stadiums the shot would have been a home run and given the Indians a 5-2 lead. However, this was the spacious Polo Grounds, and Giants center fielder Willie Mays, who was playing in shallow center field, made an on-the-run over-the-shoulder catch (looking like a wide receiver) to make the out. Having caught the ball, he immediately spun and threw the ball, losing his hat in characteristic style. Doby, the runner on second, might have been able to score the go-ahead run had he tagged at the moment the ball was caught; but as it was, he ran when the ball was hit, and then had to scramble back to retag and only got as far as third base. Liddle was then relieved by Marv Grissom, to whom he supposedly remarked "Well, I got my man!"

[AutographCollector]

Here's the video of it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7dK6zPbkFnE

[The Real McCoy]

Liddle got his man.

Upon his dad's death a couple of years ago, Liddle's son disputed the quote, at least the fact that Don said it to Durocher when the Lip came out to the mound to get him.....clearly a situation where the facts should not stand in the way of a great story!

[AutographCollector]

Upon his dad's death a couple of years ago, Liddle's son disputed the quote, at least the fact that Don said it to Durocher when the Lip came out to the mound to get him.....clearly a situation where the facts should not stand in the way of a great story!

Why would his son dispute the fact that his dad got an important out?

[The Real McCoy]

Why would his son dispute the fact that his dad got an important out?

I believe you may have misdeduced my words, as Archie the manager used to say ("Duffy ain't here").

leave me relucidate:

the son was certainly not disputing the fact that his dad got what you correctly point out was an important out, possibly the one that turned the Series towards a sweep of a team that won 111 games that year. no the son was disputing the fact that Don Liddle, in turning the ball over to Durocher, who had come to the mound at a full trot in his haste to change pitchers, had said to the Lip, " well, skip, I got my man." the son conceded that his dad might have used the words, but insisted that, if he had, he had said them in the clubhouse after the game.

as I said, it's a much better back story, to a wonderful play, if the dialogue takes place on the mound.

[AutographCollector]

I believe you may have misdeduced my words, as Archie the manager used to say ("Duffy ain't here").

leave me relucidate:

the son was certainly not disputing the fact that his dad got what you correctly point out was an important out, possibly the one that turned the Series towards a sweep of a team that won 111 games that year. no the son was disputing the fact that Don Liddle, in turning the ball over to Durocher, who had come to the mound at a full trot in his haste to change pitchers, had said to the Lip, " well, skip, I got my man." the son conceded that his dad might have used the words, but insisted that, if he had, he had said them in the clubhouse after the game.

as I said, it's a much better back story, to a wonderful play, if the dialogue takes place on the mound.

I apologize for misinterpreting your words.
I concur that if the quote took place on the mound, it would be much better vice being said in the dugout.

[musial6]

"The Catch" refers to a memorable defensive baseball play by Willie Mays on September 29, 1954, during Game 1 of the 1954 World Series between the New York Giants and the Cleveland Indians at the Polo Grounds in New York. The score was tied 2-2 in the top of the eighth inning. Starting pitcher Sal Maglie walked Larry Doby and gave up a single to Al Rosen. So, with runners on first and second, Giants manager Leo Durocher summoned left-handed relief pitcher Don Liddle to replace Maglie and pitch to Cleveland's Vic Wertz, also a left-hander.

Wertz worked the count to two balls and a strike, before crushing Liddle's fourth pitch to deep center field. Some reports say the ball traveled 450 feet, which is an exaggeration, but in many stadiums the shot would have been a home run and given the Indians a 5-2 lead. However, this was the spacious Polo Grounds, and Giants center fielder Willie Mays, who was playing in shallow center field, made an on-the-run over-the-shoulder catch (looking like a wide receiver) to make the out. Having caught the ball, he immediately spun and threw the ball, losing his hat in characteristic style. Doby, the runner on second, might have been able to score the go-ahead run had he tagged at the moment the ball was caught; but as it was, he ran when the ball was hit, and then had to scramble back to retag and only got as far as third base. Liddle was then relieved by Marv Grissom, to whom he supposedly remarked "Well, I got my man!"

How much of an exaggeration was 450'? The barrier behind Willie was 460'.

[StanTheMan]

How much of an exaggeration was 450'? The barrier behind Willie was 460'.

Not much at all in my opinon.... It's a bit hard to tell if he is inside 10 feet from the hitters backdrop here, but if he's farther out than that, it is not by much.

The Catch with screen.jpg

[StanTheMan]

And I don't think he has the ball yet.......