What was the reaction when the Giants returned to play the Yanks in a 1961 preseason

[mandrake]

I read that the Yankees sold out a preseson game vs the Giants in 1961. Does anyone recall this? Were there lots of Giants fans in the house??

[chinese home run]

Although the home run hitting contest was canceled due to the rain- and the fact that the game was on both television and radio- over 47,000 people showed up for the game. Everyone went crazy when Mays was introduced- it was like the prodigal son returns. It was the first time he was back in New York since one of the 1960 All-Star Games was played at Yankee Stadium.

The two biggest draws were Mays and Mickey Mantle. Mantle scored the Yankees' only run on a solo home run off Bob Bolin, and he caught a screaming line drive that Mays hit. Mays wound up scoring the game winning runs, and two more runs scored after that to make the final score 4-1.

The game was played to benefit sandlot baseball- it was such a success that it almost made you wonder what would have happened had the Giants stayed in New York.

Oh, it wasn't a pre-season game, either- if my memory serves me correctly, it was sometime in late July.