TV's Baseball Hall of Fame (1950s)

[music] [bell] [music] [music] Well, Here we are out at the ballpark. I have an interview coming up with Granny Hamner in just a few moments. By the way, Hamner is one of the fine defensive shorts stops of Major League Baseball today. He's played some wonderful ball in the National League for the Philadelphia Phillies, and he's quite a fellow up at that plate. When that all important run counts, he seems to be able to get you that base hit that wins the close ball games. the 1950 season, Granny had a sensational year at Shortstop with the Phillies when they won the National League pennant. I see Granny running around the field now. Say, uh, Hamner, would you come over here? >> Granny, how are you? >> Fine, thank you, Lou. How are you? >> Fine. It's nice to see you. You know, I'd like to discuss a little baseball with you and particularly so go back to the 1950 World Series. What about that Yankee outfield and some of that fine defense player of theirs in that series? >> Well, they uh they really played wonderful ball in the outfield against us. Uh Lou, I think uh we each had equal pitching. They got a little more hitting than we did, but I think their defensive play in the outfield is what beat us a series. >> Well, tell me about game one now. Uh you recall, I know better than I do, in that seventh inning of that uh certain pitch you got a hold of. What happened? Well, I I hit the ball real good and I hit it good to the opposite field. As a matter of fact, it was up against the right field fence. Now, how B got back in time to catch it, I don't know, because it was a line drive and I thought sure was in there for extra bases, but he came up with that big fell roamed around in that series and that was really quite a catch he made. I recall another uh fine defensive play that one of the Yankee outfielders made uh Granny and I'd like to have you tell us a little bit more about it in game three when again you line the ball out there I think between left and center. What happened then? >> Well that one just about broke my back Lou. I uh we were the game was tied up two and two and it they had scored the tying run on on an error by myself and I wanted to get that extra base hit more than anything in the world and I hit one between the uh left and center fielder between Willing and Deagio and it looked like it was in there for free or maybe a inside the parker as you know in left field at Yankee Stadium it's pretty good ways understand if he gets by fielder a lot of times you can get an inside the puck home run but the match came from somewhere and stopped it on the first out and held me to a double and I think that play is what gave him the third game as well as I think a play bade in the first game gave him that one. They they really played wonderful defensive outfield against us. I'd heard a lot about Mr. Majo in the outfield, but he showed me plenty in the series. >> Do you think Granny if that ball got by Joe you might have gone all the way around for an inside the park homer? >> Well, I had a good jump and it was pretty dry that day. The infield was pretty dry and fast. I believe I could have. Yes. >> Uh I watched you play a lot of shorts stop for the Phillies there and I remember a certain play or two in the 1950 series and of course it's happened to you many times since then. You seem to be particularly adept at making that uh difficult cuto off player that a short stop has to make. >> Well uh that's true Lou. Although for me it isn't a difficult play at all. It's my best play. I have uh what is considered a real strong arm and uh actually it's a tougher play for the outfielder than it is for the shortstop because he's usually chasing the ball and he has to turn and throw and hit me. If he doesn't hit me right, I can't make the play at all. So, uh it is a tough play if if you haven't got the strong arm, but my arm has been all right for quite a while now. So, I hope it'll stay that way. So, actually it it is my best play. Well, Granny, we've talked about World Series play and the 1950 series in particular because you were the shortstop for the Phillies as you are now in that uh World Series play. How would you like to go back now and take a look at the third game of the 1950 World Series? >> I'd like to. Now, the series moves over to Yankee Stadium in New York. Before game time, Yankee coaches Jim Turner and Frank Cressetti are briefed by manager Casey Stenle. He's going to send Southpaw Hurler Ed Lopat to the mound for New York. Lat has 18 wins and eight losses this year. [music] Manager Eddie Sawyer and all of Philadelphia hope that the good left arm of pitcher Ken Hanselman will bring home the victory that will get them started on the winning side of the ledger. The game is still a scoreless tie after there are two away in the Yankee third. For the second time in the game, Heelman walks Rudo on the first pitch to Coleman. Rudo takes off a second and dives in head first. When Seik's wild throw goes past second into center field, Rudo races to third. Coleman belts a hit into left field. It scores risoto. Hamner's relay from Sysa to Golad nails Coleman at second. That ends the inning with the Yankees leading one to nothing. Lat already has two away in the Philadelphia six when Delena slams the first pitch off the right field wall for a two-base hit that puts him in scoring position. Sysler also connects with the first pitch and hammers a single to left field but scores with a tally that ties up the ball game at one all. In the Philly seventh, Hamner opens with a drive over second in the center field. The next batter, Andy Seik lays down a sacrificed punt Latrick Coleman that sends Hamnet to second and the Phils threaten to break that tie. Here's the pitch. Golad rams an allimp important single into center field. It scores Hamnau with a tiebreaking tally. The score is two to one and the Phils lead the Yanks for the first time in the series. The next man up pitcher Ken Heelman bunts. Low Pat fumbles momentarily, but his throw easily beats Heelman to first for the second out. The sacrifice moves Goladat into scoring position. Then any weight that slips a fly to Bower which relieves the pressure and retires the Phils but they lead two to one. That score still stands in New York's eighth inning. Mayo is now playing left field for the Phillies. Woodling batting for pitcher Lope after Rudo is grounded out to make it two away. Hanselman walks Jerry Coleman. Then he walks Barra. Pullman goes to second and the Yankees threaten to tie up the ball game. Manager Sawya comes out to the mound to talk things over with Hanselman. The Yankee Clipper Joe Deaggio is the next man up. They decide to pitch carefully to Joe, but he takes a walk anyhow to load the bases. And that one brings Sawyer out on the diamond again. The big Philadelphia relief artist Jim Constanti will take over on the mound. Ken Heinselman allowed only four hits in seven and two/3 innings. As he goes to the showers, the crowd salutes his fine performance with a warm round of applause. Brown will bat for Bower. It's two away and the bases are loaded. Brown fouls off three pitches. Then he wraps the ground to the Hamna. Two errors on the play. Everybody's safe and Coleman scores the run that ties up the ball game at two and two. Constanti bears down and Mai pops the foul play to Jones. It ends the inning with three runners left on base. Constanti has put out the fire, but the Yankees are back in the ball game in the first half of the night. Big right hand of Tom Feric who pitch for New York to replace Lat who went out for a pinch hitter in the eighth. Joe Collins replaces Johnny Meyers at first base. Hamnner the first man up for the Phils matches a long drive into deep center. A brilliant defensive play. Deagio outruns the wall to prevent an inside the park homer or a sure triple. The next batter up, Andy Seik, tries to bunt. Johnson taps the pop up and Hamner is safe at third as Johnson throws out Seik at first. Goladat is purposely passed. Whitman bats for Constanti and wraps it around to Collins who hits a fast throw to Barrow that nails Hamner at the plate. Then Feric bears down and waitress who lifts a fly to base in right field for the third out. The score continues to be all tied up at two and two. In the Yankees half of the ninth, Russ Meer is on the mound for the Phils replacing Constanti and Jimmy Bworth is at second base in place of Goladat. When Mates goes down swinging to make it two away with nobody on, it looks like the ball game is headed into extra innings. Gene Woodling slaps the founder of Bloodworth who has trouble hanging on to it and Woodling beats it out for a base hit. Then Rudo drives one in the same direction. It cars off Bloodworth's glove and bounces back to collide with Woodling as he slides safely into second and Roso gets a single. Gary Coleman is up. Here's the pitch and Coleman hammers a long drive in the left center when the ball falls between Mayo and Aspurn for a single which breaks up the ball game. Woodling tallies the winning run score 3-2 and the Yankees take a commanding threeame lead in the series. [music] >> Well, Granny, uh, what about that ball game? >> Well, that was something. I I wish we had won it and I'm dying for another crack at them. >> Well, I'm sure you'll get a crack or maybe several of them before your active career is over. And Granny, I'd like to ask you a few questions about Oh, the National League without putting you on the spot. I mean, the teams in the league and maybe the Phillies. Uh what about that ball club of yours? It look pretty solid right now. >> I I think we have a real good ball club, Lou. I I uh don't want to go out on a limb, but I think we can win it. And I think as the months go by this season, uh, the breaks will decide a lot. If we can keep our starting ball club on the field without any injuries, I think we'll win it. Well, Granny, I think we've had a very enjoyable baseball talk here. And I want to wish you a lot of success, not only uh this season, but for all the coming years that you play baseball in the major leagues. Good luck to you. >> Thank you very much, Luke. for now. See you again on TV's Baseball Hall of Fame. [music] >> [music]