Editor’s note: The 1960 Tournament games are being played with Strat-o-Matic cards and dice. Injuries will only be used during the game when they occur. For this tournament, the rules include a three-man pitching rotation using the best lineups available.
Sending a message to the rest of the 16-team field, the 1961 New York Yankees took care of business with a 12-2 victory over the 1962 New York Mets in the opener of the 1960s Diamond Gems Tournament.
Five runs in the bottom of the first inning had the full house of fans in Yankee Stadium excited as Bill Skowron and Yogi Berra both homered off Mets starter Roger Craig. After Elston Howard‘s RBI single, Skowron drilled a three-run blast that was followed by a solo shot by Berra.
The score remained the same until Yankee pitcher Whitey Ford knocked in a pair of runs with a single that put New York on top 7-0.
In the sixth, the Yankees were at it again as Tony Kubek led off the frame greeting new Mets hurler Bob Miller with a solo homer. Howard made it 9-0 with a RBI groundout before Skowron hammered a two-run long ball that put the Yankees on top 11-0. Kubek drove in the final tally for the Yankees in the eighth against Mets reliever Ken Mackenzie.
Ford was cruising along until the ninth when he allowed a homer to pinch-hitter Gil Hodges. Richie Ashburn then singled and scored on a triple by Felix Mantilla to send Ford to the showers two outs away from a complete game.
Jim Coates entered the contest for the Yankees and retired five straight to send the Yankees to the second round where they will entertain the winner of the 1969 Baltimore Orioles at 1960 Pittsburgh Pirates affair.
Ford (1-0) gave up seven hits with a walk and eight strikeouts as Coates fanned a pair of Mets.
Craig (0-1) was tagged with the loss as he gave up seven runs on 10 hits with three walks and two strikeouts. Miller, Mackenzie and Al Jackson each worked one inning apiece for the Mets.
First Round Results and Schedule
1961 New York Yankees 12, 1962 New York Mets 2
1969 Baltimore Orioles at 1960 Pittsburgh Pirates
1961 Cincinnati Reds at 1969 New York Mets
1968 St. Louis Cardinals at 1963 Los Angeles Dodgers
1967 Boston Red Sox at 1968 Detroit Tigers
1962 San Francisco Giants at 1965 Los Angeles Dodgers
1961 Detroit Tigers at 1967 St. Louis Cardinals
1965 Minnesota Twins at 1966 Baltimore Orioles