About this episode

This episode recreates a pivotal baseball game between the Baltimore Orioles and New York Yankees in 1960, highlighting the dynamics of both teams and their managers.

The ageing empire of Casey Stengel’s Yankees is in a desperate three-way street fight for the American League against the Chicago White Sox (the defending champions) and the ‘Kiddie Krops’ of the Baltimore Orioles. With only half a game separating them in the loss column, every game is a make-or-break. In tonight’s game, the Yankees welcome the Orioles into the cauldron of the House that Babe Built. Stengel’s Yankees are still playing as they did during their dominant fifties with a platoon full of power that will reach the fence or fall short over nine innings. The team crumbled in 1959. Can the old ways still work? Meanwhile, Orioles manager Paul Richards has young arms aplenty, and playing small ball built around bunts, singles and aggressive base running. Will that take them through September and beyond? The Orioles have their own aged war-horse. Hoyt Wilhelm, in his ninth year in the majors, is back where he belongs, pitching in relief with a knuckleball that seems to defy the laws of physics. It's paired with the comically oversized glove of Clint Courtney, because it's the only way any catcher has a hope of getting the ball into the back of the leather. Stengel is watching…

People in this episode

Host: Ewan Spence

Topics covered

• baseball history
• Yankees vs Orioles
• American League race
• Casey Stengel
• Paul Richards
• Hoyt Wilhelm
• 1960 baseball season

Keywords

• Baltimore Orioles
• New York Yankees
• Casey Stengel
• Paul Richards
• Hoyt Wilhelm
• August 15, 1960
• American League
• baseball
• sports history
• recreated broadcast

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Baltimore Orioles, New York Yankees, American League

Books & works: Classic Baseball Radio

Places: House that Babe Built, Chicago White Sox

More episodes of Classic Baseball Radio

• The Four Immortals Of The Alabaster Plaster, St Louis Cardinals at Pittsburgh Pirates, June 16, 1961 (Recreation) · April 23, 2026 · 2h 35m
• To Live The Impossible Dream, California Angels at Boston Red Sox, July 27, 1967 (Recreation) · April 8, 2026 · 2h 52m
• Fred Haney’s Sunday Sweep, Milwaukee Braves at Brooklyn Dodgers, June 17, 1956 (Recreation) · March 25, 2026 · 2h 19m
• Baseball In The Shadow Of War, Detroit Tigers at Washington Nationals, May 14, 1941 (Recreation) · March 11, 2026 · 2h 33m
• The Go-Go White Sox Are Ready To Win, Chicago White Sox at Cleveland Indians, July 1, 1955 (Recreation) · February 23, 2026 · 2h 17m
• The Birth Of The Big Red Machine, Los Angeles Dodgers at Cincinnati Reds, April 9, 1969 (Recreation) · February 9, 2026 · 2h 11m

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