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Al Downing debuted for the New York Yankees as a 20-year-old in 1961. He bounced between the majors and minors until coming up to the big club to stay in June of ’63.

Downing made good on his opportunity. Over the rest of the season in New York he made 22 starts, completed 10 games, and authored four shutouts. The lefty topped AL hurlers in hits per nine innings and home runs per nine innings while pitching to a 2.56 ERA. He helped the Yankees won 104 games and their fourth-straight American League pennant.

In the World Series the 22-year old Downing got the start in Game 2 against the Dodgers’ Johnny Podres. It proved to be a tough assignment for the young Yankee twirler.

Leadoff man Maury Wills opened the game with a single then stole second base. Jim Gilliam then grounded a seeing-eye base hit between first and second base. Wills took an aggressive turn at third and drew the throw home from New York right fielder Roger Maris, allowing Gilliam to advance to second.

With each man in scoring position, Willie Davis sliced a double into the right-field corner to plate them both. Downing settled down from there, retiring 9 of the next 11 Dodger batters before Bill Skowron’s leadoff homer in the 4th inning pushed the score to 3-0.

Downing held the Dodgers scoreless the rest of his outing before giving way to Ralph Terry in the 6th. Los Angeles added a run in the 8th on a Tommy Davis triple. The New York offense managed only a 9th-inning run, bowing to the Dodgers 4-1.

The loss put the Yankees down two-games-to-none. Los Angeles trotted out Don Drysdale and Sandy Koufax for Games 3 and 4. The Hall of Fame right-left hill combo held the Yanks to one run over the final 18 innings to gain the World Series sweep.

Shown here is a ticket to Downing’s World Series start in Game 2. The pitcher signed the ticket and added the inscription, “WS debut”.

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In 1964 Al Downing’s 13 wins and league-leading 217 strikeouts helped the New York Yankees win 99 games and the American League pennant. The left-hander made three appearances in the World Series, two as a reliever and one as a starter.

In Game 1, the Cardinals touched up Whitey Ford for five runs in 5 1/2 innings. Downing came on in relief in the 6th. He allowed two hits and struck out one in 1 2/3 innings.

Four days later Downing got the Game 4 start. He sailed through the first five innings, holding St. Louis scoreless while facing two over the minimum.

In the 6th Downing ran into trouble. After the first two batter singled, Al got Lou Brock to fly out to center. The next batter Dick Groat grounded a 2-0 pitch to second baseman Bobby Richardson. Hoping to turn two, Richardson threw to second base. Instead of starting an inning-ending double play, Richardson’s errant throw sailed wide to load the bases.

Up came Ken Boyer, that seasons National League Most Valuable Player. On Downing’s 1-0 offering, Boyer hit the ball down the left field line and over the fence for a grand slam.

The image above shows a ticket to Downing’s Game 4 start. Gentleman Al signed the ticket and added, “Boyer HR, a good swing on a tough pitch”.

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This 1964 Topps card features the images and autographs of Al Downing and Jim Bouton. Both were coming off of outstanding 1963 campaigns.

Downing posted a career-best .722 winning percentage, a 2.56 ERA and a league-leading 8.8 strikeouts per nine innings. Bouton was a 20-game winner and All Star. Bouton followed up his 20-win season in 1963 with 18 victories in ’64. He never again posted a double-digit win total.

Best known for giving up Hank Aaron’s 715th homer to pass Babe Ruth, Downing won 76 games for the Yankees over parts of 9 seasons. An All Star in ’67, he received MVP and Cy Young votes in 1971 with the Dodgers when he was Comeback Player of the Year.

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The Major League Baseball Players Association sent out questionnaires like this one to its players to determine what endorsements each man had. Today’s players compliment their baseball salary with off-field endorsement. That wasn’t always the case.

This document filled out by Al Downing on July 16, 1970 shows him to have just one endorsement, with Brunswick sporting goods. The left-hander has signed his legal name, “Alphonso E. Downing”.

The 1970 season was a rough one for Gentleman Al. His Yankee career over thanks to a trade to Oakland, Downing scuffled. After starting the season by going 3-3 with the A’s, Downing was dealt to Milwaukee where he won just 2 of his 12 decisions.

In the off-season the Brewers flipped Downing to the Dodgers for utility man Andy Kosco.

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The Yankees and the Dodgers are two of the proudest franchises in baseball history. During the 20th-century they faced each other a record 11 times in the World Series.

When Al Downing threw his first pitch for the Dodgers in 1971 he became the 38th hurler to appear in a game for both teams. Cooperstown men Dazzy Vance, Burleigh Grimes, and Waite Hoyt preceded Downing in pitching for the two clubs. Other notables include 222-game winner Bobo Newsom and Ralph Branca.

Downing revitalized his career in Los Angeles. After going 5-13 in 1970, he won a career-high 20 games en route to earning Comeback Player of the Year honors. In his 7 seasons with the Dodgers, Downing had 25 complete games, 12 shutouts, and a 3.16 earned run average.

Shown here is a pair of autographed Topps cards signed by Downing featuring him with the Yankees and Dodgers. The New York example is from 1967 while the LA card is from 1972.

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When Jim “Mudcat” Grant won a league-leading 21 games in 1965, he became the American League’s first African-American 20-game winner. Later he published his autobiography under the title, The Black Aces: Baseball’s Only African-American Twenty-Game Winners.

The term, “Black Aces” came to represent 20-game winners of African-American descent. The first member of the club was Don Newcombe of the 1951 Brooklyn Dodgers. A Rookie of the Year, Cy Young, and MVP, Newk’ had 20 or more wins on three occasions including a league-leading 27 in 1956.

Four years later Sam Jones of the San Francisco Giants posted an NL-best 21 victories to join Newcombe. First AL Black Ace Mudcat Grant earned his 20th win of 1965 on September 25; eight days later the Cardinals’ Bob Gibson became the club’s fourth member. Gibson reached the 20-win plateau again in 1966, ’68, ’69, and ’70.

In 1967 Fergie Jenkins and Earl Wilson gained membership by winning 20 and 22 games respectively. Jenkins proved to be the most prolific of the 20-game winners, reaching the mark in seven seasons.

Vida Blue had the first of his three 20-win seasons in 1971 when he was voted the American League Most Valuable Player. That same year Al Downing captured the NL’s Comeback Player of the Year Award by winning 20 contests.

Flamethrower JR Richard secured his spot with the Black Aces in 1976 with exactly 20 victories while Mike Norris joined him as a 22-game winner in 1980 with the A’s.

Dwight Gooden had perhaps the finest season of any of the aces in 1985. It was a Triple Crown campaign for Doc who led the NL in wins (24), ERA (1.53) and strikeouts (268). That same decade, Dave Stewart dominated AL hitters by winning 20+ in four consecutive seasons started in 1987.

Former Rookie of the Year Dontrelle Willis became the first Black Ace of the 21st century with 22 victories in 2005. Five years later CC Sabathia of the New York Yankees led the league with 21 triumphs to join his mates. The most recent addition to the exclusive club is David Price who won exactly 20 in his Cy Young campaign of 2012.

In the collection is Don Newcombe’s rookie baseball card produced by Bowman in 1950. The pitcher has neatly signed his name across the front of the card. Newcombe and Downing are the two Dodger Black Aces.

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Al Downing was a big league pitcher for 17 years. His time in the majors included two American League pennants, one in the National League, an All Star selection a 20-win season, and a Comeback Player of the Year nod.

Despite his many accomplishments, he is best remembered for the home run he surrendered on April 8, 1974. Pitching for the Los Angeles Dodgers at Atlanta’s Fulton County Stadium, Downing gave up Hank Aaron’s 715th homer that broke Babe Ruth’s career home run record.

Ruth owned the mark since hitting his 139th career long ball in 1921, adding to it until retiring with 714. The mythical Ruth acquiesced to Aaron more than a half-century after claiming the top spot.

The importance of the record-breaking blast was underscored by Vin Scully’s call.

“It’s a high drive into deep left-center field. Buckner goes back to the fence. It is gone!” Scully said as the ball left the yard. After sitting silent to allow the crowd to rejoice, Scully continued “What a marvelous moment for baseball. What a marvelous moment for Atlanta and the state of Georgia. What a marvelous moment for the country and the world. A Black man is getting a standing ovation in the Deep South for breaking a record of an all-time baseball idol.”

Shown here is a telegram congratulating Aaron on his momentous home run. Notice his signature on the bottom right.