
The date was September 29, 1954. The cavernous Polo Grounds played host to Game 1 of the World Series as the Giants took on the Indians.
Cleveland jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first behind Vic Wertz’ two-run triple. New York clawed back to tie the score in the third.
The contest remained knotted at two apiece as the Indians came to bat in the top of the eighth inning. Hall of Fame center fielder Larry Doby walked to lead off the inning. Cleanup man Al Rosen – the ’54 AL MVP – singled Doby to second.
Up came the red-hot Wertz. The Cleveland first baseman already had seven total bases thanks for a 4-for-4 effort that included a double and a triple.
Wertz slugged a 2-1 pitch deep to centerfield. In many ballparks the 420-foot blast would be a home run. Not in the Polo Grounds. Mays turned his back on the ball and sprinted to make a spectacular over-the-shoulder catch. The Say Hey Kid’s grab kept the game tied.
Indians pitcher Bob Lemon scattered 8 hits over the first nine innings. With one out in the tenth Lemon walked Mays who promptly stole second base. Hank Thompson was issued an intentional pass to put runners on first and second.
Giants skipper Leo Durocher called on Dusty Rhodes to pinch hit. Rhodes enjoyed a career-year in ’54, hitting .341 with a .410 on-base percentage and a .695 slugging percentage.
The New York pinch-hitter made the the most of his first at bat in the Fall Classic, slugging a three-run homer to end the game. The next night Rhodes hit another homer to help put the Giants up two-games-to-none.
Years later Rhodes reflected on the two World Series homers. In a letter that can be seen by clicking here, Rhodes writes, “The two (home runs), one short, one long was kind of lucky. The first in the tenth inning was wind blown. Bob Lemon threw his glove in the stands further than I hit the ball. We are still friends.
It was Mays’ iconic catch that made Rhodes heroics possible. In the collection is this image of Mays’ magical moment. The centerfielder has added his signature to the photo. Notice the hologram from Mays’ “Say Hey Foundation” in the bottom right of the image.