Don Larsen

 
Born: 8/7/29 Michigan City, IN
Bat: R  Throw: R
Height: 6' 4"  Weight: 227

 

 

We are proud to announce that former Yankee Great Don Larsen will be in attendance as a special guest of the Mickey Mantle Classic on Saturday April 19, 2003 from 4:30-6:00PM.  Mr. Larsen will be the third teammate (Bobby Richardson 2000, Johnny Blanchard 2001) of Mantle's to visit the Mickey Mantle Classic.

 

Don Larsen, a native of Michigan City, Indiana, played 15 seasons in the major leagues.  He pitched in five World Series and was a member of both the 1956 and 1958 world championship New York Yankee teams.  He retired from baseball in 1968.

Career Stats

YEAR TEAM IP ERA W L SV ER BB SO H
1953 St. Louis (AL) 192.2 4.16 7 12 2 89 64 96 201
1954 Baltimore (AL) 201.2 4.37 3 21 0 98 89 80 213
1955 New York (AL) 97.0 3.06 9 2 2 33 51 44 81
1956 New York (AL) 179.2 3.26 11 5 1 65 96 107 133
1957 New York (AL) 139.2 3.74 10 4 0 58 87 81 113
1958 New York (AL) 114.1 3.07 9 6 0 39 52 55 100
1959 New York (AL) 124.2 4.33 6 7 3 60 76 69 122
1960 Kansas City (AL) 83.2 5.38 1 10 0 50 42 43 97
1961 Kansas City (AL) 15.0 4.20 1 0 0 7 11 13 21
1961 Chicago (AL) 74.1 4.12 7 2 2 34 29 53 64
1962 San Francisco (NL) 86.1 4.38 5 4 11 42 47 58 83
1963 San Francisco (NL) 62.0 3.05 7 7 3 21 30 44 46
1964 San Francisco (NL) 10.1 4.35 0 1 0 5 6 6 10
1964 Houston (NL) 103.1 2.26 4 8 1 26 20 58 92
1965 Houston (NL) 5.1 5.06 0 0 0 3 3 1 8
1965 Baltimore (AL) 54.0 2.67 1 2 1 16 20 40 53
1967 C hicago (NL) 4.0 9.00 0 0 0 4 2 1 5
M.L. Totals 1,548.0 3.78 81 91 26 650 725 849 1,442

 

"The Perfect Game"

October 8th, 1956

 

The day was October 8th, 1956.  The place was Yankee Stadium.  The event was the fifth game of the 1956 World Series between the Brooklyn Dodgers and the New York Yankees.  That day, Don Larsen performed a feat which had never been done before and has never been done since. 

Mowing down 27 consecutive batters on just 97 magical pitches, Larsen beat the defending world champion Brooklyn Dodgers and Sal "The Barber" Maglie, 2-0.  The Dodgers lineup included future Hall of Famers Pee Wee Reese, Duke Snider, Jackie Robinson and Roy Campanella.  Larsen was supported by Mickey Mantle's home run and superlative defensive plays by his Yankee teammates.  But it was his dazzling array of blazing fast balls and darting sliders, and his uncanny control that handcuffed the mighty Bums of Brooklyn.  (from the book "The Perfect Yankee") 

 

"The Catch"


"For one day, Don Larsen was the greatest pitcher in baseball history." - Mickey Mantle

 

"The Pitch"


"I propelled the tiny sphere on its intended trajectory toward Yogi Berra's mitt.  While it took less than two seconds for the baseball to cut through the air and end up crossing the plate, those who witnessed my final pitch swore that time stood still." - Don Larsen

 

"The Celebration"


"Except for the day I was inducted into the Hall of Fame, there is no greater thrill I've had in baseball than catching Don Larsen's perfect game in the 1956 World Series." - Yogi Berra