Yankee's old-time infield was pretty good

There are old timers days, and then there is Old Timers Day at Yankee Stadium.

 

The best one, by a mile.

 

They held one again today. I caught just glimpses of it now and then as I was kind of busy.

 

I did see Johnny Blanchard introduced, a role player on the great Yankee teams of the late 1950s and early 1960s, but a favorite of mine. And Moose Skowron, a good hitter and 20-homer guy who also was a very good first baseman.

 

I spoke to Skowron in Cooperstown a few years ago. Maybe it was more than a few years ago. They’re starting to run together now. Anyway, he was great to talk to. I told him how terrific I thought that Yankee infield of the early 60s was – Skowron at first, Bobby Richardson at second, Tony Kubek at short, Clete Boyer at third. Very tight. He agreed, of course, as he should have.

 

Those teams were known for their power – they hit 240 home runs; Roger Maris hit 61, Mickey Mantle hit 54; Skowron hit 28 and Blanchard hit 21, by the way – but they benefited from that infield, too.

 

You don’t hear about good infield’s anymore. Good guys at second, third and short, but you don’t hear about good infields. They still make a difference, though.