The Dodgers’ eight World Series championships are individually worthy of a movie. With that in mind, we continue with part six of an eight-part series that takes one regular season game — a microcosm game for the team’s championship season — and treat it like a screenplay to a movie. The following is a true story of the 1963 World Series champions. The game is Dodgers vs. Cardinals, Sept. 18, 1963.
by Mark Langill
Among the galaxy of stars in the Dodgers’ 1963 lineup, his name stood out only to grammar fans as a palindrome — a word that could be spelled the same backwards.
The rest of Dick Nen’s demeanor seemed just as exciting. His trading card poses conveyed a feeling of “did you take the picture yet?” A slight smile formed on his pressed lips, the similar pose no doubt when da Vinci painted Mona Lisa’s rookie card.
At age 23, the 6-foot-2, 200-pound South Gate native and Banning High School graduate had already served in the military. A soldier is taught to be ready at a moment’s notice.
That preparation came in handy on Sept. 18, a September night in St. Louis, when Nen thought his primary mission was over.
Walter Alston, the normally stoic Dodger manager, bidding for his third World Series title in 10 seasons, wasn’t trying to get laughs in the Sportsman’s Park dugout when he borrowed the “Who’s on First?” line from comedians Bud Abbott and Lou Costello. That Vaudeville act portrayed a manager trying to give his lineup of players with unique last names — which included “Who,” “What” and “I Don’t Know” to a confused and increasingly frustrated fan.
The Dodgers and Cardinals were locked in a pennant race, Los Angeles clinging to a two-game lead entering the series finale. Sometimes, the expanded September rosters can make a manager’s head spin with possibilities.
With the Dodgers trailing 5–1 in the eighth inning, Nen made his Major League debut against St. Louis starter Bob Gibson as a pinch-hitter for reliever Bob Miller.
Gibson stared in at Nen looking at the plate and the batter’s box as if he owned it. It didn’t matter if it was a rookie or an All-Star, he owned it. And the fierce Gibson was going to let you know it.
For Nen though, facing any pitcher in a dramatic situation capped a dream that took a decade to fulfill. As a local Southern California prep standout, Nen had been on the Dodgers’ scouting radar since age 12.
Nen joined the Dodgers’ “rookie team” in 1961, a collection of high school prospects who played other amateur teams in the area on weekends and during the school year. Because the Major League Draft wasn’t established until 1965, the Dodger rookie teams were a way to court prospects, who could sign with any team after graduation.
One of his teammates was Roy Gleason, a 6-foot-2, 220-pound outfielder from Garden Grove High School. Gleason admired Nen, a no-nonsense player who didn’t say much. Like a good soldier, Nen performed his job, whether spraying line drives or stopping any wild throws thrown in his direction at first base.
Two years later, Nen and Gleason were in the visitor’s dugout in St. Louis, waiting for their chance. Both were left-handed hitters with power. Nen was coming off a solid season at Triple-A Spokane. Gleason, 20, made the leap from Class-A Salem.
Alston decided to start the eighth inning with Nen, who timed Gibson perfectly and lashed a line drive toward center field. The ball headed straight toward Curt Flood, the Gold Glove fielder, who easily caught the first out.
Nen made his way back to the Dodger dugout thinking his day was over. Instead, that was the intimidating Gibson’s fate.
The Dodgers chipped away against the right-hander and then St. Louis relief pitcher Bobby Shantz. During a three-run rally, Alston pinch-hit for starting first baseman Ron Fairly and used his backup, veteran Moose Skowron, as a pinch-hitter. Alston also called upon Gleason in the eighth inning as a pinch-runner for Frank Howard.
When the inning finally ended, the Dodgers trailed, 5–4, and Alston wondered aloud who was going to play first base in the bottom of the eighth.
Gleason, sitting next to veteran infielder Lee Walls, said, “Nen can play first base. And technically, he’s still in the game.”
Gleason didn’t offer this strategy directly to Alston. Rookies are supposed to blend into scenery. And would Alston feel offended or embarrassed taking strategy lessons from a Double-A callup?
At age 30, Walls didn’t hesitate relaying Gleason’s information to Alston.
What Walls didn’t say was that he was the other Dodger first baseman in 1963 behind Fairly and Skowron. Walls had played five games at first base, but none since August 23.
Nen grabbed his mitt and jogged out to play first base.
All the things that could be running through his mind:
“If something happens in the infield, I better make a play.”
And … “I’m due up second in the top of the ninth.”
With a new pitcher in for the Dodgers, Ron Perranoski, Nen made two plays in the bottom of the eighth, both on the receiving end of throws, including a groundout by Cardinal Charlie James to end the inning.
I’m due up second in the top of the ninth.
After leadoff hitter Ken McMullen flied out to second against right-hander Ron Taylor, Nen stepped to the plate for another chance.
Like he did against Gibson, Nen hit a bullet off Taylor.
But it wasn’t a line drive. Instead, he lifted a ball into the air. Right fielder Mike Shannon, who had just replaced James on defense, took a few backward steps before realizing he didn’t have a chance.
Nen’s ball kept soaring and it finally landed on the roof.
The Dodgers’ dugout erupted with jubilation as Nen methodically circled the bases.
The game was tied, 5–5.
As the teams went into extra innings, it wasn’t a surprise to see the lefty Perranoski still on the pitcher’s mound. Alston needed this game, and he wasn’t afraid to ride his bullpen horse with a chance to pull away from a Cardinals team that recently won 19 of 20 games.
In the 13th inning, the Dodgers faced veteran right-hander Lew Burdette. Willie Davis hit a leadoff single. Alston didn’t use Walls as a pinch-hitter for Perranoski, who struck out on a foul two-strike bunt. After Dick Tracewski reached on a two-base error, Nen was at the plate again with runners on second and third.
With his career less than two hours old, Burdette intentionally walked Nen to load the bases.
Wiry and quick Dodger shortstop Maury Wills hit a ground ball to second base. Nen hustled like he was trying to make an impression. Across the diamond, his teammate Willie Davis hustled like he was trying to give the Dodgers a lead.
He did.
The Dodgers were ahead, 6–5.
Perranoski went back to the mound for the bottom of the 13th inning to face the St. Louis 7–8–9 hitters.
He retired Shannon on a flyout to left field. Tim McCarver grounded out to Wills at shortstop.
Nen stood on the infield dirt. One out away from being a hero. He saw in the batter’s box a mirror image.
Jerry Buchek, a 21-year-old native from St. Louis, was the Cardinals’ last hope as a right-handed pinch-hitter for Burdette. The infielder, recently promoted from Triple-A Atlanta, faced Perranoski, huffing and puffing and trying to close out a sixth scoreless inning.
Buchek struck out swinging on three pitches.
The Dodgers left town with a three-game sweep.
Four games ahead with nine to play.
Alston no longer needed the line from “Who’s on First?”
Thanks to Nen’s ninth-inning heroics, the veterans were confident they knew the answer to another question as they boarded their flight to Los Angeles.
“Who finishes first?”
1963 Championship Year, a Symbolic Game: Who’s on first? was originally published in Dodger Insider on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.