Meet The Teams, cont.

1962 San Fransisco Giants

After winning the 1954 World Series as the New York Giants, the Giants franchise entered a miserable period in their storied history, never winning more than 85 games in a season.  Seemingly from nowhere the 1962 Giants exploded for 103 wins, still the most post-dead ball era for the franchise.  The team would feature five All-Stars and two young Hall of Famers in the making, Willie McCovey and Juan Marichal, but at the heart of the lineup were two Hall of Famers at the height of their game.  Orlando Cepeda's production tapered off slightly from the previous year but still posted excellent numbers (35 HR, 114 RBIs, .306 BA) and Willie Mays, who is, with out a doubt, on the short-list for best player of all time.  Mays would put up some of the best power numbers of his lengthy career (49 HR and 141 RBIs) while also hitting .304 and stealing 18 bases.  The '62 team was very balanced, quality players up and down the lineup as well as having four 15 game winners on the mound.

Yet even after winning 103 games they found themselves tied with the hated Los Angeles Dodgers.  A three game playoff was played to decide who would play the New York Yankees in the World Series.  The Giants would take care of business in the playoff just to see their improbable run end at the hands of the Yankees 1960 dynasty in seven games, losing a classic game, 1-0 in game 7 of the series...

In the bottom of the 9th, with the Giants down one run, pinch-hitter Matty Alou, batting for relief pitcher Billy O'Dell, led off the inning with a bunt base hit after first having a foul ball dropped, but Ralph Terry struck out the next two batters, Felipe Alou and Chuck Hiller. Mays hit a double into the right field corner, but Maris brilliantly played the carom, then hit cut-off man Richardson with a throw that was relayed perfectly to home. Alou, already aware of Maris' great arm, stopped at third. Facing Willie McCovey with two outs, Terry elected to pitch to him rather than walk the bases loaded and bring up Orlando Cepeda. Terry's inside fastball on the second pitch completely handcuffed McCovey, who nonetheless adjusted his bat in mid-swing to extend his arms and hit what he later claimed was the hardest ball he had ever struck. The line drive appeared at first to be going over the head of a perfectly-positioned Richardson, but was in fact sinking from topspin and Richardson made the catch without leaping to end the game.[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1962_San_Francisco_Giants_season#Notes]

Most will say the team "caught lightning in a bottle" and they are probably right.  After the 103 win outbreak the team would again fall to mediocrity, failing to reach the World Series or playoffs until 1971.  The 1962 Giants team, however, stands as an example of when all the pieces fit and it all comes together for one magical season.