Oct 4, 1972 — Milwaukee Brewers beat New York Yankees (1-0). Oct 4, 1972, Attendance: 5210, Time of Game: 1:57.
MILWAUKEE BREWERS VS. NEW YORK YANKEES
1972-10-04, WGY, 131 MIN.
• Phil Rizzuto
• Bill White
• Frank Messer
• Larry Gowell
• Jim Lonborg
• Phil Gries
• Mrs. Babe Ruth
Oct 4, 1972 — Milwaukee Brewers beat New York Yankees (1-0). Oct 4, 1972, Attendance: 5210, Time of Game: 1:57.
The Milwaukee Brewers defeat the New York Yankees 1-0 at Yankee Stadium on this final day of the regular season. Jim Lonborg scatters three hits in winning his 14th game of the season. Larry Gowell is the losing pitcher for the Yankees. Announcers are Phil Rizzuto, Bill White, and Frank Messer. Aired on WGY Radio.
NOTE: New York Yankee pitcher, Larry Gowell was the last American League pitcher to record a hit in a regular-season game before the Designated Hitter rule was instituted.
On October 4th, 1972, Gowell made his mark in baseball history when the rookie right-hander faced Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Jim Lonborg and slugged a 3-2 fastball down the left-field line for a double.
Interestingly, it was Larry Gowell's first and only Major League hit, as well as the final regular season hit by an American League pitcher until interleague play and the designated hitter rule was implemented during the 1973 American League season.
Frank Messer, New York Yankee announcer from 1968 to 1985 calls the first, second, and third inning with Bill White.
Bill White, New York Yankee announcer from 1971 to 1988 calls the fourth, fifth and sixth inning with Phil Rizzuto.
Phil Rizzuto, New York Yankee announcer from 1957 to 1996 calls the seventh, eighth and ninth inning with Frank Messer from Yankee Stadium.
Larry Gowell leads off the bottom of the third inning and on a 3-2 count doubles down the left field line. Messer states, "Even if this is Gowell's only hit he'll ever get (which it was) it will be a special memory."
72 minutes into this broadcasts Phil Rizzuto comments about Gowell's hit.
NOTE:
The baseball which Larry Gowell hit for a double now resides in the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown, New York.
Also, it is interesting to note, during the 1972 season the New York Yankees had the lowest Yankee Stadium attendance record in 22 years, since 1945 (under 1 million).
At this final game of the season only 5,210 fans were in attendance watching a Hall of Fame baseball historic moment transpire.
Although Larry Gowell allowed only one run during this game the Yankees lost 1-0. It was to be Gowell's only MLB decision.
ON FEBRUARY 29, 2020, LARRY GOWELL CONTACTED YOURS TRULY, PHIL GRIES, BY PHONE, STATING HE HAD BEEN SEARCHING FOR ANY BROADCAST RECORD OF THIS GAME FOR THE PAST 45 YEARS.
One continuous recording of the complete game was processed and transferred to a DVD SOUNDTRACK, taken from my mastered original analog 1/4" reel to reel audio tape. Two copies were mailed to Gowell, one of which he sent to Cooperstown, audio courtesy of Archival Television Audio, Inc.
The following is an email I received, February 29, 2020, from Larry Gowell.
"Hi Phil
A Facebook friend of mine just let me know about your company. His name is Chris, and he was looking into my time with the New York Yankees as a pitcher. My first game was in Milwaukee on September 21, 1972, in County Stadium where I pitched two perfect innings. In my second game, I started the last game of the year in Yankee Stadium on October 4th and pitched against Jim Lonborg.
These were my only two starts with the Yankees and my major league career. In that last game in Yankee Stadium an historical occurrence happened for me and the game of baseball.
In the third inning of the game, I got up to bat which was the only time in my major league career, and I ended up getting a hard hit double down the left field line that got to the wall.
This being the last game of the season in the major leagues, I went on with my life not knowing my hit was historic. I found out about 8 years later that the hit I got ended up being the last hit by a pitcher before the enactment of the "designated hitter" rule (DH). I was in possession of the baseball because they always would give the baseball on the occasion of your first hit in the big leagues.
After I found out about this notable at bat of mine I sent the baseball to the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York to be evaluated and to confirm that the ball I had was actually the baseball I hit for a double my one and only time at bat in my major league career.
With further review, The Baseball Hall of Fame asked me if I wanted to donate the ball to the Hall as an historical baseball...that is very valuable to the hall and to the history of baseball. So, with that said, I have been looking, unsuccessfully, for any Video or Audio I can find related to that game at Yankee Stadium.
Chris Chafin checked out your website and he said you have it.
I know that Mrs. Babe Ruth was in the stands for that last game too.
I look forward to hearing from you."
The Best,
Larry Gowell
45 Seventh Street
Auburn, Maine 04210
PH. 207...-....
ON March 11th I mastered for Larry Gowell a DVD soundtrack containing the complete game broadcast which runs 131 minutes.
An additional copy was sent to him which he sent to the Baseball Hall of Fame.
It is heartening to know that Larry finally had a chance, after 48 years, to share with his family, and especially with his adoring grandson, and friends, to reflect while listening to the actual broadcast of his historic hit.
It is especially gratifying for me to realize, as an archivist for over 65 years, that Larry Gowell was able to share listening to this game personally 48 years after it happened...a moment in time in his life, with family and friends, listening to an audio air check from my collection that I was able to pass along to him just in time, and after so many years deemed "lost," for he passed away on May 11, 2020, at age 72, shortly after receiving it.
