Sept. 30, 1962 - Wonderful Willie Mays smashed his 47th home run of the season today to propel the San Francisco Giants into a first-place tie with the Los Angeles Dodgers on the final day of the regular National League schedule. Mays’ 400-foot clout gave the Giants a tense 2-1 victory over the Houston Colts. It came in the eighth inning off Dick Farrell, Houston’s ace right-hander, and broke a 1-1 tie. Thus, the 1962 Giants became the first Giant entry to win 100 games since John McGraw’s 1913 team won 101 of 152 games. The Giants had to sweat a half-hour in their dressing room before the news was flashed that St. Louis had beaten the Dodgers, at which point mild pandemonium broke loose in the locker room. The happiest of all were Mays and Manager Alvin Dark. The Giants will face the Dodgers in a two-of-three-game playoff series that begins tomorrow in San Francisco. Billy Pierce of the Giants and Sandy Koufax of the Dodgers are expected to be the starting pitchers. The winner of the series will meet the Yankees in the World Series.
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