June 6, 1963 - The Yankees were glad to get out of town alive. One of the costliest series in recent franchise history was concluded today as New York lost the game to the Baltimore Orioles, 4-2; lost possession of first place in the American League; lost Mickey Mantle for at least four weeks; and possibly lost the services of Jim Bouton for a few days. Bouton, the Yankee starter, was struck in the face by a hard line drive in the fourth inning off the bat of Jackie Brandt. The pitcher went down like a man who had been shot. Blood gushed from his face. A stretcher was summoned, but the 24-year-old right-hander got up and walked unsteadily off the field. The 28,005 fans applauded when it was evident he could move unassisted. The night before, they had cheered the PA announcement that Mantle had a broken bone. Bouton later described the play: “I blacked out for a couple of seconds. I tried to get my glove up, but I don’t know if the ball hit it or not.” Dale Long said, “It hit him flush in the jaw.” At Union Memorial Hospital, 12 stitches were taken in the 2-inch cut on Bouton’s cheek. X-rays proved negative, and Bouton traveled on to Detroit with the team. Mantle broke his left foot last night in the only game the Yankees won in the three-game set at Memorial Stadium. Today, Mickey was flown to New York in owner Dan Topping’s private plane, accompanied by Whitey Ford. When they landed at LaGuardia, Mickey said: “I guess the doctors know more about it than I do, but I don’t think I’ll be out more than three or four weeks. I was just beginning to feel good and hit the ball. I felt so good I wanted to steal some bases. It could have been worse. I’d rather have this clean break than a torn ligament. You never get over those things.” He said he could move the toes in the cast but that the foot throbbed when he had to put it down. By propping it up, he felt no pain. “I had to take some pain-killers last night,” he admitted. With tonight’s victory, the Orioles took over first place in the American League, gaining a game-and-a-half margin over the Yankees, who dropped to second. First baseman Jim Gentile was Baltimore’s hero today, driving in three runs.
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