1961 AMERICAN LEAGUE ALL-STAR
"Skowron is a man of muscle who has hit better than .300 lifetime after six seasons. He reached .309 in 1960, the fourth-best mark in the circuit, hit 26 homers, smashed 34 doubles, second best in the American League, and drove home 91 runs. Skowron is a good fielder at first base who was unduly criticized for attempting a routine force play that backfired in the fourth game of the Series
Born in Chicago, Skowron was a top schoolboy athlete and had a football scholarship at Purdue. He spent three years in the minors before coming to the Stadium to stay in 1954. He has been injury-prone and must wear a special back brace when playing."
-Don Schiffer, The Major League Baseball Handbook 1961
1960
April 19: Gets four hits in 8-4 win over Bosox.
April 21: Beats Bosox, 4-0, with three-run homer.
May 7: Beats A's, 4-1, with RBI single, forced run.
May 13: Beats Nats with two-run homer double in 8th.
June 7: Hits two-run double in 5-2 win over Chisox.
June 13: Four RBIs on home run and sacrifice fly in 8-4 win over Nats.
June 18: Four RBIs on home run, double and single in win over Chisox.
June 30: Hits two home runs in 10-3 rout of A's.
July 2: Named to American League All-Star team.
July 10: Hits two home runs and single in loss to Red Sox.
July 19: Five RBIs on two home runs and double in win over Indians.
July 22: Hits two-run homer, triple and single in loss to Chisox.
July 23: Hits home run and two singles in 5-3 win over Chisox.
August 7: Beats A's, 3-2, with two-run homer.
August 10: His home run settles 6-0 win over Chisox.
September 20: Beats Nats with two-run homer in 11th.
September 23: Gets four hits in win over Red Sox.
Comment: "Skowron stayed sound and had his best all-around year. He's a brutal hitter when in a groove."
-Joe Sheehan, Dell Sports Magazine Baseball, April 1961
"Almost overnight Big Bill Skowron has become the 'dean' of the Yankee infield. At 30, Moose is the power man of the inner defense cordon with which the new Yankees hope to build another American League pennant winner.
In 1960, Moose played a full season for the first time with the Yankees. Injuries had hampered his career almost from the outset, but last year he was a regular and thus he boosted his personal batting highs in home runs, RBIs and total hits. In the losing World Series, Moose was one of several Yankee standouts. He pummeled Pirate pitching for a .375 average. In All-Star competition since 1957, Skowron has totaled six hits in 10 at-bats for a .600 mark. Another healthy year for the popular Skowron may well insure Manager Ralph Houk's first pennant.
In the off-season, Moose has been developing his post-baseball career in several business ventures and is a fine after-dinner speaker."
-The New York Yankees Official 1961 Yearbook
William Joseph Skowron (1B) #14
Born December 18, 1930, in Chicago, Illinois, resides in Hillsdale, N.J. Height: 6-0, weight: 200. Bats right, throws right.
Married and father of two boys, Gregory (7) and Stephen (4).
-The New York Yankees Official 1961 Yearbook
"29-year-old Moose Skowron rebounded from his 1959 injuries to have one of his finest seasons with the Yankees and played a big role in nailing down the 1960 American League championship.
The six-foot, 200-pound slugger was signed by New York off the Purdue University campus in 1951. He played football and baseball for the Boilermakers and still holds the Big Ten batting record, having hit an astronomical .500 in 1950.
A native of Chicago, Bill was a shortstop in college and played third base and the outfield as a minor leaguer. He started his Organized Ball career with Binghamton of the Eastern League. He was sent down to Norfolk of the Piedmont loop after a few weeks and won the batting title with a .334 mark.
The Yankees moved him up to Kansas City of the American Association and Bill turned in two fine seasons in Triple A company. He was the AA's home run and RBI champ in 1952.
Platooned with Joe Collins, Skowron hit .340 in 87 American League contests in 1954. The rookie first sacker had 12 doubles, nine triples and seven homers as a part-time operator.
Bill 'slumped' to .319 in 1955, when he again shared the job in Casey Stengel's shuffle system. And, he was a .333 hitter in his first World Series.
As New York's regular first baseman, Skowron hit .308 and .304 in 1956 and 1957 respectively. He slammed out 23 four-baggers and drove in 90 runs in the former season and had 17 circuit clouts and 88 RBIs in '57. Injuries kept him from seeing more than token duty in the '57 Series.
Moose's average fell below .300 for the first time in 1958, but his big bat helped the Yankees to another pennant and World's Championship. His seven hits in the '58 Series included two home runs and he drove in seven runs.
A broken wrist and torn thigh muscle limited him to 74 games in 1959 and the loss of the Hillside, New Jersey, resident was a key factor in the Bombers' failure to win the AL crown.
Big Bill appeared in 146 contests last summer, hit .309 and reached his major league high in homers (26) and RBIs (91). His 34 doubles, also a personal high, were the second highest total in the Junior Circuit last season.
A repeat of his 1960 marks will make Ralph Houk's rookie season a pleasant one and the Moose is confident that he can do the job."
-New York Yankees 1961 Yearbook (Jay Publishing Co.)
"Almost overnight Big Bill Skowron has become the 'dean' of the Yankee infield. At 30, he is the power man of the inner defense cordon with which the new Yankees hope to continue their great dynasty. In 1961 the muscular first basemen topped his personal high in home runs and was a key man in driving home important runs in the Yankees' stretch drive to the pennant.
In 1960, the six-foot, 200-pound right-handed hitter played a full season for the Yankees for the first time. Injuries had hampered his career almost from the outset, but in 1960 he was a regular and thus boosted his personal batting highs in home runs, runs-batted-in and total hits. In the losing World Series, Bill was one of several Yankee standouts. He blasted Pirate pitching for a .375 mark.
He has been in five World Series with the Yanks and in four All-Star Games. Since 1957, in All-Star competition, Skowron has totaled six hits in ten at-bats for a .600 mark. In 24 previous World Series games, he has six homers (including a grand slam) and 20 RBIs.
Skowron lives with his wife and two sons in Hillsdale, New Jersey."
-1961 World Series Official Souvenir Program
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