The date was May 21, 1964.

“Chapel of Love” by The Dixie Cups replaced “My Guy” by Mary Wells as the number-one song in the U.S.

American actress Yvette Mimieuex was on the cover of Esquire.

And the Phillies were playing the rubber game in the showdown for first place with the Giants at Candlestick Park. It was 18-year-old rookie Rick Wise (0-0) for the Phils versus Bob Hendley (3-3) for the Ginats.

Hendley’s last start was a three-hit shutout over the Mets.

Wise was being broken in gently. So far, he’d been in four games, one as a starter and three in relief. He’d given up only one run in seven innings, good for a 1.29 ERA.

The Phillies signed Rick Wise in 1963 right out of Madison High School in Portland, Oregon.

He’ll always be remembered by older Phillies fans for pitching a 4-0 no-hitter against the Reds on June 23, 1971, while hitting two home runs and knocking in three of the four runs. He’ll also be remembered for being the player dealt to the Cardinals in the following off-season in exchange for Steve Carlton ─ who went on to win 241 games with the Phillies; went 24-9 in 1980 with a playoff win against the Houston Astros and two World Series victories over the Kansas City A’s; and for winning four Cy Youngs Awards.

Tony Taylor led off the ballgame with a single and stole second one out later. Richie Allen then hit his ninth home run of the season to put the Phillies on top 2-0.

The Giants answered in the bottom of the first.

With one out, Jesus Alou singled and Willie Mays followed with his 15th home run of the year to tie the score 2-2.

No score in the second.

Richie Allen singled to start the top of the third. Danny Cater laid down a bunt – but beat it out to put runners on first and second with nobody out.

When Gus Triandos flew out to deep center, Allen tagged up and moved to third after the catch. That put runners on first and third with one out.

Tony Gonzalez hit a sacrifice fly to make it 3-2.

Wes Covington singled and Cater moved to third to put runners on first and third with two outs. Bobby Wine singled and Cater scored to up the lead to 4-2 Phillies. Covington stopped at second.

Rick Wise walked to load the bases, and that was it for Hendley. Alvin Dark replaced him with Gaylord Perry (2-0) – and Perry retired Tony Taylor to end the threat.

In the bottom of the third, Dark lifted Perry for a pinch-hitter and replaced him with Bobby Bolin (0-1) to pitch the top of the fourth – and Bolin retired the Phillies in order.

In the bottom of the fourth, Willie Mays walked and advanced to third on Willie McCovey’s single.

Even with the Phillies leading 4-2, Gene Mauch wanted to take no chances with his rookie pitcher. Mauch lifted Rick Wise in favor of Ed Roebuck (1-0). Roebuck had yet to give up a run in eight outings and already notched four saves with a 0.00 ERA.

Roebuck got what he was looking for when Cepeda hit a double-play ball to short, but Bobby Wine booted it. Willie Mays scored to close the gap to 4-3 and the Giants wound up with runners on first and second and still nobody out.

Jim Davenport beat out a bunt to load the bases.

José Pagan singled and the runners moved up a base with McCovey scoring to tie the game 4-4.

Bases still loaded with nobody out.

Roebuck got Del Crandall to pop to second for the first out.

Al Dark let Bolin bat for himself, and Bolin grounded into a double-play to end the inning.

Bolin pitched a scoreless top of the fifth.

Gene Mauch replaced Roebuck with Johnny Klippstein (2-0) to start the bottom of the fifth. Klippstein had an ERA of 1.93 in six games.

In the bottom of the fifth, Klippstein got two quick ground outs, but then gave up a home run to Willie Mays that put the Giants back on top 5-4. It was Mays’ 16th home run and 38th RBI.

Klippstein walked Willie McCovey and Orlando Cepeda homered ─ his third of the year ─ and it was 7-4 Giants.

But the inning wasn’t over yet.

Jim Davenport singled, and José Pagan doubled to put runners on second and third, and still two outs.

Gene Mauch decided to make a double-switch:

• Ray Culp (1-4) came in to pitch, batting eighth.
• Ruben Amaro came in to play short, batting ninth.

After six less than impressive starts, it was Culp’s first time out of the bullpen.

Culp walked Del Crandall intentionally to load the bases to get to pitcher Bobby Bolin. But Culp then committed a cardinal sin of pitching ─ he walked the opposing pitcher – with the bases loaded – to force home a run to make it 8-4 Giants.

With the bases still loaded and two outs, Al Dark sent former Dodger great Duke Snider up to bat for Jim Ray Hart. But Culp got Snider to ground out to end the fifth.

Bolin retired the Phillies in the top of the sixth.

In the bottom of the sixth, Culp looked impressive in striking out the side. But he ran into self-imposed trouble in the seventh

Orlando Cepeda walked and moved to second on a sacrifice by Jim Davenport. José Pagan popped out for the second out.

Culp walked Del Crandall intentionally to get to the pitcher – but for the second time in a row Culp walked pitcher Bobby Bolin – this time loading the bases with one out.

Culp hit Chuck Hiller to force home a run and make it 9-4 Giants.

Bobby Bolin (1-1) shut down the Phillies the rest of the way, Over the final six innings, he gave up one hit and no runs to pick up the win.

Johnny Klippstein (2-1) was tagged with the loss.

The Giants moved into first place while the Phillies dropped into a tie for second place with the Cardinals ─ one game back.

(Excerpted from 1964 – The Year the Phillies Blew the Pennant by Barry Bowe.)