Missing Persons Report

Michael Schwerner, Andrew Goodman, and James Chaney disappeared in Mississippi on the night of June 21, 1964 – exactly 51 years ago today.

When news of their disappearance became public, FBI agents converged on Mississippi to launch an investigation. Although these details remained unknown at that time, here’s what happened:

The three young men were civil rights workers – called Freedom Riders – who were helping blacks register to vote. Michael Schwerner was so dedicated that he established residence in Mississippi. His activities drew the ire of Sam Bowers – the local Imperial Wizard of the Ku Klux Klan – and Bowers decided that Schwerner had to be killed.

That day, Schwerner, Goodman, and Chaney were coming back to Meridian from a trip to Philadelphia, Mississippi, when deputy sheriff Cecil Price – also a Klan member – pulled them over for speeding. The deputy sheriff then held them in custody while other KKK members prepared to liquidate them.

When the deputy sheriff eventually released them that evening, a KKK lynch-mob chased them in cars and cornered them in a secluded spot in the woods. There, the Klan members shot the three Freedom Riders and buried them in graves that they’d already dug.

But for the time being, on June 21, 194, Michael Schwerner, Andrew Goodman, and James Chaney were officially missing persons.

Father’s Day Doubleheader

The Phillies were meeting the New York Mets for a Father’s Day Doubleheader at Shea Stadium.

In the first game, it was Jim Bunning (7-2) taking the mound against Tracy Stallard (4-8).

Stallard had already started and completed two games against the Phillies, losing 4-1 on Opening Day in Philadelphia and winning 11-3 just six days earlier, also in Philadelphia.

For Bunning, this was his 13th start of the season. He recorded four complete games and two shutouts. He had a no-decision against the Cubs four days earlier, and then came back a day later to save the next game, also against the Cubs.

So on Father’s Day, he was working on two-days’ rest.

Leading off the top of the first, Johnny Briggs walked and moved to second on a bunt by John Herrnstein. After Johnny Callison struck out for the second out, Richie Allen singled and Briggs scored to put the Phillies ahead 1-0.

Bunning retired the Mets 1-2-3 in the bottom of the first.

In the top of the second, Tony Taylor walked and moved to second on a sacrifice by Cookie Rojas. Gus Triandos then doubled Rojas across the place to make it 2-0 Phillies.

Through the first five innings, Bunning breezed through 15 consecutive batters without a hit, walk, or a base-runner of any kind.

In the top of the sixth, Johnny Callison led off with his ninth home run of the season to make it 3-0 Phillies.

After Richie Allen struck out for the first out, Wes Covington walked ─ and Gene Mauch sent Bobby Wine in to pinch-run for Covington.

Tony Taylor singled to center and Bobby Wine moved to second to put runners on first and second with one out. After Cookie Rojas flew out, Gus Triandos doubled to make it 4-0 Phillies. With Triandos on second and two outs, Jim Bunning doubled Triandos home to make it 6-0.

With Bunning pitching a perfect game through five innings, Gene Mauch made two defensive changes:

• Bobby Wine stayed in the game at shortstop.

• Cookie Rojas moved from short to leftfield, replacing John Herrnstein.

Bunning needed 12 more outs.

In the bottom of the sixth:

• Charley Smith flew out to center.

• Amado Samuel popped out to short.

• Rod Kanehl grounded out to short.

In the bottom of the seventh:

• Jim Hickman struck out swinging.

• Ron Hunt grounded out to third.

• Ed Kranepool struck out swinging.

In the bottom of the eighth:

• Joe Christopher struck out swinging.

• Jesse Gonder grounded out to second.

• Hawk Taylor was caught looking.

At this point, with just three outs remaining between Jim Bunning and history and most of the 32,026 Mets faithful in attendance found themselves caught up in the moment. From here on out, they started cheering every strike Bunning threw and every out the Mets made.

In the bottom of the ninth:

• Charley Smith popped a ball down the leftfield line. Bobby Wine drifted into foul territory and coasted under it for the first out. Just two more to go.

• Bunning struck out pinch-hitter George Altman for the second out. Just one out left.

• Bunning got pinch-hitter John Stephenson with a feeble swing at strike three to end the perfect game ─ and the crowd erupted to pay tribute to Bunning’s accomplishment.

That was 27 up and 27 down ─ the first perfect game in the National League since 1880.

Jim Bunning (7-2) got the historic win and Tracy Stallard (4-9) took the loss.

Second Game

It was Rick Wise (0-0) versus Frank Lary (0-1) in the nightcap.

Frank Lary – the 34-year-old former “Yankee Killer” – was making his second consecutive start against the Phillies. He lost 8-2 to Jim Bunning eight days earlier on June 13th.

For Rick Wise, this was his second start of the season and his first time out since June 12th when he pitched 2/3 of an inning in relief against the Pirates. His only start was a May 21st loss to the Giants. He went just three innings that day, giving up four runs ─ three earned ─ on five hits.

In the top of the first, Johnny Briggs started the ballgame with the first home run of his short career to make it 1-0 Phils.

Two outs later, Richie Allen walked. Wes Covington singled and Allen went to third. Tony Taylor singled and Allen scored to make it 2-0 Phillies. With runners on first and second and two outs, Cookie Rojas singled and Covington scored to make it 3-0.

In the bottom of the second, with one out, Jesse Gonder walked and moved to second on a wild pitch. Hawk Taylor hit a ground ball to second. Tony Taylor scooped it up but overthrew first. The ball landed in the stands behind first and Gonder scored to give the Mets their first run of the doubleheader and make the score 3-1 Phils.

In the top of the third, with one out, Tony Taylor walked. Frank Lary then hit Cookie Rojas to put runners on first and second. Clay Dalrymple singled and Taylor scored to make it 4-1 Phillies.

In the bottom of the third, Frank Lary walked. Jim Hickman hit a ground ball to third, but Richie Allen muffed it to put runners on first and second with nobody out.

Two outs later, Joe Christopher singled and Frank Lary scored to cut the lead to 4-2 Phillies.

In the top of the fourth, with two outs, Johnny Callison hit a home run to up the Phillies lead to 5-2. It was Callison’s 10th home run, and his 33 RBIs tied Richie Allen for the team lead.

Rick Wise retired the Mets in order in the bottom of the fourth ─ he’d given up just one hit to this point.

In the top of the fifth, Wes Covington led off with a double ─ and Gene Mauch sent Bobby Wine in to pinch-run.

Casey Stengel replaced Frank Lary with Tom Sturdivant (0-0). Sturdivant made a relief appearance against the Phillies on June 13th. The Phillies touched him up for four runs and five hits in two innings.

Tony Taylor greeted Sturdivant with a run-scoring double to deep right to put the Phillies ahead 5-2.

Taylor advanced to third on a wild pitch and Sturdivant hit Cookie Rojas to put runners on first and third with still nobody out.

Sturdivant then uncorked another wild pitch. Rojas moved to second, but Taylor had to hold third.

Clay Dalrymple and Rick Wise followed with back-to-back sacrifice flies to make it 7-2 Phillies.

Believing he had a safe lead, Gene Mauch gave Johnny Callison and Richie Allen a brief rest:

• Roy Sievers pinch-hit for Callison and stayed in the game to play first base.
• John Herrnstein moved from first base to right field to replace Callison.
• Ruben Amaro replaced Richie Allen at third.

With the score still 7-2 Phillies entering the bottom of the seventh, Rick Wise walked pinch-hitter Chris Cannizzaro to start the inning.

Mauch then replaced Wise with Johnny Klippstein (2-2).

Klippstein retired the Mets in the seventh, eighth, and ninth innings to seal the Phillies victory.

Between them, Rick Wise and Johnny Klippstein gave up just three hits combined in wrapping up the sweep of the Father’s Day doubleheader ─ which means the Mets managed just three hits over the 18 innings.

Rick Wise (1-0) picked up his first win and Johnny Klippstein got his first save.

Frank Lary (0-2) took the loss.

The sweep of the doubleheader gave the Phillies nine wins in their first 11 games with the hapless Mets.

In Busch Stadium, the San Francisco Giants beat the St. Louis Cardinals 7-3.

Jack Sanford (5-7) picked up the win while Curt Simmons (7-6) took the loss.

Hal Lanier (1st) and Willie Mays (22nd) homered for the Giants. Lanier went four-for-five with three RBIs.

Lou Brock (3rd) homered for the Cards.

At the end of the day, the Phillies picked up ½ game on the Giants to lead by two games.

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