DOG ASIDE:
The 1966 New York Yankees season was the 64th season for the Yankees. The team finished with a record of 70–89….finishing 26.5 games behind the Baltimore Orioles. New York was managed by Johnny Keane and Ralph Houk….and played at Yankee Stadium. Keane managed his final MLB game in early-May….and died the following January at the age of 55. The Yankees finished in 10th place….although arguably a “strong” tenth (spoken like a true Yankee fan)…for it was the first time they had finished in last place since 1912….their last year at the Hilltop.
On September 22, paid attendance of 413 was announced at the 65,000-seat Yankee Stadium.…as WPIX announcer Red Barber asked the TV cameras to pan the empty stands as he commented on the low attendance. Although denied the camera shots on orders from the Yankees’ head of media relations….he said, “I don’t know what the paid attendance is today, but whatever it is, it is the smallest crowd in the history of Yankee Stadium, and this crowd is the story, not the game.” By a horrible stroke of luck….that game was the first for CBS executive Mike Burke as team president….who one week later….invited Barber to breakfast where Burke told him that his contract wouldn’t be renewed.
