There are TWO major sporting events going on in this just fantastic photo – first in the foreground we have obviously the Polo Grounds with the New York Giants hosting the Philadelphia Phillies in the middle of a NL pennant race. And in the foreground you can see Yankee Stadium lit up for a Rocky Marciano fight against Ezzard Charles.
Foreground first – The Phillies beat the Giants 4-3 as Robin Roberts earns his 22nd win of the season. Both Roberts and Johnny Antonelli, the Giants starter that night, came into the game with 21 wins but Roberts outlasted the New York southpaw with the help of a key eighth inning single by the Phils Del Innis giving them a 4-3 lead. But despite the loss the first-place Giants stayed 4.5 games ahead of the Brooklyn Dodgers who lost to the Pirates 9-1.
In the background at Yankee Stadium, heavyweight champion and legend Rocky Marciano ran his record to 47-0 and retaining his title by knocking out Ezzard Charles and beating him for the second time in three months. On June 17th the two heavyweights fought the first time with Charles taking the Champ to the limit in a unanimous decision loss, but this time around Marciano was able to knock out Charles in the 8th round of a 15 round right. Marciano would win two more fights before retiring with a perfect 49-0 record.
Note – I would like to thank Mike Mase Mason for posting this epic photo on Facebook page POLO GROUNDS NEW YORK 1891-1964
