62 years ago, Mays made catch that still dazzles

Joey Amalfitano was a bonus baby with the New York Giants in 1954, which meant he had to spend the entire regular season in the big leagues even if he appeared in only nine games. Even if he had only five at-bats, all five coming in the final week of the regular season.

No, he didn’t play a very big role in the Giants’ march to the National League pennant. 

But when it came time for the Giants to play the Cleveland Indians in the World Series, Amalfitano, who was not on the postseason roster, had the best seat in the house.

He was the bullpen catcher, in a bullpen that was in fair territory in right-center field, and from there, Amalfitano was able to fully appreciate the way Willie Mays ranged into right-center field at the Polo Grounds and made what was arguably the most famous catch in baseball history.

That catch happened 62 years ago Thursday, and Amalfitano, who still works for the Giants, remembers it as if it were yesterday.

“Vic Wertz hit it,” Amalfitano said on Thursday evening. “Don Liddle threw it. Willie caught it.”

It wasn’t, he admitted with a laugh, quite that easy.

“As he turned to go back on this ball — and he had to go a long ways — by his body, you could tell he tracked it because he slowed down a bit,” said Amalfitano, who at 82 still works for the Giants in player development. “He had it and caught the ball over his shoulder. The amazing thing to me is he has the presence of mind to throw the ball into the infield to second base. He kept the double play in order.

“The picture shows him almost doing pushups after he throws it. He has his back to the infield when he makes the catch. He …

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