SARASOTA, Fla. -- The first night game in the 85-year history of McKechnie Field tonight matches the Pirates against the New York Yankees -- who will be without one-time designated hitter Billy Crystal.

Despite Crystal's departure from his brief fling with pro baseball -- the Yankees released the 60-year-old comedian Friday -- the game figures to attract interest. That's because a fairly high percentage of Pirates fans in attendance and those watching on television back home will turn their minds back to 1960 a time or two.

That was the last year the Yankees played in Pittsburgh, a situation that will be rectified June 24-26 when the Yankees visit PNC Park for an interleague series.

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Today

• Game: Pirates vs. New York Yankees in an exhibition game.
• When: 7:05 p.m.
• TV: FSN Pittsburgh.

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In 1960, the Pirates and Yankees hooked up in one of the greatest World Series played. The underdog Pirates shocked the Yankees by winning in seven games on Bill Mazeroski's ninth-inning home run -- the first time a homer ended a World Series.

"We were underdogs in the media's mind," said Bill Virdon, the fine center fielder on that Pirates team who will throw out a first ball during that June series. "In our minds, we felt like we had a chance."

Hardly seemed so -- on paper.

The Yankees, led by Mickey Mantle, Roger Maris, Yogi Berra, Bill Skowron and Whitey Ford, finished 97-57 and won the American League pennant by eight games over the Baltimore Orioles.

The Pirates weren't bad. They were 95-59 and won the National League pennant by seven games over the Milwaukee Braves.

"I don't think there was any question about the level of talent on the two clubs," Virdon said. "I think they had the best talent overall. They were probably the best club in baseball. But ... we felt like we had a chance."

That chance improved when the Pirates won the opener, 6-4, at Forbes Field. Mazeroski had a foreshadowing home run in that game.

"That got us on the right foot, knowing we could beat them on a given day," Virdon said. "And basically that's all you need to know."

The Yankees won the next day, 16-3, in what would be a trend in the series. New York's three victories were by a total score of 38-3, including a 12-0 romp in the sixth game that set the stage for Mazeroski's memorable smash.

Not to mention a pretty memorable ground ball hit by Virdon.

"Going into the seventh game, we were in pretty good shape," Virdon said. "We had a pretty good pitcher going."

Vern Law was 20-9 with a 3.08 earned run average and won the Cy Young award that year. He'd also won the first and fourth games of the World Series.

On that Oct. 13 afternoon, the Pirates gave him an early 4-0 lead, which they held until the Yankees scored four runs in the sixth to go up, 5-4. The Yankees added two runs in the top of the eighth inning, and the Pirates were running out of chances.

Then two weird plays gave the Pirates life.

After Gino Cimoli opened the bottom of the eighth with a single, Virdon hit a hard bouncer to shortstop Tony Kubek.

"When I hit it, I said, 'Uh, oh, double play,' " Virdon said. "Well, maybe not in those words, but it was automatic -- hard hit and right at him."

Fate intervened.

"Fortunately for us and not fortunately for Kubek, the ball hit something, took a bad hop and hit him in the throat and we ended up scoring five runs," Virdon said.

But they wouldn't have scored the last three of those runs had Yankees reliever Jim Coates covered first base on a two-out tapper hit by Roberto Clemente. Coates failed to do so, and Virdon scored on what was ruled a single for Clemente. Moments later, Hal Smith hit a three-run home run.

However, just minutes from an apparent 9-7 victory, the Pirates had to put the champagne on ice -- for just a bit.

The Yankees scored twice in the top of the ninth to tie the score.

"We were a little concerned that we didn't go ahead and win it," Virdon said, "but we still had a chance to win -- and everybody felt that way."

History awaited Mazeroski and the Yankees' Ralph Terry.

Terry, who warmed up five times that afternoon, entered the game in the eighth inning and got the last out.

He wouldn't get another.

Mazeroski, who hit 11 home runs that season, led off the bottom of the ninth inning. Dick Stuart waited on-deck to pinch-hit for pitcher Harvey Haddix. Virdon was on the dugout steps. He would have followed Stuart.

Mazeroski drove Terry's second pitch of the inning deep into left-center field, sending Berra back on a dead run.

"I saw him hit it, and the first thing I did was look at Berra," Virdon said. "I knew right away that he wasn't going to catch it, just the way he was going after it. It was at least going to be high off the wall. I knew we had a man on second at least."

Turned out to be way better than that for Mazeroski and the Pirates.

The ball carried over the wall -- at 3:36 p.m. -- and the Pirates had won, 10-9.

"I was pleased," Virdon said. "I was happy. I was happy for the whole club. And, of course, for Maz. If I didn't get to hit it, I was glad he did it. I think the whole club felt that way -- just because he was that type of person."

And the clubhouse scene?

"What's the word for it?" Virdon said. "Glee, for one thing. Everybody was having a ball. There was some champagne passed around."

But not for Terry.

"People tell me exactly where they were that day at that exact time," Terry said years later. "Well, I sure remember exactly where I was."