"One important factor most people overlook, including the Yankees, is that they didn't see the Pirates at their best. Even the Pittsburgh faithful will have to admit this. Here was a team hamstrung by injuries to key men such as Dick Groat, Don Hoak, Bob Skinner and Vernon Law. Groat was far from being at his best, especially in the field. Skinner was out of five games. Hoak and Law played on nerve alone. Aside from these handicaps, facts, not results, point out the Pirates did not play good ball. The Bucs' secondary pitching, with the exception of Face, was awful. Law and Haddix upheld the starters. Hoak, Mazeroski and Billy Virdon played brilliantly and until the final game, Danny Murtaugh didn't get much out of his catching or first base departments. We can see why the Yankees and experts didn't think much of the Bucs. They were somewhat hasty in their judgment, however, since they weren't seeing Groat, Skinner,Clemente, Friend and even the brilliant Hoak and Law at their best. Clemente hit for average but we've seen him better in the field. Friend, we know, is a far better pitcher. Those putting the knock on his Series performance should remember the Bucs never would have won the pennant without his 18 victories."