"Mickey Mantle would have been the goat in a 9 to 8 Pirate victory over New York yesterday in the final game of the World Series except for his fortunate slide back to first base. That was the last play Mantle should have attempted, according to baseball critics, after Rocky Nelson had fielded Yogi Berra's sharp grounder and stepped on first to retire Berra for the second Yankee out in the ninth inning. On the subsequent attempt to tag Mantle in his return to first base (to which he was entitled only because Berra had been retired), Gil McDougald, running for Dale Long, scored from third base. If Mantle had been tagged for the third and final out before McDougald touched home plate, the run would not have counted. Pittsburgh would have won, 9-8. [...] A run cannot score on a double play involving one or more force outs. A run can score between a second and third out if a force play is not involved, provided the runner reaches the plate before the third out. Because of this rule, Mantle made a mistake. So did Nelson, when he stepped on first base to retire Berra and thus removed the force on a possible double play. Each player undoubtedly acted instinctively. Nelson could have taken many seconds to complete a double play via second base (a force on Mantle) and McDougald could not have scored. Mantle could have created a sure tie by backing away from Nelson or heading for second base to delay any possible third out."