October 4, 1965: The 1st Papal Mass In the Western Hemisphere

October 4, 1965, 60 years ago: For the 1st time, a Pope delivers a Mass in the Western Hemisphere. Pope Paul VI does so at Yankee Stadium in New York. A crowd of 90,000 attends. It is the only sellout at Yankee Stadium all year long.

I looked it up: No, the Yankees couldn't sell The Stadium out that season. Not on Opening Day, not on Old-Timers' Day, not even in the preceding month on the 1st Mickey Mantle Day. They held their 1st promotion that season, Bat Day, and couldn't sell it out then, either. Nor could the NFL's Giants sell The Stadium out in 1965.

On the same trip, the Pope addresses the United Nations. The theme of both of his speeches is peace: "No more war. Never again, war. Peace. It is peace that must guide the destinies of people and of all mankind."

The New York branch of the Catholic advocacy group the Knights of Columbus dedicates a plaque in honor of the event, which is hung on the center field wall at The Stadium. It is moved to Monument Park in 1976, and to the new Yankee Stadium in 2009, along with plaques for later Masses delivered by Popes John Paul II in 1979 (he also went to Shea Stadium and Madison Square Garden) and Benedict XVI in 2008.

While Pope Francis came to New York in September 2015, and delivered Mass at Madison Square Garden, the Yankees still playing home games made a Mass at the new Yankee Stadium logistically impossible on that occasion. He died earlier this year, without getting another chance. He was succeeded by Robert Prevost, the 1st American to be named Pope, who took the regnal name Leo XIV. He is a fan of the Chicago White Sox, and so knows the power of baseball. I have no doubt that, when he makes his first visit back to America, he will go to New York, and include a Mass at Yankee Stadium.

In 1972, Paul Owens was hired as general manager of the Philadelphia Phillies. The man who built the Phils' quasi-dynasty of 1976-1983, including their 1980 World Championship and their 1983 Pennant (the latter of which he managed) was nicknamed "The Pope," not just because his name was Paul, but because he looked a bit like Pope Paul VI.

Paul VI died on August 6, 1978, of heart trouble at Castel Gandolfo, the Papal country retreat outside Rome. He was 80 years old. He died late at night, Rome time. The announcement was made at around the same time, U.S. Eastern Time, just as the Yankees were finishing up a 3-0 win over the Baltimore Orioles, with Catfish Hunter pitching a shutout. Broadcaster and former shortstop Phil Rizzuto, an Italian and a good Catholic, said, "Well, that puts a damper on even a Yankee win."