The Mick and The Splendid Splinter put on a hitting clinic with the batting crown on the line.

When the Yankees and Red Sox met at Fenway on August 13, 1957, the rivalry carried extra weight — a batting title was at stake. Mickey Mantle, just 25 and defending his Triple Crown, faced Ted Williams, 38 and still the game’s purest hitter (see pre-game photo of the two together and story). Both stars delivered, but Mantle’s 3-for-3 day, including a 2-run homer that sealed a 3-2 Yankee win, edged him closer in the race. By day’s end, Mantle was hitting .384, just behind Williams at .388 — a duel that would captivate baseball fans all summer long.