A Taylor-made homer … or two

Tony Taylor, then playing with the Chicago Cubs, hits a most unique inside-the-park home run 66 years ago today in a 9-5 victory over San Francisco before a Tuesday afternoon crowd of 16,549 at Wrigley Field.

Taylor leads off the bottom of the first inning by hitting a pitch from Giants left-hander Johnny Antonelli down the left-field line, where the ball drops into a rain gutter.

As Giants rookie left fielder Leon Wagner looks for the ball, the relief pitchers in the Cubs’ bullpen deliberately and deceptively start looking under their bench, fooling Wagner into believing the ball is there and not farther up the line.

Taylor homers again during the game, this one coming in the fourth inning off relief pitcher Ramon Monzant on a more conventional drive to left-center that actually goes over the wall.