The one where the '55 Yankees were mistaken for West Virginian Boy Scouts

While researching another item, I came across this funny story about a mix-up of the ’55 Yankees and a group of Boy Scouts from West Virginia. The story below was published in The Sporting News on September 7, 1955:

Yankees mistaken for troop of Boy Scouts at K.C. Stadium 

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Yankees thought it was a gag. But it was strictly on the level. On arrival here they were mistaken for a boy scout troop from West Virginia.

On detraining early in the morning on August 29, the Bombers were told to get into a bus for the trip to the Muehlebach. The bus was waiting for the pace-makers of the American League – they were in first place at the time—climbed aboard.

They waited and waited, but no driver. Finally a man showed up, examined the gang with wrinkled brow, shook his head and started the bus.

“Too bad it’s raining for this three-hour sight-seeing trip,” he said. The Yankees laughed.

Suddenly it dawned on the driver that he had a lot of men, not boy scouts. He called his office and got permission to take the players to their hotel. Meanwhile, the scouts from West Virginia waited.

“Split a double-header and you’re a boy scout,” said Casey Stengel, who was one of the troop.

“Could be the driver had us pegged right.”