Tuesday, January 14, 2014

World Series: Did You Know?

Babe Ruth's "called shot" (What he meant, whether he did or didn't, will never be fully known) ended up being his last ever World Series home run!

It was in game 3 of the 1932 World Series.

The Yankees had tried everything they could to push the Cubs' away in this game. But the Cubs came back again and again. Ruth took Chicago's Charlie Root out of the park in the top of the 1st. It was a 3-run blast.

The Cubs came back with a run of their own in the bottom of the frame. But The Iron Horse had an answer for that!

Gehrig then hit a home run of his own in the top of the 3rd. Back to a lead of three runs. Comfortable. The old New York Yankee firepower was sizzling today!

But Kiki Cuyler, who drove in the Cubs' first run of the game, hit a home run of his own in the bottom of the 3rd. Chicago tacked on another run in that inning for good measure. That 3-run lead was down to 1! The very next inning, the Cubbies tied it. Something had to be done. Something had to be done by someone named Ruth.

The Bambino came up with 1 out in the top of the 5h. As to what he did? Do I want to spoil the legend? If the legend is entertaining, print it. Okay.

In any event, Ruth hit a dramatic shot following the gesture. As to what gesture, well...

And Gehrig, not to be overlooked, followed with a home run. The two big boys went back-to-back for the last time, as well!

It was also Charlie Root's last pitch. But when he retired in 1941, Root had racked up 201 wins. This was no pushover pitcher, you know! The Yankees added another run in the top of the 9th. Another 3-run lead!

It didn't quite last as the Cubs got a leadoff home run by Gabby Harnett in the bottom of the frame. Billy Jurges got his third hit of the day for the Cubs. Tying run at the plate!

New York's George Pipgras (enough run support?) was done for the day on the mound. Herb Pennock was in. Jurges eventually stole second, but Pennock did not let him or any other Cub score.

The Yankees, with this win, were up 3-0 in the Series. And New York wrapped it up in game 4, 13-6.

And the Yankees did hit 2 home runs in that game. But none of them were hit by Babe Ruth or Lou Gehrig. I mean, what are the odds? But Ruth's homerun in game 3 (his 15th in World Series play) proved to be his last. But what a last blast it was!


References

Baseball's Greatest Moments. Prod. Major League Baseball Productions. Perf. Warner Fusselle. Major League Baseball, 1991. Videocassette. Narrated by Warner Fusselle.

Enders, Eric. 100 years of the World Series. New York: Sterling Publishing Co., Inc. 2005. Print.

Neft, David S., Richard M. Cohen, and Michael L. Neft. The Sports Encyclopedia: Baseball, 1992. 12th ed. New York: St. Martin's Press, 1992. Print.

Nemec, David et all. 20th Century Baseball Chronicle: A Year-by-year History of Major League Baseball. Collector's Edition. Lincolnwood, Ill: Publications International, 1993. Print.

Retrosheet. Web. 14 Jan. 2014.  <www.retrosheet.org>

Sports Reference LLC. Baseball-Reference.com - Major League Statistics and Informationhttp://www.baseball-reference.com/. Web. 14 Jan. 2014.

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