Sure Could Have Fooled Me: Babe Ruth!

The Bambino stole home more times than Tim Raines, Ricky Henderson and Lou Brock combined! 10-9.

Amazing, eh?

The Babe's 10 ties him with Rabbit Maranville, Jimmy Johnson, Paul Molitor, Buck Herzog, Bill Werber and Ross Youngs for 32nd overall in that stat.

The all-time leader is Ty Cobb with 54. Most impressively, he swiped the dish eight times alone in 1912. Ty retired after 1928, and was still stealing bases even at 40. . Max Carey is a distant second with 33 thefts of home. Lou Brock somehow never did.

But it should be noted, Ruth wasn't very good in swiping bases. Sure, he racked up an impressive total for a slugger, 123. However, his stolen base percentage was low, many of those seasons. The Bambino even had seven seasons where he was caught more times than he actually succeeded!

I guess for me, when I think of stealing home, I think of Jackie Robinson. However, Ruth stole home just nine fewer times than Robinson. But Robinson stole 197 bases on 273 attempts. For five seasons in Babe Ruth's time caught stealing was not recorded. And yet, even there he was caught 117 times! So it's possible Ruth is below .500 in thefts.


References


Baseball Almanac, Inc. Baseball Almanac: Baseball History, Baseball Records and Baseball Research. Baseball Almanac, Inc. Web. 20 May 2019, <http://www.baseball-almanac.com>.

Sports Reference LLC. Baseball-Reference.com - Major League Statistics and Information. http://www.baseball-reference.com/. Web. 20 May. 2019.

Reavy, Kevin, and Ryan Spaeder. Incredible Baseball Stats: The Coolest, Strangest Stats And Facts In Baseball History. Sports Publishing, 2019.

Rymer, Zachary D. “Stealing Home: Or, Why Babe Ruth Is a Better Thief Than Rickey Henderson.” Bleacher Report, Bleacher Report, Inc. Turner Broadcasting System, Inc, 3 Oct. 2017, bleacherreport.com/articles/430984-stealing-home-or-why-babe-ruth-is-a-better-thief-than-rickey-henderson#slide6.

Common Denominator: Johnny Sain!

"Pitched to Babe Ruth in his last game. Pitcher to Jackie Robinson in his first game!"

That would be Johhny Sain. Ruth's game, though, was merely an exhibition matchup five years before The Bambino passed away.

Fast-forward to 1947. It was a year before Johhny Sain and Warren Spahn would help the Boston Braves reach the World Series. The Brooklyn Dodger had added Jackie Robinson to their roster. A black man had finally reached the bigs in the 20th century.

So the Dodgers got the season underway. Robinson was at first base. He would go on to play other positions, like second base, third base and some outfield in his career, but for now, first base. Jackie got to make some fielding plays in the top of the first for the home crowd at Ebbets Field.

For this game, you found Eddie Stanky at second. Pee Wee Reese was at short. Roy Campanella was not there behind the plate. Duke Snider was not in centre. So Jackie and Pee Wee were the only true mainstays of the 1947-1956 Brooklyn Dodger dynasty.

So Dick Culler grounded out to third base. Making the play at third for the assist was Spider Jorgensen, playing his first MLB game. Making the putout at first was Jackie Robinson. Neither had even picked up and lumber yet. But they each had a "First," on the first play of the contest!

Eventually, the visiting Boston Braves got two men on via a single and walk. But no one scored. Following Eddie Stanky's ground out to lead off the bottom of the first, Robinson came up.

It wasn't much. All Jackie could do is ground out to former Pittsburgh Pirate Bob Elliot at third. Elliot, on his way to his fourth season of 100+ RBIs, was playing his first game in a Boston uniform.

All that, of course, was taking a back seat to Jackie Robinson. He didn't actually get a hit this game off Sain, but Robinson found a way to get on.

The two men who had been retired by Sain in the bottom of the first managed to get on base to start the last of the seventh. Stanky walked. Robinson bunted to Elliot, but this time he made it to first via an error. Pete Reiser the centre fielder, doubled 'em both home. A 3-2 Braves lead was now a 4-3 Dodger lead! So Robinson had the go-ahead run in this game. Ah, who needs a hit to make a difference here?

The Reiser hit finished Sain, but Brooklyn wasn't done touching home. Reiser himself would eventually score on a sac fly to make it a 4-2 game after seven.

Howie Schultz replaced Robinson in the top of the ninth. Hugh Casey held Boston at bay, getting the final two outs in the inning after Hal Gregg (Who'd replaced Brooklyn starter Joe Hatten in the top of the seventh) allowed a hit and a walk with one away. The Dodgers won the game, 5-3.

Don't feel too bad for Jackie Robinson not getting a hit. He'd find Johhny Sain much to his liking in the future. In 66 career regular season at bats against Sain, Robinson batted .318 with 21 hits and 6 RBIs. In his very next game, on April 17th, 1947, Jackie had a hit and 2 walks. And a new left fielder entered the game. That by the name of Duke Snider. The Dodgers, with these new faces, went on to the World Series that year. And although they came up short to the New York Yankees, there'd be plenty of rematches, later. Most sweet was Brooklyn's seven-game triumph in 1955.

Johnny Sain would end up on the New York Yankees in the early 1950s. After pitching in the 1948 World Series in 1948, he won two Fall Classics in 1952 and 1953.


References


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.

Neft, David S., and Richard M. Cohen. The World Series: Complete Play-by-play of Every Game, 1903-1989. 4th ed. New York: St. Martin's, 1990. Print.

Nemec, David. The Baseball Chronicle: Year-By-Year History Of Major League Baseball. Publications International, Ltd., 2008. Print.

Shalin, Mike, and Neil Shalin. Out By A Step: The 100 Best Players Not In The Baseball Hall of Fame. Lanham: Diamond Communications, 2002. Print.

Sports Reference LLC. Baseball-Reference.com - Major League Statistics and Information. http://www.baseball-reference.com/. Web. 20 Apr. 2019.

World Series: Did You Know?

Duke Snider got the first and last Brooklyn hits in their last ever Fall Classic game. Neither of them helped. The New York Yankees won it easily, 9-0. Brooklyn had lost another game seven to New York, here in 1956. The Duke and the Dodgers would be in Los Angeles the next time they played in a World Series.

The irony is, the deciding game was at home, in Brooklyn's Taj Mahal, Ebbets Field. The Yankees sent the unheralded Johnny Kucks to the hill. The Dodgers had Don Newcombe on the hill, winner of 27 games that season. Mismatch!

Well, it was. For the Yankees.

Yogi Berra came up with two down and a runner on second in the top of the first. Newk had fanned two, and seemed ready to hand it to the Yankees all game long. Berra disrupted those thoughts, though, with a two-run home run to put New York ahead. Newcombe ended the inning with a K, but now was behind.

It seemed also, however, that Brooklyn would be scoring a lot of runs again this game. They'd scored six in game one at home, thirteen in game two at home. In game six, they needed ten innings to score just one run after being shutout in game five (Via Don Larsen's perfect game), so they were due. And Ebbets Field was a tiny ballpark.

So with one out in the bottom of the first, Pee Wee Reese walked. Duke Snider singled. The tying run was on first and the Dodgers had two speedsters on the base paths. Jackie Robinson was the batter. But instead of a hit to score a run or two, Jackie grounded into an inning-ending double play. This was a huge lift for young Johnny Kucks. The Yankees did not score of Newcombe in the top of the first, but Johnny came back to the mound in the bottom of the frame and got 'em 1-2-3. Brooklyn didn't even get it out of the infield. It was a small venue, alright. But if you can't even hit it that far, you are doomed!

And Yogi Berra came up in the top of the third. Billy Martin on first, two down. Another two-run home run. 4-0. And then another 1-2-3 inning by Kucks. This was his, Yogi's and New York's day.

A solo home run by Elston Howard in the top of the fifth was the final nail in the coffin of Don Newcombe. Not only did it make it 5-0, Yankees, but the Dodgers were a beaten ballclub. Kucks continued his one-hitter in the bottom of the frame, and it looked like Brooklyn would never score. They didn't.

Moose Skowron slugged a grand slam in the top of the seventh inning, as the Yankees were living up to their nickname of the Bronx Bombers. After Snider popped out, Robinson reached on a walk. But Gil Hodges hit into an inning-ending double play. Kucks was humming along.

Carl Furillo got Brooklyn's second hit in the bottom of the eighth, but the contest was already decided at this point. None of the other three Dodger batters could get it out of the infield. And after Carl Erskine, Brooklyn's fifth pitcher of the afternoon, had a 1-2-3 inning of his own in the top of the ninth, the poised Kucks looked for the coupe-de-gras.

Jim Gilliam grounded to Skowron at first. Reese tried to bunt and popped out to Berra back behind the dish. Snider was up, and got his second hit of the game. But it was also only the third by a Dodger on this day. Jackie Robinson, in the last plate appearance of his illustrious career, fanned. Berra dropped the ball and threw him out at first to complete the putout. The Brooklyn Dodgers World Series history had reached an end with a whimper.




Kucks never again pitched this well again. He'd been 18-9 in 1956, but never again started a Fall Classic game. Instead, he was just 8-10 in 1957, 8-8 in '58 and off to Kansas in 1959. He pitched in organized ball until 1963. When that season came to an end, Kucks was 31, and out of baseball.

Snider hit 40 home runs in 1957, the Dodgers last year in Brooklyn, and was there in 1959 when the brand new Los Angeles Dodgers made it back to the World Series. That one ended better, as the Dodgers beat the Chicago White Sox in six games. But for many, the Dodgers' history ended in 1957, and the Yankees / Dodgers rivalry ended in 1956. The Duke did his share to be a part of that, right down to the very end.


References


British Pathé. “Baseball - Yankees Regain World Championship AKA Baseball: World Series Final (1956).” YouTube, British Pathé, Web, 13 Apr. 2014, www.youtube.com/watch?v=OtH-Tb8567c.

Fonseca, Lew, director. World Series Of 1956. Major League Baseball Productions, 1956. DVD.

Golenbock, Peter. Dynasty: The New York Yankees, 1949-1964. Lincolnwood, IL: Contemporary, 2000. 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.

Sports Reference LLC. Baseball-Reference.com - Major League Statistics and Information. http://www.baseball-reference.com/. Web. 16 Dec. 2015.

Retrosheet. Retrosheet. Web. 16 Dec. 2015. www.retrosheet.org. 

World Series: Did You Know?

Game five of the 1949 Fall Classic, not game four of the 1971 October Fest, was the first to be played under the lights. The game in '71 was the first to start under the lights.

The game, the usual Yankees / Dodgers tilt, saw Brooklyn at home trying to send it back to the Big, Bad Bronx for games six, or maybe even seven. It was 3-1, New York, but this one had been a tight one all the way. Game five, however, looked like a route.

The Yankees didn't want to return home, and made it clear with their start to this one, right in enemy territory. The Dodgers had a habit of coming back. New York had won game one, 1-0. Brooklyn took the second, by the same score.



Game three was at Ebbets Field and New York eked out a 4-3 win. A 6-4 win in game four was almost a Yankee collapse, as they took a 6-0 lead before the Dodgers clawed back with four runs. Here, in game five, it was 10-1 after 5 1/2. New York had knocked Rex Barney out. Anyone else who dared take the mound was in for a long day.

But Brooklyn, with their small park, wasn't about to go away quietly. They scratched across one run in the bottom of the sixth to make it 10-2. Then, they really woke up the next inning.

Jackie Robinson, playing in his second World Series, knocked another in with a sacrifice fly to make it 10-3. Gil Hodges scored three more with a three-run home run. That made it 10-6. It's such a little park. A four-run lead wasn't safe. Case and point. Joe Page, the Yankee relief ace, came in to fan Luis Olmo to finally end the inning. But Brooklyn had two more innings to go.

Erv Palica pitched the top of the eighth for Brookly. He couldn't afford to allow any more runs. Quickly, he got Tommy Henrich and Yogi Berra. But then Joe DiMaggio walked. Bobby Brown singled The Yankee Clipper to second. Palica got Gene Woodling to fly out to end that.

Page, though, was equal to the task. He was out there to settle this nonsense. He got Brooklyn 1-2-3 in the bottom of the eighth, to put New York three outs away. Could they add anything more to the cause in the top of the frame?

Paul Minner was one to pitch. After getting Cliff Mapes on a fly to Olmo in left, it was Jerry Coleman with a double. Joe Page batted for himself. After all, who would stop the Dodgers in their half? But all Page could do is ground back to the mound. Coleman stayed at second. Phil Rizzuto lined to Gene Hermanski in right. Time to turn the page to Joe for the last of the ninth. It was an eventful one. Because at some point during all this, the lights were turned on at Ebbets Field. The Dodgers seemed to wake up again, and come on strong.

Eddie Miksis batted for Spider Jorgensen, and lashed a double to put Page on the edge. Joe settled down and got the dangerous Duke Snider out on a swing and a miss for strike three. A home run here could make it 10-8, and Page didn't want that. He followed crowning Duke Snider by fanning Jackie Robinson for the second out. The game, however, continued when Hermanski walked. Gil Hodges was up. He knew how to go yard. If he did, the Dodgers were within a run. New York scored twice in the top of the first and were up 5-0 before Brooklyn scored its first run. So it had been all New York. However, Brooklyn was fighting back.

Page fanned Hodges to end it. The Dodgers ended up with as many hits (11) as the Yankees, but in the end, it was New York with a five-game triumph. Even though it had been short in terms of games, New York didn't turn the lights out until the last of the ninth on Brooklyn. The Dodgers were awake through it all and just didn't see the light of reality that their rivals were taking them down.



Night baseball had made it's way to the World Series. Game four of 1971, as mentioned earlier, was the first to start after the sun's descent. By 1985, all games were being played at prime time. The Fall Classic should be played with stars on the field and in the sky, right?


References


Fonseca, Lew, director. World Series Of 1949. A.G. Spalding And Bros. / Major League Baseball, 1949.

Sports Reference LLC. Baseball-Reference.com - Major League Statistics and Information. http://www.baseball-reference.com/. Web. (14 Oct. 2015).

"1949 World Series ‐ New York Yankees vs Brooklyn Dodgers | Enlighten Me." Enlighten Me. 2013.  http://enlightenme.com/1949-world-series/. Web. (14 Oct. 2015).

Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/. Web. (14 Oct. 2015)

World Series: Did You Know?

Elston Howard, the first black player for the New York Yankees, was also the first black player to hit a home run off a black pitcher in the Fall Classic. Another Brooklyn / New York Fall Classic meant many more exciting moments, 1955 had it's share. It all started when the World Series used to start, In September, not October.

September 28th was the date. Yankee Stadium, the site. Dodgers and Yankees. You couldn't ask for more. But on this day, it was truly amazing just what transpired. It was also Whitey Ford vs. Don Newcombe. It had all the makings of a classic.

Brooklyn got it all going in the top of the second, determined to prove that 1955 would be the year of the long-overdue breakthrough. Carl Furillo smashed a home run to put the Dodgers up 1-0. Another run scored (That being that legendary Robinson who touched home) courtesy of an RBI from Don Zimmer. But then the Bronx Bombers hit back.



Yogi Berra, who usually hit Newk well, grounded out to second. But Joe Collins walked and the tying run was at the dish. And it was Elston Howard. And with one swing, this thing was tied. I mean, this game was a classic, right?

The teams continued to go back-and-forth, and you didn't really know who was going to win it. The fireworks were really just getting started, as Duke Snider got into the home run trot for Brooklyn the next inning. But it was the Yankees that seemed to take over from there. They tied it in their half, then went ahead as Collins hit a home run in the bottom of fourth. Again, more to come.

Collins added another home run, a two-run shot, in the bottom of the sixth to finish off Newk. 6-3, New York. But the Dodgers? Far from done. Here comes Jackie...Safe!

At least that was the call. Yogi Berra didn't think so, and let the umpire know.

Carl Furillo got it all going with a single off Ford to start the eighth. With one down, Robinson reached on an error as Furillo was ninety feet away from getting the lead down to two. Jackie took second on the error for good measure, so a single would make it 6-5. Zimmer flew out, and Furillo tagged to make it a 6-4 game. But now Brooklyn was starting at two outs. Robinson had advanced another base. And that proved to be crucial.

His iconic steal of home was next. Again, there is debate as to whether or not Jackie made it. But in any event, it was 6-5 New York.



That proved to be the last run of the game. Brooklyn, by the way, dropped game two. It didn't matter. They got rid of the ghost as they ended up winning it all in game seven.



Perhaps it was the Robinson steal, or the fact that Brooklyn lost the game. How about the five home runs? But Elston Howard actually played on the winning side this game. And yet his home run, which was actually hit on his very first Fall Classic plate appearance, is kind of lost in the shuffle. Brooklyn fans remember Sandy Amoros' catch that year. They forget about Elston Howard, except as the last out of this great World Series. When it comes to a player named Sandy, few if anyone who followed baseball took notice of Sandy Koufax, who pitched actually pretty good for Brooklyn that year. His greatness would not become apparent for years to come. But he was a 1955 Brooklyn Dodger. However, let's face it. Do you think about him, or Robinson's iconic steal if you want to think about the Dodger teams of the 50s? Even Duke Snider didn't really leave us with any iconic moments, despite all those World Series home runs and great defensive plays in the outfield.

Elston Howard came up big for the Yankees. Yet he's behind Mickey Mantle, Yogi Berra, Ford and later Roger Maris. Hey, didn't he win the 1963 AL MVP? Even Moose Skowron seemed to get more attention. But there is no denying his greatness during those Yankee dynasty years. Don Newcomb had his problems in the postseason. But one of the reasons was Elston Howard (Who hit a home run off him in game seven the next year). Howard, like Mantle, could hit to all fields, and could call the game as good as Berra behind the dish. Here, his clutch home run helped the Yankees offence get going. Ellie's teammates knew what to expect from him after this. And Howard came through for them again and again in October.


References

Golenbock, Peter. Dynasty: The New York Yankees, 1949-1964. Lincolnwood, IL: Contemporary, 2000. Print.

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

Sports Reference LLC. Baseball-Reference.com - Major League Statistics and Information. http://www.baseball-reference.com/. Web. 1 Oct. 2015.

Retrosheet. Web. 1 Oct. 2015. <www.retrosheet.org>. 

Youtube. Web. 1 Oct. 2015. <https://www.youtube.com>.

World Series: Did You Know?

Jackie Robinson got the first hit for the Dodgers in the 1956 World Series. He was also their last batter in games six and seven. And for good measure, Jackie was the first Brooklyn baserunner in game three. Another Brooklyn / New York World Series. Another seven games (In fact, they'd gone seven the previous year!). Another classic. And Jackie provided some drama it what was to be his final act as a player!

Brooklyn, looking to repeat on their great triumph of '55, sent one of their arch-enemies, Sal Maglie to the hill in game one. But Sal had gone 13-5 with a 2.89 ERA, so he was the right man to be there. Better still, Sal had finally done something that season that all pitchers dream about, a no-hitter!

The Barber, as he was called, was purchased from the Cleveland Indians on May 15th, and the Dodgers had needed him. Over and over again he came through. But in the opening tilt, it was Mickey Mantle that smacked a two-run home run in the top of the first inning to give the visiting Yankees a 2-0 lead.

Whitey Ford, New York's starter, got the Dodgers in order in the bottom of the frame. But in the bottom of the second, it was Robinson hitting a home run of his own to lead it off. It proved to be the last round-tripper he would ever hit. Inspired by this, Brooklyn tied the game. And then, the next inning, it was Gil Hodges that smashed a three-run home run to put the Dodgers up 5-2.

Maglie allowed a solo blast by Billy Martin in top of the fourth, but the Dodgers the three-run lead back in the bottom of the frame on a single by Sandy Amoros. The score was 6-3, Brooklyn and it remained that way for the rest of the game.

Game two also went the way of the Dodgers, as they took it 13-8. But when the Series moved to Yankees Stadium for games three, four and five, it's as if the momentum shifted, too.

Jackie walked to start things in the top of the second against Whitey Ford in game three. He later crossed the plate with the first run. The Dodgers actually took a 2-1 lead into the bottom of the sixth inning. But a three-run home run by Enos Slaughter put New York up for good.

Robinson got a hit and a walk in game four, but this one was all New York. They thumped the Dodgers, 6-2. Jackie did score the last run of the game, and the Dodgers loaded the bases with just one out. But they could not get another man home. In the next game, it became even more difficult.

Sal Maglie was back. Actually, he had just appeared on the show, "What's My Line" the day before. His performance that game would have normally won many a game for Brooklyn. In the World Series, you need these performances. But the Yankees got a perfect game from Don Larsen. And on only five hits and two runs (one on another Mickey Mantle special), New York took game five of the 1956 World Series, 2-0. Now, they led three games to two.

In game six, back at the Taj Mahal of Brooklyn's Ebbet's Field, more good pitching. This time, it would prove to be enough for the Dodgers to prevail and square this series at three.

The problem for Brooklyn in this game was, while Clem Labine tossed a complete-game shutout, Bob Turley stayed right with him. It was a pitcher's duel that was not far off Maglie / Larsen's efforts in game five.

Jackie popped out to leave a man on in the bottom of the first frame. He drew a walk in the bottom of the fourth, but was stranded. The Dodgers looked like they were due for a breakout when Turley walked two men in the bottom of the sixth. There was just one out when Robinson came to bat. But all Jackie could do was pop out. When Gil Hodges did the same, the inning was over.

In the bottom of the eighth, Brooklyn got a leadoff ground-rule double from Clem Labine, who seemed to be doing it all on this day. But Turley fanned Jim Gilliam (before the day was over, Bullet Bob would finish with 11 K's). Pee Wee Reese flied out to Mickey Mantle in centre. Then the other great centerfielder in this Fall Classic, Duke Snider, was given an intentional walk. But Jackie Robinson popped out to third to end the inning.

Labine finished the ninth inning with a shutout, and got New York 1-2-3 in the top of the tenth inning. But he had only five strikeouts. The Yankees had gotten seven hits off him.

In the bottom of the frame, Labine himself popped up to Billy Martin at second. Gilliam drew Turley's seventh walk of the afternoon. Reese, hitless on the day, bunted to Turley, who got it to first for the second out. Gilliam was now on second and Snider was now at the dish. Turley walked him intentionally. And, leave it to Jackie to finish it!

Lashing a single over Enos Slaughter's head in left, Gilliam trotted home with the winning run. The 1956 World Series would go to a deciding seventh game. But it turned out to be anti-climatic.

The Yankees stormed out of the game, going for the quick kill of Don Newcombe and Brooklyn in game seven. Hank Bauer singled and stole second to start things. But Newk fanned Billy Martin and Mickey Mantle. Against Berra, he got a little to careful and Yogi smashed a home run over the tall wall in right. It was 2-0, New York. Bill Skowron fanned to end it. Newk had fanned the side, but he and the Dodgers needed Jackie and his mates to get him some runs. They failed to do so.

Johnny Kucks, not exactly a good pitcher, started the game for New York. Jim Gilliam grounded out to Skowron at first, but Reese walked and Snider (the first of two hits for the Duke) singled. The tying run was on first just like that. A hit by Jackie here could tie the game. Alas, Robinson hit into an inning-ending double-play. As it turns out, the Dodgers would never get another chance to win this game.

Newk had a easy inning in the top of the second, despite a walk. But Brooklyn went down 1-2-3 as Kucks' confidence must have soared. And, in the top of the third, it all came undone for Don Newcombe and company.

Bauer grounded out, but Martin singled. Newk fanned Mantle again. Now, all that remained was Berra, as had been the case in the first. But Yogi again went yard. As he rounded the bases, Yogi said to Newk, who had been widely criticized for his failure to win a game in the World Series, "It was a good pitch, Newk!" Newcombe nodded in agreement, but New York was now up 4-0. Skowron popped up. But Brooklyn's bats just were failing them. And worse, it was against three pitchers (Larsen, Turley and now Kucks), who weren't exactly in Whitey Ford's class.

Brooklyn went 1-2-3 in the bottom of the frame, and Elston Howard's home run to lead off the top of the fourth inning finished off Newcombe and the Dodgers. Don Bessent, as he had all series long, came in and shut down the Yankees. No one will ever remember that.

Reese led off the bottom of the fourth with a walk. But Duke Snider forced him at second. Robinson tried to bunt, but it ended up being a harmless pop up. Hodges grounded out.

Bessent held the Yankees scoreless in the top of the fifth and sixth, but Kuck retired Brooklyn in order in the meantime. Then, in the seventh inning (Bessent having bee pinch hit for in the bottom of the 6th), Skowron hit a grand slam off Roger Craig to make it 9-0, Yankees.

Snider popped out in the bottom of the frame, but Robinson drew a walk. Gil Hodges then did what you don't want to do in these situations: he grounded into an inning-ending double play!

Ed Roebuck had got the last three men out in the bottom of the seventh. In the eighth, he had a 1-2-3 inning. Carl Erskine also had a 1-2-3 ninth for the Dodgers. But this was all too late. And with no offence to speak off, it was also pretty useless, even if New York had only scored a single tally.

The Dodgers got their second hit of Johnny Kucks in the bottom of the eighth by Carl Furillo, but it led nowhere. And in the bottom of the ninth, the defiant Dodgers came up one last time in the World Series as the Brooklyn Dodgers.

Gilliam grounded out to Skowron at first. Reese tried to bunt, but ended up popping out to Berra behind the plate. Duke Snider collected his second hit of the game. But it was with two outs and it was also just the third hit of the game for the Dodgers. Jackie Robinson struck out, but the ball got away from Yogi and Robinson dashed to first and Snider to second. But Robinson did not make it in time. Brooklyn had lost, 9-0. It was a sad end for the Brooklyn Dodgers.

The Dodgers would never return to the World Series in Brooklyn. Jackie Robinson had played his last game. From his rookie season in 1947 to 1956, Brooklyn had reached the World Series six of those years. Some of the other important Dodgers of 1956 would also not be there when they returned to the fall classic in 1959: Newcombe, Maglie, Campanella and Erskine!

But by 1958 it was the Los Angeles Dodgers. The 1956 World Series marked the end of a glorious era in baseball from the Yankees, Dodgers and Giants. All had been great for long enough that their memory still lingers on nearly sixty years later!

References

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

Golenbock, Peter. Dynasty: The New York Yankees, 1949-1964. Lincolnwood, IL: Contemporary, 2000. 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.

Sports Reference LLC. Baseball-Reference.com - Major League Statistics and Information. http://www.baseball-reference.com/. Web. 25 Jun. 2014.

Thorn, John, and Pete Palmer. Total Baseball. Vers. 1994. Portland, OR: Creative Multimedia Corp., 1994. Computer software. CD-ROM.

Fonseca, Lew, director. World Series Of 1956. Performance by Lew Fonseca, Major League Baseball Productions, 1956. DVD.

World Series: Did You Know?

Don Zimmer had two RBI's in his first World Series game.

Zimmer, who just passed away on June 4th, was on the 1955 Dodgers. That year, in the Fall Classic, they were up against their arch-rivals, the Yankees. New York had never lost a World Series to Brooklyn before and had no intention of dropping this one. And they had a guy named Whitey Ford on the hill in the opener. A guy who won a lot of World Series games. Ten to be exact. And here Ford was at Yankee Stadium, which was always so much to his and the Yankees liking! Oh, by the way, Brooklyn had still not won a World Series at this point. Odds not looking good, eh?

Zimmer, with 15 home runs and 50 RBI's to his name in the 1955 regular season, started the game at second base. Jim Gilliam, the lead off hitter, was in left. Donny was batting eighth, in front of pitcher Don Newcombe. Newk was a good hitter. As was the 7th hitter, third basemen Jackie Robinson.

Ford and Newcombe got through the first inning without a score, but in the second, Brooklyn wasted no time in getting to Whitey. Carl Furillo led off with a home run to put Brooklyn up 1-0. Robinson tripled with one out. Our boy Zim hit a single to score Jackie and make it 2-0, Dodgers. Zimmer made it to second on Newk's grounder. Gilliam walked, but that's all she wrote for Brooklyn in this inning.

And the Yankees were not concerned about any of this. After Yogi Berra grounded out to start the bottom of the frame, Joe Collins singled. When Elston Howard went downtown, this game was tied at two.

Duke Snider untied the game in the top of the third with a home run. The Dodgers got a runner on before Ford came through with a strikeout of Jackie Robinson to end it. Zimmer was waiting to do more. He would have to wait until the fourth inning.

Whitey Ford helped his own cause by coaxing a leadoff walk from Newcombe in the bottom of the third. Hank Bauer singled. A pair of groundouts scored Ford, and the game was tied again, 3-3.

Don Zimmer did exactly what Whitey Ford did. He walked to start the inning. The other Don tried to bunt, but it was Zimmer who ended up out at second instead of the intended Newk out at first. Jim Gilliam walked to get Don to second. But the Yankees turned two on Pee Wee Reese's liner to second.

New York then took the lead for the first time as Joe Collins hit a home run to deep right in the bottom of the fourth. In the Dodgers' fifth inning, Whitey Ford got the first two batters out, but then Carl Furillo and Gil Hodges singled. Furillo made it to third, meaning Jackie Robinson was the batter with Don Zimmer on deck. But once again, Zimmer would not get to bat as Robinson flied out to centre.

Newk got the Yankees in order in the bottom of the fifth and Ford did the same in the top of the sixth.

But in the bottom of the sixth, New York made their move to put this one out of reach. Well, seemingly. Newcombe got the first batter, Irv Noren, out on a grounder. But then Yogi Berra, who always seemed to hit Don well, singled. When Collins followed with a two-run home run, it was suddenly 6-3, Yankees. Elston Howard was the second out on a ground ball to shortstop Reese. But when Billy Martin, who always seemed to hit well in October (although this game was September 28th), hit a triple, Newcombe's day was over. Another Don, Don Bessent came in to pitch and Martin was out on an attempted steal of home. Someone on the Dodgers ough to show Martin how it's done, eh?

Ford mowed down Reese, Duke Snider and Roy Campanella (three Hall Of Famers, no less!) in the top of the seventh and the Yankees looked like all was well. They had their money pitcher on the hill, and their offence going.

But Brooklyn had Zimmer, who would not let them quit. And a guy named Robinson, who still had the wheels!

Carl Furillo started the top of the eighth for the Dodgers by hitting a single. Gil Hodges flied out to Elston Howard in left. Jackie Robinson reached on an error by Billy Martin. It was a crucial mistake, as Furillo made it all the way to third and Robinson made it all the way to second. Zimmer then was then set to deliver!

Actually, all Don could do was fly out. But it scored Furillo and moved Robinson to third. Then, believe it or not, you've seen what happened next!

Don Bessent was the scheduled hitter, but their was no way Brooklyn was going to let the pitcher bat under these circumstances. Even if Newcombe was still in the game, odds are the Dodgers would have sent up a pinch hitter.

Frank Kellert batted. Jackie Robinson, at third, didn't wait. He swiped home!



That run made it 6-5, and that would be the final score. Don Zimmer did not get to bat again in this game. Another New York win in the Fall Classic. Another Whitey Ford win. Anyone here surprised?

Don Zimmer will be remembered as a great baseball ball man. But it's more for his managerial duties then that as a player. In a game like this (And it's game one, which I've long contended is the least important game of any playoff series in any sport), you had stars (and Hall Of Famers) like Ford, Duke Snider, Campy, and others. Robinson, probably stood out better than all of them with that electrifying steal of home. But again, you had players like Howard and Newcombe, who many feel should be in the Hall Of Fame. Then there are guys like Billy Martin, who always shine in the World Series but you never talk about them in the spring. And you have guys like Zimmer, who maybe should have ever stepped on the field with such legends. But you need players like him to come through in order to win. It's unexpected. It's surprising. But it gives your team the boast they need. The Dodgers went on to win the 1955 World Series in seven games.

References

Brenner, Richard J. The World Series: The Great Contests. East End Publishing, 1989. Print.

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.

Sports Reference LLC. Baseball-Reference.com - Major League Statistics and Information. http://www.baseball-reference.com/. Web. 06 Jun. 2014.

World Series: Did You Know?

Two pretty good lefties almost got shafted in the 1953 World Series. Kind of makes me amused that you had two clutch pitchers, and they neither of them got to the mound until game four.

Whitey Ford had pitched pretty well for the Yankees in 1950, even getting the start in game 4. He nearly got the shutout. He also had to wait until game 4 of the 1953 World Series to get his first start.

Ford, 9-1 (but not on the Yankees until July) in 1950, was 18-6 in 1953. But, what about the main man as far as soutpaws go on the Bombers? Ed Lopat? Nothing short of magnificent. In 1953 alone, he led the American League in W% at .800 (16-4) and ERA (2.42). And how about from Ed's winning percentage from 1948 to 1954? .641 (109-51).

So the Yankees went with Lopat in game 2. Having won game 1, the Yankees were looking to make it two staight. They got it. Lopat stopped the Dodgers 4-2, although he did give up 9 hits. The Yankees got only 5, but a win is a win, right? The Yankees were up 2 games to 0.

But the Dodgers were not about to go away. The won game 3, but just barely. In fact, they didn't even score the game winning run until the bottom of the 8th. 3-2 was the final for Brooklyn. Now, finally, Whitey Ford would start a game!

It wasn't much, alas. Jim Gilliam led off game four with a double for the Dodgers. One out later, Jackie Robinson drove him in. A wild pitch and an intentional walk brought Duke Snider to the plate. The Duke Of Flatbush drove home two more runs with a double. 3-0, Dodgers, right off the bat. The Yankees lost the game, 7-3. The Fall Classic of 1953 was tied at 2.

Game 5, finally saw Johnny Podres take the hill. Now, why had the Dodgers waited so long to start him? Podres was actually in a tougher spot than Ford. He was a rookie in 1953. But he went 9-4 despite a high ERA (4.23).

Preacher Roe was actually the Dodgers top lefty in 1953. Not only that, but with Don Newcomb off in military service like Ford had been, he was close to Brooklyn's top arm that season. Preacher was 11-3, far back of Carl Erskine's 20-6. But if you look at his recent career, you know why Roe is the southpaw to turn to in these situations.

From 1948 to 1953, Preacher Roe was 90-33 for an amazing W% of .732. And his ERA was pretty good during that span, 3.17. It was Roe who started game 2, and surrendered just 5 hits to take a tough loss.

And for all you Max Scherzer fans out there: 2013, Maxy goes 21-3 for an .875 W%

Preacher Roe, 1951: 22-3 for an .880 W%

Getting back to the postseason, it was Roe who shutout New York in game 2 of the 1949 World Series. It ended up being the only game Brooklyn won in that Fall Classic. He also won his only start of the 1952 World Series, which was game 3. He pitched twice more in that World Series and didn't get a decision. So his loss in game 2 of the 1953 World Series was his first. His career ERA in the Fall Classic was 2.54.

So Podres had to wait until game 5 to start. And he was about to embark on a World Series career ERA better than Preacher Roe, 2.11!

But, for all of the time Johnny Podres had to wait, he didn't have long to find out his fate. The Yankees were the Yankees!

Gene Woodling led of the top of the 1st for New York by going yard. After the Dodgers tied it in the bottom of the second, it was Podres and Dodgers who came unravelled in the top of the 3rd.

A walk, a bunt, and a groundout moved Phil Rizzuto to third. Then an error by first sacker Gil Hodges scored a run. Johnny hit Hank Bauer. When Yogi Berra walked, the bases were loaded with two outs, and Podres was out of the game. Russ Meyer came in and surrendered a grand slam to Mickey Mantle. Podres took a 7-3 loss. The Yankees were ahead in the 1953 World Series, 3 games to 2. A win in game 6, and the Yankees would make it 5 straight World Series. The 1936 to 1939 Yankees had won 4 in a row, and 5 in 6 years. But this had the potential to be better.

And Whitey Ford went out to try and nail this one down. But him and Podres were a combined 0-2 in the 1953 postseason. That doesn't sound right to me! How about you?

The Yankees started this one out fast, scoring twice in the bottom of the first, then once more in the second. Could Ford hold the fort?

The Dodgers got a run back in the top of the 6th, as the majestic Jackie Robinson hit a double and stole third. The steal was crucial, as Roy Campanella would score him with a ground out. Other than that, Whitey pitched well. He went 7 strong innings, gave up just 6 hits and 1 run. He fanned 7, and looked like he was going to win his second World Series game of his career.

Allie Reynolds pitched a scoreless top of the 8th. In the 9th, the Yankees were just three outs away from another Fall Classic win. And again, it would be against Brooklyn. Yes, back-to-back World Series wins over Brooklyn. Add to that wins over them in 1941, 1947, 1949 and you have ownage!

Hodges flew out to Mantle in center. Reynolds was careful to Snider. But he was too careful, as the Duke walked. Carl Furillo tied it with a clutch home run! Just like that, Ford was stuck with a no-decision.

In the bottom of the ninth, Clem Labine went out for this third inning. For some reason, Clem was always clutch when the Dodgers needed him. Here, he had a 1-2-3 7th. In the 8th, the Yankees looked like they had him, thus rendering the Dodgers 9th a little less important. The got two hits off Labine, but the Yankees stranded them both!

So in the 9th, Hank Bauer led off. He managed to walk. Yogi Berra lined out, bringing Mantle to the plate. He hit a bleeder to third and made it to first with an infield hit. Now it was time for another clutch player, Bill Martin!

And Martin came through, lining it right back up through the box for his 12th hit in only 6 games of the 1953 Fall Classic. Bauer scored, and New York had five World Series in a row. The only downside was Whitey Ford failing to win a game, and taking his first World Series loss.

Who would have thought that two men, who would dominate the World Series with one great performance after another in the next 10 years, would be non-contributors in the 1953 Fall Classic. Simply put, they had to work their way up.

And when next they would meet, there was no one left for either to conquer. Except for maybe, each other!

World Series: Did You Know?

Game 3 of the 1955 World Series was the last Fall Classic played in September. Who better to go at it then the Dodgers and Yankees for this one?

Brooklyn, up against New York again, were looking down and out. Behind 2-0 in the Series, and with Johnny Podres (11-13 on the 1955 season and no Fall Classic win to his name), on the hill. Things looked pretty grim for Da Bums. It was September 30, 1955. How would the Dodgers last very far into the next month?

It looked like another Yankee win. Bob Turley started for New York. What a difference a year makes! 14-15 with the Baltimore Orioles in 1954, to 17-13 with the Yankees the next year. Could Podres match up?

Podres' battery mate Roy Campanella, hit a 2-run shot in the bottom of the first. That was the kind of start the Dodgers needed. But what they didn't need was what happened to them in the top of the second inning!

Mickey Mantle, a year shy of the Triple Crown, smashed a home run of his own, the only good news was that it came with the bases empty. But a single by Phil Ruzzuto scored another run, and just like that the game was tied at 2.

But with one out in the bottom of the frame, it was Brooklyn's turn for some scoring! With one out, Jackie Robinson singled, and then Turley hit Sandy Amoros. Podres made it to first on a bunt! Jim Gilliam walked. Brooklyn was back on top, 3-2 and Turley was hitting the showers early.

Tom Morgan, the Yankees new pitched, then walked Pee Wee Reese, and the Dodgers suddenly had their 2-run lead back! Podres settled down and got the Yanks 1-2-3 in the 3rd and 4th innings.

In the bottom of the 4th, it was Campanella who singled home another run. Carl Furillo flied out, foul, to left, but than cashed in a run. Now, Brooklyn had some real breathing room! 6-2, Dodgers! Podres allowed no hits for the 3rd straight inning in the 5th.

In the sixth, the first two Yankees singled, but then Mantle did something he rarely did: he hit into a double play! The Yankees nonetheless got a run back the next inning as Andy Carey, batting for the pitcher, tripled home Rizzuto. But it was still 6-3, Dodgers! Then it was time for Jackie Robinson to weave some of that old magic.

With one out in the Dodgers half of the inning, the still fleet-footed Robby doubled to left, then took third on the throw to second. Jackie didn't steal home, as he had in the first game (The debate as to whether or not he made it there will probably never be settled), but he scored on Amoros' single. Podres failed with the bunt and forced Sandy at second, but a walk to Gilliam kept the inning alive. Reese stroked a single to make it 8-3 for Da Bums!

In the top of the 8th, Podres got 'em 1-2-3 on grounders. Moose Skowron started the 9th inning with a single for the Yankees. Podres got the next three batters to pop out. The Dodgers had their first win of the 1955 World Series thanks to Podres. Podres had lost a game to New York in 1953, so this was his first World Series win. They needed it! I guess this was a sign that this last September Fall Classic game was something special! And in the 7th game, it was the Brooklyn Dodgers who came through with a 2-0 win and their first championship!

The Best MLB Team Jackie Robinson Ever Played For!

Where to start, where to end with the 1953 Dodgers?

First time I ever heard of them was back when I was a lad and discovered a book on my grandfather’s bookcase, The Boys Of Summer by Roger Kahn.

Not only was it the best MLB team Jackie played for, but certainly one of the finest teams ever assembled!

And like the Cleveland Indians of next year, they failed to win the World Series. Well, they did win 2 games, so they were halfway to winning it.

But what a team it was, as Brooklyn won 105 games and six Dodgers scored 100 or more runs!

Team Hitting

Speaking of scoring, the team touched home 955 times that year in 155 games, or 6.2 times per 9 innings. Their hated rivals, the New York Giants, plus the St Louis Cardinals, were tied second in runs scored with just 768 scored each.

The Dodgers, as a team had 1519 hits. Their hated rivals, the Giants, were second with just 1459.

Brooklyn led the NL in homeruns with 208. Giants were second with 176.

The Dodgers led the league in walks with 655. The Cardinals were second with 574.

You’d think, maybe with all those homeruns, that they would also strike out a lot, but no. 686 K’s as a team was good enough only for 4^th. The Chicago Cubs actually fanned 746 times to lead the NL.

It was a little closer in team batting average, but the Dodgers still led the NL with a .285 average. The Cardinals were second with a team average of .273.

How about some “Moneyball” stat, OBP? The Dodgers as a team had a .366 on base percentage, good enough for first. The Cardinals were second with a team .347 OBP.

Brooklyn’s team slugging average of average of .474, which again led the league, was 50 points better than the Cardinals .424 slugging average.

OBS, on base plus slugging, the Dodgers were at .840. The Cardinals were second at .771.

Okay, I found something the Dodgers didn't lead the league in that was positive offensively: HBP, hit by pitch. The Dodgers were only 3^rd with 35. But this was only 4 back of first place St Louis. Oh, well, less bruises.

Brooklyn was also only 3^rd in sacrifice bunts (SH), with 75. The Pittsburgh Pirates led the NL with 89.

Team Pitching

Okay, here might be a problem. Obviously, their pitchers led the NL in wins, but Brooklyn’s team ERA was 4.10, so it appears you’d get a 6-4 win on average every game you went to that season!

That 4.10 ERA was still good enough for 3^rd, however, as the brand new Milwaukee Braves led the NL with a 3.30 team ERA.

The Dodger pitchers finished 104 games, only good enough for 6^th. But the league leaders, the Cubs hurlers, finished only 117 themselves. For those wondering, that’s having a relief pitcher come in 104 times, and the new arrival or another reliever, finishing the game.

Brooklyn’s starting pitchers, by the way, hurled 51 complete games, which was only good enough for a 3^rd place tie with the Cardinals. The Philadelphia Phillies led the NL with 76 complete games.

Brooklyn shut out the opposition 11 times, good enough for 4^th place. The Braves led the league with 14.

The Dodgers were always known, like the Yankees, (think Joe Page of New York and Hugh Casey of the Dodgers) for their closers, who recorded 29 saves, but it was only good enough for 2^nd behind the Cardinals’ 36.

But Brooklyn really shined in opponent’s getting hits off them. Despite their little ballpark, the opposition managed only 1337 hits. The Braves were the only National League team to allow fewer, 1282.

But yes, the Dodgers gave up 689 runs, with only two other teams allowed fewer. The Braves allowed the fewest, 589.

Also, earned runs, the Dodgers allowed just 629. Again, it was the Braves with just 508 earned runs who allowed the fewest.

Problem here, is the long ball against. I mentioned earlier, the Dodgers led the NL in homeruns hit. But they also allowed the second most long balls, 169. Only the Cincinnati Reds allowed more, 179.

But the pitchers made ‘em hit the ball, as they walked only 509 batters. That was 3^rd in the NL, with the Phillies in the lead with 410.

How about K’s. Plenty enough! 817, to lead the NL. The Braves were second with 738.

As for HBP, the Dodgers were dead last with just 17. The Cardinals led the league with 42.

The Dodgers’ pitchers were tied for 3^rd in balks with 4, 3 behind the Braves league leading 7.

Brooklyn’s hurlers issued 24 wild pitches, 5^th in the league behind the Pirates’ 44.

The Dodgers pitchers gave up 8.7 hits per 9 innings, which was just a little less than the Braves’ hurlers, who permitted a league low 8.3 hits per 9 innings.

Now for the bad part: The Dodgers gave up and average of 1.1 homeruns per 9 innings. That tiny Ebbets Field ballpark works both ways! Only the Reds gave up more, 1.2!

Control wise, the Dodgers pitchers gave up 3.3 walks per 9 innings. Only Philadelphia and Cincinnati gave up less walks per 9 innings.

When it comes to K/9, the Dodgers led the league with an average of 5.5. The Braves were second with 4.8.

The Dodgers did lead the league with the highest K/BB ratio with 1.61. The Cubs were second with 1.55.

Team Fielding

The Dodgers’ team defensive efficiency (Don’t ask me how to calculate that, or what it means) was .713 for second in the league.  The Braves were first with .715.

Because of the pitchers K’s, the Dodgers were way down the list of total chances.  5832 total chances was 7^th in the NL. Far back of St. Louis’ 6121.

But how about just putouts? The Dodgers made 4141, which was third. The Braves were tops with 4161.

Assists wise, Brooklyn was second last (7^th) with just 1608. The Cardinals were 1^st with 1823.

The Dodgers committed the fewest errors among NL teams with just 118. That’s way back of the Cubs, who were first with 193.

Brooklyn was tied for third in double plays with 161. The Reds were atop the leader board with 176.

The Dodgers lead the league in fielding percentage with .980.

Individual Overall Performance

Duke Snider was second in the NL in WAR with 9.3, behind Robin Roberts’ (a pitcher) 9.8. Roy Campanella was 7^th with a 7.1 and Jackie Robinson 8^th with a 7.0.

But among positioned players, it was Snider 1^st, Campanella 4^th, Robinson 5^th and Pee Wee Reese 9^th (5.1).

Individual Offence

So Snider was first in offensive WAR with an 8.7, Campanella was 4^th with a 6.5, Robinson 6^th with a 5.9 and Reese 10^th with a 4.6.

Carl Furillo led the National League in batting average with .344. Snider was 4^th with .336. Then you had Robinson 8^th with a .329 and Campy 10^th with a .312. I think I should mention that Roy is a catcher at this point.

Robinson’s .425 on base percentage was second behind Stan Musial’s .437. Snider was 3^rd with .419, Campanella 8^th (.395) and Gil Hodges 10^th (.393).

Snider topped the NL in slugging percentage with .627. Campanella was 3^rd with .611. Furillo was 5^th with .580 and Hodges was 7^th with a .550 S%.

Snider also was on top in On Base Plus Slugging with 1.046. Campy was 4^th with 1.006. Furillo was 5^th with a .973 and Hodges was 8^th with .943. Finally, you had Robinson 10^th with .927.

Another person who has not been mentioned yet on the leader boards, Jim Gilliam, topped the NL in plate appearances with 710. Snider was 7^th with 680.

Snider was first in runs scored with 132. Gilliam was 4^th with 125, Robinson 8^th with 109 and Reese 9^th with 108. It should be noted that Roy Campanella’s 103 runs scored and Gil Hodges’ 101 runs scored didn’t make the top 10!

Snider was only 3^rd however, in hits with 198.

But the Duke was the league leader in total bases with 370. Campy was 6^th with 317 and Hodges 10^th with 286.

Snider and Furillo both hit 38 doubles which was good enough for 3^rd in the senior circuit, trailing Stan Musial’s league leading 53. Robinson was 8^th with 34.

Gilliam topped the NL in triples with 17. Surprisingly enough, no other Dodger was in the top 10.

Snider trailed Eddie Mathews in homerun with 42. But that was still good enough for second, and just 5 less long balls. Campanella was also over 40 with 41, for 3^rd. Hodges’ 31 were good enough for 6^th.

Roy’s 142 RBI topped the NL by 7. The Duke’s 126 was good enough for 3^rd. Hodges’ 122 was 5^th.

Gilliam, in his role as the moneyball player on the Dodgers, was second in the NL in walks with 100. League leader Stan The Man had just 5 more. Reese and Snider each got 82 for 7^th and Hodges was 10^th with 75.

Now, for some negative stats. Snider was a victim of the K 90 times for 5^th place. Although, it was Steve Bilko of the Cardinals, who was on top with 125. Hodges was 7^th with 85.

If I told you Robinson was 3^rd on the Dodgers in stolen bases, would you believe me? Billy Bruton of the Braves, one of the most underrated players of his era, lead the loop with 26. Reese was second with 22, then Gilliam with 21, and finally Robinson 4^th with 17. Amazingly, the 5^th most stolen bases of the NL in 1953 was recorded by Snider, with 16.

Robinson was still the target of inside pitches, at this point in his career, as evidenced by his 3^rd place finish in hit by pitches, with 7. What I find amazing is that none of them were by Sal Maglie, who Jackie had a real rivalry with. Actually, Sal only hit Robinson once with a pitch in his entire career, and that was on September 1^st, 1951.

Reese had 15 sacrifice bunts to lead the National League. Robinson was tied for 8^th with 4 other players with 9 SH.

Another negative stat for Snider was that he was caught stealing  7 times, 4^th in the NL. It was worse for Gilliam, as he was caught red handed 14 times, tops in the NL. Reese was tied for 6^th with, actually 6!

But Robinson was truly a master theft artist on the bases, as he succeeded at a rate of 81 percent on theft attempts. That led the NL. Reese was second with 79%, Snider 6^th with 70% Gilliam 7^th with 60%.

Individual Pitching

Carl Erskine was 7^th in WAR among NL pitchers with a 4.3. But this was well back of Robin Roberts 9.8!

Roberts and Warren Spahn topped the NL in wins with 23 each. Erskine was also a 20 game winner with exactly 20 wins. But it was only good enough to tie Harvey Haddix for 3^rd. Russ Meyer was tied with Lew Burdette for 7^th with 15 wins.  Billy Loes tied Jim Konstanty for 9^th in National League wins with 14.

Erskine was all alone in winning percentage, however, as his .769 was the NL leader. Spahn was second with .767. Meyer tied Spahn’s teammate Burdette for 3^rd with a .750 tally. Underrated Clem Labine was the third Dodger pitcher in the top 10 with a .647, for 8^th place. 9^th place went to another Brooklyn Dodger, Loes, with .636.

Erskine was the only Dodger in the top 10 in WHIP, with 1.249. Spahn led the NL with 1.058.

Spahn also led the NL in hits allowed per 9 innings (7.1). Erskine was again the lone Dodger in the top 10 with a 7.8 (5^th).

Preacher Roe’s masterful control (2.3 walks per nine innings) made him the only Dodger in the top 10 in that category in 1953. Roberts led the NL with just 1.6 walks per nine innings.

Carl Erskine’s 6.8 K’s per nine innings was second to Vinegar Bend Mizell’s 6.9 for league lead. Meyer was 10^th with about 5.

Jim Hughes was in a 4 way tie for 7^th in the NL in games pitched. But this was way back of Hoyt Wilhelm’s league leading 68 games pitched.

Al Brazle was the NL leader in saves with 18. Hughes was top Dodger with 9, good enough for 3^rd. Labine with 7 was tied for 6^th. Joe Black, still another Dodger, had 5 to tie Konstanty for 9^th.

Erskine tossed 246 and 2/3 innings that season. That placed him 4^th among NL hurlers in IP. But it was exactly 100 IP back of Roberts, who lead the NL in still another pitching category.

Roberts also lead the league in K’s with 198. But Erskine wasn’t too far behind him with 187, which gave him the 2^nd most.

Roberts (again) lead the NL in starts with 41. Erskine was tied with Mizell and Haddix with 33 starts. Good enough for (again) second in the National League. Meyer was in a 5 way tie for 5^th with 32.

No one was close to Roberts 33 complete games pitched in 1953. The closest any Dodger pitcher came was Erskine’s 16, and even that was only 5^th place. Meyer was tied with 4 others for 10^th place with 10 CG.

Someone, that being Harvey Haddix, finally beat Robin Roberts for the lead in another category, shutouts, with 6^th, but it should be noted, Roberts tied Spahn for second with 5, nipping at Haddix’s heels from the get go, I suppose. Carl tied the Phillies’ Curt Simmons for 4^th with 4. Russ Meyer’s 2 tied him with, if you can imagine, six other players for 10^th place in the NL.

Meyer was also taken yard 25 times that 1953 season, but that was only an 8^th place tie with Bubba Church of the Reds. Yes, you pray it never happens to you out there. Warren Hacker topped the NL with 35 dingers allowed.

Erskine was 5^th in walks with 95, but it was way back of pitcher-turned-positioned-player-turned-pitcher and-positioned-player John Lindell’s league leading 139.

Erskine also surrendered 213 hits, but it was in 246 2/3 innings, remember. And it was 8^th, well back of Robin Roberts’ 324 hits allowed in 346 2/3 innings.

It was the K/BB ratio that Brooklyn hurlers really excelled. Roe was third (2.13). Robin Roberts, by the way, ended up leading the way with 3.25. It was the second of three straight seasons leading the National League in that. But after 1954, Robin only led the league twice more. Roe had the same number of K/BB ratio the year before, if you can believe it.  He also led the senior circuit in 1949 with 2.48.

Erskine was 5^th with 1.97 and Meyer was 9^th with 1.68, just behind Curt Simmons.

Erskine was also 8^th in fewest homeruns allowed per nine innings with 0.766, nudging out Lindell’s 0.769. Burdette was the league leader with 0.36 homeruns allowed per nine innings.

Earned runs allowed had Erskine and Meyer tied with Harry Perkowski of the Reds for 8^th with 97. But that was in 246 2/3 innings for Erskine and 191 1/3 innings pitched for Meyer. Warren Hacker led the league in earned runs allowed with 108 in 221 2/3 innings.

Now for wildness, it’s Jarring John Lindell leading the league with 11 wild pitches. Brooklyn had three hurlers tied for 10^th spot, with 4 other pitchers, might I add. Bob Milliken, a rookie, Russ Meyer and Carl Erskine (here again!) helped make it a 7 way tie (Wow!) for the 10 spot in wild pitches with 4.

So Robin Roberts faced the most batters, 1412. Erskine was 4^th with 1030. But that was only one back of Harvey Haddix for 3^rd place.

Hoyt Wilhelm (the last pitcher to win an ERA title while pitching in relief), as you might expect, led the league in games finished with 39. It was Clem Labine’s 21 for Brooklyn that was good enough for 8^th spot.  Jim Hughes, who would lead the NL in saves the next year, also finished in the top ten for the Dodgers. He tied Jim Konstanty for 10^th in GF with 20.

Individual Fielding

Brooklyn was strong in fielding as well!

But Roy Campanella had no equals in the field in 1953.

The catcher lead the league in games caught (140), easily topped the league in putouts behind the plate with, 802, and was third in assists (57), behind Del Crandall’s NL topping 62.

Campy did make 10 errors, which was 2^nd. Toby Artwell led the league with 15.

But Roy was tied with Wes Westrum of the Giants for double plays turned by NL catchers with 9. Crandall’s 13 was the leader.

Crandall also gunned out 27 attempts to steal the sack. That was enough for the lead. Campy was right there with 22 for second.

Westrum’s 54.5 percent stolen bases DENIED led the NL, but again Campy was not far behind with 53.7, for second.

Campy was all alone among catchers at the top with a range factor per nine innings of 6.60. Roy was also tops in the NL in range factor per game with 6.17.

Smokey Burgess led the NL in fielding percentage among catchers with a .993 mark. Campanella was second with .989.

Only four other first sackers played more games than Gil Hodges’ 127. Joe Adcock was first with 157 games played at first.

Steve Bilko was ahead of everybody in the NL with assists from first with 124. Hodges was 4^th with 99.

Ted Kluszewski’s 149 double plays turned topped all first basemen in the NL in 1953. Hodges tied Chicago’s Dee Fondy for 4^th place with 105.

Klu also led all NL first basemen in F% from 1953 with .995. Hodges was second, though, with .993.

Jim Gilliam topped everyone in the NL in games played at second with 149, was second behind Red Schoendienst’s 365 putouts (Jim had 332), and just behind him again (430-426), in assists by 2B.

And now for some negative: Junior was 3^rd in the NL in errors by a second basemen with 19. Eddie Miskis of the Cubs and Jack Dittmer of the Braves were tied in that dubious area with 23.

But Gilliam was also second to Schoendiest in double plays turned by a second basemen with 102. Only seven back.

Gilliam placed 5^th among second sackers with a 5.09 range factor per game. Schoendienst’s 5.68 beat out every second basemen in the NL.

Schoendienst’s .983 fielding percentage led the NL, with Gilliam 3^rd with .976.

Pee Wee Reese, we’ve all heard about how good of a shortstop he was, eh? How about these numbers?!

Fourth in the NL in games played by a shortstop, 135. Roy McMillian of the Reds was the league leader with 155 games played.

The 265 putouts by Reese was good enough for 3^rd behind league leader Johnny Logan’s 295.

Reese was 4^th in assists by a shortstop with 380. McMillan again lead the league with 519.

Although, Pee Wee’s 23 errors put him in a 4 way tie for errors by a shortstop. Okay, that’s not so good! Solly Hemus led the NL with 27.

But Reese also turned 83 double plays from shortstop, 4^th behind McMillan’s 114.

And Reese was also 5^th in the NL in range factor per game at shortstop with 4.78. McMillan again was tops with 5.21.

It was Johnny Logan leading the NL in fielding percentage by a shortstop with .975. Reese was 4^th with .966.

Billy Cox, the third basemen, didn’t qualify for the leaderboard on defence. He only played 89 games at third.

But what about Jackie Robinson?

Now here was something I didn’t know: He was primarily a left fielder in the 1953 season.

Actually, Robinson played 75 games in left, 44 at third, (thus explaining Cox’s limited appearances) 1 game at short, 9 at second and 6 at first.

So, let’s put it this way: Robinson played every position that year except pitcher, catcher, center field and right field.

The next year, Robinson did play one game in right field, his only major league appearance at that position. He never did play a game as a center fielder, catcher or pitcher.

And his 9 assists put him in a 3 way tie for 5^th place among assists by a left fielder with 9. Del Ennis topped the senior circuit with 15.

And how about the man next to him? The Duke of Flatbush. There is a reason Jackie never played there!  I knew how good of a fielder he was, but what I didn’t know was that he was that he played 151 games in center field that year, 4^th behind Richie Ashburn’s 156 games played.

Ashburn also lead the league in putouts by a center fielder with 484. Snider made 371, placing him 5^th.

What a pair of center fielders Ashburn and Snider made when they each made 6 errors in center field in 1953? Along with Carlos Bernier, they were in a three way tie for 4^th place for errors committed by center fielders. Gus Bell, who was certainly a good hitter, led the NL with 10. Also sad to see Billy Bruton, one hell of a Brave, second with 9. And don’t tell Brooklyn who was third in errors by a center fielder.

That would be Bobby Thompson!

You know? The guy that hit the homerun in 1951 to win the pennant for the Giants?

But just to show you that Bell and Bruton were good fielders, guess who were tied Ashburn for first in DP’s by a center fielder with 5? B and B!

Snider was 4^th with 3.

Snider’s  .984 fielding percentage in center field was good enough for third, but behind Ashburn’s topping .988.

Carl Furillo, in right field, was second to former Dodger Andy Pafko and Enos Slaughter of the Cardinals, in two categories:  games played by a right fielder and putouts.

Furillo had a fine total of 131 games in right, but Pafko was first with 139. Pafko made 238 putouts in right, Furillo with 9 less.

Cal Abrams led the NL in putouts by a right fielder with 12. Actually, he tied Willard Marshall of the Reds with that number. Furillo was 4^th, but ahead of Pafko, with 5.

Johnny Wyrostek led the NL in errors by a right fielder in 1953 with 8. Pafko was tied for second with Abrams, who played with the Pittsburgh Pirates, with 6. Furillo was 5^th with 3 miscues.

But Furillo did lead the NL in an important category for right fielders: double plays!

He tied Abrams, Wyrostek and, the star pinch-hitter of the 1954 World Series, Dusty Rhodes in DP’s, with 3. Pafko, you should have seen it, was in a 12 way tie (I’m not making this up) for 5^th with 1.

Furillo was 3^rd in the NL in range factor per nine innings with 1.95. Marshall led the NL with 2.31.

Willard also was tops in the NL in range factor per game with 2.07, but Furillo was right there with 1.81.

Enos topped the NL in F% among right fielders with .996. Furillo, third again, .988.

If you look at all outfielders, Slaughter’s .996 is tops, and then Ashburn’s .990 is second.

Guess who is 3^rd and 4^th in F% by outfielders?

Furillo’s .988 and Snider’s .987!

How about the guys on the mound? What did they do on comebackers and other plays where they failed to strike out the batter?

Erskine tied Haddix with putouts with 15, as Stu Miller led the NL with 22.

Erskine also made 4 miscues as a fielder, which put him in a 7 way tie for 3^rd place.  Vinegar Bend Mizell led the NL with 7.

Preacher Roe handled 34 chances flawlessly for a 1.000 fielding percentage as a pitcher. This was one of 5 seasons in his career where he did not make an error. Actually, he did not make an error in his last 3 seasons.

But it was tied with 5 other pitchers for the NL lead.

Awards

Roy Campanella’s season earned him the MVP of the NL in 1953. He beat out Eddie Matthews, who finished second. It was Roy’s second of three. Amazingly, he won it on three straight odd numbered years: 1951, 1953, 1955.

But there were some other Dodgers on there, too.

Snider was 3^rd, Erskine and Furillo were in a 9^th place tie. Right behind them were Reese (11^th place) and then Robinson (12^th)

Del Ennis from Philly was 13^th, and but for him the Dodgers would have owned all the spots from 9 to 13 as Gil Hodges was 14^th.

So the entire outfield received consideration, the battery of Campanella and Erskine did too, and the first basemen was also there, plus the shortstop.

What about the second basemen?

Jim Gilliam did not receive any MVP consideration, but received enough Rookie Of The Year votes to win it!

Now, for those wondering, the Cy Young Award wasn’t given out until 1956. I think that Warren Spahn (The Sporting News Pitcher Of The Year) would have won it had it been given out as he tied for the NL lead in wins (23) while posting an ERA of 2.10. Back then, those stats used to say it all.

I think Robin Roberts, who also won 23 games, but lost 16, while posting an ERA of 2.75 (second to Spahn) would have also gotten some votes.

Erskine, with his 20 wins and 6 losses (one less than Spahn) would have gotten some votes, but his ERA was 3.54, so I don’t think he’s winning it.

How about Clem Labine? 11 wins in only 7 starts with a 2.77 ERA and 7 saves? Yeah, he would have gotten some votes.

How about the Mid Summer Classic?

All Star Game

The Dodgers sent no pitchers, sadly. But Campy, the Duke, and Jackie sure went. As did Pee Wee Reese,  Furillo, Gil Hodges. Six Dodgers!

The World Series

Hitting

Alas, the Yankees came out on top, again, this time in six games (7 games the year before).

Still, no World Series for Brooklyn as of 1953.

The Dodgers, though, had some leaders there, as well!

Campanella averaged a run scored per game (6) to tie Hank Bauer of the Yankees for the lead in the Fall Classic.

Cox, Snider and Gilliam all hit 3 doubles for the lead. Robinson and Furillo hit 2 as well. No Yankee hit more than one.

Gilliam also hit 2 homeruns to make it a three way tie for the lead the Dodgers. It also tied Bronx Bombers’ Billy Martin, Mickey Mantle and Gil McDougald for the lead in the long ball.

The Yankees hit a total of 9 homeruns in the Series, but the Dodgers hit 8 of their own. Snider, Furillo, Cox, Hodges, Campanella and George Shuba all went deep for the Dodgers.

Shuba’s was quite dramatic, by the way. With the Yankees ahead 5-2 in the top of the 6^th inning of game 1, Shuba batted for Jim Hughes the pitcher, with Cox on first. His homerun to right brought the Dodgers to within a run of the Yankees. The Dodgers scored 5 more runs to the Yankees zero as they took the opener, 9-5.

Gilliam, the Rookie Of The Year, had quite the Series. He topped everyone in at-bats, doubles and homeruns. He also drove in 4 runs and scored 4 times himself.

Snider hit .320, as did Robinson, but Furillo was even better at .333. Alas, it was Billy Martin, being an early version of Reggie Jackson in this Fall Classic, who batted .500. Yogi Berra batted .429 for second on New York.

Martin had one World Series to remember: He hit the highest average (.500), tied for the most homeruns (2), had the most triples, (2) and the most RBIs (8).

And Billy even scored 5 runs, tied with teammate Gene Woodling for 3^rd place.

Woodling led both teams in walks with 6. No other Yankee had more than 3, but Reese had 4 for the Dodgers.

Berra topped everyone with a .538 OBP, with Martin’s being .520. Woodling was .462.

Hodges .440 led Brooklyn.

The Dodgers only ended up stealing 2 bases the entire Series, one by Gil Hodges and one by Jackie Robinson.

The Yankees also ended up with two stolen bases in the World Series: Martin and Phil Rizzuto.

As a team, it should be noted, the Dodgers outhit the Yankees 64-56, out doubled them 13-6 and batted .300 to the Yankees .279. But the Yankees out moneyballed (new word invented by me!) the Dodgers .370 to .352 (OBP). That’s probably why they scored 33 runs to the Dodgers 27.

Pitching

Erskine kept right on going as he topped everyone in games pitched (3), innings pitched (14), hits allowed (14), K’s (16) and BB (9). He went 1-0, but his ERA was 5.79. In game 3, he set a World Series record by whiffing 14 Yankees!

Loes won his only game, a game 4 start, striking out 8 in as many innings.

But no Dodger could match Yankee Ed Lopat’s 2.00 ERA.

Allie Reynolds, won game 6 for the Yankees (it ended up being his last ever World Series game) and also got the only Yankee save. His three appearances tied Carl Erskine. Reynolds fanned 9 batters to nudge out Loes for second in K’s.

Labine got the only Dodger save, but lost 2 games. Clem also tied Erskine and Reynolds for games pitched with 3.

Preacher Roe and Jim Hughes walked 4 batters, to place in a 4 way tie for second in walks with Yankees Lopat and Reynolds.

Russ Meyer K’d 5 batters in just 4.1 inning. But that only placed him 5^th as Whitey Ford (I forgot he was back with the Yankees this season), who actually lost 4 and didn’t win any World Series games this year, (huh?) fanned 7 in 8 innings, on his way to a record 94 career World Series strikeouts.  Ford, it should be noted, also started game 6, which the Yankees won.

The Dodgers pitchers combined to fan 43 batters to the Yankees 30, but walked 25 batters to the Yankees 15. Overall, the Dodgers pitchers posted a 4.91 ERA compared to the Yankees 4.50 ERA.


References


Kahn, Roger. The Boys Of Summer. Harper & Row, 1972. 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.

Sports Reference LLC. Baseball-Reference.com - Major League Statistics and Information. http://www.baseball-reference.com/. Web. 01 Aug. 2013.