Game 2 of the 1922 World Series was the last "tie" game in the Fall Classic. A tie in the World Series?
And, yes, Babe Ruth played in it.
In the first ever Subway Series (involving New York teams) in 1921, it was the Giants' prevailing. They would again meet their cross-town rivals the Yankees the next year. And again, the World Series was held in it's entirely in the Polo Grounds. But things would be different this time.
The New York Giants swept the Yankees. Well, sort of. There was game 2 of the Series, which made it a 5 game affair!
The Series itself was actually quite close, as the winning margin was no more than two runs in any of the games. The Giants just seemed to have the answers and the pitching. Having said that, the Yankees' pitching was far from shabby in this Series.
After dropping a tough 3-2 decision in the opener, the Bronx Bombers went out to square things up in game 2. It didn't quite happen, but they did manage to avoid a loss! And what a pitcher's duel this gem of a game was!
It was the Giants' Jesse Barnes vs. the Yankees' Bob Shawkey. These two men were destined to go the distance on this day. And the distance was past the 9th inning!
The Giants scored three times in the top of the first on a 3-run dinger by Irish Meusel. But the Yankees came right back with a run in the bottom of the frame. Joe Dugan reached on an error. It was a bad throwing error and Joe made it to second. After Babe Ruth grounded out, Wally Pipp cashed Dugan in with a single. Both pitchers were about to settle down, however.
Shawkey would allow just 5 hits and no runs over the course of the next 9 innings. Barnes didn't quite do that, as the Yankees came at him with everything they had. They had to win this game, you know!
Barnes had a 1-2-3 2nd. In the 3rd inning, Jesse gave up a double to Dugan and a walk to Ruth. The Yankees, however, failed to score. Barnes then got the first two batters out in the bottom of the 4th, but a home run by Aaron Ward. Ward had hit just 7 in the regular season that year. The Yankees were within a run!
Dugan got still another hit in the bottom of the 5th, but Jesse retired Babe Ruth to end the inning. In the 6th, Jesse walked Bob Meusel, but got out of that with no damage. Then came the 7th.
Barnes retired Dugan to lead it off, but then The Bambino went the other way for a 2-bagger. Wally Pipp became the second out on a booming fly to center. But another double, this by Meusel, scored Ruth and tied the game. The Babe didn't have to go yard to hurt you, as the Giants had found out.
In the bottom of the 9th, the Yankees seemed poised to win it, right then, right there. Singles by Everett Scott and Whitey Witt meant a single would win it. Red-hot Joe Dugan was up, with Babe Ruth on deck! But all Dugan could do was K!
With the game now in extras, the Giants went quietly against Shawkey, who was just humming along on a day that seemed made for him. Could the Yankees take it in the bottom of the 10th?
Not so. Ruth fouled out to the catcher, Wally Pipp grounded out. Bob Meusel then fouled out to the catcher, as well. Darkness had descended on the Polo Grounds. The game was called.
The Yankees lost the next three games, and the Giants sort of had the sweep. But this would be the last tie game in the World Series. Somehow, a memorable pitcher's duel and Babe Ruth made it okay for a tie game.
Not that it would ever happen again in the World Series.
And, yes, Babe Ruth played in it.
In the first ever Subway Series (involving New York teams) in 1921, it was the Giants' prevailing. They would again meet their cross-town rivals the Yankees the next year. And again, the World Series was held in it's entirely in the Polo Grounds. But things would be different this time.
The New York Giants swept the Yankees. Well, sort of. There was game 2 of the Series, which made it a 5 game affair!
The Series itself was actually quite close, as the winning margin was no more than two runs in any of the games. The Giants just seemed to have the answers and the pitching. Having said that, the Yankees' pitching was far from shabby in this Series.
After dropping a tough 3-2 decision in the opener, the Bronx Bombers went out to square things up in game 2. It didn't quite happen, but they did manage to avoid a loss! And what a pitcher's duel this gem of a game was!
It was the Giants' Jesse Barnes vs. the Yankees' Bob Shawkey. These two men were destined to go the distance on this day. And the distance was past the 9th inning!
The Giants scored three times in the top of the first on a 3-run dinger by Irish Meusel. But the Yankees came right back with a run in the bottom of the frame. Joe Dugan reached on an error. It was a bad throwing error and Joe made it to second. After Babe Ruth grounded out, Wally Pipp cashed Dugan in with a single. Both pitchers were about to settle down, however.
Shawkey would allow just 5 hits and no runs over the course of the next 9 innings. Barnes didn't quite do that, as the Yankees came at him with everything they had. They had to win this game, you know!
Barnes had a 1-2-3 2nd. In the 3rd inning, Jesse gave up a double to Dugan and a walk to Ruth. The Yankees, however, failed to score. Barnes then got the first two batters out in the bottom of the 4th, but a home run by Aaron Ward. Ward had hit just 7 in the regular season that year. The Yankees were within a run!
Dugan got still another hit in the bottom of the 5th, but Jesse retired Babe Ruth to end the inning. In the 6th, Jesse walked Bob Meusel, but got out of that with no damage. Then came the 7th.
Barnes retired Dugan to lead it off, but then The Bambino went the other way for a 2-bagger. Wally Pipp became the second out on a booming fly to center. But another double, this by Meusel, scored Ruth and tied the game. The Babe didn't have to go yard to hurt you, as the Giants had found out.
In the bottom of the 9th, the Yankees seemed poised to win it, right then, right there. Singles by Everett Scott and Whitey Witt meant a single would win it. Red-hot Joe Dugan was up, with Babe Ruth on deck! But all Dugan could do was K!
With the game now in extras, the Giants went quietly against Shawkey, who was just humming along on a day that seemed made for him. Could the Yankees take it in the bottom of the 10th?
Not so. Ruth fouled out to the catcher, Wally Pipp grounded out. Bob Meusel then fouled out to the catcher, as well. Darkness had descended on the Polo Grounds. The game was called.
The Yankees lost the next three games, and the Giants sort of had the sweep. But this would be the last tie game in the World Series. Somehow, a memorable pitcher's duel and Babe Ruth made it okay for a tie game.
Not that it would ever happen again in the World Series.
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