Jim Gilliam, like Jim Palmer, drew two bases loaded walks in his career. But they were not in the same game.
Gilliam, a key member of the 1953 Brooklyn Dodgers (not to mention Rookie Of The Year), was back in the World Series for a second time in 1955. He, like rest of the Brooklyn team, were still looking for that elusive first Fall Classic triumph.
Gilliam hit only .249 in the regular season, but was ready for the New York Yankees that fall.
But Whitey Ford stopped Jim and his mates cold in game one. Gilliam managed just one hit in five at-bats. Brooklyn lost, 6-5. Another loss in game two put the Dodgers in further trouble. But Gilliam drove in Brooklyn's second and final run of the game.
In game, it was the Dodgers that took something away from the Yankees. Their pride! In the bottom of the second inning with the score tied at 2, Brooklyn's awesome offence started to kick into high gear. This had a deflating effect on the opposition, as you might expect.
With one out, Jackie Robinson hit a single. Then Sandy Amoros was hit by a pitch. Johnny Podres, who would pitch a fine game for the Dodgers, laid down a perfect bunt. Not only did it get both baserunners over, but Podres made it to first! Gilliam was the batter. When he coaxed a walk off Bob Turley, it was Brooklyn ahead for good. The Dodgers weren't about to stop there. When Pee Wee Reese drew another walk off new pitcher Tom Morgan, Brooklyn had some more breathing room.
Gilliam singled and scored Brooklyn's fifth run in the bottom of the bottom of the fourth. The Dodgers scored again that inning and twice more for good measure. With their 8-3 win, Brooklyn was right back in the 1955 Fall Classic.
Gilliam also helped the Dodgers win game four to tie the Series. He scored Brooklyn's first run in the bottom of the third. Then he walked and scored on Duke Snider's three-run home run in the bottom of the fifth. Jim ended the game with two hits and a walk.
After getting a hit and walk in game five, Gilliam did the same in games six and seven to help Brooklyn win it's first World Series. Jim certainly helped. 7 hits, 8 walks and 3 RBIs from the leadoff spot. He batted .292 in the 1955 Fall Classic.
In 1966, it was Gilliam on the Los Angeles Dodgers, having moved from Brooklyn to LA in 1958. The Dodgers won the World Series in 1959, 1963 and 1965, with Jim around for the ride.
So in '66, Los Angeles was looking for it's fourth World Series triumph. But Gilliam hit just .217 in 88 games. The Baltimore Orioles were looking for their first World Series win, period.
Los Angeles got things off on the wrong foot as starter Don Drysdale gave up back-to-back home runs in the top of the first inning of game one. The long balls were by Frank and Brooks Robinson. Frank's came with a man on, so it was quickly 3-0 Baltimore.
The O's scored again in the top of the second to make it 4-0. In the bottom of the frame, LA got a run back as Jim Lefebvre hit a home run of his own. The Dodgers looked like they'd get more that inning and claw their way back. Wes Parker hit a ground-rule double to right. Jim Gilliam walked. There was nobody out and the tying run was at the plate. But Dave McNally, the only pitcher (along with Bob Gibson) to hit two home runs in the World Series, got the next three batters out.
The Dodgers would not be denied in the bottom of the third. Joe Moeller, who came in to pitch after Drysdale was removed for a pinch hitter, retired Baltimore in order in the top of the third to keep the score 4-1. The Dodgers came up to bat in the bottom of the frame and looked poised to tie it.
Lou Johnson, Tommy Davis and Lefebvre all walked with one out. That was the end of the night for McNally, who walked five batters in 3 1/3 innings pitched. Moe Drabowsky was brought in. Jim Gilliam was back to the plate. When Gilliams walked (again), Los Angeles had cut the Orioles' lead in half, 4-2.
The problem is, the Dodgers never got another run in that game. And despite their seven walks, LA only managed three hits total in the contest. Drabowsky fanned eleven Dodgers, giving up just a hit and two walks in six and two-thirds' innings of relief work.
And, as it turns out, the Dodgers never touched home again. Jim Palmer pitched in game two, as the two men who drew two bases loaded walks in the World Series faced off. But Palmer shutout Gilliam at the plate and the Dodgers overall. Los Angeles dropped game 2, despite Sandy Koufax pitching it, 6-0. When the Orioles took games three and four, both times by the score of 1-0, Baltimore had the sweep.
Game two of the 1966 Fall Classic proved to be Jim Gilliam's last game, as the Dodgers would release him at the end of October. He had been one of the last links to the glory years in Brooklyn.
Jim Gilliam might never have been a great player. But with his speed, clutch hits, keen eye at the plate (taking pitches for Maury Wills to steal on) and superb defence at second and third base, he helped the Dodgers time and time again. It could be argued that Brooklyn and Los Angeles would have reached all those World Series without him. However, there is no doubt the Dodgers would have been hard pressed to replace Jim with someone else so reliable.
References
Snyder, John S. World Series!: Great Moments and Dubious Achievements. San Francisco: Chronicle, 1995. Print.
Sports Reference LLC. Baseball-Reference.com - Major League Statistics and Information. http://www.baseball-reference.com/. Web. 27 Mar. 2014.
Gilliam, a key member of the 1953 Brooklyn Dodgers (not to mention Rookie Of The Year), was back in the World Series for a second time in 1955. He, like rest of the Brooklyn team, were still looking for that elusive first Fall Classic triumph.
Gilliam hit only .249 in the regular season, but was ready for the New York Yankees that fall.
But Whitey Ford stopped Jim and his mates cold in game one. Gilliam managed just one hit in five at-bats. Brooklyn lost, 6-5. Another loss in game two put the Dodgers in further trouble. But Gilliam drove in Brooklyn's second and final run of the game.
In game, it was the Dodgers that took something away from the Yankees. Their pride! In the bottom of the second inning with the score tied at 2, Brooklyn's awesome offence started to kick into high gear. This had a deflating effect on the opposition, as you might expect.
With one out, Jackie Robinson hit a single. Then Sandy Amoros was hit by a pitch. Johnny Podres, who would pitch a fine game for the Dodgers, laid down a perfect bunt. Not only did it get both baserunners over, but Podres made it to first! Gilliam was the batter. When he coaxed a walk off Bob Turley, it was Brooklyn ahead for good. The Dodgers weren't about to stop there. When Pee Wee Reese drew another walk off new pitcher Tom Morgan, Brooklyn had some more breathing room.
Gilliam singled and scored Brooklyn's fifth run in the bottom of the bottom of the fourth. The Dodgers scored again that inning and twice more for good measure. With their 8-3 win, Brooklyn was right back in the 1955 Fall Classic.
Gilliam also helped the Dodgers win game four to tie the Series. He scored Brooklyn's first run in the bottom of the third. Then he walked and scored on Duke Snider's three-run home run in the bottom of the fifth. Jim ended the game with two hits and a walk.
After getting a hit and walk in game five, Gilliam did the same in games six and seven to help Brooklyn win it's first World Series. Jim certainly helped. 7 hits, 8 walks and 3 RBIs from the leadoff spot. He batted .292 in the 1955 Fall Classic.
In 1966, it was Gilliam on the Los Angeles Dodgers, having moved from Brooklyn to LA in 1958. The Dodgers won the World Series in 1959, 1963 and 1965, with Jim around for the ride.
So in '66, Los Angeles was looking for it's fourth World Series triumph. But Gilliam hit just .217 in 88 games. The Baltimore Orioles were looking for their first World Series win, period.
Los Angeles got things off on the wrong foot as starter Don Drysdale gave up back-to-back home runs in the top of the first inning of game one. The long balls were by Frank and Brooks Robinson. Frank's came with a man on, so it was quickly 3-0 Baltimore.
The O's scored again in the top of the second to make it 4-0. In the bottom of the frame, LA got a run back as Jim Lefebvre hit a home run of his own. The Dodgers looked like they'd get more that inning and claw their way back. Wes Parker hit a ground-rule double to right. Jim Gilliam walked. There was nobody out and the tying run was at the plate. But Dave McNally, the only pitcher (along with Bob Gibson) to hit two home runs in the World Series, got the next three batters out.
The Dodgers would not be denied in the bottom of the third. Joe Moeller, who came in to pitch after Drysdale was removed for a pinch hitter, retired Baltimore in order in the top of the third to keep the score 4-1. The Dodgers came up to bat in the bottom of the frame and looked poised to tie it.
Lou Johnson, Tommy Davis and Lefebvre all walked with one out. That was the end of the night for McNally, who walked five batters in 3 1/3 innings pitched. Moe Drabowsky was brought in. Jim Gilliam was back to the plate. When Gilliams walked (again), Los Angeles had cut the Orioles' lead in half, 4-2.
The problem is, the Dodgers never got another run in that game. And despite their seven walks, LA only managed three hits total in the contest. Drabowsky fanned eleven Dodgers, giving up just a hit and two walks in six and two-thirds' innings of relief work.
And, as it turns out, the Dodgers never touched home again. Jim Palmer pitched in game two, as the two men who drew two bases loaded walks in the World Series faced off. But Palmer shutout Gilliam at the plate and the Dodgers overall. Los Angeles dropped game 2, despite Sandy Koufax pitching it, 6-0. When the Orioles took games three and four, both times by the score of 1-0, Baltimore had the sweep.
Game two of the 1966 Fall Classic proved to be Jim Gilliam's last game, as the Dodgers would release him at the end of October. He had been one of the last links to the glory years in Brooklyn.
Jim Gilliam might never have been a great player. But with his speed, clutch hits, keen eye at the plate (taking pitches for Maury Wills to steal on) and superb defence at second and third base, he helped the Dodgers time and time again. It could be argued that Brooklyn and Los Angeles would have reached all those World Series without him. However, there is no doubt the Dodgers would have been hard pressed to replace Jim with someone else so reliable.
References
Snyder, John S. World Series!: Great Moments and Dubious Achievements. San Francisco: Chronicle, 1995. Print.
Sports Reference LLC. Baseball-Reference.com - Major League Statistics and Information. http://www.baseball-reference.com/. Web. 27 Mar. 2014.
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