Sandy Amoros was a defensive replacement in game 7 of the 1955 World Series. The Brooklyn / New York matchup that year was very exciting, down-to-the-wire. Every player was important. Even the substitutes were needed. The Dodgers and Yankees had some mighty fine reserves that year. But the bottom line was, Brooklyn was looking, still, for their first World Championship.
Sandy Amoros was actually a regular that season. He played 102 games in left. But there was someone else who was a clutch performer that had the chance to be the hero with a catch in left. But fate intervened!
Yes, Sandy's amazing catch could have been done by Jim Gilliam, who was always underrated. Gilliam, of course, drew two bases walks in his World Series career. He was also on the best team Jackie Robinson ever played for. The type of player who you don't read about, but can always be counted on. That's what Brooklyn needed in 1955!
But Jim Gilliam started game 7 of the 1955 World Series in left field. In 1953, he was a second basemen. The Yankees beat the Dodgers in the Fall Classic that year, in only six games. In '55, Jim played 99 games at second, but only 40 in leftfield. It must have felt a little odd to see him out in left. And left in Yankee Stadium was very tricky. That's what made this game seven all-the-more tough for the Dodgers.
So it didn't look like Amoros was going to be needed in the finale. Gilliam did the job, and so did the pitching! The Dodgers were still looking for that elusive World Series title. Don Zimmer started the game at second. And the Dodgers got starting pitcher Johnny Podres two runs, which he made stand up. But in the top of the 6th, George Shuba pinch hit for Zimmer. When the bottom of the frame rolled along, it was Sandy Amoros in left, and Gilliam back at second base. Back where Jim belongs! You could say he had played that position 100 times that year. Well, almost!
In any event, New York put the first two men on. Then Yogi Berra, who always came through in the clutch for the Yankees, lofted a fly towards left. Amoros, who caught right-handed, ran to the foul line and snared it! Then, Sandy alertly fired it back to the infield. Gil McDougald, taking off from the bag, was doubled off first base. The play essentially killed the Yankee rally that inning.
Amoros even got to bat in the 9th. The score was still only 2-0, Brooklyn. With one out and one on, Sandy drew a walk. But this rally would also die. Bob Turley, the Yankee pitcher, got Johnny Podres out on a fly to center. Gilliam, with a chance to put this game away, ripped a Turley offering to right. But Hank Bauer made the catch. The Dodgers would be forced to make due with just the two runs.
Podres though, was also money on this day. He retired New York 1-2-3 in the bottom of the 9th to bring the Dodgers their first World Series crown.
Gil Hodges had driven in both of Brooklyn's runs earlier in the game. Podres (as well as Yankee Whitey Ford), had won two games in the 1955 Fall Classic. There were other heroics as well. But none of them will ever top Amoros' catch. Brooklyn got "The Big Play" from the bench! And that, help propel the Dodgers to where they had never been before!
References
Golenbock, Peter. Bums: An Oral History Of The Brooklyn Dodgers. Dover Publications, 2010.
Sandy Amoros was actually a regular that season. He played 102 games in left. But there was someone else who was a clutch performer that had the chance to be the hero with a catch in left. But fate intervened!
Yes, Sandy's amazing catch could have been done by Jim Gilliam, who was always underrated. Gilliam, of course, drew two bases walks in his World Series career. He was also on the best team Jackie Robinson ever played for. The type of player who you don't read about, but can always be counted on. That's what Brooklyn needed in 1955!
But Jim Gilliam started game 7 of the 1955 World Series in left field. In 1953, he was a second basemen. The Yankees beat the Dodgers in the Fall Classic that year, in only six games. In '55, Jim played 99 games at second, but only 40 in leftfield. It must have felt a little odd to see him out in left. And left in Yankee Stadium was very tricky. That's what made this game seven all-the-more tough for the Dodgers.
So it didn't look like Amoros was going to be needed in the finale. Gilliam did the job, and so did the pitching! The Dodgers were still looking for that elusive World Series title. Don Zimmer started the game at second. And the Dodgers got starting pitcher Johnny Podres two runs, which he made stand up. But in the top of the 6th, George Shuba pinch hit for Zimmer. When the bottom of the frame rolled along, it was Sandy Amoros in left, and Gilliam back at second base. Back where Jim belongs! You could say he had played that position 100 times that year. Well, almost!
In any event, New York put the first two men on. Then Yogi Berra, who always came through in the clutch for the Yankees, lofted a fly towards left. Amoros, who caught right-handed, ran to the foul line and snared it! Then, Sandy alertly fired it back to the infield. Gil McDougald, taking off from the bag, was doubled off first base. The play essentially killed the Yankee rally that inning.
Amoros even got to bat in the 9th. The score was still only 2-0, Brooklyn. With one out and one on, Sandy drew a walk. But this rally would also die. Bob Turley, the Yankee pitcher, got Johnny Podres out on a fly to center. Gilliam, with a chance to put this game away, ripped a Turley offering to right. But Hank Bauer made the catch. The Dodgers would be forced to make due with just the two runs.
Podres though, was also money on this day. He retired New York 1-2-3 in the bottom of the 9th to bring the Dodgers their first World Series crown.
Gil Hodges had driven in both of Brooklyn's runs earlier in the game. Podres (as well as Yankee Whitey Ford), had won two games in the 1955 Fall Classic. There were other heroics as well. But none of them will ever top Amoros' catch. Brooklyn got "The Big Play" from the bench! And that, help propel the Dodgers to where they had never been before!
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.
Mantle,
Mickey, and Mickey Herskowitz. All My
Octobers: My Memories of Twelve World Series When the Yankees Ruled Baseball.
New York: HarperCollins, 1994. 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. 24 Apr. 2014.
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