Charlie Keller became the first rookie to hit two home runs in one game. Back in 1939, in game three of the Yankees' four game sweep of Cincinnati.
Even in a sweep, there is often problems for the winning side. A narrow 2-1 win by New York in game featured a triple and a run scored for Charlie. But this thing was too close for comfort. Game two ended four to zero for New York, but oddly enough, three of the four runs scored in the bottom of the third. It Keller with a double to score a run. And when Bill Dickey hit a single later, Charlie was brought home.
But it's game three we are talking about here, eh? And our boy wasn't about to let the hometown Reds make any game of this. With one on and one out in the top of the first, Keller took the crowd out of the equation with a two-run home run. That put New York up 2-0. The Bronx Bombers weren't about to stop there, either! Cincinatti, though, had some moments to put some doubt into this one.
The Reds actually got a run back in the bottom of the frame, then really got the crowd going with two more in the bottom of the second. 3-2, Cincy. Things were looking all red! But Keller and his mates weren't about to go quietly. The top of the second saw a home run, not by Keller but by The Yankee Clipper himself, Joe DiMaggio. But guess who drew a walk earlier? Charlie Keller! Just like that, this see-saw affair had the Yankees ahead to stay. But it was Charlie who applied the finishing touches!
Frank Crosetti grounded out to start the top of the fifth for New York. But then Red Rolfe got a single. In to the batter's box stepped Charlie Keller. And for the third straight plate appearance of this game, he scored a run. Well, of course he did, because he also knocked in a run. With a home run, too! It was 6-3, New York, and this thing was getting ugly.
A home run later that inning by DiMaggio pretty much added an exclamation mark on a dandy of a day. But Charlie had put New York ahead, scored the tying run, and added two deadly insurance runs on this day. All this as a rookie. He had made quite an impression on his teammates and the Cincinatti Reds. A win in game four ended this thing almost in heartbeat.
The New York Yankees of the time were that good. It was past the Ruth and Gehrig days at this point, but the Bombers continued to find a way to win. New guys would come in, like DiMaggio in '36, and Keller in '39, and next thing you know, it was October. It was just like that for New York. The regular season, then the postseason. A rookie meant a lot of growing up in a very short time. The Yankees had to be ready in the Fall Classic. Keller in '39, was just that. Ready for the big blow!
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.
Even in a sweep, there is often problems for the winning side. A narrow 2-1 win by New York in game featured a triple and a run scored for Charlie. But this thing was too close for comfort. Game two ended four to zero for New York, but oddly enough, three of the four runs scored in the bottom of the third. It Keller with a double to score a run. And when Bill Dickey hit a single later, Charlie was brought home.
But it's game three we are talking about here, eh? And our boy wasn't about to let the hometown Reds make any game of this. With one on and one out in the top of the first, Keller took the crowd out of the equation with a two-run home run. That put New York up 2-0. The Bronx Bombers weren't about to stop there, either! Cincinatti, though, had some moments to put some doubt into this one.
The Reds actually got a run back in the bottom of the frame, then really got the crowd going with two more in the bottom of the second. 3-2, Cincy. Things were looking all red! But Keller and his mates weren't about to go quietly. The top of the second saw a home run, not by Keller but by The Yankee Clipper himself, Joe DiMaggio. But guess who drew a walk earlier? Charlie Keller! Just like that, this see-saw affair had the Yankees ahead to stay. But it was Charlie who applied the finishing touches!
Frank Crosetti grounded out to start the top of the fifth for New York. But then Red Rolfe got a single. In to the batter's box stepped Charlie Keller. And for the third straight plate appearance of this game, he scored a run. Well, of course he did, because he also knocked in a run. With a home run, too! It was 6-3, New York, and this thing was getting ugly.
A home run later that inning by DiMaggio pretty much added an exclamation mark on a dandy of a day. But Charlie had put New York ahead, scored the tying run, and added two deadly insurance runs on this day. All this as a rookie. He had made quite an impression on his teammates and the Cincinatti Reds. A win in game four ended this thing almost in heartbeat.
The New York Yankees of the time were that good. It was past the Ruth and Gehrig days at this point, but the Bombers continued to find a way to win. New guys would come in, like DiMaggio in '36, and Keller in '39, and next thing you know, it was October. It was just like that for New York. The regular season, then the postseason. A rookie meant a lot of growing up in a very short time. The Yankees had to be ready in the Fall Classic. Keller in '39, was just that. Ready for the big blow!
References
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.
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. 17 Dec. 2014.
“Charlie Keller.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 2014, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charlie_Keller. Date Accessed, 17 Dec. 2014
“Charlie Keller.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 2014, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charlie_Keller. Date Accessed, 17 Dec. 2014
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