Johnny Klippstein pitched together with Sandy Koufax in game one of the 1959 Fall Classic. Six years later, they'd be on opposite sides and pitch in game seven of the World Series.
1959 saw the Los Angeles Dodgers in their second season since moving from Brooklyn. It also saw them in the Fall Classic against the Chicago White Sox. Game one? In Chicago...And all Chicago!
The White Sox, dubbed, "The Go-Go Sox" routed Roger Craig and Chuck Churn from the mound. It was 11-0 by the bottom of the fourth. The game was hopelessly lost. The bright spot for Los Angeles was the relief pitching that came next.
Clem Labine, who'd tossed a shutout his last Fall Classic appearance (Game six, 1956, ten innings), came into pitch after Chicago had scored twice in the bottom of the fourth. There was two outs. He got the next three men. The problem was, he was due up in the bottom of the frame. So Chuck Essegian batted for him and fanned.
That left it up to Sandy Koufax to hold the fort in the bottom of the fifth. It was still 11-0, so it didn't matter. But Koufax, pitching in the World Series for the very first time, got 'em 1-2-3 in that inning, then did the same the bottom of the sixth.
But again, Los Angeles needed take out the pitcher for a pinch hitter. Ron Fairly flied out as the last out of the top of the seventh. So Johnny Klippstein was summoned from the 'pen.
Klippy got the first two batters to face him out, but then surrendered a double to Al Smith. He got out of that by fanning Jim Rivera. The bottom of the eighth saw another K and a 1-2-3 inning of his own.
The Dodgers got two hits in the top of the ninth, but could not score and the game ended 11-0. Still, that was five innings pitched and just one hit (No runs) against for Labine, Koufax and Klippy.
Koufax pitched again in game five and took a 1-0 loss despite allowing just five hits. The winning run scored on a double play. Klippstein was not so lucky as he did not take the hill again. Hmmm, guess that serves him right for giving up that double. See, it broke the no-hitter by the bullpen in game one! A win in game six made Sandy and Johnny happy, for it locked up the 1959 Fall Classic for Los Angels, four games to two!
But six years later, Klippstein was on the Minnesota Twins. Like the Dodgers, they'd moved from their original home. They were formally the Washington Senators. But at this point, Sandy Koufax had established himself as the best pitcher in baseball. Actually, he pretty much had done that by 1962. So the Dodgers were the favorites with Don Drysdale and Sandy Koufax winning 49 games between them!
The Twins won the first two game as Drysdale and Koufax took the losses in Minnesota. But back at home in Los Angeles, it was 4-0, Dodgers after 7 1/2. Klippstein took the hill for the Twins in the bottom of the frame. After walking Lou Johnson (Who, coincidentally, scored the game-winning run in Koufax's perfect game after walking), Klippy got a double play and popup to short to get out of there. But Claude Osteen completed the shutout by getting the Twins 1-2-3 in the top of the ninth.
This thing was destined to go seven. And Koufax was destined to start game seven. He had it, on that day. It was 2-0, Los Angeles after four. And with Sandy on the hill with his stuff, that was a comfortable lead.
Klippstein came in to pitch the top of the top of the sixth. The Dodgers threatened. With one out, Wes Parker hit a triple. An out and an intentional walk later, it was Koufax himself that came to the plate. Klippy got Sandy out to end the threat.
But the next inning, Jim Gilliam singled with one out and Willie Davis was hit by a pitch. A groundout advanced both runners and Klippstein was removed. The Twins got out of that mess, but Sandy was still dandy.
Koufax finished the game with a three-hitter and ten strikeouts. Klippstein finished with two himself. The Dodgers won, 2-0.
It had been a while since Sandy and Johnny had seen each other. Klippstein had been traded after the 1959 season. That year saw Koufax 8-6 with a 4.05 ERA. Still, he'd shown promise. Klippy was 4-0, but his ERA was 5.91 that year. We all know that Koufax was on his was to putting it all together, but what about Klippstein?
He was purchased by the Cleveland Indians for $25,000 and dropped his ERA by 3.00 to 2.91. He also led the American League in saves with 14. In 1963, he was back in the Senior Circuit and he'd post an ERA of 1,93. 1965 was even better, 9-3 with a 2.24 ERA. Klippy had found his grove as a reliever, just as Sandy had settled in as the Dodgers' unquestioned top starter. Too bad he and Klippstein didn't get to pitch on the same team after they'd found their niche. It would have made a great combo!
The World Series is something not to be taken for granted as a player, manager, or even fan. You might only play in one in your entire career, like Ted Williams. Even if you make it back, it might be on a new team. Or you make it back with the same team, but with some of your teammates no longer teammates. Worse, you might end up having to face one of your ex-teammates in the Fall Classic. But in the World Series, you play for the team whose jersey you wear. They're no loyalties in October's Classic. It's all about the here and the now!
References
Enders, Eric. 100 years of the World Series. Sterling Publishing Co., Inc. New York, 2005. Print.
Fonseca, Lew, director. 1959 World Series. Performance by Vince Scully, Major League Baseball Productions, 1959. DVD produced by A&E Home Video.
Neft, David S., Richard M. Cohen. The Sports Encyclopedia: Baseball, 1992. 12th ed. New York: St. Martin's Press, 1992. Print.
Nemec, David, and Scott Flatow. Great Baseball Feats, Facts & Firsts. Toronto: Signet (Penguin Group), 2010. 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 Feb. 2015.
1959 saw the Los Angeles Dodgers in their second season since moving from Brooklyn. It also saw them in the Fall Classic against the Chicago White Sox. Game one? In Chicago...And all Chicago!
The White Sox, dubbed, "The Go-Go Sox" routed Roger Craig and Chuck Churn from the mound. It was 11-0 by the bottom of the fourth. The game was hopelessly lost. The bright spot for Los Angeles was the relief pitching that came next.
Clem Labine, who'd tossed a shutout his last Fall Classic appearance (Game six, 1956, ten innings), came into pitch after Chicago had scored twice in the bottom of the fourth. There was two outs. He got the next three men. The problem was, he was due up in the bottom of the frame. So Chuck Essegian batted for him and fanned.
That left it up to Sandy Koufax to hold the fort in the bottom of the fifth. It was still 11-0, so it didn't matter. But Koufax, pitching in the World Series for the very first time, got 'em 1-2-3 in that inning, then did the same the bottom of the sixth.
But again, Los Angeles needed take out the pitcher for a pinch hitter. Ron Fairly flied out as the last out of the top of the seventh. So Johnny Klippstein was summoned from the 'pen.
Klippy got the first two batters to face him out, but then surrendered a double to Al Smith. He got out of that by fanning Jim Rivera. The bottom of the eighth saw another K and a 1-2-3 inning of his own.
The Dodgers got two hits in the top of the ninth, but could not score and the game ended 11-0. Still, that was five innings pitched and just one hit (No runs) against for Labine, Koufax and Klippy.
Koufax pitched again in game five and took a 1-0 loss despite allowing just five hits. The winning run scored on a double play. Klippstein was not so lucky as he did not take the hill again. Hmmm, guess that serves him right for giving up that double. See, it broke the no-hitter by the bullpen in game one! A win in game six made Sandy and Johnny happy, for it locked up the 1959 Fall Classic for Los Angels, four games to two!
But six years later, Klippstein was on the Minnesota Twins. Like the Dodgers, they'd moved from their original home. They were formally the Washington Senators. But at this point, Sandy Koufax had established himself as the best pitcher in baseball. Actually, he pretty much had done that by 1962. So the Dodgers were the favorites with Don Drysdale and Sandy Koufax winning 49 games between them!
The Twins won the first two game as Drysdale and Koufax took the losses in Minnesota. But back at home in Los Angeles, it was 4-0, Dodgers after 7 1/2. Klippstein took the hill for the Twins in the bottom of the frame. After walking Lou Johnson (Who, coincidentally, scored the game-winning run in Koufax's perfect game after walking), Klippy got a double play and popup to short to get out of there. But Claude Osteen completed the shutout by getting the Twins 1-2-3 in the top of the ninth.
This thing was destined to go seven. And Koufax was destined to start game seven. He had it, on that day. It was 2-0, Los Angeles after four. And with Sandy on the hill with his stuff, that was a comfortable lead.
Klippstein came in to pitch the top of the top of the sixth. The Dodgers threatened. With one out, Wes Parker hit a triple. An out and an intentional walk later, it was Koufax himself that came to the plate. Klippy got Sandy out to end the threat.
But the next inning, Jim Gilliam singled with one out and Willie Davis was hit by a pitch. A groundout advanced both runners and Klippstein was removed. The Twins got out of that mess, but Sandy was still dandy.
Koufax finished the game with a three-hitter and ten strikeouts. Klippstein finished with two himself. The Dodgers won, 2-0.
It had been a while since Sandy and Johnny had seen each other. Klippstein had been traded after the 1959 season. That year saw Koufax 8-6 with a 4.05 ERA. Still, he'd shown promise. Klippy was 4-0, but his ERA was 5.91 that year. We all know that Koufax was on his was to putting it all together, but what about Klippstein?
He was purchased by the Cleveland Indians for $25,000 and dropped his ERA by 3.00 to 2.91. He also led the American League in saves with 14. In 1963, he was back in the Senior Circuit and he'd post an ERA of 1,93. 1965 was even better, 9-3 with a 2.24 ERA. Klippy had found his grove as a reliever, just as Sandy had settled in as the Dodgers' unquestioned top starter. Too bad he and Klippstein didn't get to pitch on the same team after they'd found their niche. It would have made a great combo!
The World Series is something not to be taken for granted as a player, manager, or even fan. You might only play in one in your entire career, like Ted Williams. Even if you make it back, it might be on a new team. Or you make it back with the same team, but with some of your teammates no longer teammates. Worse, you might end up having to face one of your ex-teammates in the Fall Classic. But in the World Series, you play for the team whose jersey you wear. They're no loyalties in October's Classic. It's all about the here and the now!
References
Enders, Eric. 100 years of the World Series. Sterling Publishing Co., Inc. New York, 2005. Print.
Fonseca, Lew, director. 1959 World Series. Performance by Vince Scully, Major League Baseball Productions, 1959. DVD produced by A&E Home Video.
Neft, David S., Richard M. Cohen. The Sports Encyclopedia: Baseball, 1992. 12th ed. New York: St. Martin's Press, 1992. Print.
Nemec, David, and Scott Flatow. Great Baseball Feats, Facts & Firsts. Toronto: Signet (Penguin Group), 2010. 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.
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