World Series: Did You Know?

Amazingly, it is Willie Mays who has the record for most double plays hit into in a single contest. Three.

Willie was playing in his first ever Fall Classic in 1951, and it was his New York Giants vs. their cross-town rivals, the Yankees. For the Bronx Bombers, it was Joe DiMaggio's last World Series and Mickey Mantle's first.

So after three games, it looked like the Giants were going to follow up their historic pennant win with a World Series triumph. It was 2-1 for the team representing the National League in the final showdown.

Game four, for good measure, was at home at the old Polo Grounds. Right where Bobby Thompson had hit that pennant-winning walk-off home run. The fourth contest was all Yankees, however.

Sal Maglie was the right choice for the Giants, and got the Yankees out in the top of the first with no scoring. Monte Irving, who just recently passed away, drove home Alvin Dark in the bottom of the frame with a single.

But just to show you how good this Yankee team was, right in the top of the second, they tied it. Joe Collins singled to score Gene Woodling. The Giants had The Miracle Man, Thompson, on first with one out in the bottom of the inning. However, Willie Mays hit into a double play to end that.

Allie Reynolds, the Yankees' starter, put the Bronx Bombers ahead for good with a single off Maglie in the top of the fourth. The Yankee Clipper, Joe DiMaggio, blasted a two-run home run off The Barber the next inning. 4-1 for the junior circuit champs after 4 1/2. They were really in the driver's seat.

Bobby Thompson started the bottom of the fifth for the Giants by drawing a walk. Mays again hit into a double play. Wes Westrum followed with walk, too. If only Mays' hadn't done that. The Giants may have come back right there.

As it was, Maglie was removed for a pinch hitter. Sheldon Jones came in to pitch. The Bronx Bombers were done finished.

In the top of the seventh, the Giants had Phil Rizzuto in the wrong spot. Westrum noticed The Scooter a little too far off second base. But Eddie Stanky, after getting the throw, hit Rizzuto in the back as he was heading to third. Rizzuto scored the fifth Yankee run. Woodling scored the sixth when McDougald singled. Neither tally was earned.

In the bottom of the seventh, Mays came up after Thompson had singled with one out. This time, he skied it to DiMaggio in centre. Westrum fanned to end the inning. The Giants finally scored again in the bottom of the ninth on a single by Thompson. That scored the other Thompson, Hank.

The single sent Irvin, who'd himself hit a single following a leadoff walk to Thompson, to third. Runners on the corners, one out, 6-2. And Mays at the dish.

Mays sent a roller to Rizzuto at short.

Ouch!

It happens to even the best of them.

Heving A Good Season For Cleveland In 1944

Granted there was obviously a shortage of some quality batters during the years of the second World War, but there was one veteran relief pitcher who really put out excellent numbers in 1944.

Joe Heving, who started just one game (Out of 63) in '44 (And only started 40 of the 430 career games he pitched), must have felt like a young man again that season. All the 43-year old did was post eight wins against just three losses, a low ERA, ten saves (The fourth most in the junior circut), and lead the American League in appearances!

Between 1930 and 1944, Heving finished in the top ten in saves an impressive ten times.

Stat Set 1

Pitcher	Year	GP	GF	GF%	IP	W	L
Crandall	1913	35	27	0.771	97.2	4	4
Wolfgang	1914	24	12	0.500	119.1	9	5
Mays	1915	38	27	0.711	131.2	6	5
Danforth	1917	50	26	0.520	173.0	11	6
Pitcher	Year	GP	GF	GF%	IP	W	L
Marberry	1926	64	47	0.734	138.0	12	7
Pitcher	Year	GP	GF	GF%	IP	W	L
Quinn	1932	39	29	0.744	64.1	5	4
Russell	1933	50	31	0.620	124.0	12	6
Brown	1938	51	32	0.627	132.2	15	9
Pitcher	Year	GP	GF	GF%	IP	W	L
Beggs	1940	37	27	0.730	76.2	12	3
Murphy	1941	35	31	0.886	77.1	8	3
Heving	1944	63	38	0.603	119.2	8	3
Maltzberger	1944	46	41	0.891	91.1	10	5
Page	1949	60	48	0.800	135.1	13	8
Pitcher	Year	GP	GF	GF%	IP	W	L
Konstanty	1950	74	62	0.838	152.0	16	7
Wilhelm	1952	71	32	0.451	159.1	15	3
Paige	1952	46	35	0.761	138.0	12	10
Kinder	1953	69	52	0.754	107.0	10	6
Mossi	1954	40	18	0.450	93.0	6	1
Narleski	1955	60	36	0.600	111.2	9	1
Freeman	1956	64	47	0.734	108.2	14	5
Farrell	1957	52	32	0.615	83.1	10	2
Hyde	1958	53	44	0.830	103.0	10	3
Duren	1959	41	29	0.707	76.2	3	6
Staley	1959	67	37	0.552	116.1	8	5
Face	1959	57	47	0.825	93.1	18	1
Pitcher	Year	GP	GF	GF%	IP	W	L
McDaniel	1960	63	47	0.746	104.1	12	4
Arroyo	1961	65	54	0.831	119.0	15	5
Radatz	1963	66	58	0.879	131.1	15	6
Perranoski	1963	69	47	0.681	129.0	16	3
Lee	1964	64	39	0.609	137.0	6	5
Ellis	1964	52	32	0.615	122.1	10	3
Miller	1965	67	55	0.821	112.1	14	7
Regan	1966	65	48	0.738	116.2	14	1
Abernathy	1967	70	61	0.871	106.1	6	3
Wood	1968	88	46	0.523	159.0	13	12
Tatum	1969	45	33	0.733	86.1	7	2
Pitcher	Year	GP	GF	GF%	IP	W	L
Giusti	1972	54	44	0.815	74.2	7	4
Hiller	1973	65	60	0.923	125.1	10	5
Borbon	1973	80	36	0.450	121.0	11	4
Marshall	1974	106	83	0.783	208.1	15	12
Gossage	1975	62	49	0.790	141.2	9	8
Eastwick	1976	71	59	0.831	107.2	11	5
Lyle	1977	72	60	0.833	137.0	13	5
Stanley	1978	52	35	0.673	141.2	15	2
Tekulve	1979	94	67	0.713	134.1	10	8
Pitcher	Year	GP	GF	GF%	IP	W	L
Fingers	1981	47	41	0.872	78.0	6	3
Hernandez	1984	80	68	0.850	140.1	9	3
Lamp	1985	53	11	0.208	105.2	11	0
Eichhorn	1986	69	38	0.551	157.0	14	6
Henke	1987	72	62	0.861	94.0	0	6
Burke	1987	55	30	0.545	91.0	7	0
Pitcher	Year	GP	GF	GF%	IP	W	L
Eckersley	1990	63	61	0.968	73.1	4	2
Thigpen	1990	77	73	0.948	88.2	4	6
Ward	1992	79	35	0.443	101.1	7	4
Henry	1991	32	25	0.781	36.0	2	1
Wetteland	1993	70	58	0.829	85.1	9	3
Harvey	1993	59	54	0.915	69.0	1	5
Hoffman	1998	66	61	0.924	73.0	4	2
Urbina	1998	64	59	0.922	69.1	6	3
Williamson	1999	62	40	0.645	93.1	12	7
Pitcher	Year	GP	GF	GF%	IP	W	L
Rhodes	2001	71	16	0.225	68.0	8	0
Smoltz	2003	62	55	0.887	64.1	0	2
Timlin	2005	81	27	0.333	80.1	7	3
Nathan	2006	64	61	0.953	68.1	7	0
Rivera	2008	64	60	0.938	70.2	6	5
Pitcher	Year	GP	GF	GF%	IP	W	L
Bell	2010	67	57	0.851	70.0	6	1
Cook	2012	71	23	0.324	73.1	6	2
Chapman	2012	68	52	0.765	71.2	5	5
Johnson	2012	71	63	0.887	68.2	2	1
Davis	2014	70	11	0.157	72.0	9	2
Rondon	2015	72	47	0.653	70.0	6	4
Pitcher	Year	GP	GF	GF%	IP	W	L

Stat Set 2

Pitcher	Year	S	BS	S%	H	ERA	K	K/9	WHIP	WAR
Crandall	1913	6	?	?	?	2.86	42	3.9	1.290	0.5
Wolfgang	1914	0	?	?	?	1.89	50	3.8	1.073	1.8
Mays	1915	7	?	?	?	2.60	65	4.4	1.063	1.0
Danforth	1917	9	?	?	?	2.65	79	4.1	1.324	3.2
Pitcher	Year	S	BS	S%	H	ERA	K	K/9	WHIP	WAR
Marberry	1926	22	?	?	?	3.00	43	2.8	1.348	3.1
Pitcher	Year	S	BS	S%	H	ERA	K	K/9	WHIP	WAR
Quinn	1932	13	?	?	?	2.66	24	3.5	1.383	1.1
Russell	1933	13	?	?	?	2.69	28	2.0	1.218	3.1
Brown	1938	5	?	?	?	3.80	55	3.7	1.500	0.4
Pitcher	Year	S	BS	S%	H	ERA	K	K/9	WHIP	WAR
Beggs	1940	7	4	0.636	0	2.00	25	2.9	1.161	2.2
Murphy	1941	15	7	0.682	0	1.98	29	3.4	1.397	2.2
Heving	1944	10	?	?	0	1.96	46	3.5	1.228	1.9
Maltzberger	1944	12	?	?	?	2.96	49	4.8	1.095	1.8
Page	1949	27	11	0.711	0	2.59	99	6.6	1.315	4.2
Pitcher	Year	S	BS	S%	H	ERA	K	K/9	WHIP	WAR
Konstanty	1950	22	4	0.846	0	2.66	56	3.3	1.039	4.7
Wilhelm	1952	11	1	0.917	1	2.43	108	6.1	1.155	2.7
Paige	1952	10	5	0.667	1	3.07	91	5.9	1.254	3.4
Kinder	1953	27	8	0.771	4	1.85	39	3.3	1.140	4.5
Mossi	1954	7	0	1.000	0	1.94	55	5.3	1.022	3.3
Narleski	1955	19	2	0.905	6	3.71	94	7.6	1.281	2.5
Freeman	1956	18	3	0.857	2	3.40	50	4.1	1.344	2.6
Farrell	1957	10	3	0.769	0	2.38	54	5.8	1.320	2.4
Hyde	1958	18	5	0.783	0	1.75	49	4.3	1.136	4.9
Duren	1959	14	7	0.667	1	1.88	96	11.3	1.200	3.8
Staley	1959	15	4	0.789	2	2.24	54	4.2	1.169	2.5
Face	1959	10	9	0.526	1	2.70	69	6.7	1.243	3.2
Pitcher	Year	S	BS	S%	H	ERA	K	K/9	WHIP	WAR
McDaniel	1960	26	6	0.813	1	1.29	95	8.2	0.863	6.0
Arroyo	1961	29	10	0.744	1	2.19	87	6.6	1.109	3.3
Radatz	1963	25	3	0.893	0	1.97	162	11.0	1.096	5.7
Perranoski	1963	21	8	0.724	0	1.67	75	5.2	1.202	4.5
Lee	1964	19	8	0.704	1	1.51	111	7.3	1.058	4.3
Ellis	1964	14	2	0.875	1	2.57	125	9.2	1.054	3.1
Miller	1965	24	1	0.960	1	1.89	104	7.8	0.997	4.3
Regan	1966	21	7	0.750	1	1.62	88	6.8	0.934	5.0
Abernathy	1967	28	6	0.824	1	1.27	88	7.4	0.978	6.2
Wood	1968	16	5	0.762	7	1.87	74	4.2	1.006	5.4
Tatum	1969	22	1	0.957	2	1.36	65	6.8	1.042	4.3
Pitcher	Year	S	BS	S%	H	ERA	K	K/9	WHIP	WAR
Giusti	1972	22	5	0.815	0	1.93	54	6.5	1.058	2.3
Hiller	1973	38	0	1.000	0	1.44	124	8.9	1.021	8.1
Borbon	1973	14	5	0.737	6	2.16	60	4.5	1.421	2.5
Marshall	1974	21	12	0.636	9	2.42	143	6.2	1.186	3.1
Gossage	1975	26	5	0.839	1	1.84	130	8.3	1.193	8.2
Eastwick	1976	26	9	0.743	1	2.09	70	5.9	1.115	2.8
Lyle	1977	26	8	0.765	1	2.17	68	4.5	1.197	3.7
Stanley	1978	10	5	0.667	1	2.60	38	2.2	1.242	4.1
Tekulve	1979	31	6	0.838	8	2.79	75	5.0	1.176	3.2
Pitcher	Year	S	BS	S%	H	ERA	K	K/9	WHIP	WAR
Fingers	1981	28	6	0.824	0	1.04	61	7.0	0.872	4.2
Hernandez	1984	32	1	0.970	0	1.92	112	7.2	0.941	4.8
Lamp	1985	2	5	0.286	8	3.32	68	5.8	1.164	1.3
Eichhorn	1986	10	4	0.714	7	1.72	166	9.5	0.955	7.4
Henke	1987	34	8	0.810	1	2.49	128	12.3	0.926	3.3
Burke	1987	18	4	0.818	5	1.19	58	5.7	0.890	4.3
Pitcher	Year	S	BS	S%	H	ERA	K	K/9	WHIP	WAR
Eckersley	1990	48	2	0.960	0	0.61	73	9.0	0.614	3.3
Thigpen	1990	57	8	0.877	0	1.83	70	7.1	1.038	3.4
Henry	1991	15	1	0.938	3	1.00	28	7.0	0.833	2.2
Ward	1992	12	4	0.750	24	1.95	103	9.1	1.135	3.1
Wetteland	1993	43	1	0.977	0	1.37	113	12.0	1.008	4.2
Harvey	1993	45	4	0.918	0	1.70	73	9.5	0.841	4.0
Hoffman	1998	53	1	0.981	0	1.48	86	10.6	0.849	4.1
Urbina	1998	34	4	0.895	0	1.30	94	12.2	1.010	3.2
Williamson	1999	19	7	0.731	5	2.41	107	10.3	1.039	2.8
Pitcher	Year	S	BS	S%	H	ERA	K	K/9	WHIP	WAR
Rhodes	2001	3	4	0.429	31	1.72	83	11.0	0.853	2.5
Smoltz	2003	45	4	0.918	0	1.12	73	10.2	0.870	3.3
Timlin	2005	13	7	0.650	24	2.24	59	6.6	1.320	2.9
Nathan	2006	36	2	0.947	0	1.58	95	12.5	0.790	3.3
Rivera	2008	39	1	0.975	0	1.40	77	9.8	0.665	4.3
Pitcher	Year	S	BS	S%	H	ERA	K	K/9	WHIP	WAR
Bell	2010	47	3	0.940	0	1.93	86	11.1	1.200	1.9
Cook	2012	14	7	0.667	21	2.09	80	9.8	0.941	2.6
Chapman	2012	38	5	0.884	6	1.51	122	15.3	0.809	3.6
Johnson	2012	51	3	0.944	0	2.49	41	5.4	1.019	2.4
Davis	2014	3	3	0.500	33	1.00	109	13.6	0.847	3.7
Rondon	2015	30	4	0.882	8	1.67	69	8.6	1.000	2.2
Pitcher	Year	S	BS	S%	H	ERA	K	K/9	WHIP	WAR

Notes

Wolfgang appeared as a starter eleven times.

Danforth appeared as a starter nine times.

Paige and Mays appeared as a starter six times.

Marberry, Mossi, Lee and Ellis appeared as a starter five times.

Russell and Stanley appeared as a starter three times.

Brown, McDaniel, Wood and Crandall appeared as a starter two times.

Beggs, Quinn and Narleski appeared once as a starter

Maltzberger, Hyde, Konstanty, Duren, Tekulve and Henke all wore glasses.


References

Sports Reference LLC. "Joe Heving Pitching Statistics And History." | Baseball-Reference.com - Major League Statistics and Information. http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/h/hevinjo02-pitch.shtml . Web. 28 Feb. 2016.