Jackie Jensen became the first person to play in a Rose Bowl and the Fall Classic.
Jackie, playing for the University of California on the first day of 1949, saw his team come up a little short (20-14) in the January Classic. Jensen scored a touchdown and also suffered an injury. It was, however, more than he'd do in the World Series, which was to consist of just a cameo.
His first year in the bigs on the diamond was bad. Jackie hit just .171 in 45 games, but was added to the postseason roster by the New York Yankees for some reason. The 1950 World Series lasted just four games, all of which were won by Jensen's team.
Jackie did little. New York faced Philadelphia and won game 1, 1-0, game 2, 2-1, and then came home for game 3.
It was another one-run deal, but New York won it. They actually trailed 2-1 as late as the bottom of the eight, but the Yankees were not to be denied.
The first two Yankees' batters were retired. The next three drew walks. That brought up Bobby Brown with the bases filled. Bobby was batting for Hank Bauer. All Brown could do was to short...And reach on an error. Jerry Coleman trotted on in to tie it!
And in came Jackie Jensen. The situation was one I'm sure he'd dreamed of: Game tied, bases loaded, 2 outs.
But not the kind you're just pinch running in.
The Big Cat, Johnny Mize was next, but ace relieve Jim Konstanty got him to pop to third. Philly, for a team being swept, sure was making it an interesting World Series. Even if it was a short one.
Meanwhile, Jensen could have stayed in, batting 5th. But given his light hitting in the regular season, manager Casey Stengel did a double switch: Pitcher Tom Ferrick (9-7, 11 saves) in for Jensen's spot, Gene Woodling (Who'd batted for starting pitcher Ed Lopat in the 8th) went in to left. Another substitution was Joe Collins in to play 1st for Mize.
Philly put two man on in the top of the ninth, but couldn't get 'em home. In the bottom of the frame, Russ Meyer got Billy Johnson to line out, and Cliff Mapes to strike out. Hmmm...Extras?
Not quite.
Woodling got a infield single. As did Phil Rizzuto. And then Jerry Coleman sent everyone home happy by not only getting it out of the infield, but singling home Gene Woodling! 3-2, Yankees! A dramatic win!
The Yankees completed the sweep with a 5-2 win in game 4, although the Phillies scored twice in the top of the ninth. It was New York's third straight World Series win. The'd win again in 1951, with Jackie not on the postseason roster. Then, in 1952, he was one of four Yankees traded to the Washington Senators for Irv Noren and Tom Upton.
Jackie found a home in Boston later that decade, having been traded there in the 1953/54 offseason. He'd league the junior circuit in RBIs three times. But after the 1961 season, he retied age just 34, due to his fear of flying and wanting to be with his family more. He died in 1982.
Armour, Mark. “Jackie Jensen.” Jackie Jensen | Society for American Baseball Research, Society Of American Baseball Research. <sabr.org/bioproj/person/00badd9b>. Web. 21 Dec. 2017.
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.
Golenbock, Peter. Fenway: An Unexpurgated History of the Boston Red Sox. Chicago, IL: Triumph Books, 2005. 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.
Jackie, playing for the University of California on the first day of 1949, saw his team come up a little short (20-14) in the January Classic. Jensen scored a touchdown and also suffered an injury. It was, however, more than he'd do in the World Series, which was to consist of just a cameo.
His first year in the bigs on the diamond was bad. Jackie hit just .171 in 45 games, but was added to the postseason roster by the New York Yankees for some reason. The 1950 World Series lasted just four games, all of which were won by Jensen's team.
Jackie did little. New York faced Philadelphia and won game 1, 1-0, game 2, 2-1, and then came home for game 3.
It was another one-run deal, but New York won it. They actually trailed 2-1 as late as the bottom of the eight, but the Yankees were not to be denied.
The first two Yankees' batters were retired. The next three drew walks. That brought up Bobby Brown with the bases filled. Bobby was batting for Hank Bauer. All Brown could do was to short...And reach on an error. Jerry Coleman trotted on in to tie it!
And in came Jackie Jensen. The situation was one I'm sure he'd dreamed of: Game tied, bases loaded, 2 outs.
But not the kind you're just pinch running in.
The Big Cat, Johnny Mize was next, but ace relieve Jim Konstanty got him to pop to third. Philly, for a team being swept, sure was making it an interesting World Series. Even if it was a short one.
Meanwhile, Jensen could have stayed in, batting 5th. But given his light hitting in the regular season, manager Casey Stengel did a double switch: Pitcher Tom Ferrick (9-7, 11 saves) in for Jensen's spot, Gene Woodling (Who'd batted for starting pitcher Ed Lopat in the 8th) went in to left. Another substitution was Joe Collins in to play 1st for Mize.
Philly put two man on in the top of the ninth, but couldn't get 'em home. In the bottom of the frame, Russ Meyer got Billy Johnson to line out, and Cliff Mapes to strike out. Hmmm...Extras?
Not quite.
Woodling got a infield single. As did Phil Rizzuto. And then Jerry Coleman sent everyone home happy by not only getting it out of the infield, but singling home Gene Woodling! 3-2, Yankees! A dramatic win!
The Yankees completed the sweep with a 5-2 win in game 4, although the Phillies scored twice in the top of the ninth. It was New York's third straight World Series win. The'd win again in 1951, with Jackie not on the postseason roster. Then, in 1952, he was one of four Yankees traded to the Washington Senators for Irv Noren and Tom Upton.
Jackie found a home in Boston later that decade, having been traded there in the 1953/54 offseason. He'd league the junior circuit in RBIs three times. But after the 1961 season, he retied age just 34, due to his fear of flying and wanting to be with his family more. He died in 1982.
References
Armour, Mark. “Jackie Jensen.” Jackie Jensen | Society for American Baseball Research, Society Of American Baseball Research. <sabr.org/bioproj/person/00badd9b>. Web. 21 Dec. 2017.
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.
Golenbock, Peter. Fenway: An Unexpurgated History of the Boston Red Sox. Chicago, IL: Triumph Books, 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.
Neft,
David S., and Richard M. Cohen. The World
Series: Complete Play-by-play of Every Game, 1903-1989. 4th ed. New York:
St. Martin's, 1990. 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. 21 Dec. 2017.
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