Classic World Series Videos: 1955

 The year was 1955. The Dodgers were still in Brooklyn. But they still hadn't won a World Series. In the classic "0 for..." phrase, Brooklyn was 0-7 in the Fall Classic. But in 1955, Johhny Podres pitched them all the way, winning game seven right there in Yankee Stadium. The 2-0 win over their great rivals, the New York Yankees, proved to be the Dodgers' only championship in Brooklyn.

There was also a new face on the team: In '55, a 19-year-old left-handed pitcher (Not Podres) made his debut. And like Podres, he'd pitch the Dodgers to a 2-0 road win in game seven. That was exactly a decade later (1965). For now though, the rookie was just 2-2 with a 3.02 earned run average. However, the two wins themselves had something in common: They were both shutouts!

His name? Sandy Koufax. And although added to the postseason roster (He'd made his MLB debut June 24th of 1955), Sandy did not appear. Nonetheless, it was fitting that he arrived and a championship followed the same year. And Koufax would win three more World Series.






References

Nemec, D. (2008). The Baseball Chronicle: Year-by-year history of major league baseball. Publications International. Print.

Neft, D. S., & Cohen, R. M. (1990). The World Series: Complete play-by-play of every game, 1903-1989. New York, NY: St. Martin's Press. Print.

Major League Baseball. "1955 World Series Highlights Brooklyn Dodgers vs New York Yankees."  YouTube, uploaded by Pizza Pizzichetti, 27 Aug. 2019, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JNQQJ_tWVCM. Web.

Sports Reference LLC. Baseball-Reference.com - Major League Statistics and Information. https://www.baseball-reference.com/. 19 Oct. 2020.

World Series: Did You Know?

Elston Howard, the first black player for the New York Yankees, was also the first black player to hit a home run off a black pitcher in the Fall Classic. Another Brooklyn / New York Fall Classic meant many more exciting moments, 1955 had it's share. It all started when the World Series used to start, In September, not October.

September 28th was the date. Yankee Stadium, the site. Dodgers and Yankees. You couldn't ask for more. But on this day, it was truly amazing just what transpired. It was also Whitey Ford vs. Don Newcombe. It had all the makings of a classic.

Brooklyn got it all going in the top of the second, determined to prove that 1955 would be the year of the long-overdue breakthrough. Carl Furillo smashed a home run to put the Dodgers up 1-0. Another run scored (That being that legendary Robinson who touched home) courtesy of an RBI from Don Zimmer. But then the Bronx Bombers hit back.



Yogi Berra, who usually hit Newk well, grounded out to second. But Joe Collins walked and the tying run was at the dish. And it was Elston Howard. And with one swing, this thing was tied. I mean, this game was a classic, right?

The teams continued to go back-and-forth, and you didn't really know who was going to win it. The fireworks were really just getting started, as Duke Snider got into the home run trot for Brooklyn the next inning. But it was the Yankees that seemed to take over from there. They tied it in their half, then went ahead as Collins hit a home run in the bottom of fourth. Again, more to come.

Collins added another home run, a two-run shot, in the bottom of the sixth to finish off Newk. 6-3, New York. But the Dodgers? Far from done. Here comes Jackie...Safe!

At least that was the call. Yogi Berra didn't think so, and let the umpire know.

Carl Furillo got it all going with a single off Ford to start the eighth. With one down, Robinson reached on an error as Furillo was ninety feet away from getting the lead down to two. Jackie took second on the error for good measure, so a single would make it 6-5. Zimmer flew out, and Furillo tagged to make it a 6-4 game. But now Brooklyn was starting at two outs. Robinson had advanced another base. And that proved to be crucial.

His iconic steal of home was next. Again, there is debate as to whether or not Jackie made it. But in any event, it was 6-5 New York.



That proved to be the last run of the game. Brooklyn, by the way, dropped game two. It didn't matter. They got rid of the ghost as they ended up winning it all in game seven.



Perhaps it was the Robinson steal, or the fact that Brooklyn lost the game. How about the five home runs? But Elston Howard actually played on the winning side this game. And yet his home run, which was actually hit on his very first Fall Classic plate appearance, is kind of lost in the shuffle. Brooklyn fans remember Sandy Amoros' catch that year. They forget about Elston Howard, except as the last out of this great World Series. When it comes to a player named Sandy, few if anyone who followed baseball took notice of Sandy Koufax, who pitched actually pretty good for Brooklyn that year. His greatness would not become apparent for years to come. But he was a 1955 Brooklyn Dodger. However, let's face it. Do you think about him, or Robinson's iconic steal if you want to think about the Dodger teams of the 50s? Even Duke Snider didn't really leave us with any iconic moments, despite all those World Series home runs and great defensive plays in the outfield.

Elston Howard came up big for the Yankees. Yet he's behind Mickey Mantle, Yogi Berra, Ford and later Roger Maris. Hey, didn't he win the 1963 AL MVP? Even Moose Skowron seemed to get more attention. But there is no denying his greatness during those Yankee dynasty years. Don Newcomb had his problems in the postseason. But one of the reasons was Elston Howard (Who hit a home run off him in game seven the next year). Howard, like Mantle, could hit to all fields, and could call the game as good as Berra behind the dish. Here, his clutch home run helped the Yankees offence get going. Ellie's teammates knew what to expect from him after this. And Howard came through for them again and again in October.


References

Golenbock, Peter. Dynasty: The New York Yankees, 1949-1964. Lincolnwood, IL: Contemporary, 2000. Print.

Neft, David S., Richard M. Cohen, and Michael L. Neft. The Sports Encyclopedia: Baseball, 1992. New York: St. Martin's Griffin, 1992. Print.

Sports Reference LLC. Baseball-Reference.com - Major League Statistics and Information. http://www.baseball-reference.com/. Web. 1 Oct. 2015.

Retrosheet. Web. 1 Oct. 2015. <www.retrosheet.org>. 

Youtube. Web. 1 Oct. 2015. <https://www.youtube.com>.

World Series: Did You Know?

Don Zimmer had two RBI's in his first World Series game.

Zimmer, who just passed away on June 4th, was on the 1955 Dodgers. That year, in the Fall Classic, they were up against their arch-rivals, the Yankees. New York had never lost a World Series to Brooklyn before and had no intention of dropping this one. And they had a guy named Whitey Ford on the hill in the opener. A guy who won a lot of World Series games. Ten to be exact. And here Ford was at Yankee Stadium, which was always so much to his and the Yankees liking! Oh, by the way, Brooklyn had still not won a World Series at this point. Odds not looking good, eh?

Zimmer, with 15 home runs and 50 RBI's to his name in the 1955 regular season, started the game at second base. Jim Gilliam, the lead off hitter, was in left. Donny was batting eighth, in front of pitcher Don Newcombe. Newk was a good hitter. As was the 7th hitter, third basemen Jackie Robinson.

Ford and Newcombe got through the first inning without a score, but in the second, Brooklyn wasted no time in getting to Whitey. Carl Furillo led off with a home run to put Brooklyn up 1-0. Robinson tripled with one out. Our boy Zim hit a single to score Jackie and make it 2-0, Dodgers. Zimmer made it to second on Newk's grounder. Gilliam walked, but that's all she wrote for Brooklyn in this inning.

And the Yankees were not concerned about any of this. After Yogi Berra grounded out to start the bottom of the frame, Joe Collins singled. When Elston Howard went downtown, this game was tied at two.

Duke Snider untied the game in the top of the third with a home run. The Dodgers got a runner on before Ford came through with a strikeout of Jackie Robinson to end it. Zimmer was waiting to do more. He would have to wait until the fourth inning.

Whitey Ford helped his own cause by coaxing a leadoff walk from Newcombe in the bottom of the third. Hank Bauer singled. A pair of groundouts scored Ford, and the game was tied again, 3-3.

Don Zimmer did exactly what Whitey Ford did. He walked to start the inning. The other Don tried to bunt, but it was Zimmer who ended up out at second instead of the intended Newk out at first. Jim Gilliam walked to get Don to second. But the Yankees turned two on Pee Wee Reese's liner to second.

New York then took the lead for the first time as Joe Collins hit a home run to deep right in the bottom of the fourth. In the Dodgers' fifth inning, Whitey Ford got the first two batters out, but then Carl Furillo and Gil Hodges singled. Furillo made it to third, meaning Jackie Robinson was the batter with Don Zimmer on deck. But once again, Zimmer would not get to bat as Robinson flied out to centre.

Newk got the Yankees in order in the bottom of the fifth and Ford did the same in the top of the sixth.

But in the bottom of the sixth, New York made their move to put this one out of reach. Well, seemingly. Newcombe got the first batter, Irv Noren, out on a grounder. But then Yogi Berra, who always seemed to hit Don well, singled. When Collins followed with a two-run home run, it was suddenly 6-3, Yankees. Elston Howard was the second out on a ground ball to shortstop Reese. But when Billy Martin, who always seemed to hit well in October (although this game was September 28th), hit a triple, Newcombe's day was over. Another Don, Don Bessent came in to pitch and Martin was out on an attempted steal of home. Someone on the Dodgers ough to show Martin how it's done, eh?

Ford mowed down Reese, Duke Snider and Roy Campanella (three Hall Of Famers, no less!) in the top of the seventh and the Yankees looked like all was well. They had their money pitcher on the hill, and their offence going.

But Brooklyn had Zimmer, who would not let them quit. And a guy named Robinson, who still had the wheels!

Carl Furillo started the top of the eighth for the Dodgers by hitting a single. Gil Hodges flied out to Elston Howard in left. Jackie Robinson reached on an error by Billy Martin. It was a crucial mistake, as Furillo made it all the way to third and Robinson made it all the way to second. Zimmer then was then set to deliver!

Actually, all Don could do was fly out. But it scored Furillo and moved Robinson to third. Then, believe it or not, you've seen what happened next!

Don Bessent was the scheduled hitter, but their was no way Brooklyn was going to let the pitcher bat under these circumstances. Even if Newcombe was still in the game, odds are the Dodgers would have sent up a pinch hitter.

Frank Kellert batted. Jackie Robinson, at third, didn't wait. He swiped home!



That run made it 6-5, and that would be the final score. Don Zimmer did not get to bat again in this game. Another New York win in the Fall Classic. Another Whitey Ford win. Anyone here surprised?

Don Zimmer will be remembered as a great baseball ball man. But it's more for his managerial duties then that as a player. In a game like this (And it's game one, which I've long contended is the least important game of any playoff series in any sport), you had stars (and Hall Of Famers) like Ford, Duke Snider, Campy, and others. Robinson, probably stood out better than all of them with that electrifying steal of home. But again, you had players like Howard and Newcombe, who many feel should be in the Hall Of Fame. Then there are guys like Billy Martin, who always shine in the World Series but you never talk about them in the spring. And you have guys like Zimmer, who maybe should have ever stepped on the field with such legends. But you need players like him to come through in order to win. It's unexpected. It's surprising. But it gives your team the boast they need. The Dodgers went on to win the 1955 World Series in seven games.

References

Brenner, Richard J. The World Series: The Great Contests. East End Publishing, 1989. Print.

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.

Sports Reference LLC. Baseball-Reference.com - Major League Statistics and Information. http://www.baseball-reference.com/. Web. 06 Jun. 2014.

World Series: Did You Know?

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

Enders, Eric. 100 Years Of The World Series. New York: Sterling Publishing Co., Inc. 2005. Print.

Golenbock, Peter. Bums: An Oral History Of The Brooklyn Dodgers. Dover Publications, 2010.

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.

World Series: Did You Know?

Jim Gilliam, like Jim Palmer, drew two bases loaded walks in his career. But they were not in the same game.

Gilliam, a key member of the 1953 Brooklyn Dodgers (not to mention Rookie Of The Year), was back in the World Series for a second time in 1955. He, like rest of the Brooklyn team, were still looking for that elusive first Fall Classic triumph.

Gilliam hit only .249 in the regular season, but was ready for the New York Yankees that fall.

But Whitey Ford stopped Jim and his mates cold in game one. Gilliam managed just one hit in five at-bats. Brooklyn lost, 6-5. Another loss in game two put the Dodgers in further trouble. But Gilliam drove in Brooklyn's second and final run of the game.

In game, it was the Dodgers that took something away from the Yankees. Their pride! In the bottom of the second inning with the score tied at 2, Brooklyn's awesome offence started to kick into high gear. This had a deflating effect on the opposition, as you might expect.

With one out, Jackie Robinson hit a single. Then Sandy Amoros was hit by a pitch. Johnny Podres, who would pitch a fine game for the Dodgers, laid down a perfect bunt. Not only did it get both baserunners over, but Podres made it to first! Gilliam was the batter. When he coaxed a walk off Bob Turley, it was Brooklyn ahead for good. The Dodgers weren't about to stop there. When Pee Wee Reese drew another walk off new pitcher Tom Morgan, Brooklyn had some more breathing room.

Gilliam singled and scored Brooklyn's fifth run in the bottom of the bottom of the fourth. The Dodgers scored again that inning and twice more for good measure. With their 8-3 win, Brooklyn was right back in the 1955 Fall Classic.

Gilliam also helped the Dodgers win game four to tie the Series. He scored Brooklyn's first run in the bottom of the third. Then he walked and scored on Duke Snider's three-run home run in the bottom of the fifth. Jim ended the game with two hits and a walk.

After getting a hit and walk in game five, Gilliam did the same in games six and seven to help Brooklyn win it's first World Series. Jim certainly helped. 7 hits, 8 walks and 3 RBIs from the leadoff spot. He batted .292 in the 1955 Fall Classic.

In 1966, it was Gilliam on the Los Angeles Dodgers, having moved from Brooklyn to LA in 1958. The Dodgers won the World Series in 1959, 1963 and 1965, with Jim around for the ride.

So in '66, Los Angeles was looking for it's fourth World Series triumph. But Gilliam hit just .217 in 88 games. The Baltimore Orioles were looking for their first World Series win, period.

Los Angeles got things off on the wrong foot as starter Don Drysdale gave up back-to-back home runs in the top of the first inning of game one. The long balls were by Frank and Brooks Robinson. Frank's came with a man on, so it was quickly 3-0 Baltimore.

The O's scored again in the top of the second to make it 4-0. In the bottom of the frame, LA got a run back as Jim Lefebvre hit a home run of his own. The Dodgers looked like they'd get more that inning and claw their way back. Wes Parker hit a ground-rule double to right. Jim Gilliam walked. There was nobody out and the tying run was at the plate. But Dave McNally, the only pitcher (along with Bob Gibson) to hit two home runs in the World Series, got the next three batters out.

The Dodgers would not be denied in the bottom of the third. Joe Moeller, who came in to pitch after Drysdale was removed for a pinch hitter, retired Baltimore in order in the top of the third to keep the score 4-1. The Dodgers came up to bat in the bottom of the frame and looked poised to tie it.

Lou Johnson, Tommy Davis and Lefebvre all walked with one out. That was the end of the night for McNally, who walked five batters in 3 1/3 innings pitched. Moe Drabowsky was brought in. Jim Gilliam was back to the plate. When Gilliams walked (again), Los Angeles had cut the Orioles' lead in half, 4-2.

The problem is, the Dodgers never got another run in that game. And despite their seven walks, LA only managed three hits total in the contest. Drabowsky fanned eleven Dodgers, giving up just a hit and two walks in six and two-thirds' innings of relief work.

And, as it turns out, the Dodgers never touched home again. Jim Palmer pitched in game two, as the two men who drew two bases loaded walks in the World Series faced off. But Palmer shutout Gilliam at the plate and the Dodgers overall. Los Angeles dropped game 2, despite Sandy Koufax pitching it, 6-0. When the Orioles took games three and four, both times by the score of 1-0, Baltimore had the sweep.

Game two of the 1966 Fall Classic proved to be Jim Gilliam's last game, as the Dodgers would release him at the end of October. He had been one of the last links to the glory years in Brooklyn.

Jim Gilliam might never have been a great player. But with his speed, clutch hits, keen eye at the plate (taking pitches for Maury Wills to steal on) and superb defence at second and third base, he helped the Dodgers time and time again. It could be argued that Brooklyn and Los Angeles would have reached all those World Series without him. However, there is no doubt the Dodgers would have been hard pressed to replace Jim with someone else so reliable.


References


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. 27 Mar. 2014.

World Series: Did You Know?

Whitey Ford and Johnny Podres each won two games in the 1955 World Series.

Yes, these two had come a long was from my last post about them in the 1953 World Series. Actually, neither of them got to pitch in '54, because neither of their teams made it to the Fall Classic that year. But in '55 the Yankees and Dodgers were back, and Brooklyn still hadn't won a World Series!

Ford didn't look so tough in the opening game. Carl Furillo led off the top of the second by taking him out of the park. A triple by Jackie Robinson and a single by Don Zimmer made it 2-0, Brooklyn!

The Yankees tied the game in the bottom of the frame on a two-run home run by Elston Howard. But another Brooklyn home run, this time by Duke Snider in the top of the third and the Dodgers were back up, 3-2. How did the Yankees come back?

Well, Ford walked in the bottom of the third inning. He later scored on a double-play to tie it. But the Yankees would need more. Much more. Even at home, the ballpark wasn't small enough for all the power that the Dodgers seemed to have on this day!

Enter Joe Collins.

In the bottom of the 4th, he put the Yankees ahead in this game by going yard. In the top of the 7th, Joe put New York ahead by three runs with a two-run shot! The Yankees needed all those runs, as it turns out.

The Dodgers scored twice more in the top of the eighth. One of the runs scored on that clip I'm sure many of you have seen 1,000 times. You know, Robinson stealing home and Yogi Berra losing it? For my money, Jackie beat the tag by Yogi. But it was the Yankees that beat the Dodgers, 6-5. Ford was the winner.

The Yankees also won game 2, to got up 2-0 on Brooklyn. Games 3, 4 and 5 (if necessary) would be played in Ebbets Field. The Dodgers needed game three!

Enter Johnny Podres.

Roy Campanella put Brooklyn up 1-0 with a two-run dinger in the bottom of the first inning. Then, for one inning, Podres looked shaky. It was Mickey Mantle, who had a knack for going yard in the Fall Classic, that put New York on the board with one in the top of the second. Another run by the Yankees tied the game at 2.

If you can believe it, the tie didn't last. In the bottom of the second, the Dodgers again scored twice, and this time the Yankees would not recover. Indeed, still another two runs in the bottom of the fourth made it 6-2, Brooklyn, and Podres was in fine form.

The Yankees finally scored again in the top of the 7th, but again it was Brooklyn who answered back in the bottom of the inning. And again with two runs. Brooklyn won, 8-3. They were right back in the 1955 World Series. And Johnny Podres had his first World Series win. And it wouldn't be his last!

Brooklyn, buoyed by the big win at home, promptly won the next two games at home for good measure. Suddenly, the Dodgers were just a win away from it all!

But back came the Yankees. Behind Whitey.

It was one of Ford's best efforts in the World Series. Certainly not his best, as he tossed a pair of 2-hitters in his long illustrious Fall Classic career. But in game 6 of the 1955 World Series, The Chairman Of The Board sent the 1955 World Series to a seventh and deciding game with a masterpiece!

The Yankees scored five times in the bottom of the first inning. Ford had just come off a 1-2-3 performance in the top of the frame. The Dodgers scored a single run in the top of the 4th. Ford ended the game with four walks. But Brooklyn got only four hits and just that one run. Whitey added 8 K's for good measure. The home team had now won the first six games of this Fall Classic. This was the left-hander's first World Series with two wins. Alas, the Dodgers were about to have a left-hander win two games in one World Series for the first time, as well.

Game seven was quite a pitcher's duel. Tommy Byrne, the Yankees' pitcher, really gave New York a good enough effort to bring home another Fall Classic crown. But it was not to be.

With the game scoreless in the bottom of the third, New York had Phil Rizzuto on second and Billy Martin on first with two outs. The next batter, Gil McDougald, got a single. But the ball hit Rizzuto, meaning he was out!

The Dodgers took advantage of that situation by scoring in the top of the fourth. Gil Hodges scored Roy Campanella with a single. The Yankees got things off on the right track in the bottom of the frame as Yogi Berra led off with a double. But Yogi was stranded!

Byrne and Podres each had a 1-2-3 5th, but the Dodgers went back on the attack in the top of the 6th. They just found a way on this day!

A single by Pee Wee Reese. Then an error on a sac bunt from Duke Snider by the usually sure-handed Bill Skowron. Two on, nobody out. Campy bunted them both into scoring position. Furillo was walked intentionally. Bob Grim came in to pitch. Hodges was again clutch as he scored Reese with a fly to center. 2-0, Brooklyn! Grim allowed a wild pitch and a walk, but got out of the inning without another run scoring. He and Bob Turley would shutout the Dodgers for the rest of the game. When the game was over, Brooklyn had a grand total of five hits. That certainly doesn't seem like enough for beat the great New York Yankees, does it?

The Yankees got Billy Martin to second and McDougald to first in the bottom of the 6th. Gil reached on a bunt single. Berra, who batted left-handed, went the other way. It looked like at least a ground-rule double. But Sandy Amoros, racing at full speed, speared the ball along the foul line! A great catch. McDougald was doubled off on the relay to first. When Hank Bauer grounded out, a potentially huge New York rally had been snuffed out!

The Yankees were not done. In the bottom of the 8th, they got runners on the corners with just one out. Again the batter was Berra. Again, he flied out, but this time to right. Bauer fanned. The Yankees had eight hits in the game at this point. And no runs.

In the bottom of the 9th, with the Dodgers still up 2-0, Skowron grounded back to Podres. Bob Cerv was out on a fly to left. And when Elston Howard grounded out to Reese at short, the Dodgers were finally World Series Champions!

It had been a great Fall Classic in 1955. An amazing steal of home by Robinson, Snider's four home runs, Amoros' catch. Collins with two clutch round-trippers in a losing effort. The Yankees also got a .417 average by Berra, and a Series-leading .420 performance from Bauer.

But, when I think of the 1955 World Series, it's always two of the best clutch pitchers that come to mind. Johnny Podres (who wound up with the MVP) and Whitey Ford.


References


Baseball: A Film By Ken Burns. Prod. Ken Burns. PBS. 1994. Television. DVD.

Enders, Eric. 100 Years Of The World Series. New York: Sterling Publishing Co., Inc. 2005. Print.

Ford, Whitey, and Phil Pepe. Slick. New York: W. Morrow, 1987. Print.

Golenbock, Peter. Dynasty: The New York Yankees, 1949-1964. Lincolnwood, IL: Contemporary Books, 2000. Print.

Sports Reference LLC. Baseball-Reference.com - Major League Statistics and Information. http://www.baseball-reference.com/. Web. 21 Mar. 2014.

World Series: Did You Know?

Game 3 of the 1955 World Series was the last Fall Classic played in September. Who better to go at it then the Dodgers and Yankees for this one?

Brooklyn, up against New York again, were looking down and out. Behind 2-0 in the Series, and with Johnny Podres (11-13 on the 1955 season and no Fall Classic win to his name), on the hill. Things looked pretty grim for Da Bums. It was September 30, 1955. How would the Dodgers last very far into the next month?

It looked like another Yankee win. Bob Turley started for New York. What a difference a year makes! 14-15 with the Baltimore Orioles in 1954, to 17-13 with the Yankees the next year. Could Podres match up?

Podres' battery mate Roy Campanella, hit a 2-run shot in the bottom of the first. That was the kind of start the Dodgers needed. But what they didn't need was what happened to them in the top of the second inning!

Mickey Mantle, a year shy of the Triple Crown, smashed a home run of his own, the only good news was that it came with the bases empty. But a single by Phil Ruzzuto scored another run, and just like that the game was tied at 2.

But with one out in the bottom of the frame, it was Brooklyn's turn for some scoring! With one out, Jackie Robinson singled, and then Turley hit Sandy Amoros. Podres made it to first on a bunt! Jim Gilliam walked. Brooklyn was back on top, 3-2 and Turley was hitting the showers early.

Tom Morgan, the Yankees new pitched, then walked Pee Wee Reese, and the Dodgers suddenly had their 2-run lead back! Podres settled down and got the Yanks 1-2-3 in the 3rd and 4th innings.

In the bottom of the 4th, it was Campanella who singled home another run. Carl Furillo flied out, foul, to left, but than cashed in a run. Now, Brooklyn had some real breathing room! 6-2, Dodgers! Podres allowed no hits for the 3rd straight inning in the 5th.

In the sixth, the first two Yankees singled, but then Mantle did something he rarely did: he hit into a double play! The Yankees nonetheless got a run back the next inning as Andy Carey, batting for the pitcher, tripled home Rizzuto. But it was still 6-3, Dodgers! Then it was time for Jackie Robinson to weave some of that old magic.

With one out in the Dodgers half of the inning, the still fleet-footed Robby doubled to left, then took third on the throw to second. Jackie didn't steal home, as he had in the first game (The debate as to whether or not he made it there will probably never be settled), but he scored on Amoros' single. Podres failed with the bunt and forced Sandy at second, but a walk to Gilliam kept the inning alive. Reese stroked a single to make it 8-3 for Da Bums!

In the top of the 8th, Podres got 'em 1-2-3 on grounders. Moose Skowron started the 9th inning with a single for the Yankees. Podres got the next three batters to pop out. The Dodgers had their first win of the 1955 World Series thanks to Podres. Podres had lost a game to New York in 1953, so this was his first World Series win. They needed it! I guess this was a sign that this last September Fall Classic game was something special! And in the 7th game, it was the Brooklyn Dodgers who came through with a 2-0 win and their first championship!