World Series: Did You Know?

Bobby Richardson set not one, but two records in 1960. "Most RBIs in a seven-game series, 12". "Most RBIs (6) in one contest". He seemed a worthy successor on the New York Yankees to Billy Martin. 

But unlike Martin, Richardson was a bonnie-fide star. Five straight Gold Gloves for the second basemen. By 1959, he was a .300 hitter, something the previous Yankee second basemen never came close to doing. The new second basemen had essentially picked up where Martin left off, but not when it matters. He made appearances in the 1957 and '58 World Series, but did not factor into key plays. Richardson had to take that next step, if he was to be remembered as an all-time Yankee great.

1960 was a bit of an off year for the Yankees, and Bobby Richardson. It was Casey Stengel's last year. Mickey Mantle hit .275, Whitey Ford won 12 games. Huh? Was the team in decline? Their second basemen had a rare off-season. Bobby Richardson had just one home run and twenty-six runs driven in.

Compare that to what he did two years later: He hit .300 again! Richardson was not a power hitter. At least not that year. He was the New York Yankees' leadoff hitter in 1960 for only 28 games. Tony Kubek, the shortstop, would bat first in '60, at least for 78 games.The next season was better, as it went Kubek leading off, Richarsdon to follow. And then the meat of the order. The result was Richardson was batting with some men on. But in 1960, Bobby often batted eighth in the lineup. 108 times to be exact.

"This was by second season I was playing regularly. My best position in the line-up was second," Richardson would say in 1992, "but Casey Stengel, who was our manager at the time, never knew that. 'He doesn't get enough walks', he'd say. So I batted seventh or eighth most of the time."

Times were better ahead for Richardson. The Yankees continued their winning ways as the 1960s continued. The second basemen would prove to be a whiz with the glove. And he'd start to knock 'em in and hit the occasional home run. So, what the 1960 Fall Classic a preview of what was to come the next six years from their second basemen?

Well, game one was a big let-down. What was Bobby doing? No hits. The Yankees needed 'em. They dropped a 6-4 decision to the Pittsburgh Pirates, who were the underdogs. Mickey Mantle, who was the only other Yankee to struggle this game, was in a foul mood about this, even thirty years later.

New York took an early lead on a Roger Maris home run in the top of the first at Forbes Field. But Bill Virdon led off for Pittsburgh that same frame. He walked. A crucial play developed. Bobby Richardson and Tony Kubek had to be prepared for a steal. Who would cover second. When Virdon took on on a pitch, neither the shortstop or second basemen covered the bag. That enabled the Pirates to get a man to third. They ended up crossing the plate three times that inning. Worse still, Bob Skinner added a stolen base (In which the ball almost ended up in centre, again) that inning for Pittsburgh, which also led to a run. Skinner and later Roberto Clemente had both hit ground balls that the hard infield of Forbes Field helped guide into the outfield. 

Bobby made up for a tough opening act in the second contest. In the top of the third, with the game scoreless, Richardson (Batting in the eighth slot) walked. A bunt moved him to second. Tony Kubek, the leadoff hitter, singled Richardson home. The Yankees were ahead to stay. They added another run before the inning ended.

And the next inning, Richardson didn't let up. A single. A passed ball moved him into second. Bob Turley, the pitcher, had bunted last time up. Here, he singled home the man. 3-0.

The Pirates got a run back, but Mickey Mantle knew he had to help prove to his teammates this was their game. His two-run home run in the fifth made it 5-1 for the Bronx Bombers. The Yankees, as per usual were inspired by number seven. You should have seen their sixth inning.

Bobby Richardson came up, and doubled home Elston Howard. You know what? He batted again that inning, and singled home Moose Skowron. How many runs did New York score that inning? Try seven! It was game over.

Richardson didn't much the rest of the game. Still, he was 3-4, 3 runs scored, 2 more driven home. But if you wanted RBIs, you wanted Mickey Mantle in game two. A record five! That must have lasted a long time, you'd think.

But in game three, the Yankees' second basemen took a backseat to nobody. Okay, maybe Whitey Ford. But the pitcher needed some offence, right? Back home at Yankee Stadium, Ford was always money. I think Bobby Richardson was money in the third contest.

You'd think that great game two performance would move Richardson up in the batting order. Oh, Casey Stengel sure did. Instead of batting just before the pitcher, now Bobby would bat before Tony Kubek. But Kubek was batting in the eighth slot.

No matter. Bobby Richardson was going to bat in the bottom of the first. It was 2-0 by the time he grabbed some lumber. With a mighty wallop, it was 6-0. The grand slam meant New York would have a great time with Pittsburgh. In two different interviews, Bobby talked about the great moment and what led up to it.

"We'd scored two runs already," he'd tell Susan Fornoff, "and the bases were loaded with one out. I went up there listening to Stengel to holler, 'Hold that gun,' meaning: 'Come back and let a more powerful guy hit.' But I didn't hear it, and I soon realized why: He had me bunting!"

It would have been interesting had Bobby done that. There'd have been no big wallop!

"I fouled off two pitches, and I heard out third-base coach [Frank Crosseti] telling me to hit the ball to the right field to stay out of the double play." Well, Richardson tried to do that.

"I was really trying to hit a ground ball to the right side. Clem Labine threw the fastball up and in," Bobby said in the mid-1980s, "and I hit the ball, and I guess I was more surprised than anybody when it went out of the park. And it was indeed a grand slam, and that record still stands for RBIs." Richardson could have been referring to both a single game (6) and entire Fall Classic, (12).

In the bottom of the fourth, Mickey Mantle hit his third home run of the 1960 World Series to make it 8-0, as Whitey Ford scored ahead of him. Richardson added a two-run single. Six RBIs. That record of Mantle's from game two sure lasted, eh?

Bobby was retired the next time up, finishing the game 2-5. But with six RBIs contributing to a 10-0 Yankees' win, Richardson was the man of the moment. It seemed now, like "Who was going to win the MVP?", more than, "Who is going to win the World Series?"

Alas, the stubborn Pirates regrouped in the next two games. Vernon Law went out for the Bucs, and looked strong, despite Bobby Richardson hitting a double off him in the last of the second. In the fifth, he got New York out on the right foot by singling. Ralph Terry tried to bunt him over, but ended up just striking out. So did Bob Cerv. And Tony Kubek.

It was 3-1 for Pittsburgh in the bottom of the seventh. Moose Skowron had accounted for the only Yankees' scoring with a long ball in the fourth. Here, Skowron opened with a double. Gil McDougald singled him to third. The tying run was aboard. Bobby Richardson was up, looking for his ninth RBI in the last three games. He got it, but only by sending a ball to his counterpart on Pittsburgh, Bill Mazeroski. The was the first out. Johnny Blanchard batted for the pitcher, and singled.

This brought about a pitching change, as El Roy Face came in to face Bob Cerv. Cerv crushed one, just a little bit to the right of the "407" sign in right. Billy Virdon, who had been originally singed by the Yankees and later managed them, raced over and made a tremendous catch, jumping to his left and snaring the ball. New York would have been ahead 4-3 but for Virdon's heroics. Richardson alertly tagged after the catch and made it to third. Ninety feet away from a tie ballgame. But Tony Kubek grounded out.

Bobby had the bat taken out of his hands by the manager in the ninth, despite his hitting .438 at the time. Dale Long batted instead, and was the last out of a 3-2 Pirate win. Just as things had started to look easy for the Bronx Bombers, they had their gold stolen by the Bucs.

The Pirates got ahead 3-0 before the Yankees got on the board. Elston Howard led off the second with a huge double. Bobby Richardson had RBI number ten in his sights, but grounded out. Still, it advanced Howard to third, laying the foundation for Tony Kubek's run-scoring grounder to first. The teams traded runs in the third, so it appeared the home team was getting to Pittsburgh starter Harvey Haddix.

Howard reached again in the fourth, and suddenly our boy was the tying run. Alas, Richardson lined it to Mazeroski at second, who doubled Elston Howard off first. Bobby Richardson finished the game 0-4. When the last out was recorded, it was the Pirates heading home up three games to two.

Once again, the second basemen and his team had to redeem themselves. They sure did in the sixth contest. Whitey Ford pitched for them, and he lifted their spirits. Ford knocked home a run of his own in the top of the second. The Bronx Bombers were off and running.

The next inning, Ford's buddy Mickey Mantle drove home two more runs with a single. Moose Skowron drove home another with a sacrifice fly. And Bobby Richardson lashed a two-run triple! 6-0, for the New York Yankees. The slaughter had begun, again!

Richardson tried to add to the onslaught in the fifth, but just lined out. However, he wasn't about to be denied. Top of the seventh. Another triple. Another RBI. Whitey Ford was amused. He cashed in Bobby by hitting into a fielder's choice. The New York pitcher had driven home two runs, while the entire Pittsburgh team was being shutout.

Yogi Berra plated Mickey Mantle in the eighth, and then Johnny Blanchard got Berra home with a double. Bobby Richardson was back up. Runner at second, two away. The score was 12-0 for the Yankees. Bobby flied out.

The game was the third rout by the Bronx Bombers. And their second basemen was up to twelve RBIs in just six games. Despite this, the 12-0 win only brought them to game seven. The Pirates could still pull this one out.

Bob Turley, the game two winner, started for New York. Vern Law started for Pittsburgh. Bobby Richardson started at second, leading off.

Bobby choked up on the bat, and took the first pitch for ball one. The next pitch was to Richardson's liking. The second basemen of the Yankees made one awesome bid for a hit. Bobby sent it to left, but shortstop Dick Groat went down to his knees to make a superb catch. 

It just wasn't Turley's day. The Pirates scored twice in the first, and another against him and Bill Stafford in the second. Were the Yankees done before this one really got going?

Moose Skowron got New York back on track with a home run in the fifth. The next inning, Bobby Richardson struck the match.

His leadoff single made it a 1-3 day. Tony Kubek followed with a walk. It is dictated by the Pirates that The Law was done for the day. El Roy Face came in to pitch to Roger Maris. Maris popped out.

But then, Mickey Mantle got a hold of the first pitch. For just a single, though it cashed in Richardson. Now it was 4-2. The Yankees had plenty of life left.

Yogi Berra was up. Face made a bat pitch, and Yogi Berra did what Yogi Berra always seemed to do. A clutch three-run home run! 5-4, Bronx Bombers! What a comeback. Bobby Richardson was retired in the seventh, but Bobby Shantz was pitching lights out for the Yankees. The countdown was on to champagne.

The "M and M" boys were retired to start the eighth, but they were never quit. Yogi Berra drew a bases on balls. Single, single, double. 7-4, New York. Eight more outs to go!

But fate intervened.

It seemed all-so-innocent. Gino Cimoli led off the bottom of the eighth with a single. Bill Virdon hit an 0-1 pitch to short. Right at Tony Kubek. It would be an easy double play to get New York to within four outs of a win. However, an earlier runner's spikes had accidentally dug out a small pebble. The ball hit it, bounced up and hit Kubek in the Adam's Apple. What a bad break for New York. Bobby Richardson, seeing his friend gasping for air, quickly called time out as he got to the ball. Bobby looked over his fallen pal.

A very sad sight. So sad that even Gino Cimoli came over to have a look at Kubek. He was replaced, and a big inning ensued. The Pittsburgh Pirates scored five times in the inning, three of them coming on Hal Smith's three-run home run (It appeared as though Smith may have gone around on a 1-2 pitch, but the Yankees did not appeal to first, for some reason).

Now, Bobby Richardson and his teammates had to play The Comeback, Part II in this game. Only this time, while the margin was only two runs (9-7), they had only three outs left. Richardson, clutch again, led off the ninth with a single. Dale Long followed with one. The Bronx Bombers were back in business. Roger Maris popped out to the catcher. Mickey Mantle came through again, singling home Richardson! 9-8. Yogi Berra grounded out to first and the Yankees had somehow comeback again. Never would have happened had Richardson not got the ball rolling. New York had trailed 4-0 and 9-7 and somehow were still alive.

But no for long. Ralph Terry pitched to Bill Mazeroski in the bottom of the ninth. A 1-0 pitch was launched over Yogi Berra's head in left for a dramatic walk-off. Everyone on the Yankees were in shock.

The worst part of it was the effort that New York had wasted from Bobby Richardson. How do you explain how 26 runs driven in during the regular season becomes a dozen in the World Series? Bobby would go home without a championship, but not empty-handed. He was given the World Series MVP (Now known as the Willie Mays' Trophy) for his outstanding performance. However, even the prize was not exactly to Richardson's use. As Bobby put it, the losing was not going to subside because of his prize. "After the game, the editor of Sport magazine told me I was the Most Valuable Player, but any air of excitement was gone both because we'd lost and because of the way we had lost."

One final irony, the prize itself didn't exactly end up helping Richardson or his family.

"I took the Corvette home and traded it in for a Jeep. I had two kids, and the Corvette just wasn't big enough." Bobby would have gladly traded in the Jeep, too, for a World Series ring in 1960.



References

Enders, Eric. 100 Years Of The World Series. Sterling Publishing Co., Inc. 2005.

Ford, Whitey, and Phil Pepe. Slick. W. Morrow, 1987.



Fornoff, Susan. “World Series Official Souvenir Scorebook.” Ontario, Toronto, Oct. 1992. (Article, Surprise, Surprise, pg. 12)

Gallagher, Mark. Explosion!: Mickey Mantle's Legendary Home Runs. Arbor House, 1987.

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

Major League Baseball Productions. World Series Highlights, 1958,  1960, 1961, 1962.  DVD / Youtube. 14 Apr. 2023.

Mantle, Mickey, and Herb Gluck. The Mick. Easton Press, 1996.

------------------and Mickey Herskowitz. All My Octobers: My Memories of Twelve World Series When the Yankees Ruled Baseball. HarperCollins, 1994.


Miller, Lawrence, director. New York Yankees (The Movie). Youtube, Philo / Magig Video, 1987, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AMWAt3v1I0w. Accessed 14 Apr. 2023. 

Neft, David S., Richard M. Cohen, and Michael L. Neft. The Sports Encyclopedia: Baseball, 1992. 12th ed. St. Martin's Press, 1992. 

--------------. The World Series: Complete Play-By-Play of Every Game, 1903-1989, St. Martin's Press, 1990.

Nemec, David et all. 20th Century Baseball Chronicle: A Year-by-year History of Major League Baseball. Collector's Edition. Publications International, 1993. 



Society For American Baseball Research, SABR. https://sabr.org/. 14 Apr. 2023.

Sports Reference LLC. Baseball-Reference.com - Major League Statistics and Information. http://www.baseball-reference.com/. 14 Apr. 2023.

Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, https://en.wikipedia.org/. 14 Apr. 2023.

YouTube, Google, https://www.youtube.com/. 14 Apr. 2023.

World Series: Did You Know?

 The top three RBI men on the 1919 Chicago White Sox were suspected or proved fixers.

The winning Cincinnati Reds were led in runs batted in by Pat Duncan, who'd driven in seventeen in only 34 regular season contests in '19, and Edd Roush. Roush had topped the National League with a .321 batting average that year, and driven in 71 runs. Roush had seven runs batted in during the 1919 Fall Classic. But Duncan topped 'em all with eight.

How about the Chicago White Sox? Their top RBI man was none other than Shoeless Joe Jackson. Jackson had 96 RBIs in the regular season, good enough for third in the Junior Circuit. However, he hadn't exactly been known for collecting RBIs when the World Series rolled around. Joe had just two RBIs in the 1917 Fall Classic, which went six games.

Jackson's teammate Chick Gandil had 60 RBIs in the regular season in 1919, which was fairly good as he generally batted in the sixth position. Happy Felsch, the centre fielder, had 86 RBIs in the regular season and tied Joe Jackson for tops on Chicago in home runs with seven.

So, Gandil and Felsch's involvement conjures up no debate. Gandil is believe to be the main man in the fix, and Felsch was heavily involved. Shoeless Joe Jackson's role in the scandal is always hotly contested. According to his grand jury testimony, Joe did indeed accept $5,000 to participate in the fixing of the World Series that year, but swore under oath that he'd tried his best to win.

But did Joe try his best when it mattered?

Jackson reached on an error in the top of the second in the first contest of the 1919 World Series. Actually, the shortstop of Cincinnati, Larry Koft, made a bad throw to first as Joe hit a grounder to him. The miscue resulted in Jackson to second. Joe had done well. He'd led of the inning and gotten into scoring position. Thanks to poor fielding.

But in any event, Happy Felsch hit a sac bunt to get Jackson to third. Then Chick Gandil hit a sac fly of his own to cash in Jackon. The tally tied the game, 1-1, but it was all the home Cincinnati team after that. Final score, 9-1.

The Reds took game 2, 4-2. No one collected an RBI for the visitors. Both White Sox runs scored via errors. Jackson did get three hits, including a double, but was stranded on third twice and second once. Felsch and Gandil had their chances to drive him home. Felsch twice bunted Jackson to third. But with Buck Weaver on third and Jackson on second in the top of the forth in a scoreless game, all Gandil could do was ground to first. Weaver was thrown out trying to score.

Now, in game three in Chicago, the White Sox won 3-0. Shoeless Joe led off the last of the second with a single, but Happy Felsch seemed to make it easy for the Reds. He hit a grounder to first and Jake Daubert fielded. The throw to second was poor, and Jackson made it all the way to third instead of being forced. Felsch pulled up to second on the miscue. On cue, Chick Gandil singled for RBIs two and three. The home team had all the runs they'd need. Jackson got another hit later, but failed to collect an RBI. The only other run driven in was by catcher Ray Schalk, who knocked home Swede Risberg in the bottom of the fourth.

Cincinnati then went into god-mode with their pitching. They beat Chicago 2-0 in game three (Despite hits from Jackson, Felsch and Gandil) via a three-hitter. Then, Hod Eller beat Lefty Williams 5-0 in the fourth contest.

Supposedly, the fixers were now upset that they'd been shortchanged by the gamblers and trying their best in game five. If they were, they sure made things tough on pitcher Dickie Kerr, the winner of the third contest. Since the series was actually best-of-nine rather than seven, Chicago was still alive. But on life support.

And things just seemed to get worse instead of better. Kerr was not good this time around. The Reds got two hits off him in the top of the first, got two more on via a walk an error the next inning, then broke through in the third.

You'd think Kerr would be replaced, but what transpired wasn't all his own undoing. Jake Daubert had singled in the third with one away in the top of the third. Kerr fanned the next batter, only to have Daubert swipe second. Kerr then hit Edd Roush, and Pat Duncan collected two RBIs of his own with a double to right-centre.

Greasy Neal tripled to start the top of the fourth. One out later, pitcher Dutch Reuther doubled to left (Jackson's neck of the woods). Then, Swede Risberg made his second error of the game (He'd total four by the time the Fall Classic was over, leaving no doubt of his intentions). This led to a fourth run, and a huge lead. Try 4-0.

The White Sox pried a run loose in the top of the fifth, but Dickie Kerr made a bad baserunning mistake that ran his team out of the inning. Still 4-1 down, things were looking real grim for the visiting Chicago White Sox. Shoeless Joe was 0-2.

But Buck Weaver got things off on the right foot in the top of the sixth. He doubled to left. Jackson came through, but only with a single for the Sox's second tally. Joe then scored on an double by Felsch to make it 4-3.

Now Chick Gandil and Swede Risberg seemed to want it to get no closer as they made outs one and two of the inning. However, Ray Schalk drove home Felsch with a single to left, 4-4!

Still tied 4-4 in the top of the eight, Joe Jackson and Chick Gandil were able to coax walks from Cincinnati. But Chicago failed to score either as Swede Risberg lined into an inning-ending double play. Hmmm...Swede isn't trying, eh?

Anyways, Chicago won it in extras, but the ugly way. Weaver doubled. Jackson bunted, but more for a hit as he beat it out. Weaver was 90 feet away from breaking the 4-4 deadlock. Felsch fanned. Ah. Chick Gandil did single, but from the looks of things, the ball wasn't exactly hit very well. And would you believe that Risberg again lined into an inning-ending double play? Jackson nailed at first. Not really a good game for two men who were supposedly trying their best. 

And not a good game for the pitcher, either. Although Dickie Kerr went all ten innings for the complete game win, he'd given up four runs, eleven hits and two walks. And he'd hit a batter don't forget.

So, Eddie Cicotte, who was 0-2, was on the hill for Chicago in game seven to try and keep his team's hopes alive. But Eddie was certainly in on the fix, and supposedly, he'd received every last penny he'd ask for. So why would he go out and try?

Well, like Kerr the day before, Cicotte didn't pitch that well. Although Cicotte, too, went all the way (But only nine innings), he allowed seven hits and three walks. It was a very mediocre player, Ivey Wingo, who Eddie couldn't get out if his life depended on it. It made for some very anxious moments (At least, for the White Sox players who still cared).

Shano Collins, not in on the fix, got the ball rolling for Chicago. In their very first time to grab lumber, the White Sox took off. Collins singled. The other Collins, Eddie, bunted him to second. But then Buck Weaver, who failed to collect a single RBI in the 1919 World Series, flied out to second. Shano held. The rally appeared to be dying. Weaver admitted to baseball's first commissioner, Kennesaw Mountain Landis, that he attended two meetings with the players and gamblers prior to the start of the Fall Classic, but did not take a dime. When the smoke cleared, Buck hit .324 for the Fall Classic of 1919, but was suspended for life.

Joe Jackson was also suspended for life. But here, with Shano Collins still at second base, he singled to make it 1-0. Happy Felsch attempted to keep the rally going with the third single of the inning as Jackson was now in scoring position, but Chick Gandil would have none of that. He ended the inning by forcing Felsch at second.

Both Collins' singled to start the third, but then Weaver lined into a double play (Was he borrowing a page from Swede Risberg?) Jackson singled, just like he'd done the last time up. And like last time, it scored Shano Collins from second. 2-0. Felsch forced Jackson. Of the fixers, only Shoeless Joe appears to be trying. I still haven't proved to you Eddie Cicotte is, have I?

Was Cicotte that good in the Fall Classic in the first place? Well, coming into this seventh game, he'd pitched a total of five World Series contests. And while his earned run average was great, 2.52, Eddie had allowed 35 hits in 35 2/3 innings pitched. He'd also lost a game in 1917 and two more in '19 for good measure. So Cicotte was 1-3 lifetime in World Series contests prior to this seventh tilt.

In the fifth inning, it was time for the other Collins to score. Shano Collins was retired to start the frame, but Eddie singled. Buck Weaver reached on an error by the third basemen. Jackson reached, also on an error, but this time it was second basemen Morrie Rath's fault. Felsch came through with a single to score Collins and Weaver (RBIs two and three for Happy). Jackson was now at second. But both runners were stranded as Gandil and Risberg made outs. Chicago wouldn't score again this game.

Cincinnati got two on in the bottom of the inning, but Cicotte stranded them. The next inning, Heinie Groh hit a ground-rule double to left. That's Shoeless Joe's area, remember? One out later, Pat Duncan put a "1" on the Cincinnati side of the scoreboard with a single. There was still plenty of time for a comeback.

Dolf Luque, who relieved Red Fisher (Who'd himself relieved battered starter Slim Sallee in the top of the fifth) in the sixth inning for the Reds, disposed of Weaver, Jackson and Felsch in the seventh, fanning two and getting Shoeless Joe to ground out. Ivey Wingo and Morrie Rath got on for the Reds in the last of that frame, and the tying run was at the dish, the batter being Jake Daubert. However, Jake grounded out to second basemen Eddie Collins.

Swede Risberg reached on a one-out error in the top of the eight, only to be cut down trying for second. Ray Schalk ended the three-batter inning with a grounder to short. Cicotte got the Reds 1-2-3 in the bottom of the inning, but fanned to lead off the ninth. Shano Collins flied out. Eddie Collins grounded out. Dolph Luque had gone four shutout innings, allowed just one hit and fanned five. He hadn't quite emerged as a star yet. Although 10-3 with Cincinnati in 1919 (After being 6-3 the previous season), Dolph had only nine starts to his name. He was basically a relief ace. At least at this point.

Eddie Cicotte was now three outs away from his second career win in the Fall Classic, and Chicago's third win of the 1919 World Series. Quickly, he Larry Koft and Greasy Neal out. But then Ivey Wingo, who'd walked all three trips to the dish in this contest, singled. Sherry Magee batted for Dolph Luque and followed suit. Jimmy Smith ran for Magee. Morrie Rath ended the game by flying out. Chicago had this one, 4-1. It was back to The Windy City for game eight.

But it was Cincinnati that decided it early. They scored four runs in the top of the first to knock Lefty Williams out of the game. Chicago seemed to have something going in the bottom of the frame. Nemo Leibold singled. Eddie Collins, who'd gotten two hits in game seven, delivered the first of his three hits in this contest with a double. But Buck Weaver took a called strike three. Joe Jackson popped it up behind third in foul territory. Leibold should have scored the first Chicago run right there, but for some reason held at third. Felsch fanned to end that.

So by the time Chicago scored via a Jackson solo home run in the bottom of the third, it was 5-0 Cincinnati. The White Sox had a promising bottom of the second, as Risberg walked with one away. Ray Schalk popped up in foul territory, but an error by his counterpart behind the dish (Bill Rariden) gave him life and he singled. But Bill James, the relief pitcher who'd relieved Lefty Williams earlier, batted for himself despite the fact that Chicago was desperate for runs. James popped out and Leibold fanned. So much for another promising inning.

And even there, after Shoeless Joe's long ball, the Reds weren't through. They tacked on a run in the top of the fifth to restore the five-run lead. Then, in the sixth, Edd Roush drove in two more runs, and Pat Duncan added an RBI single. 9-1, just like in game one.

The White Sox continued to hit the ball well, but their offence just kept sputtering. Buck Weaver singled to start the last of the sixth, but all Joe Jackson could do is fly out to deep centre. Felsch and Gandil also were retired on fly balls.

In the last of the eight, with one away, Eddie Collins singled, again. Weaver doubled, but it only got Collins to third. Jackson hit a double, both runners scored. Felsch failed to come through, popping out to first. Gandil hit a triple that Greasy Neal couldn't come up with due to the afternoon sun. Was Gandil trying? In any event, he had his fifth and last RBI of the series. Swede Risberg probably wasn't trying as he hit it to short centre. However, Edd Roush made an error and Gandil scored. No RBI, though. So Chicago scored four runs, their biggest inning of the Fall Classic. Could it be argued it was, "Too little, too late?" Or, Cincinnati made some bad plays? Better fielding by the Reds and the White Sox score two runs, not four.

In any event, Eddie Murphy (Not the actor) pinch hit for pitcher Roy Wilkinson and was hit by a pitch to lead off the bottom of the ninth. It was still 10-5 for the visitors. Leibold appeared to have a hit, but a fine, diving catch in centre by Roush put an end to that (Redeeming himself from the last frame?). Eddie Collins got another hit. First and second. One away. But Weaver could only fly out. Murphy tagged and runners were now on the corners with two away. Collins then scored as Shoeless Joe Jackson batted. But Joe stranded both runners by grounding out, as the series was over.

So, Gandil, who was for sure involved in the fix, is really the only player that drove in important runs for the White Sox in the 1919 World Series. Since he's a proven fixer, the point is moot. Jackson did drive in six runs, but they all came in games seven, eight and nine. Not that he didn't hit the ball well in the games with no RBI. Joe had three hits in game two, and another two in game three. Jackson also got the only extra-base hit for Chicago in the lost game four. Felsch collected his only RBIs in games six and seven, which the White Sox were supposedly trying to their best (Sans Risberg?).


References

Anderson, Dave. Pennant Races: Baseball at Its Best. Toronto: Penguin Random House of Canada, 1995. Print.

Baseball-Reference.com - Major League Statistics and Information. https://www.baseball-reference.com/. 31 Aug. 2020. Web.

Bock, Hal. The Associated Press Pictorial History of Baseball. Emmaus: JG Press, 1990. Print.

Cook, William A. The 1919 World Series: What Really Happened? Kindle ed. Jefferson: McFarland, 2001. Print.

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

Fountain, Charles. Betrayal: The 1919 World Series and the Birth of Modern Baseball. Toronto: Oxford University Press Canada, 2016. Print.

Frommer, Harvey. Shoeless Joe and Ragtime Baseball. Dallas, TX: Taylor Publishing Company, 1992. Print.

Gropman, Donald. Say It Ain't So, Joe!: The True Story Of Shoeless Joe Jackson. Revised. Toronto: Canadian Manda Group, 1992. Print.

Halfon, Mark S. Tales from the Deadball Era: Ty Cobb, Home Run Baker, Shoeless Joe Jackson, and the Wildest Times in Baseball History. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 2014. Print.

Hornbaker, Tim. Fall from Grace: The Truth and Tragedy of "Shoeless Joe" Jackson. New York, NY: Sports Publishing, 2016. Print.

Kalb, Elliott. Who's Better, Who's Best in Baseball: Mr. Stats Sets the Record Straight on the Top 75 Players of All Time. Toronto: McGraw-Hill Canada, 2005. Print.

Mallon, Douglas. The World Series: A Game-By-Game History. Scotts Valley: Createspace Independent Publishing Platform (Amazon.com), 2018. Print.

Neft, David S., and Richard M. Cohen. The Sports Encyclopedia: Baseball. 12th ed. Richmond: Raincoast Books, 1992. Print.

----. The World Series: Complete Play-by-play of Every Game, 1903-1989. 4th ed. Richmond: Raincoast Books, 1990. Print.

Nemec, David et al. 20th Century Baseball Chronicle: A Year-by-Year History of Major League Baseball. Collector's Edition. Lincolnwood: Publications International, 1993. Print.

----. The Baseball Chronicle: Year-by-Year History of Major League Baseball. Publications International, Ltd., 2008. Print.

Shoeless Joe Jackson Virtual Hall of Fame, www.blackbetsy.com/shoeless.html. 31 Aug. 2020. Web.

Snyder, John S. World Series! Great Moments and Dubious Achievements. Richmond: Raincoast Books, 1995. Print.

World Series: Did You Know?

Whitey Ford drove in the only run he'd need in game six of 1960. His team, the New York Yankees, needed a win. All Ford did was go out and pitch a shutout.

It was Ford's second of the 1960 Fall Classic against the Pittsburgh Pirates. He'd beaten them 10-0 in game three at Yankee Stadium. But game six was at Forbes Field.

The Pirates looked like they might get to Ford early. The Yankees went down 1-2-3 in the top of the first. Pittsburgh, up 3-2 in the World Series and looking for the finishing touches, got a single by Bill Virdon in the bottom of the frame to start their turn. Dick Groat hit into a 4-6-3 double play, however. Roberto Clemente singled to keep the inning alive, only to be stranded at first as Dick Stuart fanned.

The Yankees got into the swinging habit in the top of the second. With one out, Yogi Berra, playing left field as Elston Howard actually caught this one, walked. Moose Skowron singled. Howard was hit by a pitch. Bob Friend was in a jam. He managed to get Bobby Richardson to fly out. Short enough that no one scored. Berra though, came home with the game's first run as Ford hit one back to Friend. Berra beat the throw home. 1-0.

The Pirates got their third hit in the bottom of the second, but again nobody scored. The Yankees sure did in the top of the third. Tony Kubek was hit by a pitch. Roger Maris doubled him to third. Mickey Mantle singled 'em both home to make it 3-0. And the rout was just beginning!

Berra singled Mantle to third. Skowron flied out, and that brought The Commerce Comet home. 4-0. Johnny Blanchard singled to keep this thing going! When Bobby Richardson singled, it was 6-0. Ford and Clete Boyer were retired to end the inning, but the lefty had a nice six-run cushion to work with after 2 1/2 innings of play.

Whitey really settled down to make sure Pittsburgh have any comebacks in mind. He set 'em down 1-2-3 in the third and fourth inning. Hal Smith singled to start the fifth, and Don Hoak got the Bucs their fourth hit of the game. Bill Mazeroski hit into a double play, alas. Pinch hitter Rocky Nelson fanned.

New York added two more in the top of the sixth to make it an 8-0 laugher. Roberto Clemente got his second hit of the afternoon in the bottom of the frame, but Whitey Ford kept the shutout going. Richardson and Ford then picked up another RBI each in the top of the seventh to get it to double digits. 10-0, New York.

In the top of the eighth, Roger Maris singled for his third hit of the game, Mickey Mantle forced him at second, but there was no stopping another Yankees' uprising. Clem Labine, pitching for Pittsburgh, had once shutout the Yankees in a World Series game years earlier for the (then) Brooklyn Dodgers. Here, he was having all sorts of troubles. His wild pitch moved the great Mantle to third. Berra singled to centre, and Mantle scored. Berra took second on Bill Virdon's fielding error. Skowron grounded out, but now the catcher-turned-left fielder was 90 feet away from making it a dozen runs.

Johnny Blanchard, the actual catcher (Having replaced Elston Howard earlier) doubled to right. Berra scored for the third time. Maris, Berra, had company. Blanchard was with them with 3 hits in this must-win game.

Dick Groat singled with two out in the bottom of the frame. Nothing came of it. It was also only the sixth hit off Whitey Ford all day long. Red Witt, the fifth reliever of the game for the Bucs, got New York out 1-2-3 in the top of the ninth to keep the score at 12-0. Ford eyed the shutout, needing just to retire three more men.

Dick Stuart grounded out to short. Gino Cimoli singled. Hit number seven by Pittsburgh. But only Hal Smith and Roberto Clemente managed more than one. Smith came up, and didn't get a hit, He grounded to Clete Boyer at third. Boyer to Richardson covering second, one. Richardson to Skowron at first, double play! A nice 6-4-3. Ford was a 12-0 winner.

Whitey Ford ended the 1960 World Series with a 2-0 record, a 0.00 ERA and only 11 hits allowed over the course of 18 innings. Alas, all this was not enough. The Pittsburgh Pirates won game seven (Ford did not appear) 10-9 to take it. Remarkably enough, Ford came back the next year to win both his starts again. And again he did not allow a run. Ford was simply pitching "Lights out!" in the World Series at this time!


References


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. pp. 281-286.


Sports Reference LLC. Baseball-Reference.com - Major League Statistics and Information. http://www.baseball-reference.com/. Web. 03 Dec. 2016..

Common Denominator

"Led the league in home runs four years in a row. Teammates on the world champion 1911 Philadelphia Athletics. Each with 5 RBIs in the six games."

That would be Frank, "Home Run" Baker and Harry Davis. But it was Davis who beat the Baker to the oven! Davis was a red-hot hitting long ball machine. For his time. Modest totals by today's standards. And when George Herman Ruth showed up a few seasons after Baker, it was a whole new ballgame in the long ball department.

So back to Davis. Harry had been a relic from the late nineteenth century, playing with the old New York Giants in his first season in 1895. But it wasn't until a few years after the turn of the century that he really began to knock the cover off the ball.

Not that he didn't in 1901. He did not play in the bigs the year before, but, now on the Philadelphia A's, Davis smacked 8 home runs that season. From there, his total was only six, six, the next two seasons. But from 1904 to 1907, he led the American League in round-trippers, reaching a high of 12 in 1906.

Davis was only 32 in '06, from there, he began to decline. In 1911, he batted just .197 and hit only one long ball. That he only got into 57 games was a sign his time was up. Nonetheless, Davis was there on the postseason roster as Philly faced the might New York Giants.

His World Series experience up to that point had been of little contribution. In 1905, the Giants had handled the Athletics in five games via Chirsty Mathewson's three shutouts. Davis hit .200. When the A's won five years later, Harry hit .353 in another series that went five games. This time, Philadelphia won over the Chicago Cubs. But, Davis drove in only two runs. He managed two RBIs. In the 1905 Fall Classic, Davis had zero RBIs. 1911, however, would be different. For Davis, his old friends from 1905 were waiting for him in the grand finale. Waiting to win again. But this was one Athletics' team to be reckoned with.

One of the differences in 1911 was the A's third basemen, Frank Baker. Baker topped the junior circut in home runs with 11 that year. This was the first of four straight years that Frank would be atop the home run mountain in the American League. And somehow, even the presence of the great Mathewson seemed to offer little hope that the Giants could win the Fall Classic that year.

But the great ones rise to the challenge.

Christy went out to the hill in game one against Chief Bender like he had something to prove. Well, he didn't have to prove anything to anyone with a long memory. However, he left a lasting impression on the A's again.

Pitching at home at the Polo Grounds, Matty went the distance and out-pitched Bender 2-1 despite an RBI from Davis. In game two, there was no Mathewson on the hill for the Giants. But the Athletics had to win. They did just that despite more terrific pitching from the Giants. The A's got six hits in game one. In game two at home, against New York's Rube Marquard (And reliever Doc Crandall), they got only four. One of them was a home run by Baker which accounted for two runs. Eddie Plank, Philadelphia's starter, gave up only one run, meaning Baker did the job for him.

It was back to New York and back to face Mathewson in game three. Matty was terrific again. This time, though, Baker added him to the list of long ball victims. Davis also drove home a run. The A's needed extras to prevail 3-2, and were now up 2-1 in the Fall Classic of 1911.

Rain postponed the World Series a week, meaning the home team at Shibe Park would have to face The Immortal Mathewson. The Chief got the better of him in this crucial game. Baker and Davis did not hit a home run, but each again picked up an RBI. And the Philadelphia A's were a game away from bringing it all home! Baker had four RBIs at this point, Davis, three.

Rube Oldring got into the home run trot for the visiting Athletics in game five, as they looked for the kill. But the Giants found a way to survive, winning 4-3 in extra innings at home. New York didn't want to lose it at home.

But the A's did win it after all. And in decisive fashion. The final score in the series-clinching game six was 13-2 as Bender picked up his second win of this Fall Classic. Oh, the RBI total of our two boys? Baker picked up one for a total of five. Davis picked up # 4 and 5 in this game. That made them the co-leaders in RBIs in the 1911 Fall Classic.

From there, though, the two men's careers went in opposite paths. Davis only made a few spot appearances in the next six years, never hitting another home run or returning to the World Seires. His final career total of 75 has been bested many times since. Baker, just 25 years old in '11, was just getting going. He reached double figures in home runs again in 1912, 1913, 1916, and finally, 1919. He played in one last World Series with Philly in 1914. His last two Fall Classics were in 1921 and 1922 with the Yankees, and some chap named Ruth. Baker finished with 96 home runs and the nickname, "Home Run."

References

Enders, Eric. 100 years of the World Series. New York: Sterling Publishing Co., Inc. 2005. Print.

Nemec, David, and Scott Flatow. Great Baseball Feats, Facts & Firsts. Toronto: Signet (Penguin Group), 2010.

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.

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.

Retrosheet. Web. 18 Feb. 2016.  <www.retrosheet.org>

Sports Reference LLC. Baseball-Reference.com - Major League Statistics and Information. http://www.baseball-reference.com/. Web. 18 Feb. 2016 .

World Series: Did You Know?

After getting an RBI in his second plate appearance in the 1962 Fall Classic, The Say Hey Kid did not get another in the remaining six games.

Willie Mays, playing in his first World Series since the San Francisco Giants were in New York back in '54, got off to a hot start '62. He just didn't seem to be able to keep it up. A fine play by Roger Maris stopped him from tying game seven with an RBI.

The New York Yankees, starting things on the road, jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead in game 2 behind a double by Maris in the top of the first. Mays started the bottom of the second for the Giants by singling and later scoring to cut it to 2-1.

In the next inning it was Chuck Hiller with a double and Mays driving him in with a single to tie things. That, however, was the last run the Giants would score. Mays added a single later, but it didn't do much.

The Giants lost that game 6-2, but won game two, 2-0. Mays, however, had no luck in this one. No RBIs or hits, for that matter!

The Series shifted to New York for game three, and New York took a 3-0 lead into the top of the ninth. It looked like Bill Stafford was going to get a shutout. But Willie ripped a double to left. Willie McCovey and Orlando Cepeda were retired, leaving behind only Ed Bailey, the catcher. Stafford was one out away from a shutout.

But Bailey surprised everyone by smacking a home run to right that just made it over Maris' head. That cut the score to 3-2. But Stafford got Jim Davenport to fly out to Tom Tresh in left to end the game. Mays had sure made things close, though!

Game four was close for a while, but San Francisco needed this one. A grand slam by Chuck Hiller broke open a close game and helped the Giants win 7-3. Mays followed Hiller's slam by making the last out of the inning. Earlier, he had singled and then been erased on a double play.

More was needed from Willie and his teammates in game five, as New York took a three to two series lead with a 5-3 win. Mays hit the ball well in the top of the first, as he lined out to Tresh. But Ralph Terry fanned him in the top of the fourth. His pal, Mickey Mantle caught Mays' drive to deep centre in the top of the sixth. Willie then grounded out to Clete Boyer at third in the top of the eighth.

Mays, however helped out in game six. In all went down in the bottom of the fourth. The Giants were back home and needed a win to starve off elimination! With a run already in and Willie on third after drawing a walk, it was time for Orlando Cepeda to smack a double. The hit scored Mays, and put San Francisco up, 2-0. A Jim Davenport single made it 3-0. The Giants had what they needed for a win (Final score, 5-2). Willie added a single and a steal of second in the bottom of the eighth inning, but the Giants stranded him.

Against Ralph Terry again for game seven at home, the Giants seemed overmatched. New York, however, could score but one run. And it came on a double play. But the one run was destined to hold.

Mays really got a hold of one in the bottom of the seventh. He sent one to left that Tom Tresh made a great catch on. It was crucial, as the other Willie, McCovey, hit a booming triple next. That catch had saved a run and kept New York up 1-0.

In the bottom of the ninth, New York still led, 1-0. Matty Alou, pinch hitting, singled for just the third hit off the ballgame by San Francisco. Terry Felipe Alou and Chuck Hiller on strikeouts. He was one out away from a shutout. Willie Mays was the batter. Doing an amazing job of hitting, he sent one to right that seemed destined for the corner and a tie ball game. Roger Maris, however, got to it quickly and fired a great throw to Bobby Richardson, who was way out in the outfield to take the throw. Richardson's throw home was also on the money as both runners ended up on second and third only. When McCovey sent a sizzler to Richardson on Terry's second pitch, and Bobby caught that, New York was on top of the world in 1962.

It happens. Willie Mays, was one, if not the, best players of his generation. And here he was without an RBI in the last six games of this very exciting World Series. You have Fall Classics where that guy you should count on just doesn't seem to come through, while that guy who had no right to be a hero suddenly does. That's baseball for you at October's Showdown!