Common Denominator: The Catch And The Perfect Game

That would be Dale Mitchell. Poor Dale was on the losing side of the 1954 Cleveland Indians and 1956 Brooklyn Dodgers.

There they were, the Indians in game one of the '54 Fall Classic vs. the New York Giants. There they were, tied at two in the top of the eighth inning, when The Catch happened. Actually, at the time, it looked like Cleveland was about to have a big inning. Right at the Polo Grounds.

Especially when it all started with a Larry Doby walk of Sal Maglie. Al Rosen singled. Maglie was gone. Vic Wertz was the batter. Don Liddle was the pitcher. Lefty / Lefty matchup. The ball to centre...Home run? Triple? Take your pick.

But here comes The Say Hey Kid. He's got it. Big iconic moment in sports. Almost no one sees Doby tag and make it to third. Hank Majeski goes up to bat for Dave Philley. Odd since Philley is a switch hitter. The Giants get Marv Grissom in to pitch to him. Cleveland counters with Dale Mitchell. Dale coaxes a walk, and the bases are loaded. The Catch will soon be a forgotten memory if the ball makes it to the outfield again.

It does not as the next two batters fail to deliver. The Giants have dodged a bullet, thanks to Willie Mays. Sam Dente comes in to play short, and Dale Mitchell is out of the game. New York wins it dramatically on a three-run home run by Dusty Rhodes in the bottom of the tenth.



The Giants are winning game three 6-1, in the bottom of the eighth when Mitchell does another pinch hit job for Cleveland. He does not come through, but the Indians score a run. But it's really meaningless. New York has the game, 6-2 and with that, are up 3-0 in the 1954 Fall Classic.





New York won game four, 7-4 for the sweep. Mitchell, again pinch-hitting, is the last out.




Two years later, he'd face another team from New York in the World Series. The Yankees. Mitchell is on the Brooklyn Dodgers.

The New York Yankees, in game two, are winning it 6-0. Ebbets Field is watching their Dodgers get destroyed. Dale Mitchell bats against Don Larsen as the Dodgers have scored one run in the bottom of the second. Batting for pitcher Ed Roebuck, he pops to third. Brooklyn, however, somehow comes back to tie the game, and ends up on top by the end of it, 13-8!

That win put the Brooklyn Dodgers up 2-0. But New York takes game three at Yankee Stadium. It's 4-1 New York in the top of the seventh, when Mitchell bats for Roebuck again. Roy Campanella is on first, two down. Mitchell cannot help Brooklyn, and ends the inning with a fly to left.

The next appearance for Mitchell is the one everyone remembers. Game five. Don Larsen retired the first 26 men to face him. Now, batting for Sal Maglie, it's Mitchell that is all that separates Larsen from immortality.

The first pitch is a ball. Larsen throws a strike to even the count. A 1-1 pitch is missed. One more strike. Mitchell stays alive by fouling off a pitch, but then Larsen throws his 97th of the afternoon. It's a called third strike, and Larsen has got the perfect game. Mitchell goes into the books as a historic footnote.



Mitchell batted again in game seven, and again failed to come through. Brooklyn lost it 9-0. Mitchell had played his last game. The Dodgers had also just played their last Fall Classic game in Brooklyn. And Mitchell had seen The Catch and The Perfect Game.



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.

Paper, Lewis J. Perfect: Don Larsen's Miraculous World Series Game And The Men Who Made It Happen. New York, NY: New American Library, 2009. Print.

Retrosheet .Web. 23 Sept. 2015. <www.retrosheet.org>.

Sports Reference LLC. Baseball-Reference.com - Major League Statistics and Information. http://www.baseball-reference.com/. Web. 23 Sept. 2015.

Youtube. Web. 23 Sept. 2015. <https://www.youtube.com>.

World Series: Did You Know?

Off all the Fall Classics played, only three times have each's league's batting champion met in the grand finale. 1909, 1954, and 2012. But it did make for some interesting storylines when it happend.

1909 featured Ty Cobb of the Tigers vs. Honus Wagner of the Pirates. The Series was billed as a head-to-head matchup of not only the batting title leaders, but also the two most feared speedsters. Ty ran into George Gibson, the first Canadian-born player ever to play in the World Series. He was held to just two stolen bases the entire World Series. He also hit just .231, but did contribute five RBIs. It was not enough to stop The Flying Dutchman's Pittsburgh Pirates from winning it all. He hit .333 with six stolen bases and six RBIs. Jim Delahanty and Donie were the only two hitting stars on Detroit, as Pittsburgh needed seven game to win it all.

Willie Mays's New York Giants needed just four games to beat Bobby Avila's Cleveland Indians in 1954. Mays only hit .286, and failed to get a home run. But, of course, no one remembers Mays' hitting in that Fall Classic. The only thing anyone remembers is The Catch. Willie robbed Vic Wertz of at least a triple in game one with a spectacular over-the-shoulder catch. Wertz, if you can believe it, had four hits in that game and hit .500 for the series. He out-hit both Mays (Who'd hit .345 for his only batting title) and Avila (AL-leading .341 in 1954, but just .133 in the Fall Classic). Mays also collected three RBIs. But, nothing tops, The Catch!














2012 saw Detroit's Miguel Cabrera and San Francisco's Busty Possey face off. It was all San Francisco in this World Series, as they swept through Detroit in the minimum required games. Possey hit .267 (Compared to .316 in the regular season), but did collect a home run and three RBIs. Cabrera and hit teammates were stymied by the Giants' pitching. Cabrera hit just .231 (.330 in the regular season, but matched Possey's output with a home run and three RBIs of his own. Pablo Sandoval hit .500 for the Giants and Delmon Young hit .333 for the losing Tigers.



Seems to me winning the batting title doesn't always carry over to the postseason, now does it?


References

Baseball Almanac, Inc. “Baseball Almanac: Baseball History, Baseball Records and Baseball Research. Baseball Almanac, Inc. Web. 8 May 2015, <http://www.baseball-almanac.com/>.

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.

Retrosheet. Web. 08 May. 2015.  <www.retrosheet.org>.

Sports Reference LLC. Baseball-Reference.com - Major League Statistics and Information. http://www.baseball-reference.com/. Web. 8 May. 2015.

Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation. Web. 8 May 2015. <https://en.wikipedia.org/>.

Youtube. Web. 8 May 2015. <https://www.youtube.com/>.

World Series: Did You Know?

Dale Mitchell, who was the last out of Don Larsen's perfect game, was also the last out of the 1954 Fall Classic.

So two famous last outs, all rolled into one pretty good player. Dale batted .312 lifetime.

Mitchell, who was also on the 1948 Cleveland Indians for good measure, ended up playing in thirteen World Series games, so of course he was going to have some back luck along the way.

In 1948, the Indians needed no such luck. Nor did it appear they needed any in 1954. Cleveland came into the Fall Classic against the New York Giants with a record of 111 wins and only 43 losses. Mitchell was not even in the starting lineup that World Series. But he came into the game as a pinch hitter under the most bizzare of circumstances.

So, Willie Mays makes "The Catch" of Vic Wertz, right? You've seen that. Larry Doby, on second, advanced to third for Cleveland, who also had Al Rosen on first, who singled. One out, runners on the corners.

Hank Majeski came in to bat for Dave Philley. But the Giants had seen enough from pitcher Don Liddle, who gave up the long fly from Wertz. Marv Grissom came into to pitch for the Giants. Liddle did not leave quietly. He turned to Grissom and said, "Well, I got my man."

Well, he sure did. The score was tied at two when all this amazing stuff was happening! But now Grissom would have to get his man, Majeski. But Majeski would not hit. Dale Mitchell came into bat. Mitchell coaxed a walk from Grissom. So the bases were loaded despite "The Catch".

The Indians went to the well for another pinch hitter, Dave Pope, but Grissom fanned him. Jim Hegan was then retired and the threat was stuffed. Willie Mays' catch, however, was the only thing we should be talking about in that game, right? The Giants took this thing in extras, 5-2.

Further amazing was the fact that Mitchell batted only twice more in this Fall Classic. In game three hit batted by was retired with the Indians trailing 6-1. Cleveland managed to score that inning but lost the game 6-2. With that, New York was up three games to 0 and looking for the sweep.

They got it in game four, as they stormed out to a 7-0 lead. Majeski, of all people, got Cleveland back in this thing somewhat with a three-run home run in the bottom of the fifth. The Indians scored again in the bottom of the seventh and even got had a man on third before the Giants got out of there.

So, in the bottom of the ninth, with the Giants still up 7-4, it was up to Mitchell to keep the ball rolling on a comeback attempt. With Steve Dente on first and two outs, Mitchell stepped into the dish for Dave Pope. He popped out to third and the Giants were World Series champions in a most surprising of sweeps.

Dale Mitchell was with Cleveland in 1956, when Brooklyn purchased his contract July 29th. He only played 19 games for Brooklyn and batted .292.

He was on the roster for the postseason. Brookly took game one and Mitchell sat and waited. In game two, Brooklyn was behind 6-1 in the bottom of the second when he batted for pitcher Ed Roebuck. He failed to deliver, but Brooklyn tied the game that inning. And they went on to win, 13-8.

The Dodgers lost game three and Mitchell warmed the bench some more. In game four, he batted for Roebuck again, but again failed to deliver as Brooklyn lost again, 6-2.

And of course on to game five. Well, Don Larsen was pitching a perfect game, and up to 92 pitches after retiring 26 straight batters. Now, as Dale batted for Sal Maglie, just one more out to go.

Ball one was outside.

Larsen got a called strike.

Mitchell swung and misses the next pitch. 1-2. One more pitch...

Mitchell fouled it off.

But when Larsen's next pitch was called a strike on the outside corner, the only perfect game (or no-hitter for that matter) had been thrown. Mitchell had one more plate appearance left in him. And Brooklyn had one more win left in them.

The Dodgers took game six, 1-0 in 10 innings. But in game seven, it was all New York.

The Yankees took an early 5-0 lead off Don Newcombe. Another Don, Bessent, relieved. He held the Yankees scoreless in his three inning relief stint. But Brooklyn still trailed 5-0 in the bottom of the sixth and Bessent was the first scheduled batter there. Mitchell batted for him and grounded out. The next two men were also retired.

The Yankees went on to win the game, 9-0 and wrap up the World Series. Dale Mitchell had also played his last game.

World Series are sometimes remembered for one play, like a Mays' catch. Or one game with a majestic performance, like Don Larsen's perfect game. Dale Mitchell made the last out to ensure Willie Mays' catch jump started the Giants on a sweep. And he made the last out in Don Larsen's perfect game to make it official. The Fall Classic can be good and bad timing. Sadly for Mitchell, it was a batter in the right place and right time. It was only the result that wasn't what he was hoping for!


References


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 Books, 2000. Print.

Neft, David S., Richard M. Cohen. 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.

Paper, Lewis J. Perfect: Don Larsen's Miraculous World Series Game And The Men Who Made It Happen. New York, NY: New American Library, 2009. Print.

Seaver, Tom, and Martin Appel. Great Moments in Baseball. New York, NY: Carol Pub. Group, 1992. Print.

Sports Reference LLC.  Baseball-Reference.com - Major League Statistics and Information. http://www.baseball-reference.com/. Web. 17 Nov. 2014.

World Series: Did You Know?

The Yankees failed to reach the World Series only twice in the 1950s.

And both years, Early Wynn was on the team that did make the World Series!

The Yankees missed in 1954 because the Cleveland Indians won 111 games. 5 years later, a team full of speedsters made it.

Both teams also had the American League leader in Wins. Fitting since that was his last name with an "S" on the end. At least, that's how you pronounce it.

It was an early win usually when Early Wynn was on the mound!

On his way to a career total of exactly 300 wins, Early led the AL in that category twice in the 1950s.

And it was 1954 and 1959.

So his AL leading 23 wins in 1954 actually only tied Bob Lemon, but it was enough to stop the Yankees from making it 6 straight trips to the Fall Classic.

So what happened to Wynn and the Indians in '54?

Lemon started game 1 against Sal Maglie and the Giants (Still in New York at this point), and took an early 2-0 lead. Back came the Giants to tie.

Then, Willie Mays made The Catch. Then, Dusty Rhodes hit a dramatic 3-run-pinch-hit home run in the bottom of the 10th!

In game 2, our boy Wynn started and pitched real well. New York got 4 hits off him. The Indians got 8 for the second straight game. And they still lost.

They lost because of Dusty Rhodes and Johnny Antonelli.

Antonelli, taking the hill for the Giants, gave up a leadoff home run to Al Smith (who would also play for the White Sox of '59) of the Indians. But it was nothing but "0" on the scoreboard for Cleveland the rest of the way.

Wynn, outside of Rhodes, gave up just 2 hits.

Rhodes, again pinch-hitting, ruined the Indians again.

His 2-run, pinch-hit single in the bottom of the 5th scored Mays to tie the game. The Giants then took the lead on Antonelli's groundout.

In the 8th, it was Rhodes hitting a solo home run to make it 3-1 Giants. That was the final score.

New York went on to a sweep. So I guess Wynn and the Indians couldn't stop the other New York team from winning in 1954. Actually, still another New York team, the Dodgers, won the next year. So even if the Yankees didn't make it to the World Series, New York pretty much owned it. If the Yankees made it to the World Series in 1955, and lost to Brooklyn, New York pretty much owned the World Series. You get the idea.

Milwaukee took that away in 1957, and then Brooklyn and the Giants moved for the 1958 season.

Wynn was in Chicago (AL) for the 1959 season. He made sure the Yankees didn't make it to the World Series.

Actually, his old team, Cleveland finished 2nd for good measure.

So, Wynn was up against the Dodgers. The Los Angeles Dodgers, that is.

Wynn led the AL with 22 victories for Comeback Player Of The Year. He was 39 years old. But Wynn was pitching like he was in his early 30s!

Wynn would get the call in game 1. Would Early's team win a game this time? Would Wynn win a game this time?

Everyone found out soon enough!

Wynn took the hill in game 1 and tossed 7 shutout innings. Gerry Staley came in and pitched 2 more for the combined shutout. Chicago scored 11 runs. Wynn drove in 1 of them for good measure.

Wynn also started game 4, and was trampled by Los Angeles in the 3rd inning. 4 runs scored against him. Chicago rallied later to tie the game, but ended up losing anyways.

And Early also started game 6. He was knocked out again after just 3 1/3 inning. The White Sox lost the game and the Series. Early never pitched again in the Fall Classic, as the 1960s dawned, the Yankees made it a point to make it back to the World Series. They did the first five years, 1960-1964. Wynn retired by then with exactly 300 wins.

References


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, pp. 282-391.

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, pp. 260-399.

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. Dec 14. 2013.