1953 World Series

Last updated

1953 World Series
Mickey Mantle 1953 World Series Grand Slam.jpeg
Team (Wins) Manager(s) Season
New York Yankees (4) Casey Stengel 99–52, .656, GA: 8+12
Brooklyn Dodgers (2) Chuck Dressen 105–49, .682, GA: 13
DatesSeptember 29–October 4
Venue Yankee Stadium (New York)
Ebbets Field (Brooklyn)
Umpires Bill Grieve (AL), Bill Stewart (NL), Eddie Hurley (AL), Artie Gore (NL), Hank Soar (AL: outfield only), Frank Dascoli (NL: outfield only)
Hall of Famers Yankees:
Casey Stengel (manager)
Yogi Berra
Whitey Ford
Mickey Mantle
Johnny Mize
Phil Rizutto
Dodgers:
Roy Campanella
Gil Hodges
Pee Wee Reese
Jackie Robinson
Duke Snider
Dick Williams
‡ Elected as a manager
Broadcast
Television NBC
TV announcers Mel Allen and Vin Scully
Radio Mutual
Radio announcers Al Helfer and Gene Kelly
  1952 World Series 1954  

The 1953 World Series was the championship series in Major League Baseball for the 1953 season. The 50th edition of the World Series, it matched the four-time defending champions New York Yankees against the Brooklyn Dodgers in a rematch of the 1952 Series, and the fourth such matchup between the two teams in the past seven seasons. The Yankees won in six games for their fifth consecutive title—a mark which has not been equalled—and their 16th overall. It was also the last of seven consecutive World Series wins by teams from the American League, the longest such streak for the AL in series history. [1] Billy Martin won World Series MVP honors as he hit .500 with a record-tying 12 hits and a walk-off RBI single in Game 6.

Contents

Summary

AL New York Yankees (4) vs. NL Brooklyn Dodgers (2)

GameDateScoreLocationTimeAttendance 
1September 29Brooklyn Dodgers – 5, New York Yankees – 9 Yankee Stadium 3:1069,734 [2]  
2September 30Brooklyn Dodgers – 2, New York Yankees – 4Yankee Stadium2:4266,786 [3]  
3October 1New York Yankees – 2, Brooklyn Dodgers – 3 Ebbets Field 3:0035,270 [4]  
4October 2New York Yankees – 3, Brooklyn Dodgers – 7Ebbets Field2:4636,775 [5]  
5October 3New York Yankees – 11, Brooklyn Dodgers – 7Ebbets Field3:0236,775 [6]  
6October 4Brooklyn Dodgers – 3, New York Yankees – 4Yankee Stadium2:5562,370 [7]

Matchups

Game 1

Joe Collins Joe Collins 1952.jpg
Joe Collins
Tuesday, September 29, 1953 1:00 pm (ET) at Yankee Stadium in Bronx, New York
Team123456789 R H E
Brooklyn0000131005122
New York40001013X9120
WP: Johnny Sain (1–0)   LP: Clem Labine (0–1)
Home runs:
BRO: Jim Gilliam (1), Gil Hodges (1), George Shuba (1)
NYY: Yogi Berra (1), Joe Collins (1)

Before a full house (69,734 in attendance), the Yankees scored four runs in the first inning. Brooklyn starter Carl Erskine did not last past the first. After a one-out walk, an RBI triple by Hank Bauer put the Yankees up 1–0. After a strikeout, two more walks loaded the bases before Billy Martin cleared them with a triple of his own and the Dodgers pinch-hit for Erskine in the top of the second. They did not score off Allie Reynolds until the fifth on a Jim Gilliam home run. Yogi Berra matched it in the bottom of the fifth with a home run of his own, and the Yankee lead looked safe until a leadoff home run by Gil Hodges and two-run home run by pinch-hitter George Shuba chased Reynolds in the sixth. Brooklyn tied it an inning later against Johnny Sain with consecutive leadoff singles by Roy Campanella, Hodges and Carl Furillo. A home run by unsung first baseman Joe Collins proved the game-winner off Clem Labine, with winning pitcher Johnny Sain providing two more runs himself in the eighth off Ben Wade with a two-run double. Sain then scored on a Joe Collins single, and pitched a scoreless ninth to give the Yankees a 9–5 win and 1–0 series lead.

Game 2

Eddie Lopat Eddie Lopat 1963.png
Eddie Lopat
Wednesday, September 30, 1953 1:00 pm (ET) at Yankee Stadium in Bronx, New York
Team123456789 R H E
Brooklyn000200000291
New York10000012X450
WP: Eddie Lopat (1–0)   LP: Preacher Roe (0–1)
Home runs:
BRO: None
NYY: Billy Martin (1), Mickey Mantle (1)

He looked shaky in the first, walking three, hitting a batter, and allowing a sacrifice fly to Yogi Berra for the game's first run, but Brooklyn's Preacher Roe settled down after that and engaged Eddie Lopat in a complete-game pitching duel. Billy Cox's two-run double after back-to-back two-out singles in the fourth inning put the Dodgers up 2–1. Billy Martin's leadoff home run off Roe in the seventh inning tied the score. The game-winning blast came from Mickey Mantle, a two-run shot to left field in the bottom of the eighth. Brooklyn got two runners aboard in the ninth, but Lopat was able to retire Duke Snider on a game-ending grounder to second base.

Game 3

Carl Erskine Carl Erskine.jpg
Carl Erskine
Thursday, October 1, 1953 1:00 pm (ET) at Ebbets Field in Brooklyn, New York
Team123456789 R H E
New York000010010260
Brooklyn00001101X390
WP: Carl Erskine (1–0)   LP: Vic Raschi (0–1)
Home runs:
NYY: None
BRO: Roy Campanella (1)

Although the Yankees won the Series, Brooklyn had at least one shining moment, as pitcher Carl Erskine set a new Series record by striking out 14 Yankees in Game 3. That broke Howard Ehmke's 1929 record by one. Ersk's record would stand until Sandy Koufax got 15 in 1963.

In that same game, Yogi Berra was hit twice by Erskine, making him the first American League player in World Series history to be a hit-batsman twice during the same game. The Yankees struck first in the fifth on an RBI single by Gil McDougald with runners on second and third, but the Dodgers tied it in the bottom half on Billy Cox's fielder's choice with Jackie Robinson at third. Robinson's RBI single next inning put the Dodgers up 2–1, but again the game became tied at 2–2 in the eighth on an RBI single by the Yankees' Gene Woodling. The decisive blow came in the bottom of the inning when Vic Raschi surrendered a Roy Campanella home run, which proved to be the game-winner.

Game 4

Duke Snider Duke Snider 1954.png
Duke Snider
Friday, October 2, 1953 1:00 pm (ET) at Ebbets Field in Brooklyn, New York
Team123456789 R H E
New York000020001390
Brooklyn30010210X7120
WP: Billy Loes (1–0)   LP: Whitey Ford (0–1)   Sv: Clem Labine (1)
Home runs:
NYY: Gil McDougald (1)
BRO: Duke Snider (1)

The home team won for the fourth consecutive time. Whitey Ford lasted just one inning as the Yankees' starter, allowing a leadoff ground-rule double to Jim Gilliam, who scored on Jackie Robinson's single. After a forceout, wild pitch and intentional walk, Duke Snider's two-run double made it 3–0 Dodgers. Gilliam's double in the fourth off Tom Gorman made it 4–0, but Brooklyn's lead was cut in half in the fifth when Billy Loes gave up a two-run home run to Gil McDougald. Snider's leadoff home run in the sixth off Johnny Sain made it 5–2 Dodgers, then after a double and single, Gilliam's sacrifice fly extended that lead to 6–2. Next inning, after a two-out walk, Snider's RBI double off Art Schallock made it 7–2 Dodgers. In the ninth, two singles and walk loaded the bases with no outs for the Yankees. Clem Labine relieved Loes and got two-outs before Mickey Mantle's RBI single cut the Dodgers' lead to 7–3, but Billy Martin was thrown out trying to score from second base to end the game, tying the series 2–2.

Game 5

Mickey Mantle Mickey Mantle 1953.jpg
Mickey Mantle
Saturday, October 3, 1953 2:00 pm (ET) at Ebbets Field in Brooklyn, New York
Team123456789 R H E
New York10500031111111
Brooklyn0100100417141
WP: Jim McDonald (1–0)   LP: Johnny Podres (0–1)   Sv: Allie Reynolds (1)
Home runs:
NYY: Gene Woodling (1), Mickey Mantle (2), Billy Martin (2), Gil McDougald (2)
BRO: Billy Cox (1), Jim Gilliam (2)

Yankees manager Casey Stengel gave the ball to Jim McDonald for Game 5 and, while he gave up a dozen hits, he got them a win. Brooklyn starter Johnny Podres was jolted by a Gene Woodling home run to begin the game. After the Dodgers tied the game in the second on two singles followed by shortstop Phil Rizzuto's throwing error on Carl Furillo's ground ball, Podres was chased in a five-run third. Rizzuto drew a leadoff walk, moved to third on two groundouts, and scored on when first baseman Gil Hodges misplayed Joe Collins's groundball. A hit-by-pitch and walk loaded the bases, and the first man Podres's replacement Russ Meyer faced was Mickey Mantle, who greeted him with a grand slam. Duke Snider's RBI single after a hit-by-pitch and single made it 6–2 Yankees in the fifth, but in the seventh, Billy Martin's two-run home run off Meyer extended their lead to 8–2. Rizzuto singled with two outs and scored on McDonald's double. The Yankees added another run in the eighth when Collins hit a leadoff double off Ben Wade, moved to third on a sacrifice bunt, and scored on Yogi Berra's sacrifice fly, but in the bottom of the inning McDonald allowed two singles, then an RBI single to Furillo before a three-run Billy Cox home run cut their lead to 10–6. He was relieved by Bob Kuzava, who struck out Dick Williams to end the inning. Each team got a run in the ninth on a home run, Gil McDougald for the Yankees off Joe Black and Jim Gilliam for the Dodgers off Kuzava. Allie Reynolds was brought in to retire Jackie Robinson for the final out.

Game 6

Billy Martin Billy Martin 1954.png
Billy Martin
Sunday, October 4, 1953 1:00 pm (ET) at Yankee Stadium in Bronx, New York
Team123456789 R H E
Brooklyn000001002383
New York2100000014130
WP: Allie Reynolds (1–0)   LP: Clem Labine (0–2)
Home runs:
BRO: Carl Furillo (1)
NYY: None

In Game 6, after a walk, strikeout and single, Yogi Berra's ground-rule double put the Yankees up 1–0 in the first off Carl Erskine. After an intentional walk loaded the bases, an error on Billy Martin's ground ball made it 2–0 Yankees. Next inning, Gene Woodling's sacrifice fly after two leadoff singles made it 3–0 Yankees. Starter Whitey Ford pitched five shutout innings, but in the sixth, allowed a one-out double to Jackie Robinson, who stole third and scored on Roy Campanella's groundout. Down 3–1 in the ninth, Brooklyn rallied back on a Duke Snider walk followed by a Carl Furillo home run off Allie Reynolds. However, Yankee second baseman Billy Martin—who made a game-saving catch in Game 7 of the 1952 World Series—again ruined the Dodgers' dreams of a championship. In the bottom of the ninth, with a runner on second base, Martin drilled a Clem Labine sinker up the middle for a Series-winning RBI single.

Aftermath

Dropping their seventh Series without a victory, the Dodgers terminated manager Chuck Dressen's contract; Dressen was demanding two more years. Walter Alston took his place and managed the Dodgers for the next 23 seasons (1954–1976), leading them to four World Series championships in 1955, 1959, 1963, and 1965 before being replaced by Tommy Lasorda, who would manage the team for 20 years himself (1976–1996). Lasorda would lead the Dodgers to a pair of World Series championships in 1981 and 1988.

Composite box

1953 World Series (4–2): New York Yankees (A.L.) over Brooklyn Dodgers (N.L.)

Team123456789 R H E
New York Yankees 81504057333561
Brooklyn Dodgers 31033725327647
Total attendance: 307,710  Average attendance: 51,285
Winning player's share: $8,281  Losing player's share: $6,178 [8]

Broadcasting

The Series was broadcast on NBC television, with Yankees announcer Mel Allen and Dodgers announcer Vin Scully describing the action; and on Mutual radio, with Al Helfer and Gene Kelly announcing.

Red Barber, Vin Scully's senior on the Dodgers' broadcast crew, was originally selected to work with Allen on NBC, but was removed from the Series due to a salary dispute with Gillette, which sponsored the broadcasts. Scully, at the age of 25, became the youngest man to broadcast a World Series game (a record that stands to this day).

Notes

  1. "World Series History". Baseball Almanac. Retrieved October 16, 2020.
  2. "1953 World Series Game 1 – Brooklyn Dodgers vs. New York Yankees". Retrosheet. Retrieved September 13, 2009.
  3. "1953 World Series Game 2 – Brooklyn Dodgers vs. New York Yankees". Retrosheet. Retrieved September 13, 2009.
  4. "1953 World Series Game 3 – New York Yankees vs. Brooklyn Dodgers". Retrosheet. Retrieved September 13, 2009.
  5. "1953 World Series Game 4 – New York Yankees vs. Brooklyn Dodgers". Retrosheet. Retrieved September 13, 2009.
  6. "1953 World Series Game 5 – New York Yankees vs. Brooklyn Dodgers". Retrosheet. Retrieved September 13, 2009.
  7. "1953 World Series Game 6 – Brooklyn Dodgers vs. New York Yankees". Retrosheet. Retrieved September 13, 2009.
  8. "World Series Gate Receipts and Player Shares". Baseball Almanac. Retrieved June 14, 2009.

See also

Related Research Articles

The 1964 World Series was the championship series of Major League Baseball's (MLB) 1964 season. The 61st edition of the World Series, it was a best-of-seven playoff that matched the National League champion St. Louis Cardinals against the American League champion New York Yankees; the Cardinals prevailed in seven games. St. Louis won their seventh world championship, while the Yankees, who had appeared in 14 of 16 World Series since 1949, did not play in the Series again until 1976.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1978 World Series</span> 75th edition of Major League Baseballs championship series

The 1978 World Series was the championship series of Major League Baseball's (MLB) 1978 season. The 75th edition of the World Series, it was a best-of-seven playoff played between the American League (AL) champion New York Yankees and the National League (NL) champion Los Angeles Dodgers. In a rematch of the previous year's World Series, the Yankees won, four games to two, to repeat as champions and to win their 22nd World Series. As of 2023, it remains the most recent World Series to feature a rematch of the previous season's matchup.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1977 World Series</span> 74th edition of Major League Baseballs championship series

The 1977 World Series was the championship series of Major League Baseball's (MLB) 1977 season. The 74th edition of the World Series, it was a best-of-seven playoff played between the American League (AL) champion New York Yankees and the National League (NL) champion Los Angeles Dodgers. The Yankees defeated the Dodgers four games to two to win the franchise's 21st World Series championship, their first since 1962, and the first under the ownership of George Steinbrenner. Played from October 11 to 18, the Series was televised on ABC.

The 1956 World Series of Major League Baseball was played between the New York Yankees of the American League and the defending champion Brooklyn Dodgers of the National League in October 1956. The series was a rematch of the 1955 World Series. It was the final Subway Series in the Fall Classic until 44 years later in 2000, as the Dodgers and the New York Giants moved to California following the 1957 season. Additionally, it was the last time a New York City team represented the National League in a World Series until 1969, when the New York Mets defeated the Baltimore Orioles in five games.

The 1941 World Series matched the New York Yankees against the Brooklyn Dodgers, with the Yankees winning in five games to capture their fifth title in six years, and their ninth overall.

The 1943 World Series was the championship series in Major League Baseball for the 1943 season. The 40th edition of the World Series, it matched the defending champion St. Louis Cardinals against the New York Yankees, in a rematch of the 1942 Series. The Yankees won the Series in five games for their tenth championship in 21 seasons. It was Yankees manager Joe McCarthy's final Series win. This series was also the first to have an accompanying World Series highlight film, a tradition that persists.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1952 World Series</span> 1952 Major League Baseball championship series

The 1952 World Series featured the 3-time defending champions New York Yankees beating the Brooklyn Dodgers in seven games. The Yankees won their 4th consecutive title, tying the mark they set in 1936–1939 under manager Joe McCarthy, and Casey Stengel became the second manager in Major League history with 4 consecutive World Series championships. This was the Yankees' 15th World Series championship win, and the 3rd time they defeated the Dodgers in 6 years.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1951 World Series</span> 1951 Major League Baseball championship series

The 1951 World Series matched the two-time defending champion New York Yankees against the New York Giants, who had won the National League pennant in a thrilling three-game playoff with the Brooklyn Dodgers on the legendary home run by Bobby Thomson.

The 1962 World Series was the championship series of Major League Baseball's (MLB) 1962 season. The 59th edition of the World Series, it was a best-of-seven playoff that matched the defending American League (AL) and World Series champion New York Yankees against the National League (NL) champion San Francisco Giants. The Yankees won the series in seven games for the 20th championship in team history. It is best remembered for its dramatic conclusion in Game 7; with runners on second and third base and two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning, the Giants’ Willie McCovey hit a hard line drive that was caught by Yankees second baseman Bobby Richardson to preserve New York's one-run victory. Yankees pitcher Ralph Terry was named the World Series Most Valuable Player.

The 1959 World Series featured the National League champion Los Angeles Dodgers beating the American League champion Chicago White Sox, 4–2. Each of the three games played at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum drew record crowds, Game 5's attendance of 92,706 continues to be a World Series record to this day, and one that cannot feasibly be broken in any modern ballpark.

The 1939 World Series featured the three-time defending champion New York Yankees against the Cincinnati Reds, who were making their first Series appearance since winning the scandal-tainted 1919 World Series. The Yankees swept the Series in four games for the second straight year, winning their record fourth consecutive title. Yankee manager Joe McCarthy won his fifth title, tying the record held by Philadelphia Athletics manager Connie Mack.

The 1947 World Series matched the New York Yankees against the Brooklyn Dodgers. The Yankees won the Series in seven games for their 11th World Series championship in team history. Yankees manager Bucky Harris won the Series for the first time since managing the Washington Senators to their only title in 1924, a gap of 23 years, the longest between World Series appearances in history.

The 1949 World Series featured the New York Yankees and Brooklyn Dodgers, with the Yankees winning in five games for their second defeat of the Dodgers in three years, and the 12th championship in team history. This victory would start a record run of five straight World Series championships by the Yankees, and was also the first of 14 AL pennants in 16 years for the Yankees.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1955 World Series</span> 1955 Major League Baseball championship series

The 1955 World Series was the championship series to conclude the 1955 Major League Baseball (MLB) season. The Series matched the National League (NL) pennant winner Brooklyn Dodgers against the American League (AL) pennant winner New York Yankees, with the Dodgers winning the Series in seven games to capture their first championship in franchise history. It would be the only Series the Dodgers won while based in Brooklyn, as the team relocated to Los Angeles after the 1957 season. This was the fifth time in nine years that the Yankees and the Dodgers met in the World Series, with the Yankees having won in 1947, 1949, 1952, and 1953; the Yankees would also win in the 1956 rematch.

The 1957 World Series featured the defending champion New York Yankees of the American League playing against the Milwaukee Braves of the National League. After finishing just one game behind the N.L. Champion Brooklyn Dodgers in 1956, the Braves came back in 1957 to win their first pennant since moving from Boston in 1953. The Braves won the Series in seven games, behind Lew Burdette's three complete game victories. The Braves would be the only team besides the Yankees, Dodgers, or Giants to win a World Series title in the 1950s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jim Gilliam</span> American baseball player (1928–1978)

James William "Junior" Gilliam was an American second baseman, third baseman, and coach in Negro league and Major League Baseball who spent his entire major league career with the Brooklyn / Los Angeles Dodgers. He was named the 1953 National League Rookie of the Year, and was a key member of ten National League championship teams from 1953 to 1978. As the Dodgers' leadoff hitter for most of the 1950s, he scored over 100 runs in each of his first four seasons and led the National League in triples in 1953 and walks in 1959. Upon retirement, he became one of the first African-American coaches in the major leagues.

The 1953 Brooklyn Dodgers repeated as National League champions by posting a 105–49 record. However, Brooklyn again failed to capture the World Series, losing in six games to the American League champion New York Yankees.

The 1952 Brooklyn Dodgers rebounded from the heartbreaking ending of 1951 to win the National League pennant by four games over the New York Giants. However, they dropped the World Series in seven games to the New York Yankees. Led by Gil Hodges, Jackie Robinson, and Duke Snider, the high-powered Brooklyn offense scored the most runs in the majors.

The 1962 National League tie-breaker series was a best-of-three playoff series that extended Major League Baseball's (MLB) 1962 regular season to determine the winner of the National League (NL) pennant. The games were played from October 1 to 3, 1962, between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the San Francisco Giants. The Giants won the series, two games to one. The first game took place at Candlestick Park and the second and third were played at Dodger Stadium. The tie-breaker series was necessary after both teams finished the season with identical win–loss records of 101–61. The Dodgers won a coin flip late in the season, which gave them home field advantage. The series was broadcast nationally by NBC television, with Bob Wolff, George Kell, and Joe Garagiola announcing, and NBC Radio, with Al Helfer and George Kell announcing.

The 1951 National League tie-breaker series was a best-of-three playoff series that extended Major League Baseball's (MLB) 1951 regular season to decide the winner of the National League (NL) pennant. The games were played on October 1, 2, and 3, 1951, between the New York Giants and Brooklyn Dodgers. It was necessary after both teams finished the season with identical win–loss records of 96–58. It is most famous for the walk-off home run hit by Bobby Thomson of the Giants in the deciding game, which has come to be known as baseball's "Shot Heard 'Round the World".

References