Category: October

OCT 23: Durocher Recognized

OCTOBER 23, 1951 | NEW YORK, NEW YORK – The Brooklyn Dodgers were comfortably in first place for most of the 1951 season. They had a 13-game lead on August 11th. That’s when everything changed. The New York Giants, lead by manager Leo Durocher, caught fire. made a dramatic comeback to win the National League pennant, and on this date in 1951 Durocher was voted Manager of the Year.

Leo Durocher was credited with patiently guiding the Giants through a horrible first half which included an 11-game losing streak. Durocher was also in charge when the Giants won 37 of their last 45 games. They tied the Dodgers on the last day of the season, forcing a 3-game playoff . The Giants’ Bobby Thomson settled the matter with the “shot heard ’round the world,” a stunning 3-run home run to win the pennant.

* * *

Leo Durocher was flamboyant, combative and a solid shortstop during a 20-year playing career. He won over 2,000 games in a 26=year managerial career. As exhilarating as the 1951 season was, he felt the opposite emotion managing the collapse of the 1969 Chicago Cubs, a team that seemed headed for the World Series.

Leo Durocher was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1994.

Contributing Sources:
Leo Durocher-Stats
1951 game-by-game results/standings
Misc – Wikipedia

Oct 27: The 7 game World Series

OCTOBER 27, 2019 | CHICAGO, ILLINOIS – Aren’t 7 game World Series more fun? They were an infrequent occurrence for a few years. From 1989 to 2010 (21 seasons) only 4 World Series went the full 7 games. There were more sweeps (7) than 7-game World Series.

It’s gotten better since 2010. Five of the last 9 World Series went the distance.

Year  – Games won
2019 – Washington 4, Astros 3 (7)
2018 – Boston 4, Los Angeles (NL) 1 (5)
2017 – Houston 4, Los Angeles (NL) 3 (7)
2016 – Chicago (NL) 4, Cleveland 3 (7)
2015 – Kansas City 4, New York (NL) 1 (5 games)
2014 – San Francisco 4, Kansas City 3 (7 games)
2013 – Boston 4, Cardinals 2 (6)
2012 – San Francisco 4, Detroit 0 (SWEEP)
2011 – St. Louis 4, Texas 3 (7 games)
2010 – San Francisco 4, Texas Rangers 1 (5 games)
2009 – New York (AL) 4, Philadelphia 2 (6 games)
2008 – Philadelphia 4, Tampa Bay 1 (5 games)
2007 – Boston 4, Colorado 0 (SWEEP)
2006 – St. Louis 4, Detroit 1 (5 games)
2005 – Chi. White Sox 4, Houston 0 (SWEEP)
2004 – Boston 4, St. Louis 0 (SWEEP)
2003 – Florida 4, NY Yankees 2 (6 games)
2002 – Anaheim 4, San Francisco 3 (7 GAMES)
2001 – Arizona 4, NY Yankees 3 (7 GAMES)
2000 – NY Yankees 4, NY Mets 1 (5 games)
1999 – NY Yankees 4, Atlanta 0 (SWEEP)
1998 – NY Yankees 4, San Diego 0 (SWEEP)
1997 – Florida 4, Cleveland 3 (7 GAMES)
1996 – NY Yankees 4, Atlanta 2 (6 games)
1995 – Atlanta 4, Cleveland 2 (6 games)
1994 – (not held due to strike)
1993 – Toronto 4, Philadelphia 2 (6 games)
1992 – Toronto 4, Atlanta 2 (6 games)
1991 – Minnesota 4, Atlanta 3 (7 GAMES)
1990 – Cincinnati 4, Oakland 0 (SWEEP)
1989 – Oakland 4, San Francisco 0 (SWEEP)

CONTRIBUTING SOURCES:
2008 World Series
All World Series results

OCT 29: “You’re out!”

OCTOBER 29, 1979 | ATLANTIC CITY, NEW JERSEY | Hall of Fame outfielder Willie Mays began work as a greeter for an Atlantic City Casino on this date in 1979, and Commissioner Bowie Kuhn suspended him from the game.

Kuhn had given the former New York and San Francisco Giant’s star an ultimatum; if he took the casino job he’d have to sever all ties with Major League Baseball.

It created a dilemma for the game. On the one hand Mays made a good living during his career, but it didn’t set him up to be a retired multi-millionaire like it does today’s stars. He needed an income to continue his comfortable lifestyle. On the other hand Major League Baseball has been paranoid about gambling since long before the Black Sox Scandal of 1919. Baseball players and gamblers liked each others’ company in the game’s early days, and major league baseball was very uncomfortable about that.

The “Say Hey” kid however, was a hero to every red-blooded American baseball fan. He had just been inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame that summer. Mays was not only one of the best ever, he was fun to watch.

Many fans gave him the benefit of the doubt a lesser star wouldn’t enjoy. They thought the Commissioner’s suspension was heavy-handed. It didn’t matter to Kuhn, Mays was unwelcome around pro baseball.

His suspension wasn’t lifted until 1985 by Peter Ueberroth, who succeeded Kuhn as Commissioner. Today Willie Mays is a special assistant to the San Francisco Giants.

CONTRIBUTING SOURCE:
Willie Mays: A Biography, by Mary Kay Linge, 2005

Oct 16: It’s the shoes

OCTOBER 16, 1969 – NEW YORK, NEW YORK • A good reason to shine your shoes; it could help you win a World Series, as it did on this date in 1969.

It was game 5 between the Baltimore Orioles and the New York Mets. The Mets, in only in their 8th year of existence, led the heavily favored Orioles three games to one, but were behind by three runs in this game. Mets left fielder Cleon Jones was at bat. He claimed he was hit in the foot by a pitch and headed toward first base. The home plate umpire didn’t share Jones’ opinion.

There was a discussion involving Mets manager Gil Hodges. Somebody decided, ‘Let’s take a look at the ball.’ If it hit Jones’ foot there should be a smudge of shoe polish on the ball. There was. Jones was awarded first base.

Later that inning Jones scored on Donn Clendenon‘s third home run of the Series. Al Weis‘s home run an inning later tied the game. Ron Swoboda‘s double and two Baltimore errors in the 8th give New York a 5-3 win and the Series.

Contributing sources:
Mets
1969 World Series box score/stats/play-by-play

Oct 21: Drama at Fenway

OCTOBER 21, 1975 | BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS – Many regard the game played on this date in 1975 as the best World Series game ever. Certainly game 6 of the ‘75 Series between the Cincinnati Reds and the Boston Red Sox ranks up there as one of the most exciting. The 12 inning classic is most remembered for Carlton Fisk‘s walk-off home run – more like “wish-off” home run – to force a game seven, but there was much more.

The ball Fisk hit was down the left field line. Fisk had to wish the ball, coax the ball, symbolically push the ball right, otherwise it’s a long strike. The ball stayed right. Game over.

But the opportunity wouldn’t have presented itself to Fisk without teammate Bernie Carbo hitting a pinch hit, 3-run homer with 2 out in the bottom of the 8th to tie the game at 6.

Later in 11th, Dwight Evans made a game-saving catch in right of a long drive off the bat of Joe Morgan, then doubled Ken Griffey, Sr. (as in Ken Griffey, Jr.’s Dad) off 1st.

As exciting as that game was, it did not turn out to be a Cinderella story for Boston. Cincinnati won game 7 the next day 4-3.

CONTRIBUTING SOURCES:
Game 6 1975 World Series box score & play-by-play
More on 1975 World Series

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