October 8th, 1956
World Series, Game 5
Brooklyn Dodgers at New York Yankees
Yankee Stadium, New York
After
winning the World Series in 1955, the Dodgers and their fans had no idea that
1956 would be the last trip to the Fall Classic for the franchise while in
Brooklyn. There was no way to know that just over a year later, the club would
leave Ebbets Field for greener pastures in Los Angeles. But while this Series,
like any other featuring the New York neighbours, was exciting and would go the
full seven games, it was the fifth game that still has people talking 60 years
later.
With
the series tied at two wins a piece (the Dodgers took the first two games at
Ebbets Field 6-3 and 13-8, while the Yankees would take Games 3 and 4 at The
Stadium by scores of 5-3 and 6-2) both teams were looking for the edge for the
final game at Yankee Stadium before shifting back to Ebbets Field for the sixth
and seventh (if necessary) games.
The
starting pitcher for the Dodgers in Game 5 would be Sal Maglie, while the
Yankees would go with a little-known pitcher by the name of Don Larsen. In Game
2, Larsen had been staked to a 6-0 lead but lasted only 1 2/3 innings, giving
up four runs on one hit and four walks.
Larsen
had started his career with the St. Louis Browns in 1953 and had posted a 7-12
record. In 1954 the Browns moved to Baltimore to become the Orioles, and Larsen
would lead the American League in losses with 21. By the time he came to the
Yankees in 1955, Larsen had a career record of 10-33. In 19 games in 1955, he had a 9-2 record with
a 3.06 ERA. He had faced Brooklyn once in the 1955 World Series and had lost his
start.
In
1956, a 11-5 record was the record he put up in 38 games, 20 of them starting
assignments. Still, he wasn’t the ideal choice to be on the mound pitching in
this critical game for the Yanks, but it was his spot in the rotation.
Larsen
got the Dodgers in order in the first, two of them strike outs. He breezed
through the second and third, collecting a strike out in each inning. Maglie
matched him over the first three innings. Neither team had a baserunner
entering the fourth.
The
Dodgers went in order again in the fourth, with two more strikeouts. In the
bottom half of the inning, Mickey Mantle registered the game’s first hit with a
home run over the right field fence to put the Yankees up 1-0.
Larsen
put the Dodgers out in the fifth and sixth, not allowing a hit or a walk and
picking up one strike out in the sixth. In the bottom of that inning, Maglie
(who had only allowed Mantle’s homer and a walk to this point) surrendered
three singles, the second of which came off the bat of Hank Bauer and produced
the second run of the game. Yanks up, 2-0.
But
by now, nobody cared ho the Yankee batters were faring. It was all about Don
Larsen and if he could keep up what hew was doing. And he kept it going by
retiring the side in the seventh and the eighth. Maglie struck out the side in
the bottom of the eighth to send the game to the ninth with three outs
remaining between Larsen and immortality.
The
first batter for the Dodgers in the ninth was Carl Furillo and he lifted a fly
ball to right field where Bauer caught it for the first out. Next up was Roy
Campanella and he grounded the ball to second base where Billy Martin scooped
it up and fired to Joe Collins at first for the second out. The Dodgers’ last
chance was Dale Mitchell who came into the game to pinch-hit for Maglie.
Throwing
only fastballs, Larsen got ahead in the count 1-2. The Yankee fans were excited
with expectation. Larsen went into his delivery and threw another fastball, his
97th pitch of the game. Mitchell didn’t swing but as the ball popped
into catcher Yogi Berra’s mitt, the home plate umpire, Babe Pinelli, called
strike three.
The
World Series had its first perfect game, and it was Don Larsen who had thrown
it. Yankee Stadium erupted as Berra ran out to the mound and jumped into Larsen’s
arms. The Yankees all swarmed around their pitcher, excited about the perfect
game and the three games to two lead they now enjoyed.
Brooklyn
would tie the series with a 1-0 in ten innings in Game 6, but the Yankees
pounded out a 9-0 win in Game 7 to take the series.
Larsen
would have a rather mediocre career over 14 seasons. His won/loss record was
81-91, and he had a 3.78 ERA. However, his accomplishment in Game 5 of the 1956
World Series cannot be understated. It was the first perfect game in the 53-year
history of the Fall Classic. In the 59 years since, there has not been another:
not in the World Series, either the ALCS or NLCS or any of the Division Series.
Only
Roy Halladay ever threw another no-hitter in postseason play (2010), but a walk
in the fifth inning ended Halladay’s perfect game attempt.
Follow us on Twitter at @topofthethird
No comments:
Post a Comment