1955 World Series
From BR Bullpen
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Brooklyn Dodgers (98-55, NL) over New York Yankees (96-58, AL)
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The 1955 World Series matched the Brooklyn Dodgers against the New York Yankees, with the Dodgers winning the Series in 7 games to capture their first championship in franchise history. It would be the only Series the Dodgers won in Brooklyn (the team relocated to Los Angeles after the 1957 season). The two teams were meeting in a World Series for the fifth time in nine years, with the Yankees having won in 1947, 1949, 1952 and 1953.
For the first time in Series history, an MVP was selected - Johnny Podres (winning games 3 and 7). He was 2-0, with 2 complete games and an ERA of 1.00, game 7 was a shutout.
With runners on first and second and one out, Left fielder Sandy Amorós made a dramatic game-saving catch of a deep fly ball down the left field line off the bat of Yogi Berra in the 6th inning of Game 7, to start a double play and stymie the Yankees' best chance of the day. Amorós, who was left handed, had just been inserted in left field for Jim Gilliam; it is doubtful Gilliam could have made the catch as he was right handed.
Records: Brooklyn Dodgers (W: 98, L: 55, Pct: .641, GA: 13 ½) - New York Yankees (W: 96, L: 58, Pct: .623, GA: 3)
Managers: Walter Alston (Brooklyn), Casey Stengel (New York)
Umpires: Bill Summers (AL), Lee Ballanfant (NL), Jim Honochick (AL), Frank Dascoli (NL), Red Flaherty (AL: outfield only), Augie Donatelli (NL: outfield only)
MVP: Johnny Podres
Television: NBC (Mel Allen and Vin Scully announcing)
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[edit] Summary
NL Brooklyn Dodgers (4) vs. AL New York Yankees (3)
| Game | Score | Date | Location | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dodgers – 5, Yankees – 6 | September 28 | Yankee Stadium | 63,869 |
| 2 | Dodgers – 2, Yankees – 4 | September 29 | Yankee Stadium | 64,707 |
| 3 | Yankees – 3, Dodgers – 8 | September 30 | Ebbets Field | 34,209 |
| 4 | Yankees – 5, Dodgers – 8 | October 1 | Ebbets Field | 36,242 |
| 5 | Yankees – 3, Dodgers – 5 | October 2 | Ebbets Field | 36,796 |
| 6 | Dodgers – 1, Yankees – 5 | October 3 | Yankee Stadium | 64,022 |
| 7 | Dodgers – 2, Yankees – 0 | October 4 | Yankee Stadium | 62,465 |
[edit] Matchups
[edit] Game 1
September 28, 1955 at Yankee Stadium in New York, New York
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brooklyn (N) | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 10 | 0 |
| New York (A) | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | x | 6 | 9 | 1 |
| W: Whitey Ford (1-0) L: Don Newcombe (0-1) S: Bob Grim (1) | ||||||||||||
| HR: BRO – Carl Furillo (1), Duke Snider (1) NYY – Elston Howard (1), Joe Collins (1, 2) | ||||||||||||
The Yankees take game 1 behind homers from Joe Collins (2) and one by rookie Elston Howard in his first World Series at bat. Carl Furillo homers for Brooklyn and Duke Snider hits his first of the series, all of which will eventually help establish a new HR record for a 7-game series (17). Jackie Robinson steals home, but Whitey Ford wins with relief help in the 9th from Bob Grim.
[edit] Game 2
September 29, 1955 at Yankee Stadium in New York, New York
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brooklyn (N) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 2 |
| New York (A) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | x | 4 | 8 | 0 |
| W: Tommy Byrne (1-0) L: Billy Loes (0-1) | ||||||||||||
Tommy Byrne tosses a 5-hit complete game victory and singles in New York's final run during the Yank's big 4-run 4th inning, putting New York up 2-0.
[edit] Game 3
September 30, 1955 at Ebbets Field in Brooklyn, New York
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York (A) | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 7 | 0 |
| Brooklyn (N) | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | x | 8 | 11 | 1 |
| W: Johnny Podres (1-0) L: Bob Turley (0-1) | ||||||||||||
| HR: NYY – Mickey Mantle (1) BRO – Roy Campanella (1) | ||||||||||||
Johnny Podres goes all the way and wins with home run help from Roy Campanella. A limping Mickey Mantle hits his only home run of the series.
[edit] Game 4
October 1, 1955 at Ebbets Field in Brooklyn, New York
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York (A) | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 9 | 0 |
| Brooklyn (N) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | x | 8 | 14 | 0 |
| W: Clem Labine (1-0) L: Don Larsen (0-1) | ||||||||||||
| HR: NYY – Gil McDougald (1) BRO – Roy Campanella (2), Gil Hodges (1), Duke Snider (2) | ||||||||||||
Brooklyn evens the series at 2-2 as Roy Campanella, Gil Hodges and Duke Snider all hit home runs.
[edit] Game 5
October 2, 1955 at Ebbets Field in Brooklyn, New York
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York (A) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 0 |
| Brooklyn (N) | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | x | 5 | 9 | 2 |
| W: Roger Craig (1-0) L: Bob Grim (0-1) S: Clem Labine (1) | ||||||||||||
| HR: NYY – Bob Cerv (1), Yogi Berra (1) BRO – Sandy Amoros (1), Duke Snider (3, 4) | ||||||||||||
Duke Snider hits two home runs (four in the series) and Sandy Amoros helps the Dodgers beat the Yankees for the third straight day. Dodgers rookie Roger Craig wins in his first World Series start. Bob Cerv and Yogi Berra hit Yankee homers off Craig and reliever Clem Labine.
[edit] Game 6
October 3, 1955 at Yankee Stadium in New York, New York
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brooklyn (N) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 1 |
| New York (A) | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | x | 5 | 8 | 0 |
| W: Whitey Ford (2-0) L: Karl Spooner (0-1) | ||||||||||||
| HR: NYY – Bill Skowron (1) | ||||||||||||
Whitey Ford holds the Dodogers to four hits and a single run while striking out eight as the Yankees even the series even at 3-3. New York scored all 5 runs in the first inning, led by Bill Skowron's 3-run blast.
[edit] Game 7
October 4, 1955 at Yankee Stadium in New York, New York
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brooklyn (N) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 0 |
| New York (A) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 1 |
| W: Johnny Podres (2-0) L: Tommy Byrne (1-1) | ||||||||||||
The Dodgers scored one run in the 4th and 6th innings on a single and sac fly, both by Gil Hodges. Sandy Amoros made a catch off the bat of Yogi Berra that set off a double play as Amoros threw to Pee Wee Reese to Gil Hodges who tag Yankee Gil McDougald before making it back to first. Podres got the win.
[edit] Composite Box
1955 World Series (4-3): Brooklyn Dodgers (N.L.) over New York Yankees (A.L.)
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brooklyn Dodgers | 2 | 6 | 3 | 8 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 31 | 58 | 6 | |
| New York Yankees | 6 | 5 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 26 | 55 | 2 | |
| Total Attendance: 362,310 Average Attendance: 51,759 | |||||||||||||
| Winning Player’s Share: – $9,768 Losing Player’s Share – $5,599 | |||||||||||||
[edit] Quote(s) of the Series
- "Ladies and gentlemen, the Brooklyn Dodgers are the champions of the world."--Vin Scully, announcing that the Dodgers had won the World Series.
- "In Brooklyn that day, it was the Liberation of Paris, Vee Jay Day, New Years Day all rolled into one."-Peter Vescey on Brooklyn the day the Dodgers won
[edit] Trivia
- Jackie Robinson did not play in the seventh game of this World Series. Don Hoak played third base in place of Robinson.
- When Duke Snider went deep during the 3rd and 5th inning of Game 5, he became the first and only player from either league with four (4) home runs in two different Series.
- The last time the Brooklyn franchise won a World Championship was in 1900. The team was called the Brooklyn Superbas, the event was called the Chronicle-Telegraph Cup, and the opponent was their fellow National League Pittsburgh Pirates.
[edit] Stats
[edit] Brooklyn Dodgers
[edit] Batting
Note: G = Games played; AB = At Bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting Average; HR = Home Runs; RBI = Runs Batted In
| Player | G | AB | H | Avg. | HR | RBI |
|---|
[edit] Pitching
Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts
| Player | G | IP | W | L | ERA | SO |
|---|
[edit] New York Yankees
[edit] Batting
Note: G = Games played; AB = At Bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting Average; HR = Home Runs; RBI = Runs Batted In
| Player | G | AB | H | Avg. | HR | RBI |
|---|
[edit] Pitching
Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts
| Player | G | IP | W | L | ERA | SO |
|---|
[edit] Reference(s)
Neft, David S., and Richard M. Cohen. The World Series. 1st ed. New York: St Martins, 1990. (Neft and Cohen 254-258)
[edit] External links
- 1955 World Series at WorldSeries.com (MLB.com)
- 1955 World Series at Baseball-Almanac.com
- Kodak Presents - Baseball's 25 Greatest Moments: Brooklyn wins the World Series
- NY Times article, "For Brooklyn, This Is Next Year," by John Drebinger, October 4, 1955 - includes a great photo of Amoros' catch from the right-field stands
[edit] Further Reading
- Thomas Oliphant: Praying for Gil Hodges: A Memoir of the 1955 World Series and One Family's Love for the Brooklyn Dodgers. New York, NY: St. Martin's Press, 2005.
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