Saturday, February 1, 2014

World Series: Did You Know?

Despite Willie May's catch of Vic Wertz, the New York Giants made 3 errors in game 1 of the 1954 World Series! Another example of how you have to dig deep and pull your way out of situations with some a(MAYS)zing stuff! The Indians made 0 errors in the game, as well!

It looked like it was going to be a long day for the home team. Al Smith was hit by a pitch. Bobby Avila stroked a single to right, and Don Mueller made an error on. That allowed Smith to make it to 3rd base. The New York Giants watched helplessly as Vic Wertz hit a triple to right that neither Willie Mays nor Mueller could catch. 2 runs scored and it was 2-0, Cleveland, right off the bat!

Sal Maglie seemed to settle down after that, as the Indians managed just a walk in the second. Cleveland then went down 1-2-3 in the third. The Giants scored twice of the Indians' Bob Lemon in the bottom of the third. Could Maglie keep up with the Indians big winner of 1954? Would the Giants defence be good?

It was in the top of the 4th, and time for another hit by Wertz. Maglie gave up a leadoff single to Vic, but got the next 3 men out. The Giants got 2 hits themselves in the bottom of the frame. But to no avail!

In the 5th, it was Maglie who allowed 2 hits, but he bore down to get the Giants out of there. Lemon had a 1-2-3 bottom of the 5th. How much longer could Sal keep this up?

Wertz led of the 6th with a single, and Don Mueller made his (and the Giants) second error of the game. That allowed Vic to make it to second base. A groundout moved Wertz to third with just one out. Maglie got George Strickland to popup and Jim Hegan to groundout. But Lemon had a 1-2-3 inning again.

Maglie was equal to that task in the top of the 7th. Lemon actually got nicked for a single by Mueller, who had driven in the Giants' first run when he grounded out in the 3rd. But Don's single was the only baserunner Lemon would allow this inning.

Maglie was finally knocked out of the game on a single and a walk in the top of the 8th. But Don Liddle retired Vic Wertz...

...on a long fly to Mays that we've seen and read about 1000 times, right? Okay, you read it here, so that makes it 1001!

What you have not seen or read about is Larry Doby taking third on the play. There were runners on the corners with just one out despite The Catch!

In any event, Marv Grissom came in to pitch to Dale Mitchell. Mitchell, famous for being the last out in Don Larsen's perfect game (which was actually two years after this game), walked to load the bases.

But Grissom retired the next two batters. Amazing to think the Indians didn't score here, eh?

Hank Thompson led off the Giants' 8th by walking. A groundout and a wild pitch by Lemon moved him to third. The Giants failed to get him home.

With 2 outs in the top of the 9th, Bobby Avila reached 1st on an error by leftfielder Monte Irvin. The outfield of the Giants, sans Mays, were having a long day! Larry Doby was walked intentionally by Grissom, who really should have been taken out by now. In any event, Marv got out of the inning when he retired Al Rosen on a flyball that Irvin managed to catch.

Lemon had a 1-2-3 9th.

Wertz led off the 10th with a double to left-center.

Well, Mays didn't catch this one. A bunt and an intentional walk moved Vic to third with just one out. Grissom, still out there, fanned pinch hitter Brian Glynn. Lemon batted for himself and was retired on lineout to first.

In the bottom of the frame, the Giants won the game!

With one out, The Man Who Made The Catch, walked. Then, Willie stole second. Thompson was walked intentionally. New York sent up pinch hitter Dusty Rhodes to bat for Irvin. Rhodes hit a fly to right, that settled into the the short right-field stands. Just like that, the Giants had a 5-2 win in game 1 of the 1954 World Series.

But that, and 3 errors by the Giants, would all be but footnotes to The Catch!


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.

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.

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 Informationhttp://www.baseball-reference.com/. Web. 1 Feb. 2014.

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