"Pitched against each other in game # 157 of the 1951 season. Pitched against Don Larsen in the 1956 World Series."
Don Larsen wasn't the pitcher that Sal Maglie or Don Newcombe was, but he did something neither other them did: Throw a perfect game in the World Series! (Of course, no one else has even thrown a no-hitter in the Fall Classic). Still, Newk and The Barber's career consist of winning percentages of .623 and .657. Larsen was 81-91 lifetime for .471. This just wasn't the guy with the kind of numbers to throw a no-hitter (Much less a perfect game), at any time!
The New York Giants and Brooklyn Dodgers went down to the wire in 1951. On August 11th, the Dodgers were up by 13 games on the Giants. Then a funny thing happened on the way to the pennant. New York's Sal Maglie beat Brooklyn thrice from there, overall going 5-1 against the Dodgers that year. After 154 games, they were dead even. A two-of-three game playoffs would be necessary to decide the pennant. The Giants won the first game, only to see the Dodgers crush 'em in the second.
Newk faced Maglie and seemed so much better in the third game. It was 4-1 for his team going into the ninth. But as all baseball fans from that time know, along came Bobby Thompson to the rescue. Ironically, both Maglie and Newk were gone from the game at this time. It was Larry Jensen, who pitched the ninth inning in relief of The Barber, who got the win. Newk didn't take the loss (Good thing, too, as he pitched well and he didn't deserve to take the "L"), Ralph Branca did.
The Giants, however, didn't win the World Series. Maglie could not help. It was the New York Yankees that won in six. The next two years, Newcombe wasn't there. Brooklyn made it to the World Series, but came up empty both times against New York. The Bronx Bombers had won the Fall Classic five years in a row. Three times against the Dodgers.
Maglie's team was back in 1954, beating Cleveland in four straight. Newk was back the next year, and Brooklyn was in the Fall Classic again. And this time, they got the job done! Newk didn't win a game in the World Series, but won 20 in the regular season.
Big Don won 27 more the next year, but Brooklyn needed help. You see, at this point, shouldn't they have all they need? They had Duke Snider. The had Roy Campanella. Jackie Robinson was still there. As was Pee Wee Reese. And let's not forget about guys named Hodges, Furillo and Gilliam. They had the bats.
Their pitching was a little weak, however.
You see, Johnny Podres was in the military. Roger Craig and Carl Erskine were two pitchers who you don't exactly put a lot of faith in. At least at this point with Craig. Erskine at times looked amazing. But the next start, hits-a-plenty against. Clem Labine was more a relief artist than a starter. Ditto Ed Roebuck and Don Bessent. Among those three guys, three starts in '56. So who were the other Dodger starters?
Well, to tell you the truth, two Hall-Of-Famers.
Problems is, neither of them were there yet. Sandy Koufax had been 2-2 with an ERA of 3.08 in 1955. The Dodgers were quite impressed with him that year, even including him on the postseason roster, just in case. But '56 saw him not pitch enough, and look lost on the mound. Sandy finished just 2-4 with an ERA of 4.91.
The other was another Don. Don Drysdale. Don actually looked real good that year. But, he only appeared in 25 games (12 starts). He posted an ERA of 2.64, but could only go 5-5. And this was in just 99 innings of work. Not enough to judge his potential at this point. But both he and Koufax were added to the postseason roster for the 1956 World Series.
Both Maglie and Newk were the real deal, however. There was no way a pair of upstarts were going to replace them.
Maglie and company made it look easy in game one. Facing the Yankee's Whitey Ford at Ebbets Field, Sal allowed the Yankees three runs. He fanned ten. Mickey Mantle and Billy Martin, two of Ford's buddies, took The Barber out of the park. But you know what? That was pretty much all she wrote for the Bronx Bombers. Brooklyn won, 6-3.
Newk was knocked out early against Larsen in game two. But then, something amazing happened. Down 6-0 after 1 1/2 innings, the Dodgers turned it on. They put a "6" on the scoreboard in the bottom of the frame, knocking Don Larsen out. The game turned into a slugfest, with Brooklyn ending up on top, 13-8. 19 runs scored in two games. Koufax and Drysdale could have both won with that kind of support.
The October Classic moved to Yankee Stadium for games three, four and five, and the Dodgers bats took a dive. Roger Craig lost 5-3. Carl Erskine lost 6-2 (Despite a surprising relief appearance by Drysdale). Larsen returned to the mound against Maglie in game five. No way.
Well, Maglie allowed just five hits and two runs. Normally, that was a win for The Barber. But 27 Brooklyn Dodgers came to the dish, and Larsen got 'em all out for a perfect game. The 2-0 win by New York swung the momentum of the Fall Classic permanently in the Yankees favour.
Clem Labine, making a rare start, won game six at home for the Dodgers, 1-0. But really, it took Brooklyn extra innings to do that. Their bats were asleep. Johnny Kucks, not really much of a pitcher, took the mound for New York in game seven at Ebbets Field. Despite an 18-9 record, this should have been no problem for the Dodgers. But the home team managed just three hits (Two by Snider), and Newcombe and his teammates took a humiliating 9-0 defeat. Now, what was I saying earlier about the Brooklyn bats after game two? Forget it.
Newk and The Barber had both pitched in the Fall Classic for the last time in 1956. Larsen was a tad luckier. He appeared in 1957 and 1958 with New York, winning one game each year. He also won a game in 1962 against the Yankees, pitching for Maglie's old team, the Giants. As was the case in 1951, it was the American League representatives winning. Larsen actually pitched well for the Yankees. He basically was what you would call a good "Third or fourth starter." The kind of guy you can't quite depend on, but he'll keep you in games. Larsen was 11-5 with the Yankees in '56. In 1957, he was 10-4. 9-6 in '58. Overall, as a Yankee, Don went 45-24. So as a Yankee, he was quite good. But Larsen was never going to be a Ford, or even a Bob Turley or (later) a Ralph Terry. Never even the #2 guy in the rotation.
The Dodgers had also played their last World Series game in Brooklyn in '56. Podres returned in 1957, Drysdale and Koufax pitched more (Sandy still struggled). Newk had a losing record, although his ERA wasn't too bad, 3.59. Maglie gone in September to the Yankees (But it was too late in the season to be on the postseason roster).The team posted a National League-leading 3.35 ERA. So the future looked bright. Only, it wouldn't be in Brooklyn.
Out west they went after that season. Newk couldn't make the adjustment. After starting out 0-6, he was gone. Podres struggled all season long, finishing 13-15. Koufax and Drysdale saw the opening and made the most of it. Sandy won 11 games and Drysdale 12. When Roger Craig and Podres bounced back just fine in 1959, Drysdale and Koufax were again along for the ride. The four pitchers helped the Los Angeles Dodgers win it all that year.
Sal Maglie didn't make it very far in 1959. He was released on April 10th by the St. Louis Cardinals. So the three wouldn't face each other ever again. Still, the 1950s were to many, the best years in baseball. Primarily because New York pretty much owned the baseball establishment. Either Yankees and/or the Dodgers and Giants were in the World Series every year. The move out west didn't stop the Dodgers from winning (They won the Fall Classic again in 1963 and 1965). But there were so many great Fall Classics and even playoff series involving these teams. Even the players that didn't make the Hall-Of-Fame, had their careers elevated by playing in the most important of October games. It was a great time to be in New York and love baseball.
Don Larsen wasn't the pitcher that Sal Maglie or Don Newcombe was, but he did something neither other them did: Throw a perfect game in the World Series! (Of course, no one else has even thrown a no-hitter in the Fall Classic). Still, Newk and The Barber's career consist of winning percentages of .623 and .657. Larsen was 81-91 lifetime for .471. This just wasn't the guy with the kind of numbers to throw a no-hitter (Much less a perfect game), at any time!
The New York Giants and Brooklyn Dodgers went down to the wire in 1951. On August 11th, the Dodgers were up by 13 games on the Giants. Then a funny thing happened on the way to the pennant. New York's Sal Maglie beat Brooklyn thrice from there, overall going 5-1 against the Dodgers that year. After 154 games, they were dead even. A two-of-three game playoffs would be necessary to decide the pennant. The Giants won the first game, only to see the Dodgers crush 'em in the second.
Newk faced Maglie and seemed so much better in the third game. It was 4-1 for his team going into the ninth. But as all baseball fans from that time know, along came Bobby Thompson to the rescue. Ironically, both Maglie and Newk were gone from the game at this time. It was Larry Jensen, who pitched the ninth inning in relief of The Barber, who got the win. Newk didn't take the loss (Good thing, too, as he pitched well and he didn't deserve to take the "L"), Ralph Branca did.
The Giants, however, didn't win the World Series. Maglie could not help. It was the New York Yankees that won in six. The next two years, Newcombe wasn't there. Brooklyn made it to the World Series, but came up empty both times against New York. The Bronx Bombers had won the Fall Classic five years in a row. Three times against the Dodgers.
Maglie's team was back in 1954, beating Cleveland in four straight. Newk was back the next year, and Brooklyn was in the Fall Classic again. And this time, they got the job done! Newk didn't win a game in the World Series, but won 20 in the regular season.
Big Don won 27 more the next year, but Brooklyn needed help. You see, at this point, shouldn't they have all they need? They had Duke Snider. The had Roy Campanella. Jackie Robinson was still there. As was Pee Wee Reese. And let's not forget about guys named Hodges, Furillo and Gilliam. They had the bats.
Their pitching was a little weak, however.
You see, Johnny Podres was in the military. Roger Craig and Carl Erskine were two pitchers who you don't exactly put a lot of faith in. At least at this point with Craig. Erskine at times looked amazing. But the next start, hits-a-plenty against. Clem Labine was more a relief artist than a starter. Ditto Ed Roebuck and Don Bessent. Among those three guys, three starts in '56. So who were the other Dodger starters?
Well, to tell you the truth, two Hall-Of-Famers.
Problems is, neither of them were there yet. Sandy Koufax had been 2-2 with an ERA of 3.08 in 1955. The Dodgers were quite impressed with him that year, even including him on the postseason roster, just in case. But '56 saw him not pitch enough, and look lost on the mound. Sandy finished just 2-4 with an ERA of 4.91.
The other was another Don. Don Drysdale. Don actually looked real good that year. But, he only appeared in 25 games (12 starts). He posted an ERA of 2.64, but could only go 5-5. And this was in just 99 innings of work. Not enough to judge his potential at this point. But both he and Koufax were added to the postseason roster for the 1956 World Series.
Both Maglie and Newk were the real deal, however. There was no way a pair of upstarts were going to replace them.
Maglie and company made it look easy in game one. Facing the Yankee's Whitey Ford at Ebbets Field, Sal allowed the Yankees three runs. He fanned ten. Mickey Mantle and Billy Martin, two of Ford's buddies, took The Barber out of the park. But you know what? That was pretty much all she wrote for the Bronx Bombers. Brooklyn won, 6-3.
Newk was knocked out early against Larsen in game two. But then, something amazing happened. Down 6-0 after 1 1/2 innings, the Dodgers turned it on. They put a "6" on the scoreboard in the bottom of the frame, knocking Don Larsen out. The game turned into a slugfest, with Brooklyn ending up on top, 13-8. 19 runs scored in two games. Koufax and Drysdale could have both won with that kind of support.
The October Classic moved to Yankee Stadium for games three, four and five, and the Dodgers bats took a dive. Roger Craig lost 5-3. Carl Erskine lost 6-2 (Despite a surprising relief appearance by Drysdale). Larsen returned to the mound against Maglie in game five. No way.
Well, Maglie allowed just five hits and two runs. Normally, that was a win for The Barber. But 27 Brooklyn Dodgers came to the dish, and Larsen got 'em all out for a perfect game. The 2-0 win by New York swung the momentum of the Fall Classic permanently in the Yankees favour.
Clem Labine, making a rare start, won game six at home for the Dodgers, 1-0. But really, it took Brooklyn extra innings to do that. Their bats were asleep. Johnny Kucks, not really much of a pitcher, took the mound for New York in game seven at Ebbets Field. Despite an 18-9 record, this should have been no problem for the Dodgers. But the home team managed just three hits (Two by Snider), and Newcombe and his teammates took a humiliating 9-0 defeat. Now, what was I saying earlier about the Brooklyn bats after game two? Forget it.
Newk and The Barber had both pitched in the Fall Classic for the last time in 1956. Larsen was a tad luckier. He appeared in 1957 and 1958 with New York, winning one game each year. He also won a game in 1962 against the Yankees, pitching for Maglie's old team, the Giants. As was the case in 1951, it was the American League representatives winning. Larsen actually pitched well for the Yankees. He basically was what you would call a good "Third or fourth starter." The kind of guy you can't quite depend on, but he'll keep you in games. Larsen was 11-5 with the Yankees in '56. In 1957, he was 10-4. 9-6 in '58. Overall, as a Yankee, Don went 45-24. So as a Yankee, he was quite good. But Larsen was never going to be a Ford, or even a Bob Turley or (later) a Ralph Terry. Never even the #2 guy in the rotation.
The Dodgers had also played their last World Series game in Brooklyn in '56. Podres returned in 1957, Drysdale and Koufax pitched more (Sandy still struggled). Newk had a losing record, although his ERA wasn't too bad, 3.59. Maglie gone in September to the Yankees (But it was too late in the season to be on the postseason roster).The team posted a National League-leading 3.35 ERA. So the future looked bright. Only, it wouldn't be in Brooklyn.
Out west they went after that season. Newk couldn't make the adjustment. After starting out 0-6, he was gone. Podres struggled all season long, finishing 13-15. Koufax and Drysdale saw the opening and made the most of it. Sandy won 11 games and Drysdale 12. When Roger Craig and Podres bounced back just fine in 1959, Drysdale and Koufax were again along for the ride. The four pitchers helped the Los Angeles Dodgers win it all that year.
Sal Maglie didn't make it very far in 1959. He was released on April 10th by the St. Louis Cardinals. So the three wouldn't face each other ever again. Still, the 1950s were to many, the best years in baseball. Primarily because New York pretty much owned the baseball establishment. Either Yankees and/or the Dodgers and Giants were in the World Series every year. The move out west didn't stop the Dodgers from winning (They won the Fall Classic again in 1963 and 1965). But there were so many great Fall Classics and even playoff series involving these teams. Even the players that didn't make the Hall-Of-Fame, had their careers elevated by playing in the most important of October games. It was a great time to be in New York and love baseball.
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