Seesaw Series

The Brooklyn Dodgers had never won a World Series. For the exasperated fans of the 15 other teams in the majors, it was hard to remember when the New York Yankees had lost one. In that sense, the two clubs seemed made for each other last week as they moved into the annual climax of a nation's baseball frenzy.

After they had begun hammering away, the impression still held good, but a delicate question had been added: Exactly who was made for whom? The Series itself was a fan's dream, a succession of cliffhanging, hand-wringing games full of melodramatic feats of hitting, fielding and pitching. It produced two blown-in-the-bottle heroes: Dodger Centerfielder Duke Snider, who hit four home runs in the first six games, and Yankee First Baseman Johnny Mize, the oldest (39) player on the field, who delivered a pinch-hit homer, muscled into the regular lineup, and golfed two more into the stands on successive days. The record for home runs in a World Series was broken. Some of the circus catches by the Dodgers' outfielders were so incredible that the stalwarts who had done the deeds gaped at blown-up news photographs and mumbled, "Was that me?"

But the most astonishing thing of all was that the oft-frustrated Dodgers were setting the pace. Starting as 9-to-5 underdogs, they clawed right into the Yanks. After that, from game to game, Brooklyn forced the fighting. Win or lose, Brooklyn's Bums made the aristocratic American Leaguers carry the mental burden all the way.

First Game. Joe Black (15-4), Brooklyn's 28-year-old Negro rookie relief pitcher, made the third major-league start of his career, facing Yankee Ace Allie Reynolds (20-8). Strong-armed Pitcher Black worked carefully and gave up only six hits; Reynolds gave no more. But Jackie Robinson, "Pee Wee" Reese and Snider belted homers that beat the Yanks, 4-2.

Second Game. Clearly affronted, Casey Stengel's team maneuvered skillfully behind the three-hit pitching of big Vic Raschi (16-6), scored five runs in the sixth (including a three-run homer by Second Baseman Billy Martin), squelched the Dodgers, 7-1.

Third Game. In the ninth, with the Dodgers leading 3-2, the Bums cracked two singles off Southpaw Ed Lopat, and Stengel moved in Righthander Tommy Gorman. Robinson and Reese welcomed him with a perfect double steal. Then a sinking fast ball got away from Catcher Yogi Berra and both runners scored: Dodgers 5, Yanks 3.

Fourth Game. This time Reynolds and Black gave up four hits apiece. But Allie got his revenge, shut out the Dodgers, won mainly on a 450-ft. triple by Mickey Mantle and another homer by Mize. Score: Yankees 2, Dodgers 0.

Fifth Game. In the fifth, Snider hit his second homer, scoring two teammates. The Yankees fired back with five runs; three of them rode in on Mize's third home run in three days. Manager Charley Dressen let Pitcher Carl Erskine stay in, and he pitched no-hit ball the rest of the way. In the eleventh, Hero Snider sliced a double that won for the Dodgers, 6-5.

Sixth Game. After five scoreless innings, Snider again put Brooklyn ahead with a homer. Later Pitcher Raschi got a single that went far toward winning his own game, scoring Woodling. Mickey Mantle got into the home run party to make it 3-1 for the Yanks. Once again carrying his team, Duke Snider drove another ball over the fence, but there the rally died. The Yankees, winning 3-2, had seesawed back into the Series.

Seventh Game. History repeated: the Yanks won the big one and the Series.

This file is automatically generated by a robot program, so reader's discretion is required.