1950 World Series -- Game Four

The Phillies gave the defending World Champion Yankees a run in the first three games of the 1950 World Series, but fell short by a single run in each of the games. New York was heading into Game Four with a chance to sweep for their 13th World Series title.

New York had rookie Whitey Ford as their scheduled starter and the Phillies had Bob Miller.

Ford showed signs of the post-season pitcher he would be with his outing, while the Yankees drove Miller from the game early.

Ford walked Eddie Waitkus to start the game and one out later Willie Jones doubled to put two runners into scoring position. But, Del Ennis sent a grounder to third and Waitkus was out at the plate. Ford struck out Dick Sisler looking and the Phillies didn't have another chance like that until late in the game.

New York started on Miller right away, no thanks to the defense. Gene Woodling started the first by reaching on an error by Mike Goliat. He went to second on a grounder and scored on a Yogi Berra single. Miller threw a wild pitch to send Berra to third, but it didn't matter. Joe DiMaggio was next and he doubled to send Berra home. That double also drove Miller out of the game. Jim Konstanty, who started Game One and relieved in Game Three for the Phillies, must have been warming up early because he was in the game after the DiMaggio double. He got the final two outs, but the Phillies trailed 2-0 after one inning.

Ford worked a 1-2-3 second. He allowed a hit in the third, but no runs. In the fourth, Ford gave up a lead off single to Ennis and a one out single to Granny Hammer. Then, he got an inning ending double play.

In the fifth, Ford gave up another hit, but, he still protected that 2-0 lead. In the sixth, an error allowed Ennis to reach with one out. Ford got Dick Sisler to ground into a double play.

The Yankees were not having any luck extending their lead against Konstanty as he retired 14 of the first 16 batters after coming on in relief.

But, Berra homered to lead off the sixth for a 3-0 lead. DiMaggio was hit by a pitch. One out later, Bobby Brown tripled to drive in DiMaggio. Then, Hank Bauer's sacrifice fly sent Brown home for a 5-0 lead. That put the Yanks nine outs for the title.

Ford pitched a perfect frame in both the seventh and eighth innings. He looked like he would get a complete game shutout in his first World Series start. But, it turns out he needed a little help.

Jones singled and Ennis was hit by a pitch. A force play and a strikeout got the Yankees to the brink. Then, Gene Woodling committed an error on an Andy Seminick grounder. That allowed both runners to score. A single by Goliat sent Ford out of the game and Allie Reynolds had the opportunity to close down the game. He would face pinch hitter Stan Lopata, the tying run.

Lopata had hit one homer over just 129 at bats in the 1950 season. Reynolds had pitched 10 ininngs and picked up the win in Game Two. Lopata had appeared as a defensive replacement earlier in the series, but this was his first at bat.

This would also be his only World Series at bat...ever.

Reynolds struck out Lopata and the Yankees celebrated their second straight World Series Title.

New York would go on to win the Series again in 1951, 1952 and 1953. The Phillies would not make it back to the Fall Classic until 1980.

The current incarnations of the Yankees and Phillies play Game Four of the 2009 World Series tonight. At least it won't be a sweep.

Game Four box score

Below is the closest thing I could find to usable highlights from the 1950 World Series. It's a newsreel of a preview for the 1951 season for both World Series participants.

1950 World Series -- Game Three

The 1950 World Series headed to New York with the Yankees leading 2-0 after two one-run wins in Philadelphia.

Game Three's scoring started with a rally that began with a two out walk drawn by Phil Rizzuto in the third inning. The Scooter stole second and scored on a single by Jerry Coleman. That walk by Ken Heintzelman was one of six that he would give up on the day.

The Phillies came back to tie the game in the top of the sixth inning against Ed Lopat with a two-out rally of their own. Del Ennis doubled and Dick Sisler singled to drive him home.

Then, the Phillies took their first lead of the 1950 World Series in the top of the seventh. Granny Hamner singled and was moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Andy Seminick. Mike Goliat singled in Hamner for a 2-1 lead.

This is how close the Phillies came to closing out the Yankees. Heintzelman got the first two outs of the bottom of the eighth. Then, he walked Coleman, Yogi Berra, and Joe DiMaggio to load the bases. That would be all for Heintzelman. On came Jim Konstanty, the Game One starter for the Phillies, to face Hank Bauer. But, the Yankees sent Bobby Brown to pinch hit. Brown reached on an error by Hamner at short on a grounder and the tying run scored.

In the top of the ninth, the Phillies had another chance to go back in front. Tom Ferrick replaced Lopat, who was pinch hit for to start the bottom of the eighth. Ferrick gave up a double to Hamner. Another sacrifice bunt moved Hamner to third base. An intentional walk to Goliat put runners on first and third with one out.

Dick Whitman came on to pinch hit for Konstanty. Whitman sent a grounder to first and Joe Collins, who had just entered the game as a defensive replacement for Johnny Mize, fielded the ball cleanly and threw to the plate...


OUT!

Eddie Waitkus flew out to right for the third out of the inning and the game went to the bottom of the ninth tied.

The Phillies sent Russ Meyer to the mound for the bottom of the ninth. He got the first two outs. But, Gene Woodling and Rizzuto both singled. Coleman singled and Woodling scored the winning run and the Yankees had a commanding 3-0 lead in the series.

Philadelphia would try to avoid the sweep by sending Bob Miller to the mound. The Yankees would have a rookie make his first post season start. He had been 9-1 during the season, but Edward Charles Ford would take the mound. You might know him better by the nickname "Whitey".

Game Three boxscore

1950 World Series -- Game Two

The Phillies lost Game One of the 1950 World Series by a score of 1-0, but they had their ace, future Hall of Famer Robin Roberts, on the hill in Game Two.

Roberts worked out of a jam in the top of the first. The Yankees had runners on first and third with one out. Roberts got Joe DiMaggio and Johnny Mize to pop out to end the threat.

But, in the second inning, the Yankees broke through for the first run of the game. Roberts retired the first two batters of the frame, but walked Jerry Coleman. Pitcher Allie Reynolds singled to send Coleman around to third. Gene Woodling was next and his infield single scored Coleman.

The Phillies didn't get to Reynolds until the fifth inning. Mike Goliat singled and Roberts sacrificed him to second base. A single by Eddie Waitkus* sent Goliat to third. Richie Ashburn's sacrifice fly tied the game at 1-1.

The pitchers settled in and kept the game tied. The Yankees best chance to take the lead in regulation was in the top of the eighth inning. They had two on with one out after singles by Bobby Brown and Hank Bauer. But, Roberts got Coleman to ground out to short. Then, Roberts struck out Reynolds to end the threat.

The Phillies had a great chance to win the game and even the series in the bottom of the ninth. Granny Hamner doubled with one out and pinch hitter Dick Whitman was walked intentionally. The strategy worked for the Yankees. Reynolds got Goliat to ground into an inning ending 6-4-3 double play.

That set up The Yankee Clipper for little magic. DiMaggio was the leadoff batter in the top of the tenth and he homered off Robert for a 2-1 New York lead.

In the bottom of the tenth, Reynolds went back out there and walked Jackie Mayo, a pinch hitter for Roberts who was leading off the inning. Waitkus sacrificed Mayo to second and Ashburn stepped to the plate. He popped out. Then, Dick Sisler, the man who hit a three-run homer in extra innings a few days earlier against Brooklyn to put the Phillies in the World Series, came to bat. He took strike three looking and the Yankees had a 2-0 lead in the series.

Game Two boxscore

There was no off day scheduled in the 1950 World Series between Game Two and Game Three. Yankee Stadium would host the third game on October 6. Philadelphia would toss Ken Heintzelman on the mound as their starting pitcher. The Yankees would send Ed Lopat. Heintzelman went 3-9 with an ERA of over four during 23 games (17 starts) of the 1950 season. Lopat went 18-8 over 35 games (32 starts) for the Yankees with a 3.47ERA.

*The part of The Natural where Roy Hobbs is shot, is taken from an incident that happened to Waitkus.