May 30, 1955: Don Newcombe blasts two homers and fires complete game for eighth straight win

The Brooklyn Dodgers and Pittsburgh Pirates were heading in opposite directions on Memorial Day 1955. Entering the day, the National League-leading Dodgers claimed the majors’ best record at 30-10, six games ahead of the Chicago Cubs. The cellar-dwelling Pirates were tied with the Baltimore Orioles for the majors’ worst record at 13-29. The Dodgers opened the season with a 6-1 victory over Pittsburgh on a chilly afternoon at Ebbets Field1 that started a 10-game winning streak. They dominated in early 1955, having a 22-2 record after Don Newcombe‘s one-hit shutout against Chicago on May 10.2 The Dodgers outclassed the NL; after Newcombe’s gem, Brooklyn’s road record was 11-0, their winning streak reached 11 games, and both losses were by a single run.3

The Dodgers were perennial playoff contenders led by future Hall of Famers Walter Alston, Duke Snider, Roy Campanella, and Jackie Robinson, with All-Stars Carl Erskine anchoring the pitching staff and Gil Hodges solidifying the infield. Brooklyn’s core had played together since 1949 and finished first or second every year since. The Dodgers had won at least 92 games every year since 1951; during those seasons, they lost two World Series to the New York Yankees and two close NL pennants to the New York Giants. Brooklyn was seeking its elusive first World Series victory; the Baseball Writers’ Association of America favored the Milwaukee Braves to win the NL with the Dodgers finishing second and the reigning champion Giants third.4

Pittsburgh experienced challenging times during the early 1950s. The Pirates finished last three consecutive years, accumulating over 100 losses each season. General manager Branch Rickey was optimistic the ballclub would improve in 1955.5 The Pirates won six straight games from the second game of a May 1 doubleheader through May 6, but an 11-game losing streak from May 11 through 22 erased those gains. After the second game on May 22, the Pirates were one game from tying their modern-day record of 12 consecutive losses.6 However, there were hopeful glimpses; the Pirates routed the Dodgers 15-1 on May 24 to end their lengthy losing streak.7

The teams played a doubleheader that afternoon; Brooklyn won the first game, 8-4, behind a four-run second inning and Campanella’s sixth-inning three-run blast. The Dodgers scored the game’s first eight runs before Pittsburgh rallied with some late offense.8

Newcombe started the second game for Brooklyn. He was attempting to regain his ace status; an All-Star his first three seasons (1949-1951) and winner of the NL Rookie-of-the-Year Award in 1949, he missed the 1952 and 1953 seasons serving in the Army. In early 1955, Alston didn’t consider Newcombe the dominant force he was during previous seasons.9 Newcombe struggled to a 9-8 record and 4.55 ERA in 1954, but rebounded to bring a 7-0 record and 2.83 ERA into the Pittsburgh matchup. He had pitched a complete game against Pittsburgh four days earlier, allowing one earned run on six hits to earn his seventh victory while also tripling in two runs and stealing home.10 Newcombe’s repertoire included a high fastball, a curveball more akin to a slider, and an effective changeup.11

Ron Kline started for Pittsburgh. Kline had pitched one season for the Pirates, and like Newcombe was in the military for two years. After serving in 1953 and 1954, he returned for the 1955 campaign and was 2-6 with a 3.47 ERA in 49⅓ innings. Kline was the starter and loser to Newcombe on May 26, and absorbed his sixth loss when Brooklyn scored four runs in the ninth inning.12 Kline threw a fastball and curve (later developing a slider and knuckleball).13

Newcombe immediately provided highlights for the 26,711 attendees. He struck out rookies Roberto Clemente and Gene Freese swinging. Then Jerry Lynch topped an infield single and stole second. Pittsburgh’s leading slugger and All-Star center fielder Frank Thomas followed with his third home run, off the left-field foul pole as Pittsburgh grabbed the lead.14 Brooklyn fans disputed the home-run call and harassed umpire Hal Dixon for several innings. They shouted and threw debris on the field, nearly hitting Dixon with an empty bottle.15 Once play resumed, Dale Long singled, then George Freese lined out to end the inning. Pittsburgh led 2-0.

Kline was more effective than Newcombe in the first. Snider’s single among three infield outs was all Brooklyn mustered. Pittsburgh threatened in the following frame; with two outs, Kline walked and Clemente singled to place runners at first and second. However, Gene Freese struck out swinging after fouling off two balls with a 2-and-2 count. Brooklyn responded quickly as Sandy Amorós bunted for a hit and Hodges reached on an error by third baseman Freese. Carl Furillo hit into a 6-4-3 double play, moving Amorós to third, but a groundout ended the threat. Newcombe returned the defensive favor in the next inning; Lynch singled, but was forced out at second, and Long hit into a 1-6-3 double play.

Newcombe started the bottom half by hitting a single to center. A groundout moved him to second. Pee Wee Reese doubled off the scoreboard in right-center field, scoring Newcombe and giving Brooklyn its first run. Snider walked, but Kline struck out Campanella and got Amorós to fly out.

In Pittsburgh’s fourth, Newcombe benefited again from solid fielding when Dick Groat hit into another 1-6-3 double play. In Brooklyn’s half, Hodges singled as the Dodgers placed the leadoff hitter aboard for the third consecutive inning. After a strikeout and groundout, Newcombe blasted a two-run homer over the scoreboard to give Brooklyn the lead. Jim Gilliam was hit on the first pitch in the next at-bat, then stole second and advanced to third on catcher Jack Shepard’s wild throw. A popout ended the inning with Brooklyn leading 3-2.

Newcombe’s clout invigorated his pitching; he needed only 10 pitches to strike out Kline, Clemente, and Gene Freese all looking in the next frame. In the bottom half, Kline responded with a popout and a groundout, but his efforts were undone when Amorós walked, stole second, and scored on yet another wild throw by catcher Shepard. Hodges reached base on Pittsburgh’s fourth error, this one by shortstop Groat, but didn’t advance as the Dodgers led 4-2 after five innings.

Newcombe continued quieting Pittsburgh bats in the sixth. Lynch flied out, then Thomas reached base on a line-drive single. For the third time, Newcombe was involved in a key defensive moment when Long hit a grounder near first base that Hodges threw to Reese at second, who threw to Newcombe at first to complete Brooklyn’s third double play.

With one out in Brooklyn’s half, Newcombe deposited a Kline offering into the center-field seats, the second time that season he homered twice during a game.16 Gilliam doubled and advanced to third, but was stranded. The Dodgers were ahead, 5-2.

The Pirates threatened in the seventh when George Freese and Jack Shepard singled. Groat’s sacrifice moved the runners up and Pittsburgh had two runners in scoring position for the first time in the game. Newcombe settled down, retiring pinch-hitter Preston Ward on an infield fly and Clemente on a groundout.

Roy Face relieved Kline to start the Brooklyn seventh. Campanella greeted Face with a towering solo shot into the left-field seats. After a strikeout and fly out, Furillo blasted his 10th homer into the same seats. Robinson flied out to deep center field. Brooklyn now led 7-2.

After three strikeouts, Gene Freese reached base with an eighth-inning leadoff single and took second on left fielder Amorós’s error. He reached third on a groundout. Thomas struck out on a full count. A Pittsburgh hitter finally made solid contact off Newcombe when Long laced Pittsburgh’s second extra-base hit, a double off the wall in right-center scoring Gene Freese. George Freese flied out as Pittsburgh trailed 7-3.

Dodger bats didn’t abate during the late innings. After Newcombe grounded out leading off the eighth – his only batted out that afternoon – Gilliam and Reese singled, with Gilliam reaching third. Snider flied out to left, and Gilliam scored. Reese was thrown out at second attempting an advance. Gilliam’s run counted as Brooklyn’s lead reverted to five runs.

Newcombe returned to the mound for the ninth; Shepard fouled out and Groat flied out. Pinch-hitter Román Mejías walked, and Clemente singled as Pittsburgh grasped for one more rally. Newcombe shrugged off the threat and struck out Gene Freese for the fourth time, giving Brooklyn the 8-3 victory.

The win extended Brooklyn’s league-best record while Pittsburgh dropped to 20 games behind the Dodgers. Newcombe became the majors’ leading pitcher with an 8-0 record17 and increased his batting average to .357 with 4 homers and 8 RBIs in 28 plate appearances; Campanella now led the NL with 44 RBIs.18

Newcombe demonstrated his prowess on several dimensions that afternoon: winning his eighth consecutive decision with a complete game and nine strikeouts, hitting two homers, and participating in three double plays. He regained his ace status that summer, leading Dodgers pitchers with a 20-5 record and a 3.20 ERA over 233⅔ innings. He set the NL record for the most home runs in a season by a pitcher (7), finished seventh in the MVP voting, and received a championship ring when Brooklyn was crowned World Series winners.

SOURCES

Besides the sources cited in the Notes, the author consulted Baseball-Almanac.com, Baseball-Reference.com, Retrosheet.org, and the following:

Golenbock, Peter. Bums: An Oral History of the Brooklyn Dodgers (New York: Putnam Books, 1984).

James, Bill. The New Bill James Historical Abstract (New York: The Free Press, 2001).

Kahn, Roger. The Boys of Summer (New York: The New American Library, 1973).

Neyer, Rob, and Eddie Epstein. Baseball Dynasties: The Greatest Teams of All Time (New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 2000).

Thorn, John, and Pete Palmer, et al. Total Baseball: The Official Encyclopedia of Major League Baseball (New York: Viking Press, 2004).

Photo credit: Don Newcombe, National Baseball Hall of Fame Library.

NOTES

1 Dick Young, “B-r-r-ooks Chill Pirates, 6-1; Gilliam, Furillo HR,” New York Daily News, April 14, 1955: 80.

2 Edward Prell, “Sox Win; Cubs Get 1 Hit, Lose 3-0,” Chicago Tribune, May 11, 1955: 53.

3 Prell: 57.

4 Carl T. Felker, “Scribes Pick Tribe and Braves for Flags, Drop Giants to Third,” The Sporting News, April 13, 1955: 6.

5 Branch Rickey, “Bucs Best in Years – Rickey,” Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, April 14, 1955: 14.

6 Jack Hernon, “Buc Streak Soars to 11 as They Lose 5-2, 5-3,” Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, May 23, 1955: 18.

7 Jack Hernon, “Bucs Give Bums Rush, End Losing Ways, 15-1,” Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, May 25, 1955: 18.

8 Jack Hernon, “Dodgers Flex Muscles and Kayo Bucs, 8-4, 8-3,” Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, May 31, 1955: 14.

9 Russell Bergtold, “Don Newcombe,” SABR Biography Project, https://sabr.org/bioproj/person/a79b94f3. Accessed October 14, 2019.

10 Jack Hernon, “Bums Profit on Buc Charity at Home, 6-2,” Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, May 27, 1955: 20.

11 Bill James and Rob Neyer, The Neyer/James Guide to Pitchers: An Historical Compendium of Pitching, Pitchers, and Pitches (New York: Fireside Books, 2004), 323.

12 Hernon, “Bums Profit on Buc Charity at Home, 6-2.”

13 James and Neyer, 267.

14 Hernon, “Dodgers Flex Muscles and Kayo Bucs, 8-4, 8-3.”

15 Dick Young, “Flock Bops Bucs, 8-4, 8-3; Newk, Campy Homer (2),” New York Daily News, May 31, 1955: 108.

16 United Press, “Unbeaten Newcombe Gains Eighth Win as Dodgers Cop Two,” Hartford Courant, May 31, 1955: 28.

17 Young, “Flock Bops Bucs, 8-4, 8-3.”

18 Young.