October 6, 1952: Mickey Mantle, Yogi Berra power Yankees in Game 6

For the first time in six World Series appearances, the Dodgers reached Game Six with a chance to capture their first title in franchise history. Coming off a dramatic 6-5 victory in 11 innings over the New York Yankees in the Bronx to take the Series lead, “Dem Bums” returned to Brooklyn and Ebbets Field, where oddsmakers favored them to win the championship, but predicted a loss in Game Six.1

In his second season, skipper Charlie Dressen had guided the Dodgers to the best record in baseball (96-57) and their third pennant since Jackie Robinson integrated baseball five years earlier. The club was led by baseball’s most potent offense, pacing the majors in scoring (5.0 runs per game) and home runs (153). Its weakness was its pitching staff, opined beat reporter Tommy Holmes, even though it finished with a stellar 3.53 team ERA, second best in the NL.2 With three-time All-Star Don Newcombe missing the entire season due to military commitments, the Dodgers lacked a bona fide ace. Carl Erskine (14-6) had led the team with 26 starts and was one of five hurlers with at least 10 wins; however, their most effective pitcher was reliever Joe Black (15-4). After making just two late September starts among his 56 appearances, the NL Rookie of the Year was thrust into the spotlight, starting the Series Opener and Game Four, and was the presumptive starter for Game Seven, if needed. The Dodgers’ hopes rested on Dressen’s ability to “squeeze enough pitching out of a hurling staff, unorthodox by championship standards,” contended Brooklyn sportswriter Harold C. Burr.3

Taking the mound for the Dodgers was 22-year-old rookie Billy Loes. The Long Island native, who became known for his wacky personality, went 13-8 with a 2.69 ERA, but found himself embroiled in a mini-controversy on the eve of the World Series when he claimed the Yankees would win it in seven games.4 His only appearance in the Series thus far had not inspired confidence: In a two-inning relief stint in Game Two, Yogi Berra blasted a three-run home run off him.

The Yankees (95-59) were aiming for their fourth straight World Series title under skipper Casey Stengel. A balanced team, it boasted the AL’s second-highest scoring offense (4.7 runs per game) and a staff with the majors’ lowest ERA (3.14) and two aces. Hard-throwing Allie Reynolds, an 11-year veteran with a 156-96 record, led the club with 20 wins and the AL with a 2.06 ERA and six shutouts. He had started Game One, tossed a shutout in Game Four, and was slated to start a possible Game Seven. Stengel tabbed Vic Raschi, who like Reynolds, earned his payday in the pressure cooker of the World Series, and was coming off a three-hit victory in Game Two. After winning 21 games for three consecutive seasons, Raschi had dropped to 16-6 in ‘52.

Potent offenses notwithstanding, the fall classic had been thus far been a “pitching series,” opined sportswriter Dick Young.5 The two teams had combined for just 35 runs, while four of the five games had been decided by two runs or less. The Dodgers had “scored a great moral victory” in their extra-inning affair in Game Five, submitted Holmes, but several of the team’s major contributors were struggling at the plate.6 Slugger Gil Hodges, who had led the team with 32 home runs and 102 RBIs, was hitless in 14 at-bats; Roy Campanella, whose 22 homers and 97 RBIs trailed only Hodges, was 3-for-20; while catalyst Jackie Robinson was just 3-for-15, but had drawn seven walks. An exception was Duke Snider, the star of the previous game with his second home run of the Series and a game-winning extra-inning double. The Dodgers were without slugger Andy Pafko, who had pulled a muscle in his left leg running out a grounder the day before, and was replaced by George Shuba.7 Yankee stars were also scuffling. Middle infielders Phil Rizzuto (2-for-19) and Gil McDougald (2-for-16) weren’t expected to carry the offense like Mickey Mantle and Berra; however, home-run threat Hank Bauer (1-for-17) was. Stengel shook up the lineup by benching Bauer and replacing him with utilityman Irv Noren.

The potentially biggest game in Dodgers history drew a “disappointing crowd,” wrote Dick Young, despite ideal 70-degree weather on a sunny Monday afternoon at Ebbets Field.8 The “astonishing” attendance of 30,037, considerably less than the 34,861 in Game One (as well as 70,536 in Game Five at Yankee Stadium), noted Arthur Daley of the Times, resulted from what he considered the Dodgers’ tactical mistake of selling tickets for each game instead of in blocks.9

The game emerged as a pitchers’ duel. Loes, who had not registered a victory since August 31, held the vaunted Bronx Bombers to two hits and three walks in six scoreless frames. Sportswriter Dave Anderson of the Brooklyn Eagle considered it the “best ball of the series.”10 Pitching on three days’ rest, Raschi yielded what Times sportswriter Roscoe McGowen called a “lucky pop fly” double down the left-field foul line to the first batter he faced, Billy Cox, but stranded him on second.11 Through five innings, Raschi surrendered only three more hits, all singles, and fanned six.

The bottom of the sixth was filled with “delirious moments,” gushed John Drebinger, when Snider led off by spanking Raschi’s first pitch over the right-field screen and onto Bedford Avenue to give the Dodgers a 1-0 lead.12 Raschi retired the next three batters.

When Loes took the mound to begin the seventh, it “looked like the Dodgers were ready to wrap up their first championship,” opined Burr.13 However, the crowd’s euphoria dramatically evaporated when Berra tied the game, 1-1, with a leadoff home run to almost the exact same spot as Snider’s. Loes looked “visually perturbed,” observed Burr.14 “I tried to get it high and outside,” said Loes later about his intent to waste the pitch.15 After Gene Woodling singled, Loes balked. “I was trying to grip the ball for a curve,” said the pitcher.16 However, the “pitch squirted out,” quipped Young, “like a cake of squeezed soap,” and Woodling advanced into scoring position.17 Dressen calmly walked to the mound to speak with his inexperienced hurler, who he claimed had gotten “a little unstrung after that balk”; while Campy told his batterymate to slow down.18 Loes regained his composure, fanned Noren and retired Billy Martin on a popup. As the midday sun from behind home plate cast long shadows onto the field, Raschi hit a hard grounder back to the mound that ricocheted off Loes’ knee and into short right field.19 Woodling easily scored while right fielder Carl Furillo retrieved the ball.

In the bottom of the seventh, Loes singled with two outs. With a hit-and-run in place, Loes broke for second, but Cox took the pitch. Loes looked like a “cooked goose,” sniped Young, but second baseman Martin muffed the throw and Loes was credited with a rare stolen base for a pitcher. Then he was left stranded when Raschi struck out Billy Cox.

Mantle led off the eighth with a towering home run to deep left-center-field to extend the Yankees’ lead to 3-1. It was the 13th round-tripper in the World Series, breaking the record of 12 set in the 1925 Series between the Washington Senators and the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Snider rekindled Dodger fans’ hope for victory with his second home run of the game, a deep shot to right-field with one out in the eighth. His fourth World Series round-tripper tied a Series record set by Babe Ruth (1926) and Lou Gehrig (1928). Shuba’s double brought the Ole Perfessor from the dugout. Raschi “didn’t have his best stuff,” said Stengel, who called on Allie Reynolds to put out the fire.20

In what sportswriter Stan Baumgartner described as a “magnificent” performance, Reynolds showed his grit and tenacity.21 On his first pitch he brushed back Campanella and ultimately fanned him.22

The Yankees threatened again in the ninth with consecutive one-out singles by McDougald and Rizzuto to send Loes to the showers. He was replaced by Preacher Roe, who filled the bases on four straight wide pitches to Mantle, then struck out Joe Collins, a late-inning defensive replacement for Johnny Mize at first base, and retired Berra on a liner to right field.

Reynolds worked around a one-out walk to Furillo in the ninth to secure the Yankees’ victory in 2 hours and 56 minutes and force Game Seven. “I didn’t have any trouble out there,” said Reynolds, who tossed 22 pitches, but also slightly pulled a back muscle falling off the mound. “I used mostly fast stuff.”23

It was a tough loss for the Dodgers, but no one blamed Loes. “He pitched a fine game,” said Campy. “He had a good curve and generally good control and a lot of nerve.”24 More than anything, Loes forced Stengel to use Reynolds, his Game Seven starter, to save the win, causing havoc with his pitching staff. “I honestly don’t know now who I’ll use,” said Stengel. “I ain’t trying to be mysterious. … I’ll decide tomorrow morning.”25

SOURCES

In addition to the sources cited in the Notes, the author accessed Retrosheet.org, Baseball-Reference.com, and SABR.org.

NOTES

1 The Dodgers were made slight favorites, 6-5, to win the World Series in seven games; however, the Yankees were given 8-5 odds to win Game Six. See Tommy Holmes, “Raschi 8-5 Choice Over Loes,” Brooklyn Eagle, October 6, 1952: 1.

2 Holmes, “Raschi 8-5 Choice Over Loes.”

3 Harold C. Burr, “Joe Black Confident on Eve of His Big Day,” Brooklyn Eagle, September 30, 1952: 1.

4 Jimmy Breslin, “The Dodgers’ New Daffiness Boy,” Saturday Evening Post, August 23, 1953: 116.

5 Dick Young, “Yanks Win HR Duel, 3-1; Ties Series,” New York Daily News, October 7, 1952: 60.

6 Holmes, “Raschi 8-5 Choice Over Loes.”

7 Holmes, “Raschi 8-5 Choice Over Loes.”

8 Young.

9 Arthur Daley, “Sports of the Times,” New York Times, October 7, 1952: 35.

10 Dave Anderson, “Quiet in O’Malley’s Alley,” Brooklyn Eagle, October 7, 1952: 13.

11 Roscoe McGowen, “Brooklyn’s Hopes for Series Honors Ride on Trusty Arm of Joe Black,” New York Times, October 7, 1952: 36.

12 John Drebinger, “Yanks Win, 3-2, Tie Dodgers; Series to Be Decided Today,” New York Times, October 7, 1952: 1.

13 Harold C. Burr, “Dodgers Ready for Zero Hour in Fall Classic,” Brooklyn Eagle, October 7, 1952: 17.

14 Burr, “Dodgers Ready for Zero Hour in Fall Classic.”

15 Dana Mozley, “Snider HRs Tie Ruth, Lou; Casey Ouija Says ‘Gorman,’” New York Daily News, October 7, 1952: 61.

16 Associated Press, “Sad Dodgers Replay Loss in Dressing Room,” Chicago Tribune, October 7, 1952: F2.

17 Young.

18 Anderson.

19 In one of his typically zany comments, Loes calmly explained his miscues in his strong New York City accent and gruff, profanity-ridden language (which sportswriters liberally edited): “I might have had the [expletive] thing if it wasn’t for the low sun shining in my face.” Tommy Holmes, “High Homers, Low Sun Foil Paleface Kid,” Brooklyn Eagle, October 7, 1952: 13.

20 Anderson.

21 Stan Baumgartner, “Yankees Bat Dodgers, 3-2, to Even Series,” Philadelphia Inquirer, October 7, 1952: 1.

22 Harold C. Burr, “Dodgers Ready for Zero Hour in Fall Classic.”

23 James P. Dawson, “We’ll Give Them Our Best Today; Stengel Searching for Fourth Series in a Row,” New York Times, October 7, 1952: 35.

24 Holmes, “High Homers, Low Sun Foil Paleface Kid.”

25 Ted Smits (Associated Press), “Casey Stengel ‘Not Sure’ Who Will Oppose Black in Today’s Series Finale,” Oneonta (New York) Star, October 7, 1952: 10.