The Cubs’ Greatest Rally
This article was written by Art Ahrens
This article was published in Baseball in Chicago (SABR 16, 1986)
Long notorious for blowing big leads — even in their halcyon days of the 1920s and ’30s — the Cubs often do just the opposite. But their greatest comeback has been largely forgotten by history. It exploded at Cincinnati’s Crosley Field on June 29, 1952, during the heyday of “Miksis to Smalley to Addison Street.”
In 1952, the Braves were still in Boston (though not for long), and there was no big league ball west or south of St. Louis. In September, the Pirates would be the first team to wear batting helmets. The center field bleachers in Wrigley Field were still open to the public, and the Cub batboy was Walter Jacobson, now a Chicago TV commentator.
So much for the times; now for the game. It was the first contest of a Sunday twin bill. The Cubs took a quick lead on Dee Fondy’s first inning homer, but the Reds forged ahead on a barrage of singles and doubles in the first, fifth, seventh and eighth innings. In spite of the 97 degree Queen City heat and dense humidity, Red starter Bubba Church had the Cubs eating out of his hand, backed by an 8-2 lead by the time the final frame rolled around.
After the first two Cubs were easy outs in the top of the ninth, Church needed one more for a distance win. When Bill Serena doubled, it looked as if the visitors were only trying to prolong their agony. But Roy Smalley walked and Gene Hermanski, batting for Joe Hatten (the fourth Cub pitcher of the game), singled to bring Serena home as Smalley took third. Eddie Miksis (“Miksis will fix us”) then caught the Reds flat-footed with a squeeze bunt down the third base line. Cincy third baseman Eddie Kazak threw wildly to the plate, with Smalley scoring to make it 8-4.
Church then took a shower as reliever Frank Smith plunked Hal Jeffcoat in the ribs. Dee Fondy singled in two more runs, after which Hank Sauer doubled Jeffcoat home. The score was now 8-7.
Ken Raffensberger, the ace of the Reds’ staff, was sent in to replace Smith as the Cubs brought in Ransom Jackson to run for Fondy. Bruce Edwards, pinch-hitting for Toby Atwell, walked to load the bases. Up to the plate stepped Johnny Pramesa, a former Red and probably the most obscure man in the Cub lineup. Batting in place of right fielder Bob Addis, Pramesa singled to drive in Jackson and Sauer, thereby accounting for two of his five RBI of the season. The 8-2 Red lead was now a 9-8 Red deficit.
With manager Phil Cavarretta taking Fondy’s place at first base for the Cubs, 43-year-old Dutch Leonard mopped up the Reds in the last of the ninth to preserve the victory for Joe Hatten while Smith was tagged with the loss. Cub radio announcer Bert Wilson (“We don’t care who wins as long as it’s the Cubs!”) went into ecstasy.
In scoring seven runs with two out in the ninth and nobody on base, the Cubs set a National League record which still stands. The major league mark is nine, shared by three American League clubs: Cleveland against Washington on May 23, 1901, Boston against Milwaukee on June 2, 1901, and Cleveland against New York on August 4, 1929.