1959 National League tie-breaker series
Encyclopedia
The 1959 National League tie-breaker series was a best-of-three playoff series to decide the winner of Major League Baseball
's (MLB) National League (NL) pennant. The games took place on September 28 and 29, 1959 between the Los Angeles Dodgers
and the Milwaukee Braves
. The first game was played in Milwaukee County Stadium
and the second took place in Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
. The playoff series was necessary after both teams finished the season with tied records of 86–68. The Dodgers won a coin flip late in the season which gave them home field advantage for the series, although the series did not reach a third game.
Following a rain-delayed start the Dodgers won Game 1 on a close 3–2 score, with a home run
by John Roseboro providing the margin of victory. The Dodgers then took the series and the pennant with another close victory in Game 2. They came back from a three-run deficit to tie the game in the ninth and then ultimately toppled the Braves 6–5 in extra innings
. This victory advanced the Dodgers to the 1959 World Series
where they defeated the Chicago White Sox
four games to two. In baseball statistics
the tie-breaker counted as the 155th and 156th regular-season games for both teams, with all events in the series added to regular-season statistics.
, finishing in seventh place (out of eight teams) in the NL, and never holding the league lead. By contrast the Braves won the NL that year with a 92–62 record and advanced to the 1958 World Series
where the New York Yankees
defeated them in seven games. Despite their success the Braves made several changes leading into the 1959 season. First, they selected Jim Pisoni
in the Rule 5 Draft
from the Yankees in December 1958, although he returned to the Yankees by May 1959. The Braves then traded with the Philadelphia Phillies
for Ted Kazanski
, Stan Lopata
, and Johnny O'Brien
just prior to the season. Finally, the Braves traded for Mickey Vernon
from the Cleveland Indians
and selected Bobby Avila
, Ray Boone
, and Enos Slaughter
off of waivers during the 1959 season. The Dodgers traded for Rip Repulski
and Wally Moon
during the offseason and then acquired Chuck Churn
, Solly Drake
, and Chuck Essegian
during the year.
The NL race was tight throughout the 1959 season between the Braves, Dodgers, and San Francisco Giants
. Neither the Giants nor the Braves ever fell five or more games back of the league leader, and the Dodgers never faced a deficit of six or more. The Dodgers had the best record in games played amongst the three, posting a combined 26–18 record against the other two before the tie-breaker. However, the Dodgers spent just 21 days with at least a share of the lead while the Braves and Giants each led the league for 86 days.
The Giants led the National League by two games on September 17, 1959 over the Dodgers and Braves who were tied. However, the Giants were swept by the Dodgers over their next three games, including a doubleheader
which the Los Angeles Times
described as a "breeze" for Los Angeles. Giants' starting pitcher
Sam Jones
threw a no-hitter
on September 26, 1959 which was cut short by rain in the eighth inning for his 21st win of the season. The Giants had considered pitching Jack Sanford
in that game due to Jones' recent heavy pitching workload. Because the game was shortened to less than nine innings it is no longer considered an official no-hitter. The rain also forced the second game of the Giants' scheduled doubleheader that day to be moved, leaving them with two games to play on the final day of the season. The Giants needed to win both games and have the Braves and Dodgers both lose to tie for the lead, but the Giants lost both. Jones' no-hitter was the Giants' only win for the season after September 17 as the team went 1–7 over that span, going from a two game lead to a three game deficit by season's end. The Braves and Dodgers went 6–4 over that period to maintain their tie. This included a five-hit complete game
by Warren Spahn
to win the Braves' final game of the season 3–2. This was Spahn's 21st win of the season and 267th of his career, breaking Eppa Rixey
's record for most wins by a left-handed pitcher.
Both the Dodgers and Braves finished the regularly scheduled 154-game season tied with records of 86–68, forcing a tie-breaker to decide the pennant winner. The two team's managers
flipped a coin to decide home field advantage
and Dodgers' manager Walt Alston won. The Dodgers opted to play the second and third (if necessary) games at home, choosing to play Game 1 in Milwaukee. The tie-breaker was scheduled for the 28th, 29th, and the 30th if necessary, which required moving the start of the World Series
from the 30th to October 1. The Giants falling out of the pennant race avoided a potentially disruptive situation involving their home field. Candlestick Park was under construction during the 1959 season and the Giants would not begin play there until 1960. However, Giants vice president Chub Feeney
had said earlier in the season that if the Giants won the pennant they would play their World Series home games in Candlestick. Several potential problems were suggested with this move including a lack of seating, lack of toilet facilities, and insufficient access roads to the stadium.
The Dodgers were 12–10 against the Braves overall for the season, though the Braves actually outscored them by a single run (96 to 95) in those games. The Braves were a 5–8 betting favorite in Las Vegas
on September 25 to win the pennant while the Dodgers had 6–5 odds. The World Series odds were evenly split, with 11–10 odds available at that time for either the Chicago White Sox
(the American League
champion) or the eventual NL pennant winner.
for Monday September 28, 1959 – 2:17 PM (CST) at Milwaukee County Stadium
in Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Chicago White Sox
manager
Al Lopez
watched the game along with his pitching coach to scout their potential NL opponents for the World Series. The start of Game 1 was delayed 45 minutes due to rain, leaving only 18,297 fans in the stadium once the game was underway. The Dodgers opened the game quickly as Charlie Neal
singled
with one out, advanced to second base on a ground out
, and scored on a single by Norm Larker
to give the Dodgers an early 1–0 lead. Dodgers starter
held the Braves scoreless in the first inning, but was driven from the game in the second. After a line out
to open the inning Johnny Logan walked
, Del Crandall
singled, and Bill Bruton
singled to bring home
Logan and tie the game at 1. Larry Sherry
entered in relief of McDevitt, who pitched just 1 innings
. Carl Willey, the Braves' pitcher, reached base on an error
to load the bases
. Crandall then scored on a ground out by Bobby Avila
to give the Braves a 2–1 lead before Sherry finished out the second.
The Dodgers re-tied the game the next inning, however. Neal singled with one out and Wally Moon
grounded into a force out
at second base. Moon then advanced to second on a Larker single and scored on a Gil Hodges
single to make the score 2–2. Don Demeter
hit a single, the third consecutive and fourth of the inning, to load the bases but John Roseboro flew out to end the inning without further scoring. Sherry held the Braves scoreless in the bottom of the third, opening the inning with a walk but then inducing a double play
and a foul out
to quickly close it. Sherry and Willey traded scoreless innings in the fourth and fifth although the Braves threatened against Sherry in both innings, allowing two base-runners each time but escaping with no runs. Roseboro led off the top of the sixth inning with a home run
to give the Dodgers a 3–2 lead. Roseboro had also hit a home run the day before against the Chicago Cubs
, a game the Dodgers won to force the tie-breaker. Willey put out the next three batters to quickly end the inning, but the damage had been done.
Sherry pitched a perfect top of the sixth and Don McMahon
relieved Willey in the bottom of the frame. The Dodgers could not add to their lead in facing McMahon, he held their run total at three. Sherry, however, was nearly perfect for the remainder of the game, allowing just one single to the Braves over the final three innings. The Los Angeles Times
labeled Sherry and Roseboro the "heroes" of the game. Sherry's only "horrible moment", according to the Times, was a long fly ball by Bill Bruton
to the deepest part of center field which Demeter managed to haul in for the first out of the bottom of the ninth.
for Tuesday September 29, 1959 – 2:00 PM (PST
) at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
in Los Angeles
, California
The Dodgers had proposed playing Game 2 at night to allow a longer rest period following the travel from Milwaukee to Los Angeles. The Braves took issue with this prior to the start of the series, however, and NL president Warren Giles
insisted the game be played during the day. The afternoon crowd was 36,528, short of the over-90,000 seating capacity of the Coliseum.
The Braves opened the scoring in the top of the first inning. Eddie Mathews
drew a one out walk
and Hank Aaron followed that with a double
. Aaron's double drew some argument, however, as outfielder Duke Snider
recovered Aaron's ball quickly and threw to second. Dodgers' second baseman
Charlie Neal
believed he had easily tagged out
Aaron, but umpire
Augie Donatelli
said Neal had missed the tag entirely. Frank Torre
then singled
to score the two runners and give the Braves the early 2–0 lead. The Dodgers responded in their half of the inning, however. Neal hit a deep fly ball to right center field with one out, reaching third base "easily" for a triple
as outfielder Bill Bruton
missed catching the ball on a difficult play. Wally Moon
then singled to score Neal, but was caught stealing
for the second out and Snider struck out
to end the first inning. Johnny Logan led off the second for the Braves with a single. Then, after two outs, Logan scored on an odd error
charged to Snider in center field. The Braves' starting pitcher
Lew Burdette
hit a single up the middle and Logan had attempted to advance from first to third base on the play. Snider threw the ball in from center to third baseman
Jim Gilliam
, but Gilliam's vision was "obstructed" and the throw "escaped" him, allowing Logan to score and Burdette to advance to third. Bruton grounded out to end the inning with the Braves in a 3–1 lead.
The game went scoreless in the third inning, but Neal led off the bottom of the fourth with a home run
to make the score 3–2. The Dodgers threatened further that inning, getting runners on first and second base, though did not score additional runs. Dodgers' starter Don Drysdale
recorded the first out of the top of the fifth but then gave up a solo home run to Mathews and walked Aaron before being relieved by Johnny Podres
. Podres escaped without further scoring, putting out Torre and Andy Pafko
who pinch hit
for Lee Maye
. The sixth inning was uneventful, though the Braves then threatened in the top of the seventh. After the first out Mathews singled to start the offense. Aaron followed that with a single, Mathews was put out trying to advance to third base on a "brilliant throw" by Moon, and Aaron moved to second on the throw. Then Podres threw a wild pitch
as Torre batted, allowing Aaron to move to third. Finally, Podres walked Torre and was replaced by Chuck Churn
. Enos Slaughter
pinch hit for Pafko but hit a flyout to end the threat and the inning. John DeMerit
then replaced Slaughter defensively in the bottom of the seventh and Norm Larker
singled leading off. However, John Roseboro hit into a ground ball double play
to end that threat. Roseboro crashed into Logan, the Braves' shortstop, trying to break up the double play and Logan had to be carried from the field on a stretcher. Félix Mantilla, the second baseman, moved to play shortstop and Red Schoendienst
entered to play second. Finally Churn struck out Burdette to end the seventh.
The Braves scored their fifth run in the eighth as Del Crandall
hit a one out triple and then scored on a sacrifice fly
by Mantilla. Don Demeter
pinch hit for Churn, the pitcher, in the bottom half of the inning but the Dodgers were put out in order. Sandy Koufax
pitched the top of the ninth for the Dodgers and though he loaded the bases
with three successive walks to Aaron, Torre, and DeMerit he did not allow any runs. Moon and Snider led off the bottom of the frame with successive singles. Bob Lillis
pinch ran
for Snider and Gil Hodges
hit another single to load the bases. Don McMahon
relieved Burdette, but allowed a fourth consecutive single to Norm Larker
which scored Moon, Lillis, and advanced Hodges to third leaving the score 5–4. Warren Spahn
relieved McMahon, Carl Furillo
pinch hit for Roseboro, and Joe Pignatano
pinch ran for Larker. Furillo tied the game, hitting a sacrifice fly which scored Hodges. Spahn allowed a single to Wills and was pulled in favor of Joey Jay
. Ron Fairly
grounded out as a pinch hitter and Gilliam flew out, leaving the game tied at five runs apiece and forcing extra innings
.
Following the heavy substitutions in the bottom of the ninth the Dodgers made several defensive moves in the top of the tenth. Stan Williams
entered as the pitcher, Pignatano came in as the catcher
, Moon moved from right to left field, and Fairly and Furillo took over center and right field respectively. The tenth went by quickly with only a single baserunner, but both teams threatened in the eleventh. Mathews was walked with one out in the top half. Aaron grounded into a force out at second, then advanced to second on a passed ball
to Torre. The Braves intentionally walked Torre and Al Spangler
then drew a pinch hit walk to load the bases, but Joe Adcock
ground out to end the half-inning. Pignatano was hit by a pitch
and Furillo walked to open the bottom half. After two flyball outs Joey Jay walked Gilliam, loading the bases, but Bob Rush
relieved him and got Neal to ground out ending the inning. The Braves went quickly again in the twelfth, retired in order. Rush recorded the first two outs of the twelfth, but then walked Hodges. Hodges then advanced to second on a Pignatano single. Finally he scored on a single by Furillo followed by a throwing error by the shortstop Mantilla to give the Dodgers a 6–5 walk-off victory and the National League pennant.
The Chicago Tribune
noted the impact of Johnny Logan's seventh inning injury as it was his replacement, Mantilla, who made the costly final error. Mantilla was "close to tears" after the game, saying he made the error because the ball "took a crazy bounce... before I got it." However, Braves' manager
Fred Haney
insisted Mantilla "didn't make a bad play," that he was "lucky to stop the ball at all," and that the run would have scored even if Mantilla had delivered a perfect throw.
in the 1959 World Series
which they won in six games. The Dodgers faced another tie-breaker in 1962
, but lost to the Giants, who would lose to the New York Yankees
in the 1962 World Series
in seven games. The Dodgers have appeared in five of the eight NL tie-breakers, more tie-breaker appearances than any franchise in either league. The Dodgers' most recent playoff appearance came in 2009 where they lost in the League Championship Series
to the Philadelphia Phillies
.
The Braves' high watermark while in Milwaukee had been their World Series win in 1957. They had also appeared in the 1958 Series, losing to the Yankees. After failing to win the pennant in 1959, the Braves would not play for a championship again until they moved to Atlanta. They next returned to post-season play in 1969, their fourth season in Atlanta, where they were swept in the League Championship Series
. The Braves returned to the World Series again in the 1990s, losing the 1991
, 1992
, 1996
, and 1999 World Series
but winning in 1995
.
In baseball statistics
tie-breakers count as regular season games, with all events in them added to regular season statistics. For example, Eddie Mathews
overtook Ernie Banks
of the Chicago Cubs
for the league lead in home runs, hitting his 46th of the season in Game 2. Banks won the NL Most Valuable Player Award but Mathews, Hank Aaron, and Wally Moon
finished 2nd, 3rd, and 4th respectively in the voting. Aaron, Del Crandall
, Gil Hodges
, and Charlie Neal
all won Gold Gloves
for their fielding ability. MLB played two All-Star Games
in 1959. Five Braves and two Dodgers were named to the first while six Braves and four Dodgers played in the second. Five future Hall of Famers
were on the Braves roster in 1959 (Aaron, Mathews, Schoendienst, Slaughter, Spahn) while the Dodgers had three (Drysdale, Koufax, Snider). Dodgers' manager
Walt Alston was also inducted to the Hall as a manager in 1983.
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
's (MLB) National League (NL) pennant. The games took place on September 28 and 29, 1959 between the Los Angeles Dodgers
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
and the Milwaukee Braves
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
. The first game was played in Milwaukee County Stadium
Milwaukee County Stadium
Milwaukee County Stadium was a ballpark in Milwaukee, Wisconsin from 1953 to 2000. It was primarily used as a baseball stadium for the Milwaukee Braves and Brewers, but was also used for football games, ice skating, religious services, concerts and other large events...
and the second took place in Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
The Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum is a large outdoor sports stadium in the University Park neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, at Exposition Park, that is home to the Pacific-12 Conference's University of Southern California Trojans football team...
. The playoff series was necessary after both teams finished the season with tied records of 86–68. The Dodgers won a coin flip late in the season which gave them home field advantage for the series, although the series did not reach a third game.
Following a rain-delayed start the Dodgers won Game 1 on a close 3–2 score, with a home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
by John Roseboro providing the margin of victory. The Dodgers then took the series and the pennant with another close victory in Game 2. They came back from a three-run deficit to tie the game in the ninth and then ultimately toppled the Braves 6–5 in extra innings
Extra innings
Extra innings is the extension of a baseball or softball game in order to break a tie.Ordinarily, a baseball game consists of nine innings , each of which is divided into halves: the visiting team bats first, after which the home team takes its turn at bat...
. This victory advanced the Dodgers to the 1959 World Series
1959 World Series
The 1959 World Series featured the National League champion Los Angeles Dodgers beating the American League champion Chicago White Sox, four games to two. It was the first pennant for the White Sox in 40 years . They would have to wait until 2005 to win another championship...
where they defeated the Chicago White Sox
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
four games to two. In baseball statistics
Baseball statistics
Statistics play an important role in summarizing baseball performance and evaluating players in the sport.Since the flow of a baseball game has natural breaks to it, and normally players act individually rather than performing in clusters, the sport lends itself to easy record-keeping and statistics...
the tie-breaker counted as the 155th and 156th regular-season games for both teams, with all events in the series added to regular-season statistics.
Background
The Dodgers had a poor 1958 season, posting a 71–83 win-loss recordWinning percentage
In sports, a winning percentage is the fraction of games or matches a team or individual has won. It is defined as wins divided by wins plus losses . Ties count as a ½ loss and a ½ win...
, finishing in seventh place (out of eight teams) in the NL, and never holding the league lead. By contrast the Braves won the NL that year with a 92–62 record and advanced to the 1958 World Series
1958 World Series
The 1958 World Series was a rematch of the 1957 Series, with the New York Yankees beating the defending champion Milwaukee Braves in seven games for their eighteenth title, and their seventh in ten years...
where the New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
defeated them in seven games. Despite their success the Braves made several changes leading into the 1959 season. First, they selected Jim Pisoni
Jim Pisoni
James Peter Pisoni was an American professional baseball player, a backup outfielder in Major League Baseball. Pisoni played mainly as a center fielder for four teams between 1953 and 1960. Listed at , , he batted and threw right-handed, and was born in St...
in the Rule 5 Draft
Rule 5 draft
The Rule 5 draft is a Major League Baseball player draft that occurs each year in December, at the annual Winter Meeting of general managers. The Rule 5 draft aims to prevent teams from stockpiling too many young players on their minor league affiliate teams when other teams would be willing to...
from the Yankees in December 1958, although he returned to the Yankees by May 1959. The Braves then traded with the Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
for Ted Kazanski
Ted Kazanski
Theodore Stanley Kazanski is a former shortstop in Major League Baseball who played from through for the Philadelphia Phillies. Listed at 6' 1" , 175 lb., he batted and threw right-handed....
, Stan Lopata
Stan Lopata
Stanley Edward Lopata was an American professional baseball player. Lopata played in Major League Baseball as a catcher for parts of 13 seasons with the Philadelphia Phillies and Milwaukee Braves...
, and Johnny O'Brien
Johnny O'Brien
John Thomas O'Brien is a former backup second baseman and pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for the Pittsburgh Pirates , St. Louis Cardinals and Milwaukee Braves . O'Brien batted and threw right-handed...
just prior to the season. Finally, the Braves traded for Mickey Vernon
Mickey Vernon
James Barton "Mickey" Vernon was an American first baseman in Major League Baseball who played for the Washington Senators for the majority of his career, as well as four other teams: the Cleveland Indians , Boston Red Sox , Milwaukee Braves and Pittsburgh Pirates...
from the Cleveland Indians
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
and selected Bobby Avila
Bobby Avila
Roberto Francisco Ávila González to Maria Gonzalez and Jorge Avila, was a Major League Baseball second baseman and right-handed batter who played for the Cleveland Indians , Baltimore Orioles , Boston Red Sox , Milwaukee Braves and Tigres del México...
, Ray Boone
Ray Boone
Raymond Otis Boone was an American Major League Baseball player. He batted and threw right-handed.Boone was born in San Diego, California. An infielder, he broke into the major leagues on September 3, , with the Cleveland Indians...
, and Enos Slaughter
Enos Slaughter
Enos Bradsher Slaughter , nicknamed "Country", was an American Major League Baseball right fielder. During a 19-year baseball career, he played from 1938–1942 and 1946-1959 for four different teams, but is noted primarily for his time with the St...
off of waivers during the 1959 season. The Dodgers traded for Rip Repulski
Rip Repulski
Eldon John Repulski was an outfielder in Major League Baseball. From 1953 through 1961, he played with the St. Louis Cardinals , Philadelphia Phillies , Los Angeles Dodgers and Boston Red Sox . He batted and threw right-handed...
and Wally Moon
Wally Moon
Wallace Wade Moon, known popularly as Wally Moon, is a former Major League Baseball outfielder. Moon played his 12-year career in the National League for the St. Louis Cardinals and Los Angeles Dodgers...
during the offseason and then acquired Chuck Churn
Chuck Churn
Clarence Nottingham Churn was a pitcher in Major League Baseball. He pitched in 25 games for the Pittsburgh Pirates, Cleveland Indians and Los Angeles Dodgers from 1957 to 1959....
, Solly Drake
Solly Drake
Solomon Louis Drake was an outfielder in Major League Baseball. He played in 141 games for the Chicago Cubs, Los Angeles Dodgers and Philadelphia Phillies during the 1956 & 1959 baseball seasons...
, and Chuck Essegian
Chuck Essegian
Charles Abraham Essegian, Jr. is a former backup outfielder who played from through in Major League Baseball. Listed at 5' 11", 200 lb., he batted and threw right-handed....
during the year.
The NL race was tight throughout the 1959 season between the Braves, Dodgers, and San Francisco Giants
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
. Neither the Giants nor the Braves ever fell five or more games back of the league leader, and the Dodgers never faced a deficit of six or more. The Dodgers had the best record in games played amongst the three, posting a combined 26–18 record against the other two before the tie-breaker. However, the Dodgers spent just 21 days with at least a share of the lead while the Braves and Giants each led the league for 86 days.
| 1959 National League National League The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional... standings after 154 games |
W | L | GB | Pct. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles Dodgers 1959 Los Angeles Dodgers season The Los Angeles Dodgers finished in a first-place tie with the Milwaukee Braves, then won the pennant as they swept the Braves in a best-of-three playoff series. They went on to defeat the Chicago White Sox in the 1959 World Series in just their second season since leaving Brooklyn.- Offseason :*... |
86 | 68 | -- | .558 |
| Milwaukee Braves 1959 Milwaukee Braves season The 1959 Milwaukee Braves season was the seventh season for the franchise in Milwaukee and its 84th season overall. The Braves ended the National League regular season in a first-place tie with the Los Angeles Dodgers. With both clubs finishing with records of 86-68, a special best-of-three... |
86 | 68 | -- | .558 |
| San Francisco Giants 1959 San Francisco Giants season The 1959 San Francisco Giants season involved the 83-71 team's third-place finish in the National League standings, four games behind the World Champion Los Angeles Dodgers... |
83 | 71 | 3 | .539 |
| Pittsburgh Pirates 1959 Pittsburgh Pirates season The 1959 Pittsburgh Pirates season saw the team finish in fourth place in the National League at 78-76, nine games behind the NL and World Series Champion Los Angeles Dodgers.- Offseason :... |
78 | 76 | 8 | .506 |
| Chicago Cubs 1959 Chicago Cubs season The 1959 Chicago Cubs season was the team's 84th season in the National League. The Cubs finished with a record of 74 wins and 80 losses, good for a fifth-place tie with the Cincinnati Reds, thirteen games behind the NL and World Series Champion Los Angeles Dodgers.- Offseason :* January 23, 1959:... |
74 | 80 | 12 | .481 |
| Cincinnati Reds 1959 Cincinnati Reds season The Cincinnati Reds season consisted of the Reds finishing in a fifth-place tie with the Chicago Cubs in the National League standings, with a record of 74-80, 13 games behind the NL and World Champion Los Angeles Dodgers... |
74 | 80 | 12 | .481 |
| St. Louis Cardinals 1959 St. Louis Cardinals season The St. Louis Cardinals season was the team's 78th season in St. Louis, Missouri and its 68th season in the National League. The Cardinals went 71-83 during the season and finished seventh in the National League, 16 games behind the Los Angeles Dodgers.... |
71 | 83 | 15 | .461 |
| Philadelphia Phillies 1959 Philadelphia Phillies season The Philadelphia Phillies season was the 77th season in the history of the franchise. During spring training, manager Eddie Sawyer told the press, "We're definitely not a last place club... I think the biggest thing we've accomplished is getting rid of the losing complex... |
64 | 90 | 22 | .416 |
Doubleheader (baseball)
A doubleheader is a set of two baseball games played between the same two teams on the same day in front of the same crowd. In addition, the term is often used unofficially to refer to a pair of games played by a team in a single day, but in front of different crowds and not in immediate...
which the Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
described as a "breeze" for Los Angeles. Giants' starting pitcher
Starting pitcher
In baseball or softball, a starting pitcher is the pitcher who delivers the first pitch to the first batter of a game. A pitcher who enters the game after the first pitch of the game is a relief pitcher....
Sam Jones
Sam Jones (baseball)
Samuel Jones , known during his career as "Toothpick Sam" Jones or "Sad Sam" Jones, was a Major League Baseball pitcher who played from to ....
threw a no-hitter
No-hitter
A no-hitter is a baseball game in which one team has no hits. In Major League Baseball, the team must be without hits during the entire game, and the game must be at least nine innings. A pitcher who prevents the opposing team from achieving a hit is said to have "thrown a no-hitter"...
on September 26, 1959 which was cut short by rain in the eighth inning for his 21st win of the season. The Giants had considered pitching Jack Sanford
Jack Sanford
John Stanley Sanford was an American right-handed starting pitcher in Major League Baseball, and later in his career a relief pitcher as well, for the Philadelphia Phillies, San Francisco Giants, and California Angels. He finished his career playing very briefly with the Kansas City...
in that game due to Jones' recent heavy pitching workload. Because the game was shortened to less than nine innings it is no longer considered an official no-hitter. The rain also forced the second game of the Giants' scheduled doubleheader that day to be moved, leaving them with two games to play on the final day of the season. The Giants needed to win both games and have the Braves and Dodgers both lose to tie for the lead, but the Giants lost both. Jones' no-hitter was the Giants' only win for the season after September 17 as the team went 1–7 over that span, going from a two game lead to a three game deficit by season's end. The Braves and Dodgers went 6–4 over that period to maintain their tie. This included a five-hit complete game
Complete game
In baseball, a complete game is the act of a pitcher pitching an entire game without the benefit of a relief pitcher.As demonstrated by the charts below, in the early 20th century, it was common for most good Major League Baseball pitchers to pitch a complete game almost every start. Pitchers were...
by Warren Spahn
Warren Spahn
Warren Edward Spahn was an American Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher. He played his entire 21-year baseball career in the National League. He won 20 games each in 13 seasons, including a 23-7 record when he was age 42...
to win the Braves' final game of the season 3–2. This was Spahn's 21st win of the season and 267th of his career, breaking Eppa Rixey
Eppa Rixey
Eppa Rixey Jr. , nicknamed "Jephtha", was an American left-handed pitcher who played 21 seasons for the Philadelphia Phillies and Cincinnati Reds in Major League Baseball from 1912 to 1933...
's record for most wins by a left-handed pitcher.
Both the Dodgers and Braves finished the regularly scheduled 154-game season tied with records of 86–68, forcing a tie-breaker to decide the pennant winner. The two team's managers
Manager (baseball)
In baseball, the field manager is an individual who is responsible for matters of team strategy on the field and team leadership. Managers are typically assisted by between one and six assistant coaches, whose responsibilities are specialized...
flipped a coin to decide home field advantage
Home Field Advantage
Home Field Advantage is a 2000 independent film starring Tony Award-winning actor Dan Fogler in the role of Charlie....
and Dodgers' manager Walt Alston won. The Dodgers opted to play the second and third (if necessary) games at home, choosing to play Game 1 in Milwaukee. The tie-breaker was scheduled for the 28th, 29th, and the 30th if necessary, which required moving the start of the World Series
1959 World Series
The 1959 World Series featured the National League champion Los Angeles Dodgers beating the American League champion Chicago White Sox, four games to two. It was the first pennant for the White Sox in 40 years . They would have to wait until 2005 to win another championship...
from the 30th to October 1. The Giants falling out of the pennant race avoided a potentially disruptive situation involving their home field. Candlestick Park was under construction during the 1959 season and the Giants would not begin play there until 1960. However, Giants vice president Chub Feeney
Chub Feeney
Charles Stoneham "Chub" Feeney was an American front office executive in Major League Baseball and president of the National League during a 40-plus year career in baseball....
had said earlier in the season that if the Giants won the pennant they would play their World Series home games in Candlestick. Several potential problems were suggested with this move including a lack of seating, lack of toilet facilities, and insufficient access roads to the stadium.
The Dodgers were 12–10 against the Braves overall for the season, though the Braves actually outscored them by a single run (96 to 95) in those games. The Braves were a 5–8 betting favorite in Las Vegas
Las Vegas metropolitan area
The Las Vegas Valley is the heart of the Las Vegas-Paradise, NV MSA also known as the Las Vegas–Paradise–Henderson MSA which includes all of Clark County, Nevada, and is a metropolitan area in the southern part of the U.S. state of Nevada. The Valley is defined by the Las Vegas Valley landform, a ...
on September 25 to win the pennant while the Dodgers had 6–5 odds. The World Series odds were evenly split, with 11–10 odds available at that time for either the Chicago White Sox
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
(the American League
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
champion) or the eventual NL pennant winner.
Game 1
Box scoreBox score (baseball)
In baseball, the statistical summary of a game is reported in a box score. An abbreviated version of the box score, duplicated from the field scoreboard, is the line score...
for Monday September 28, 1959 – 2:17 PM (CST) at Milwaukee County Stadium
Milwaukee County Stadium
Milwaukee County Stadium was a ballpark in Milwaukee, Wisconsin from 1953 to 2000. It was primarily used as a baseball stadium for the Milwaukee Braves and Brewers, but was also used for football games, ice skating, religious services, concerts and other large events...
in Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Chicago White Sox
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
manager
Manager (baseball)
In baseball, the field manager is an individual who is responsible for matters of team strategy on the field and team leadership. Managers are typically assisted by between one and six assistant coaches, whose responsibilities are specialized...
Al Lopez
Al Lopez
Alfonso Ramon "Al" Lopez was an American catcher and manager in Major League Baseball, and was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1977....
watched the game along with his pitching coach to scout their potential NL opponents for the World Series. The start of Game 1 was delayed 45 minutes due to rain, leaving only 18,297 fans in the stadium once the game was underway. The Dodgers opened the game quickly as Charlie Neal
Charlie Neal
Charles Lenard Neal was an American second baseman in Major League Baseball. He was signed by the Brooklyn Dodgers as an amateur free agent in 1950, and won the 1959 World Series after the team moved to Los Angeles. He hit two home runs in Game 2 of the Series, at Chicago's Comiskey Park...
singled
Single (baseball)
In baseball, a single is the most common type of base hit, accomplished through the act of a batter safely reaching first base by hitting a fair ball and getting to first base before a fielder puts him out...
with one out, advanced to second base on a ground out
Ground out
Ground out may refer to:*In baseball rules, when a batted ball hits the ground in fair territory, but a defensive player is able to gain possession of the ball and touch first base before the batter-runner arrives....
, and scored on a single by Norm Larker
Norm Larker
Norman Howard John Larker was a first baseman/outfielder who played in Major League Baseball from 1958 through 1963. Listed at 6' 0", 185 lbs., Larker batted and threw left-handed. He was born in Beaver Meadows, Pennsylvania.Larker played in the minor leagues even before 1950...
to give the Dodgers an early 1–0 lead. Dodgers starter
Starting pitcher
In baseball or softball, a starting pitcher is the pitcher who delivers the first pitch to the first batter of a game. A pitcher who enters the game after the first pitch of the game is a relief pitcher....
held the Braves scoreless in the first inning, but was driven from the game in the second. After a line out
Line drive
In baseball, a line drive is a type of batted ball, sharply hit, and on a level trajectory. The threshold between a line drive and a fly ball can be subjective....
to open the inning Johnny Logan walked
Base on balls
A base on balls is credited to a batter and against a pitcher in baseball statistics when a batter receives four pitches that the umpire calls balls. It is better known as a walk. The base on balls is defined in Section 2.00 of baseball's Official Rules, and further detail is given in 6.08...
, Del Crandall
Del Crandall
Delmar Wesley Crandall is a former professional baseball catcher and manager in Major League Baseball who played most of his career with the Boston & Milwaukee Braves...
singled, and Bill Bruton
Bill Bruton
William Havon Bruton was a Major League Baseball center fielder who played for the Milwaukee Braves in 1953 through 1960, and for the Detroit Tigers in 1961 through 64. Bruton batted left-handed and threw right-handed...
singled to bring home
Home Plate
Home Plate is the fifth album by Bonnie Raitt, released in 1975 .-Track listing:#"What Do You Want the Boy to Do?" – 3:19#"Good Enough" – 2:56#"Run Like a Thief" – 3:02...
Logan and tie the game at 1. Larry Sherry
Larry Sherry
Lawrence Sherry was an American right-handed relief pitcher in Major League Baseball who spent most of his career with the Los Angeles Dodgers and Detroit Tigers...
entered in relief of McDevitt, who pitched just 1 innings
Innings pitched
In baseball, innings pitched are the number of innings a pitcher has completed, measured by the number of batters and baserunners that are put out while the pitcher on the pitching mound in a game. Three outs made is equal to one inning pitched. One out counts as one-third of an inning, and two...
. Carl Willey, the Braves' pitcher, reached base on an error
Error (baseball)
In baseball statistics, an error is the act, in the judgment of the official scorer, of a fielder misplaying a ball in a manner that allows a batter or baserunner to reach one or more additional bases, when such an advance would have been prevented given ordinary effort by the fielder.The term ...
to load the bases
Bases loaded
In the sport of baseball, the bases are loaded when there is a runner on each base . This presents a great scoring opportunity for the batting team, but it also presents an easy double play opportunity for the defense. Causing the bases to become loaded is called loading the bases...
. Crandall then scored on a ground out by Bobby Avila
Bobby Avila
Roberto Francisco Ávila González to Maria Gonzalez and Jorge Avila, was a Major League Baseball second baseman and right-handed batter who played for the Cleveland Indians , Baltimore Orioles , Boston Red Sox , Milwaukee Braves and Tigres del México...
to give the Braves a 2–1 lead before Sherry finished out the second.
The Dodgers re-tied the game the next inning, however. Neal singled with one out and Wally Moon
Wally Moon
Wallace Wade Moon, known popularly as Wally Moon, is a former Major League Baseball outfielder. Moon played his 12-year career in the National League for the St. Louis Cardinals and Los Angeles Dodgers...
grounded into a force out
Force play
In baseball, a force is a situation when a baserunner is compelled to vacate his time-of-pitch base—and thus try to advance to the next base—because the batter became a runner. A runner at first base is always forced to attempt to advance to second base when the batter becomes a runner...
at second base. Moon then advanced to second on a Larker single and scored on a Gil Hodges
Gil Hodges
Gilbert Ray Hodges was an American Major League Baseball first baseman and manager. During an 18-year baseball career, he played in 1943 and from 1947–63, spending most of his career with the Brooklyn and Los Angeles Dodgers...
single to make the score 2–2. Don Demeter
Don Demeter
Donald Lee "Don" Demeter is a former outfielder, third baseman, and first baseman in Major League Baseball who played for the Brooklyn Dodgers, Los Angeles Dodgers, Philadelphia Phillies, Detroit Tigers, Boston Red Sox, and Cleveland Indians...
hit a single, the third consecutive and fourth of the inning, to load the bases but John Roseboro flew out to end the inning without further scoring. Sherry held the Braves scoreless in the bottom of the third, opening the inning with a walk but then inducing a double play
Double play
In baseball, a double play for a team or a fielder is the act of making two outs during the same continuous playing action. In baseball slang, making a double play is referred to as "turning two"....
and a foul out
Foul ball
In baseball, a foul ball is a batted ball that:* Settles on foul territory between home and first base or between home and third base, or* Bounds past first or third base on or over foul territory, or...
to quickly close it. Sherry and Willey traded scoreless innings in the fourth and fifth although the Braves threatened against Sherry in both innings, allowing two base-runners each time but escaping with no runs. Roseboro led off the top of the sixth inning with a home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
to give the Dodgers a 3–2 lead. Roseboro had also hit a home run the day before against the Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
, a game the Dodgers won to force the tie-breaker. Willey put out the next three batters to quickly end the inning, but the damage had been done.
Sherry pitched a perfect top of the sixth and Don McMahon
Don McMahon
Donald John McMahon was a right-handed relief pitcher in Major League Baseball. Born in Brooklyn, New York, he was signed by the Boston Braves before the 1950 season...
relieved Willey in the bottom of the frame. The Dodgers could not add to their lead in facing McMahon, he held their run total at three. Sherry, however, was nearly perfect for the remainder of the game, allowing just one single to the Braves over the final three innings. The Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
labeled Sherry and Roseboro the "heroes" of the game. Sherry's only "horrible moment", according to the Times, was a long fly ball by Bill Bruton
Bill Bruton
William Havon Bruton was a Major League Baseball center fielder who played for the Milwaukee Braves in 1953 through 1960, and for the Detroit Tigers in 1961 through 64. Bruton batted left-handed and threw right-handed...
to the deepest part of center field which Demeter managed to haul in for the first out of the bottom of the ninth.
Game 2
Box scoreBox score (baseball)
In baseball, the statistical summary of a game is reported in a box score. An abbreviated version of the box score, duplicated from the field scoreboard, is the line score...
for Tuesday September 29, 1959 – 2:00 PM (PST
Pacific Time Zone
The Pacific Time Zone observes standard time by subtracting eight hours from Coordinated Universal Time . The clock time in this zone is based on the mean solar time of the 120th meridian west of the Greenwich Observatory. During daylight saving time, its time offset is UTC-7.In the United States...
) at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
The Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum is a large outdoor sports stadium in the University Park neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, at Exposition Park, that is home to the Pacific-12 Conference's University of Southern California Trojans football team...
in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, California
The Dodgers had proposed playing Game 2 at night to allow a longer rest period following the travel from Milwaukee to Los Angeles. The Braves took issue with this prior to the start of the series, however, and NL president Warren Giles
Warren Giles
Warren Crandall Giles was a National League executive in Major League Baseball.-Baseball:Giles was elected president of the Moline, Illinois baseball club in the Three-I League in 1919 and began a 50-year career in baseball that saw him rise all the way to the presidency of the National League...
insisted the game be played during the day. The afternoon crowd was 36,528, short of the over-90,000 seating capacity of the Coliseum.
The Braves opened the scoring in the top of the first inning. Eddie Mathews
Eddie Mathews
Edwin Lee "Eddie" Mathews was an American Major League Baseball third baseman. He is regarded as one of the greatest third basemen ever to play the game.-Early life:...
drew a one out walk
Base on balls
A base on balls is credited to a batter and against a pitcher in baseball statistics when a batter receives four pitches that the umpire calls balls. It is better known as a walk. The base on balls is defined in Section 2.00 of baseball's Official Rules, and further detail is given in 6.08...
and Hank Aaron followed that with a double
Double (baseball)
In baseball, a double is the act of a batter striking the pitched ball and safely reaching second base without being called out by the umpire, without the benefit of a fielder's misplay or another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
. Aaron's double drew some argument, however, as outfielder Duke Snider
Duke Snider
Edwin Donald "Duke" Snider , nicknamed "The Silver Fox" and "The Duke of Flatbush", was a Major League Baseball center fielder and left-handed batter who played for the Brooklyn and Los Angeles Dodgers , New York Mets , and San Francisco Giants .Snider was elected to the National Baseball Hall of...
recovered Aaron's ball quickly and threw to second. Dodgers' second baseman
Second baseman
Second base, or 2B, is the second of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a base runner in order to score a run for that player's team. A second baseman is the baseball player guarding second base...
Charlie Neal
Charlie Neal
Charles Lenard Neal was an American second baseman in Major League Baseball. He was signed by the Brooklyn Dodgers as an amateur free agent in 1950, and won the 1959 World Series after the team moved to Los Angeles. He hit two home runs in Game 2 of the Series, at Chicago's Comiskey Park...
believed he had easily tagged out
Tag out
In baseball, a tag out, sometimes just called a tag, is a play in which a baserunner is out because he is touched by the fielder's hand or glove holding a live ball while the runner is in jeopardy...
Aaron, but umpire
Umpire (baseball)
In baseball, the umpire is the person charged with officiating the game, including beginning and ending the game, enforcing the rules of the game and the grounds, making judgment calls on plays, and handling the disciplinary actions. The term is often shortened to the colloquial form ump...
Augie Donatelli
Augie Donatelli
August Joseph Donatelli was an American umpire in Major League Baseball who worked in the National League from 1950 to 1973. Highly regarded for his ability, he was also known for his inclination to eject players and managers quickly and dramatically.-Biography:Donatelli was born in Heilwood,...
said Neal had missed the tag entirely. Frank Torre
Frank Torre
Frank Joseph Torre is a former first baseman in Major League Baseball. Torre, who batted and threw left-handed, played for the Milwaukee Braves and Philadelphia Phillies...
then singled
Single (baseball)
In baseball, a single is the most common type of base hit, accomplished through the act of a batter safely reaching first base by hitting a fair ball and getting to first base before a fielder puts him out...
to score the two runners and give the Braves the early 2–0 lead. The Dodgers responded in their half of the inning, however. Neal hit a deep fly ball to right center field with one out, reaching third base "easily" for a triple
Triple (baseball)
In baseball, a triple is the act of a batter safely reaching third base after hitting the ball, with neither the benefit of a fielder's misplay nor another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
as outfielder Bill Bruton
Bill Bruton
William Havon Bruton was a Major League Baseball center fielder who played for the Milwaukee Braves in 1953 through 1960, and for the Detroit Tigers in 1961 through 64. Bruton batted left-handed and threw right-handed...
missed catching the ball on a difficult play. Wally Moon
Wally Moon
Wallace Wade Moon, known popularly as Wally Moon, is a former Major League Baseball outfielder. Moon played his 12-year career in the National League for the St. Louis Cardinals and Los Angeles Dodgers...
then singled to score Neal, but was caught stealing
Caught stealing
In baseball, a runner is charged, and the fielders involved are credited, with a time caught stealing when the runner attempts to advance or lead off from one base to another without the ball being batted and then is tagged out by a fielder while making the attempt...
for the second out and Snider struck out
Strike Out
Strike Out, , North American Harness racing championStrike Out was born in 1969 at Castleton Farm in Lexington, Kentucky, and is by Bret Hanover out of the mare Golden Miss....
to end the first inning. Johnny Logan led off the second for the Braves with a single. Then, after two outs, Logan scored on an odd error
Error (baseball)
In baseball statistics, an error is the act, in the judgment of the official scorer, of a fielder misplaying a ball in a manner that allows a batter or baserunner to reach one or more additional bases, when such an advance would have been prevented given ordinary effort by the fielder.The term ...
charged to Snider in center field. The Braves' starting pitcher
Starting pitcher
In baseball or softball, a starting pitcher is the pitcher who delivers the first pitch to the first batter of a game. A pitcher who enters the game after the first pitch of the game is a relief pitcher....
Lew Burdette
Lew Burdette
Selva Lewis Burdette, Jr. was an American right-handed starting pitcher in Major League Baseball who played primarily for the Boston and Milwaukee Braves...
hit a single up the middle and Logan had attempted to advance from first to third base on the play. Snider threw the ball in from center to third baseman
Third baseman
A third baseman, abbreviated 3B, is the player in baseball whose responsibility is to defend the area nearest to third base — the third of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run...
Jim Gilliam
Jim Gilliam
James William Gilliam was an American second and third baseman and coach in Negro League and Major League Baseball who spent his entire major league career with the Brooklyn and Los Angeles Dodgers. He was named the National League Rookie of the Year, and was a key member of ten NL championship...
, but Gilliam's vision was "obstructed" and the throw "escaped" him, allowing Logan to score and Burdette to advance to third. Bruton grounded out to end the inning with the Braves in a 3–1 lead.
The game went scoreless in the third inning, but Neal led off the bottom of the fourth with a home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
to make the score 3–2. The Dodgers threatened further that inning, getting runners on first and second base, though did not score additional runs. Dodgers' starter Don Drysdale
Don Drysdale
Donald Scott "Don" Drysdale was a Major League Baseball player and Hall of Fame right-handed pitcher with the Los Angeles Dodgers. He was one of the dominant starting pitchers of the 1960s, and became a radio and television broadcaster following his playing career...
recorded the first out of the top of the fifth but then gave up a solo home run to Mathews and walked Aaron before being relieved by Johnny Podres
Johnny Podres
John Joseph Podres was an American left-handed starting pitcher in Major League Baseball who spent most of his career with the Brooklyn and Los Angeles Dodgers...
. Podres escaped without further scoring, putting out Torre and Andy Pafko
Andy Pafko
Andrew Pafko is a former center fielder in Major League Baseball. From 1943 through 1959, Pafko played for the Chicago Cubs , Brooklyn Dodgers and Milwaukee Braves . He batted and threw right-handed...
who pinch hit
Pinch hitter
In baseball, a pinch hitter is a substitute batter. Batters can be substituted at any time while the ball is dead ; the manager may use any player that has not yet entered the game as a substitute...
for Lee Maye
Lee Maye
Arthur Lee Maye was a Major League Baseball player. He played eleven seasons in the majors as an outfielder for the Milwaukee Braves , Houston Astros , Cleveland Indians , Washington Senators , and Chicago White Sox .Maye was also well known as a Rhythm & Blues singer...
. The sixth inning was uneventful, though the Braves then threatened in the top of the seventh. After the first out Mathews singled to start the offense. Aaron followed that with a single, Mathews was put out trying to advance to third base on a "brilliant throw" by Moon, and Aaron moved to second on the throw. Then Podres threw a wild pitch
Wild pitch
In baseball, a wild pitch is charged against a pitcher when his pitch is too high, too short, or too wide of home plate for the catcher to control with ordinary effort, thereby allowing a baserunner, perhaps even the batter-runner on strike three or ball four, to advance.A wild pitch usually...
as Torre batted, allowing Aaron to move to third. Finally, Podres walked Torre and was replaced by Chuck Churn
Chuck Churn
Clarence Nottingham Churn was a pitcher in Major League Baseball. He pitched in 25 games for the Pittsburgh Pirates, Cleveland Indians and Los Angeles Dodgers from 1957 to 1959....
. Enos Slaughter
Enos Slaughter
Enos Bradsher Slaughter , nicknamed "Country", was an American Major League Baseball right fielder. During a 19-year baseball career, he played from 1938–1942 and 1946-1959 for four different teams, but is noted primarily for his time with the St...
pinch hit for Pafko but hit a flyout to end the threat and the inning. John DeMerit
John DeMerit
John Stephen "Thumper" DeMerit is a former professional baseball player. He was an outfielder over parts of 5 seasons with the Milwaukee Braves and New York Mets. DeMerit was a member of the 1957 World Series champion Braves...
then replaced Slaughter defensively in the bottom of the seventh and Norm Larker
Norm Larker
Norman Howard John Larker was a first baseman/outfielder who played in Major League Baseball from 1958 through 1963. Listed at 6' 0", 185 lbs., Larker batted and threw left-handed. He was born in Beaver Meadows, Pennsylvania.Larker played in the minor leagues even before 1950...
singled leading off. However, John Roseboro hit into a ground ball double play
Double play
In baseball, a double play for a team or a fielder is the act of making two outs during the same continuous playing action. In baseball slang, making a double play is referred to as "turning two"....
to end that threat. Roseboro crashed into Logan, the Braves' shortstop, trying to break up the double play and Logan had to be carried from the field on a stretcher. Félix Mantilla, the second baseman, moved to play shortstop and Red Schoendienst
Red Schoendienst
Albert Fred "Red" Schoendienst is an American Major League Baseball coach, former player and manager, and 10-time All-star. After a 19-year playing career with the St...
entered to play second. Finally Churn struck out Burdette to end the seventh.
The Braves scored their fifth run in the eighth as Del Crandall
Del Crandall
Delmar Wesley Crandall is a former professional baseball catcher and manager in Major League Baseball who played most of his career with the Boston & Milwaukee Braves...
hit a one out triple and then scored on a sacrifice fly
Sacrifice fly
In baseball, a sacrifice fly is a batted ball that satisfies four criteria:* There are fewer than two outs when the ball is hit.* The ball is hit to the outfield....
by Mantilla. Don Demeter
Don Demeter
Donald Lee "Don" Demeter is a former outfielder, third baseman, and first baseman in Major League Baseball who played for the Brooklyn Dodgers, Los Angeles Dodgers, Philadelphia Phillies, Detroit Tigers, Boston Red Sox, and Cleveland Indians...
pinch hit for Churn, the pitcher, in the bottom half of the inning but the Dodgers were put out in order. Sandy Koufax
Sandy Koufax
Sanford "Sandy" Koufax is a former left-handed baseball pitcher who played his entire 12-year Major League Baseball career for the Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers...
pitched the top of the ninth for the Dodgers and though he loaded the bases
Bases loaded
In the sport of baseball, the bases are loaded when there is a runner on each base . This presents a great scoring opportunity for the batting team, but it also presents an easy double play opportunity for the defense. Causing the bases to become loaded is called loading the bases...
with three successive walks to Aaron, Torre, and DeMerit he did not allow any runs. Moon and Snider led off the bottom of the frame with successive singles. Bob Lillis
Bob Lillis
Robert Perry Lillis is a retired American infielder, manager, coach and scout in Major League Baseball...
pinch ran
Pinch runner
A pinch runner is a baseball player substituted for the specific purpose of replacing a player on base. In the typical case, the pinch runner is faster or otherwise more skilled at base-running than the player for whom the pinch runner has been substituted...
for Snider and Gil Hodges
Gil Hodges
Gilbert Ray Hodges was an American Major League Baseball first baseman and manager. During an 18-year baseball career, he played in 1943 and from 1947–63, spending most of his career with the Brooklyn and Los Angeles Dodgers...
hit another single to load the bases. Don McMahon
Don McMahon
Donald John McMahon was a right-handed relief pitcher in Major League Baseball. Born in Brooklyn, New York, he was signed by the Boston Braves before the 1950 season...
relieved Burdette, but allowed a fourth consecutive single to Norm Larker
Norm Larker
Norman Howard John Larker was a first baseman/outfielder who played in Major League Baseball from 1958 through 1963. Listed at 6' 0", 185 lbs., Larker batted and threw left-handed. He was born in Beaver Meadows, Pennsylvania.Larker played in the minor leagues even before 1950...
which scored Moon, Lillis, and advanced Hodges to third leaving the score 5–4. Warren Spahn
Warren Spahn
Warren Edward Spahn was an American Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher. He played his entire 21-year baseball career in the National League. He won 20 games each in 13 seasons, including a 23-7 record when he was age 42...
relieved McMahon, Carl Furillo
Carl Furillo
Carl Anthony Furillo , nicknamed "The Reading Rifle" and "Skoonj," was a right fielder in Major League Baseball who played his entire career for the Brooklyn and Los Angeles Dodgers...
pinch hit for Roseboro, and Joe Pignatano
Joe Pignatano
Joseph Benjamin Pignatano was a catcher in Major League Baseball. He played from 1957-1962.He played in the 1959 World Series with the Los Angeles Dodgers and ended his playing career with the New York Mets, hitting into a triple play in his final Major League at bat.After his playing career...
pinch ran for Larker. Furillo tied the game, hitting a sacrifice fly which scored Hodges. Spahn allowed a single to Wills and was pulled in favor of Joey Jay
Joey Jay
Joseph Richard Jay is a former starting pitcher in Major League Baseball. From 1953 through 1966, Jay played for the Milwaukee Braves , Cincinnati Reds and Atlanta Braves...
. Ron Fairly
Ron Fairly
Ronald Ray Fairly is a former Major League Baseball player and broadcaster. He either played in or broadcast over 7,000 major league games from through .-College career:...
grounded out as a pinch hitter and Gilliam flew out, leaving the game tied at five runs apiece and forcing extra innings
Extra innings
Extra innings is the extension of a baseball or softball game in order to break a tie.Ordinarily, a baseball game consists of nine innings , each of which is divided into halves: the visiting team bats first, after which the home team takes its turn at bat...
.
Following the heavy substitutions in the bottom of the ninth the Dodgers made several defensive moves in the top of the tenth. Stan Williams
Stan Williams (baseball)
Stanley Wilson Williams , nicknamed "Big Daddy" and "The Big Hurt", is a former Major League Baseball starting and relief pitcher who threw and batted right-handed. He played for the Los Angeles Dodgers , New York Yankees , Cleveland Indians , Minnesota Twins , St...
entered as the pitcher, Pignatano came in as the catcher
Catcher
Catcher is a position for a baseball or softball player. When a batter takes his turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the umpire, and receives the ball from the pitcher. This is a catcher's primary duty, but he is also called upon to master many other skills in order to...
, Moon moved from right to left field, and Fairly and Furillo took over center and right field respectively. The tenth went by quickly with only a single baserunner, but both teams threatened in the eleventh. Mathews was walked with one out in the top half. Aaron grounded into a force out at second, then advanced to second on a passed ball
Passed ball
In baseball, a catcher is charged with a passed ball when he fails to hold or control a legally pitched ball that, with ordinary effort, should have been maintained under his control. When, as a result of this loss of control, the batter or a runner on base advances, the catcher is thereby charged...
to Torre. The Braves intentionally walked Torre and Al Spangler
Al Spangler
Albert Donald "Spanky" Spangler is a retired American Major League Baseball outfielder.Spangler attended Duke University. He was signed as a free agent by the Milwaukee Braves on June 14, 1954...
then drew a pinch hit walk to load the bases, but Joe Adcock
Joe Adcock
Joseph Wilbur "Billy Joe" Adcock was an American first baseman and right-handed batter in Major League Baseball, best known for his years with the powerful Milwaukee Braves teams of the 1950s, whose career included numerous home run feats...
ground out to end the half-inning. Pignatano was hit by a pitch
Hit by pitch
In baseball, hit by pitch , or hit batsman , is a batter or his equipment being hit in some part of his body by a pitch from the pitcher.-Official rule:...
and Furillo walked to open the bottom half. After two flyball outs Joey Jay walked Gilliam, loading the bases, but Bob Rush
Bob Rush (baseball)
Robert Ransom Rush was a professional baseball player who pitched in Major League Baseball from 1948-60.Rush played for the Milwaukee Braves, Chicago Cubs, and the Chicago White Sox....
relieved him and got Neal to ground out ending the inning. The Braves went quickly again in the twelfth, retired in order. Rush recorded the first two outs of the twelfth, but then walked Hodges. Hodges then advanced to second on a Pignatano single. Finally he scored on a single by Furillo followed by a throwing error by the shortstop Mantilla to give the Dodgers a 6–5 walk-off victory and the National League pennant.
The Chicago Tribune
Chicago Tribune
The Chicago Tribune is a major daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, and the flagship publication of the Tribune Company. Formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" , it remains the most read daily newspaper of the Chicago metropolitan area and the Great Lakes region and is...
noted the impact of Johnny Logan's seventh inning injury as it was his replacement, Mantilla, who made the costly final error. Mantilla was "close to tears" after the game, saying he made the error because the ball "took a crazy bounce... before I got it." However, Braves' manager
Manager (baseball)
In baseball, the field manager is an individual who is responsible for matters of team strategy on the field and team leadership. Managers are typically assisted by between one and six assistant coaches, whose responsibilities are specialized...
Fred Haney
Fred Haney
Fred Girard Haney was an American third baseman, manager, coach and executive in Major League Baseball. As a manager, he won two pennants and a world championship with the Milwaukee Braves and, as an executive, he was the first general manager of the expansion Los Angeles Angels of the American...
insisted Mantilla "didn't make a bad play," that he was "lucky to stop the ball at all," and that the run would have scored even if Mantilla had delivered a perfect throw.
Aftermath
The Dodgers' win earned the franchise its 10th playoff berth, the first since the team moved to Los Angeles the previous year. In the playoffs they faced the Chicago White SoxChicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
in the 1959 World Series
1959 World Series
The 1959 World Series featured the National League champion Los Angeles Dodgers beating the American League champion Chicago White Sox, four games to two. It was the first pennant for the White Sox in 40 years . They would have to wait until 2005 to win another championship...
which they won in six games. The Dodgers faced another tie-breaker in 1962
1962 National League tie-breaker series
The 1962 National League tie-breaker series was a three-game playoff series to determine the winner of Major League Baseball's National League pennant. The games took place from October 1 to 3, 1962, between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the San Francisco Giants. The Giants won the series two games...
, but lost to the Giants, who would lose to the New York Yankees
1962 New York Yankees season
The New York Yankees season was the 60th season for the team in New York, and its 62nd season overall. The team finished with a record of 96-66, winning their 27th pennant, finishing 5 games ahead of the Minnesota Twins. New York was managed by Ralph Houk. The Yankees played at Yankee Stadium...
in the 1962 World Series
1962 World Series
The 1962 World Series matched the defending American League and World Series champions New York Yankees against the National League champion San Francisco Giants, who had won their first NL pennant since 1954 and first since moving from New York in 1958, defeating the Los Angeles Dodgers in a...
in seven games. The Dodgers have appeared in five of the eight NL tie-breakers, more tie-breaker appearances than any franchise in either league. The Dodgers' most recent playoff appearance came in 2009 where they lost in the League Championship Series
2009 National League Championship Series
The National League Championship Series was a best-of-seven baseball game series pitting the Los Angeles Dodgers against the Philadelphia Phillies for the National League Championship and the right to represent the National League in the 2009 World Series. The Phillies defeated the Dodgers four...
to the Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
.
The Braves' high watermark while in Milwaukee had been their World Series win in 1957. They had also appeared in the 1958 Series, losing to the Yankees. After failing to win the pennant in 1959, the Braves would not play for a championship again until they moved to Atlanta. They next returned to post-season play in 1969, their fourth season in Atlanta, where they were swept in the League Championship Series
1969 National League Championship Series
-Game 1:Saturday, October 4, 1969 at Atlanta Stadium in Atlanta, GeorgiaThe Mets struck first in the second off Phil Niekro when Jerry Grote singled in a run and Ken Boswell scored on a passed ball by Braves catcher Bob Didier...
. The Braves returned to the World Series again in the 1990s, losing the 1991
1991 World Series
The 1991 World Series pitted the Minnesota Twins of the American League against the Atlanta Braves of the National League. The series was played from Saturday, October 19 to Sunday, October 27....
, 1992
1992 World Series
-Game 1:Saturday, October 17, 1992 at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium in Atlanta, GeorgiaBraves fans had plenty to worry about in regard to both starting pitchers. Tom Glavine's post-season career had been less than stellar, including giving up eight runs in the second inning of Game 6 of the NLCS...
, 1996
1996 World Series
-Game 1:Sunday, October 20, 1996 at Yankee Stadium in Bronx, New YorkGame 1 and Game 2 were originally scheduled for Saturday, October 19 and Sunday, October 20, respectively. Rain on October 19, however, washed out Game 1. The schedule was moved up one day, with Game 1 and Game 2 rescheduled for...
, and 1999 World Series
1999 World Series
The 1999 World Series, the 95th edition of Major League Baseball's championship series, featured a rematch between the defending champions New York Yankees against the Atlanta Braves during the month of October, with the Yankees sweeping the Series in four games for their second title in a row,...
but winning in 1995
1995 World Series
-Game 1:Saturday, October 21, 1995 at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium in Atlanta, GeorgiaAtlanta ace Greg Maddux pitched a two-hit complete game victory in his first World Series appearance ....
.
In baseball statistics
Baseball statistics
Statistics play an important role in summarizing baseball performance and evaluating players in the sport.Since the flow of a baseball game has natural breaks to it, and normally players act individually rather than performing in clusters, the sport lends itself to easy record-keeping and statistics...
tie-breakers count as regular season games, with all events in them added to regular season statistics. For example, Eddie Mathews
Eddie Mathews
Edwin Lee "Eddie" Mathews was an American Major League Baseball third baseman. He is regarded as one of the greatest third basemen ever to play the game.-Early life:...
overtook Ernie Banks
Ernie Banks
Ernest "Ernie" Banks , nicknamed "Mr. Cub", is a former Major League Baseball shortstop and first baseman. He played his entire 19-year baseball career with the Chicago Cubs . He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1977.-High school years:Banks was a letterman and standout in football,...
of the Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
for the league lead in home runs, hitting his 46th of the season in Game 2. Banks won the NL Most Valuable Player Award but Mathews, Hank Aaron, and Wally Moon
Wally Moon
Wallace Wade Moon, known popularly as Wally Moon, is a former Major League Baseball outfielder. Moon played his 12-year career in the National League for the St. Louis Cardinals and Los Angeles Dodgers...
finished 2nd, 3rd, and 4th respectively in the voting. Aaron, Del Crandall
Del Crandall
Delmar Wesley Crandall is a former professional baseball catcher and manager in Major League Baseball who played most of his career with the Boston & Milwaukee Braves...
, Gil Hodges
Gil Hodges
Gilbert Ray Hodges was an American Major League Baseball first baseman and manager. During an 18-year baseball career, he played in 1943 and from 1947–63, spending most of his career with the Brooklyn and Los Angeles Dodgers...
, and Charlie Neal
Charlie Neal
Charles Lenard Neal was an American second baseman in Major League Baseball. He was signed by the Brooklyn Dodgers as an amateur free agent in 1950, and won the 1959 World Series after the team moved to Los Angeles. He hit two home runs in Game 2 of the Series, at Chicago's Comiskey Park...
all won Gold Gloves
Rawlings Gold Glove Award
The Rawlings Gold Glove Award, usually referred to as the Gold Glove, is the award given annually to the Major League Baseball players judged to have exhibited superior individual fielding performances at each fielding position in both the National League and the American League , as voted by the...
for their fielding ability. MLB played two All-Star Games
Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The Major League Baseball All-Star Game, also known as the "Midsummer Classic", is an annual baseball game between players from the National League and the American League, currently selected by a combination of fans, players, coaches, and managers...
in 1959. Five Braves and two Dodgers were named to the first while six Braves and four Dodgers played in the second. Five future Hall of Famers
National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum
The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum is an American history museum and hall of fame, located at 25 Main Street in Cooperstown, New York, operated by private interests serving as the central point for the study of the history of baseball in the United States and beyond, the display of...
were on the Braves roster in 1959 (Aaron, Mathews, Schoendienst, Slaughter, Spahn) while the Dodgers had three (Drysdale, Koufax, Snider). Dodgers' manager
Manager (baseball)
In baseball, the field manager is an individual who is responsible for matters of team strategy on the field and team leadership. Managers are typically assisted by between one and six assistant coaches, whose responsibilities are specialized...
Walt Alston was also inducted to the Hall as a manager in 1983.