1965 World Series
Encyclopedia
The 1965 World Series featured the National League
champion Los Angeles Dodgers
against the American League
champion Minnesota Twins
, who had won their first pennant since 1933
when the team was known as the Washington Senators. The Twins would not reach the fall classic again until their championship season of 1987
.
in .
During the 1965 Season, the Dodgers relied heavily on the arms of Sandy Koufax and Don Drysdale, and would rely on them even more in the World Series, as the Dodgers only used seven pitchers. The Dodgers strong core of pitchers, which also included Claude Osteen and Ron Perrinoski, kept them in the pennant race and into the Series. Koufax, surviving on a steady diet of Cortisone and pain killers for his arthritic left elbow, pitched five times in 15 days down the stretch, winning four (three shutouts), including 13 strikeouts in the pennant winner against Milwaukee.
Dodger hitting however remained strictly popgun, especially after Tommy Davis went down for the season with a broken ankle. Manager Walter Alston
promptly called up 12-year minor league veteran Lou Johnson from Spokane. Johnson led the Dodgers, along with ROY Jim Lefebvre, in home runs with just 12.
The Twins, managed by Sam Mele, had a more balanced attack, equally strong in pitching and hitting, although their defense committed 173 errors including 39 by shortstop Zoilo Versalles. Offensively Mele again had balance with good hitting, power and speed up and down his lineup that included AL's leading hitter Tony Oliva (.321), and 20-plus home runs from five different players. Pitching was spearheaded by 20-game winner Mudcat Grant
, Jim "Kitty" Kaat
, and Camilo Pascual.
This was only the second World Series where both teams were located west of the Mississippi River
. The other occurred in 1944 when the St. Louis Browns faced their Sportsman's Park
tenants, the St. Louis Cardinals
.
It was also the first series in which both teams had had losing records the previous year. This has since been repeated two other times, both times also involving the Twins—in 1987
and 1991
.
This World Series was the first in which all games were played in cities that did not have National League or American League teams in 1903, the year of the first modern World Series.
Also, it is the earliest World Series whose telecasts are known to survive in their entirety; the CBC
has complete kinescope
s of all seven games in its archives.
and Sandy Koufax
, but once Claude Osteen
shut out
the Twins in Game 3, things turned around. The Dodgers proceeded to win the three middle games at Dodger Stadium
and Koufax would pitch two shutouts including a three-hitter with ten strikeout
s to clinch. Ron Fairly
hit two home run
s for the Dodgers, both in losing efforts.
in Bloomington, Minnesota
Game 1 was set to be a pitching
duel between Dodgers' Don Drysdale
and the Twins' Mudcat Grant
(21–7, 3.30 ERA
on the year). Drysdale was starting because the game fell on Yom Kippur
, the holiest day of the year for people of the Jewish faith. Dodger ace Sandy Koufax, who was Jewish, stated he would not pitch that day.
In the Twins' third inning any thought of a pitchers' duel was put to rest. Going into that inning, it was 1–1. Coming out, it was 7–1. It started with a Frank Quilici
double
to left field, followed by an error
by Jim Lefebvre
, allowing the pitcher Grant to reach. Then, shortstop
Zoilo Versalles
stepped to the plate. He had hit nineteen home runs in the regular season and would later win the AL MVP Award
for that year. He crushed a pitch from Drysdale for a three-run home run to make the score, 4–1. However, the Twins' scoring wasn't over. With still no one out, left fielder
Sandy Valdespino
began things again with a double. After a few outs and baserunners, and a single
by Harmon Killebrew
, the Twins had two runners again. With three straight singles (Earl Battey
, Don Mincher
, and Quilici), scoring three unearned runs, the Twins had jumped out to a six-run lead and would never look back, winning the game 8–2.
The Dodgers had gotten their runs on a Ron Fairly
homer and a Maury Wills
bunt single that scored Lefebvre. Grant received the win
while Drysdale took the loss. In the postgame news conference, a reporter jokingly said to Dodger manager Walter Alston, "I bet you wish Drysdale was Jewish too."
in Bloomington, Minnesota
In Game 2, the Twins this time got to Dodger ace Sandy Koufax
. Minnesota's pitcher, this time Jim Kaat
, again shut down the Dodgers weak offense
. A heavy rain storm soak Metropolitan Stadium overnight, and the two teams slogged their way through the first five innings. In the top of the fifth, Ron Fairly singled, then left-fielder Bob Allison made a diving, sliding catch of a fly ball off the bat of Jim Lefebvre, preventing a run. This time the Twins didn't get their runs until later on. Again though, an error hurt the Dodgers. In the Twins half of the sixth, Versalles hit a missile shot and Jim Gilliam
bobbled the ball at third base
, the ball ricocheted off Gilliam and into left field. Versalles reached on the two-base error, and ended up scoring on a Tony Oliva
double. Killebrew followed with a single plating Oliva. That is all the runs the Twins would need, though Kaat added insurance in the eighth with a two-run base hit of his own. The Twins went up 2–0 in the series as they prevailed, 5–1 in the game.
in Los Angeles, California
In Game 3, Claude Osteen
was the pitcher for the Dodgers. With his team down 0–2 in the series, pressure was put on him to have a good start so that his team would not fall behind 0–3. He was set to face the Twins' Camilo Pascual
who had a quality (though somewhat injury plagued) year (9–3, 3.35 ERA). Dodger Stadium filled to capacity, and the fans were treated to a special appearance from Casey Stengel
, a member of the 1916 Dodgers World Series
team. Stengel, sans his cane despite a broken hip, hobbled on to the field and threw out the first pitch to the delight of everyone.
In the first inning, Versalles led off with a double. A groundout to first by Nossek, sent Versalles to third. Another groundout followed by a walk to Killbrew and the Twins had runners and first and third with two out. But Versalles was caught stealing
home
on the front end of an attempted double steal to end the inning. In the fourth inning, with the score at 0–0, Johnny Roseboro
put two runs on the board for the Dodgers on a two run single. The play would cost the Dodgers dearly, as Jim Lefebvre bruised his heel crossing the plate with the second of the two runs. The Dodgers, already short on hitting (Lefebvre was batting .400 at the time), went with Dick Tracewski (who batted only .118 for the Series) at second base the rest of the way. The Twins received a scare of their own in the bottom of the seventh inning. Catcher Earl Battey, chasing a popup off Willie Davis, collided full speed with the railing used to cover sub-field level "dugout seats" next to the Twins dugout. Battey crumpled in a heap in front of the dugout holding his neck and was replaced by Jerry Zimmerman. Battey would recover and play the rest of the series. Osteen, who was shutting out
the Twins continued to do so inning after inning, while Los Angeles continued to score runs on a Willie Davis
single and a Lou Johnson
double in the fifth, and then a Wills double in the sixth.
Osteen, as a pitcher for the Senators, had a perfect 5–0 record against the Twins, completed the game
by getting backup catcher
Jerry Zimmerman
to ground into a double play
. He allowed only five hits
in the contest. He had done what the Dodgers first two aces could not and helped make the series a tight two games to one as the Dodgers won, 4–0.
in Los Angeles, California
In Game 4, a rematch of Game 1 pitchers Drysdale and Grant, the Dodgers ace prevailed allowing only two runs
, both earned
on five hits and two walks
. He had eleven strike out
s in the game, fanning Jimmie Hall
and Mincher three times each. The Twins' Grant gave up three runs in the first five innings, then was removed in the sixth inning, when the Dodgers put three more runs on the board, two charged to Grant, while one was charged to reliever
Al Worthington
.
The Twins opened the game with aggression on the base paths when Sandy Valdespino, tried to stretch a single into a double. Lou Johnson, not known as a great fielder gunned down Valdespino with a laser shot to Tracewski at second. The Dodgers meanwhile scored their first two runs without even getting the ball out of the infield. Leading off the first inning, Maury Wills collided at first base with Twins second baseman Frank Quilici on an infield single as pitcher Mudcat Grant was slow to cover the bag. The play cartwheeled Wills backwards, but the Dodger SS dusted himself off and promptly stole second. Wills went to third on another infield single to first, this time by the speedy Willie Davis as Grant was again slow to cover. Wills scored when Ron Fairly was safe at first beating out a DP grounder.
In the bottom of the second, Dodger speed made up for what seemed a lack of power. Parker bunted a single, again down the first base line. Parker then attempted to steal second but made it all the way to third when Grant's pitch went wild. Parker scored when Roseboro's grounder to second got through Quilici.
After that inning, the Dodgers showed power with Parker and Johnson home runs. The Twins had gotten their two runs on home runs from Killebrew and Oliva. Back in form, Drysdale had evened the series up as the Dodgers won, 7–2.
in Los Angeles, California
In Game 5, a mirror image of Game 4, the pitcher for the Twins who had done so well in Game 2, Jim Kaat, did not do as well this time, as the Dodgers won their third straight by shutting out the Twins. Koufax had an excellent start, giving up only four hits, one walk, and striking out ten. After Kaat gave up two runs quickly in the first inning, and then again in the third, Dave Boswell
came in to attempt to stop the bleeding. Later, Jim Perry
did the same. While both fared better than Kaat, Koufax basically put the game out of reach in the seventh, when he helped himself out with an RBI single to score Fairly. The Dodgers won their third in a row and went up 3–2 in the series. The final score was 7–0.
14-year old and future major league pitcher Craig Swan, a member of the Long Beach, CA, Pony League Champions, threw out the first pitch. In the first inning Dodger speed forced the Twins into fielding mishaps. Maury Wills doubled and Gilliam singled in the run. Next, Willie Davis bunted and third-baseman Killebrew's hurried throw to first went high, through Quilici's glove enabling the streaking Davis to make it all the way to third and plating Gilliam. Meanwhile, Koufax demonstrated top form striking out 4 of 6 hitters in the second and third innings as the Dodgers continued to use speed to put pressure on the Minnesota defense. In the Dodger third, in rapid succession, Davis singled and promptly stole second. Johnson singled and Davis scored without a throw from center-fielder Nossek. Fairly doubled to center bringing home Johnson and chasing Kaat from the mound. In the fourth inning Wills beat out an infield single to Versalles, stole second, and came home on another Gilliam single to center. The Dodgers collected 14 hits and 4 stolen bases on the day, while Koufax steadily kept the Twins in check for the shutout.
in Bloomington, Minnesota
In Game 6, Osteen did not fare quite as well as he had in his last start. In the fourth inning, Battey reached on an error by Dick Tracewski
, yet another fielding blunder made by the Dodgers. This was followed by a Bob Allison
two run home run. Meanwhile, Grant for the Twins, was on his game once again. Although Grant pitched very well (1 run, 6 hits, 5 strike outs), he also helped himself, similar to Koufax for L.A. the game before, but this time with a towering three-run home run, after Quilici was intentionally walked
to get to Grant. A Fairly home run, his second of the series, put the Dodgers on the board and made the score 5–1, which would end up being the final, as Grant pitched a complete game.
Twins manager Sam Mele chose to leave veteran pitchers Pascual and Perry and youngster Jim Merritt in the bullpen, instead going with Mudcat Grant on only two days rest. Grant quickly disposed of the Dodgers in the first inning and the Dodgers responded by turning a double-play after Versalles led off the Twins half of the first with a single. In the second inning, Twins catcher Earl Battey brought the nearly 50,000 Metropolitan Stadium fans to their feet by leading off with a triple past a diving Willie Davis in center. Battey showed no outward ill-effects of his collision with the railing in Game 3, by diving head first into third base on the play. Osteen promptly struck out Allison and Quilici to quell the threat. Later in the third inning, Battey gunned down Roseboro on an attempted steal. Battey continued his fine play in the fourth by hustling to first when Tracewski booted his groundball, and Allison followed with a homerun. Mudcat Grant checked the Dodgers and complimented his battery mate’s performance with his three-run home run in the bottom of the sixth. Grant pitched solidly all day to give the Twins a win and tie the series at 3–3.
in Bloomington, Minnesota
A series that held many would-be pitching duels featured one final one in Game 7. Dodger manager Walt Alston was torn between starting Drysdale on normal rest or Koufax with only two days' rest. He decided on the left-handed Koufax, figuring if needed he would bring the right-handed Drysdale on in relief, and then go back to his left-handed relief ace Ron Perranoski. Koufax told announcer Vin Scully
in a post-game interview that he and Drysdale had come to the ballpark that day not knowing which of them would be on the mound and that Manager Alston announced his decision at a team meeting. According to Koufax, the manager announced the decision purely in strategic terms regarding lefty vs. righty, saying he worded his announcement without even using the pitchers' names, saying only that he thought he'd "like to start the left hander." The Twins went with Jim Kaat, also starting on two days' rest. Both managers had relief pitchers warming up as their respective starters began the game. Koufax had trouble throwing his curveball for strikes but escaped a couple of early jams, including one in the third inning when Zoilo Versailles had stolen second base with one out but was ruled out due to interference by the batter Joe Nossek. After the early innings, Koufax effectively gave up on his curveball and pitched the rest of the game almost exclusively with fastballs, yet still baffling the hard-hitting Twins. In the fourth inning, Dodger left fielder Lou Johnson told Koufax that he would get him the only run he would need. Johnson promptly stepped to the plate and hit one off the left field foul pole to give the Dodgers a 1–0 lead. Ron Fairly followed with a double and scored on a Wes Parker single. The two runs were scored on three consecutive pitches.
Knowing Kaat was pitching on two days rest, manager Mele had pulled him quickly and brought in reliever Al Worthington. Relievers Worthington, Johnny Klippstein
, Jim Merritt
, and Jim Perry
combined to shut out the Dodgers for the rest of the game. The Twins threatened again in the fifth inning when they had runners on first and second with only one out. Versailles then hit a hard ground ball down the third base line that appeared to be going for a double. This may have ended Koufax's day as Don Drysdale was warming up in the bull pen. But Dodger third baseman Jim Gilliam (who ironically was often replaced that season late in games for defensive reasons) made a diving backhanded stop and stepped on third for a force, then Koufax bore down and got the third out of the inning. He ended up tossing a three hit shutout, striking out ten in one of the greatest World Series Game 7 pitching performances ever.
Sweet Lou Johnson hit two home runs, including the game winner in the clinching Game 7.
No relief pitchers were used by the winning team in any game of this series; the winning starting pitcher went the distance in all seven games. This had not happened since 1940, and has not been repeated since.
The Twins' loss in Game 7 remains the only World Series game the Twins have lost at home, having later won all their home games in 1987
and 1991
. Through 2009, the Twins have never won a road World Series Game (not including when the franchise was the original Washington Senators).
(N.L.) over Minnesota Twins
(A.L.)
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...
champion Los Angeles Dodgers
1965 Los Angeles Dodgers season
The Los Angeles Dodgers finished the regular-season with a 97–65 record, which earned them the NL pennant by just two games over their arch-rivals, the San Francisco Giants...
against 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 Minnesota Twins
1965 Minnesota Twins season
The Minnesota Twins won the 1965 American League pennant with a 102-60 record. It was the team's first pennant since moving to Minnesota, and the 102 wins was a team record.- Regular season :...
, who had won their first pennant since 1933
1933 World Series
The 1933 World Series featured the New York Giants and the Washington Senators, with the Giants winning in five games for their first championship since , and their fourth overall....
when the team was known as the Washington Senators. The Twins would not reach the fall classic again until their championship season of 1987
1987 World Series
The 1987 World Series pitted the Minnesota Twins versus the St. Louis Cardinals.Minnesota was victorious in a World Series that was the first in which the home team won every game...
.
Background
Both teams improved from sixth place finishes in 1964; the Twins won the A.L. pennant with relative ease while the Dodgers were locked in a season long five-way battle in the N.L. between themselves, the Giants, Pirates, Reds, and Braves. After the Giants won their 14th consecutive game to take a game lead on September 16, the Dodgers went on a 13-game winning streak over the final two weeks of the season to clinch the pennant on the next to last day of the season over the second place rival Giants. The Dodgers prevailed in seven games to capture their second title in three years, and their third since moving to Los AngelesLos Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
in .
During the 1965 Season, the Dodgers relied heavily on the arms of Sandy Koufax and Don Drysdale, and would rely on them even more in the World Series, as the Dodgers only used seven pitchers. The Dodgers strong core of pitchers, which also included Claude Osteen and Ron Perrinoski, kept them in the pennant race and into the Series. Koufax, surviving on a steady diet of Cortisone and pain killers for his arthritic left elbow, pitched five times in 15 days down the stretch, winning four (three shutouts), including 13 strikeouts in the pennant winner against Milwaukee.
Dodger hitting however remained strictly popgun, especially after Tommy Davis went down for the season with a broken ankle. Manager Walter Alston
Walter Alston
Walter Emmons Alston , nicknamed "Smokey," was an American baseball player and manager. He was born in Venice, Ohio but grew up in Darrtown. He is a graduate of Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, where he lettered three years in both basketball and baseball and is a member of the University's Hall...
promptly called up 12-year minor league veteran Lou Johnson from Spokane. Johnson led the Dodgers, along with ROY Jim Lefebvre, in home runs with just 12.
The Twins, managed by Sam Mele, had a more balanced attack, equally strong in pitching and hitting, although their defense committed 173 errors including 39 by shortstop Zoilo Versalles. Offensively Mele again had balance with good hitting, power and speed up and down his lineup that included AL's leading hitter Tony Oliva (.321), and 20-plus home runs from five different players. Pitching was spearheaded by 20-game winner Mudcat Grant
Mudcat Grant
James Timothy "Mudcat" Grant is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who played for the Cleveland Indians , Minnesota Twins , Los Angeles Dodgers , Montreal Expos , St. Louis Cardinals , Oakland Athletics and Pittsburgh Pirates...
, Jim "Kitty" Kaat
Jim Kaat
James Lee "Jim" Kaat , nicknamed "Kitty", is a former pitcher in Major League Baseball for the Washington Senators/Minnesota Twins , Chicago White Sox , Philadelphia Phillies , New York Yankees , and St...
, and Camilo Pascual.
This was only the second World Series where both teams were located west of the Mississippi River
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
. The other occurred in 1944 when the St. Louis Browns faced their Sportsman's Park
Sportsman's Park
Sportsman's Park was the name of several former Major League Baseball ballpark structures in St. Louis, Missouri, USA, all but one of which were located on the same piece of land, the northwest corner of Grand Boulevard and Dodier Street on the north side of the city.- History :From...
tenants, the St. Louis Cardinals
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
.
It was also the first series in which both teams had had losing records the previous year. This has since been repeated two other times, both times also involving the Twins—in 1987
1987 World Series
The 1987 World Series pitted the Minnesota Twins versus the St. Louis Cardinals.Minnesota was victorious in a World Series that was the first in which the home team won every game...
and 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....
.
This World Series was the first in which all games were played in cities that did not have National League or American League teams in 1903, the year of the first modern World Series.
Also, it is the earliest World Series whose telecasts are known to survive in their entirety; the CBC
CBC Television
CBC Television is a Canadian television network owned by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, the national public broadcaster.Although the CBC is supported by public funding, the television network supplements this funding with commercial advertising revenue, in contrast to CBC Radio which are...
has complete kinescope
Kinescope
Kinescope , shortened to kine , also known as telerecording in Britain, is a recording of a television program made by filming the picture from a video monitor...
s of all seven games in its archives.
Summary
The Twins won the first two games of the series against Don DrysdaleDon 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...
and 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...
, but once Claude Osteen
Claude Osteen
Claude Wilson Osteen , nicknamed "Gomer" because of his resemblance to Gomer Pyle, is a former Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher. He pitched for six different teams: the Cincinnati Redlegs/Reds , Washington Senators , Los Angeles Dodgers , Houston Astros , St...
shut out
Shutout
In team sports, a shutout refers to a game in which one team prevents the opposing team from scoring. While possible in most major sports, they are highly improbable in some sports, such as basketball....
the Twins in Game 3, things turned around. The Dodgers proceeded to win the three middle games at Dodger Stadium
Dodger Stadium
Dodger Stadium, also sometimes called Chavez Ravine, is a stadium in Los Angeles. Located adjacent to Downtown Los Angeles, Dodger Stadium has been the home ballpark of Major League Baseball's Los Angeles Dodgers team since 1962...
and Koufax would pitch two shutouts including a three-hitter with ten strikeout
Strikeout
In baseball or softball, a strikeout or strike-out occurs when a batter receives three strikes during his time at bat. A strikeout is a statistic recorded for both pitchers and batters....
s to clinch. 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:...
hit two 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...
s for the Dodgers, both in losing efforts.
Game 1
Wednesday, October 6, 1965 at Metropolitan StadiumMetropolitan Stadium
Metropolitan Stadium was a sports stadium that once stood in Bloomington, Minnesota, just outside Minneapolis. The area where the stadium once stood is now the site of the Mall of America...
in Bloomington, Minnesota
Bloomington, Minnesota
Bloomington is the fifth largest city in the U.S. state of Minnesota in Hennepin County. Located on the north bank of the Minnesota River above its confluence with the Mississippi River, Bloomington lies at the heart of the southern...
Game 1 was set to be a pitching
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
duel between Dodgers' 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...
and the Twins' Mudcat Grant
Mudcat Grant
James Timothy "Mudcat" Grant is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who played for the Cleveland Indians , Minnesota Twins , Los Angeles Dodgers , Montreal Expos , St. Louis Cardinals , Oakland Athletics and Pittsburgh Pirates...
(21–7, 3.30 ERA
Earned run average
In baseball statistics, earned run average is the mean of earned runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number of innings pitched and multiplying by nine...
on the year). Drysdale was starting because the game fell on Yom Kippur
Yom Kippur
Yom Kippur , also known as Day of Atonement, is the holiest and most solemn day of the year for the Jews. Its central themes are atonement and repentance. Jews traditionally observe this holy day with a 25-hour period of fasting and intensive prayer, often spending most of the day in synagogue...
, the holiest day of the year for people of the Jewish faith. Dodger ace Sandy Koufax, who was Jewish, stated he would not pitch that day.
In the Twins' third inning any thought of a pitchers' duel was put to rest. Going into that inning, it was 1–1. Coming out, it was 7–1. It started with a Frank Quilici
Frank Quilici
Francis Ralph Quilici is a former Major League infielder and manager with a five-year playing career and a four-year managerial career. He played for the Minnesota Twins of the American League in 1965, then 1967-1970...
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....
to left field, followed by 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 ...
by Jim Lefebvre
Jim Lefebvre
James Kenneth Lefebvre is a former second baseman, third baseman and manager in Major League Baseball. Lefebvre, the 1965 National League Rookie of the Year, was signed by the Los Angeles Dodgers as an amateur free agent in 1962. In 1965, his rookie year, he hit .250 with 12 home runs and 69 RBI...
, allowing the pitcher Grant to reach. Then, shortstop
Shortstop
Shortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball fielding position between second and third base. Shortstop is often regarded as the most dynamic defensive position in baseball, because there are more right-handed hitters in baseball than left-handed hitters, and most hitters have a tendency to pull the...
Zoilo Versalles
Zoilo Versalles
Zoilo Casanova Versalles Rodriguez , nicknamed "Zorro", was a Cuban shortstop in Major League Baseball, who was considered a solid leadoff man, and a good baserunner whose speed helped him to cover a huge area at shortstop...
stepped to the plate. He had hit nineteen home runs in the regular season and would later win the AL MVP Award
MLB Most Valuable Player Award
The Major League Baseball Most Valuable Player Award is an annual Major League Baseball award, given to one outstanding player in the American League and one in the National League. Since 1931, it has been awarded by the Baseball Writers Association of America...
for that year. He crushed a pitch from Drysdale for a three-run home run to make the score, 4–1. However, the Twins' scoring wasn't over. With still no one out, left fielder
Left fielder
In baseball, a left fielder is an outfielder who plays defense in left field. Left field is the area of the outfield to the left of a person standing at home plate and facing towards the pitcher's mound...
Sandy Valdespino
Sandy Valdespino
Hilario "Sandy" Valdespino Borroto , is an Cuban former Major League Baseball outfielder. He played from 1965-1971 for six different teams.-External links:*...
began things again with a double. After a few outs and baserunners, and a single
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...
by Harmon Killebrew
Harmon Killebrew
Harmon Clayton Killebrew , nicknamed "Killer" and "Hammerin' Harmon", was an American professional baseball first baseman, third baseman, and left fielder. During his 22-year career in Major League Baseball , he played for the Washington Senators, a team which later became the Minnesota Twins, and...
, the Twins had two runners again. With three straight singles (Earl Battey
Earl Battey
Earl Jesse Battey, Jr. was an American professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as a catcher for the Chicago White Sox , the Washington Senators and the Minnesota Twins...
, Don Mincher
Don Mincher
-External links:***...
, and Quilici), scoring three unearned runs, the Twins had jumped out to a six-run lead and would never look back, winning the game 8–2.
The Dodgers had gotten their runs on a 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:...
homer and a Maury Wills
Maury Wills
Maurice Morning "Maury" Wills is a former Major League Baseball shortstop and switch-hitting batter who played most prominently with the Los Angeles Dodgers , and also with the Pittsburgh Pirates and Montreal Expos...
bunt single that scored Lefebvre. Grant received the win
Win (baseball)
In professional baseball, there are two types of decisions: a win and a loss . In each game, one pitcher on the winning team is awarded a win and one pitcher on the losing team is given a loss in their respective statistics. These pitchers are collectively known as the pitchers of record. Only...
while Drysdale took the loss. In the postgame news conference, a reporter jokingly said to Dodger manager Walter Alston, "I bet you wish Drysdale was Jewish too."
Game 2
Thursday, October 7, 1965 at Metropolitan StadiumMetropolitan Stadium
Metropolitan Stadium was a sports stadium that once stood in Bloomington, Minnesota, just outside Minneapolis. The area where the stadium once stood is now the site of the Mall of America...
in Bloomington, Minnesota
Bloomington, Minnesota
Bloomington is the fifth largest city in the U.S. state of Minnesota in Hennepin County. Located on the north bank of the Minnesota River above its confluence with the Mississippi River, Bloomington lies at the heart of the southern...
In Game 2, the Twins this time got to Dodger ace 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...
. Minnesota's pitcher, this time Jim Kaat
Jim Kaat
James Lee "Jim" Kaat , nicknamed "Kitty", is a former pitcher in Major League Baseball for the Washington Senators/Minnesota Twins , Chicago White Sox , Philadelphia Phillies , New York Yankees , and St...
, again shut down the Dodgers weak offense
Offense (sports)
In sports, offense or offence , also known as attack, is the action of attacking or engaging an opposing team with the objective of scoring points or goals...
. A heavy rain storm soak Metropolitan Stadium overnight, and the two teams slogged their way through the first five innings. In the top of the fifth, Ron Fairly singled, then left-fielder Bob Allison made a diving, sliding catch of a fly ball off the bat of Jim Lefebvre, preventing a run. This time the Twins didn't get their runs until later on. Again though, an error hurt the Dodgers. In the Twins half of the sixth, Versalles hit a missile shot and 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...
bobbled the ball at third base
Third Base
is a 1978 Japanese film directed by Yōichi Higashi.-External links:...
, the ball ricocheted off Gilliam and into left field. Versalles reached on the two-base error, and ended up scoring on a Tony Oliva
Tony Oliva
Tony Pedro Oliva is a former Major League Baseball right fielder and designated hitter. He played his entire 15-year baseball career for the Minnesota Twins . He batted left-handed and threw right-handed...
double. Killebrew followed with a single plating Oliva. That is all the runs the Twins would need, though Kaat added insurance in the eighth with a two-run base hit of his own. The Twins went up 2–0 in the series as they prevailed, 5–1 in the game.
Game 3
Saturday, October 9, 1965 at Dodger StadiumDodger Stadium
Dodger Stadium, also sometimes called Chavez Ravine, is a stadium in Los Angeles. Located adjacent to Downtown Los Angeles, Dodger Stadium has been the home ballpark of Major League Baseball's Los Angeles Dodgers team since 1962...
in Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
In Game 3, Claude Osteen
Claude Osteen
Claude Wilson Osteen , nicknamed "Gomer" because of his resemblance to Gomer Pyle, is a former Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher. He pitched for six different teams: the Cincinnati Redlegs/Reds , Washington Senators , Los Angeles Dodgers , Houston Astros , St...
was the pitcher for the Dodgers. With his team down 0–2 in the series, pressure was put on him to have a good start so that his team would not fall behind 0–3. He was set to face the Twins' Camilo Pascual
Camilo Pascual
Camilo Alberto Pascual is a former Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher. During an 18-year baseball career , he played for the Washington Senators , the second Washington Senators franchise, Cincinnati Reds, Los Angeles Dodgers, and the Cleveland Indians...
who had a quality (though somewhat injury plagued) year (9–3, 3.35 ERA). Dodger Stadium filled to capacity, and the fans were treated to a special appearance from Casey Stengel
Casey Stengel
Charles Dillon "Casey" Stengel , nicknamed "The Old Perfessor", was an American Major League Baseball outfielder and manager. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in ....
, a member of the 1916 Dodgers World Series
1916 World Series
In the 1916 World Series, the Boston Red Sox beat the Brooklyn Robins four games to one.Casey Stengel shone on offense for the Robins in the 1916 Series but the Red Sox pitching core ultimately proved too much for the denizens of Flatbush...
team. Stengel, sans his cane despite a broken hip, hobbled on to the field and threw out the first pitch to the delight of everyone.
In the first inning, Versalles led off with a double. A groundout to first by Nossek, sent Versalles to third. Another groundout followed by a walk to Killbrew and the Twins had runners and first and third with two out. But Versalles 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...
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...
on the front end of an attempted double steal to end the inning. In the fourth inning, with the score at 0–0, Johnny Roseboro
Johnny Roseboro
John Junior Roseboro was a Major League Baseball catcher and coach, who was born in Ashland, Ohio.-Career:A left-handed-hitter, Roseboro had a lifetime .249 batting average with 104 home runs and 548 RBI in 1585 games played with the Brooklyn and Los Angeles Dodgers , Minnesota Twins and...
put two runs on the board for the Dodgers on a two run single. The play would cost the Dodgers dearly, as Jim Lefebvre bruised his heel crossing the plate with the second of the two runs. The Dodgers, already short on hitting (Lefebvre was batting .400 at the time), went with Dick Tracewski (who batted only .118 for the Series) at second base the rest of the way. The Twins received a scare of their own in the bottom of the seventh inning. Catcher Earl Battey, chasing a popup off Willie Davis, collided full speed with the railing used to cover sub-field level "dugout seats" next to the Twins dugout. Battey crumpled in a heap in front of the dugout holding his neck and was replaced by Jerry Zimmerman. Battey would recover and play the rest of the series. Osteen, who was shutting out
Shutout
In team sports, a shutout refers to a game in which one team prevents the opposing team from scoring. While possible in most major sports, they are highly improbable in some sports, such as basketball....
the Twins continued to do so inning after inning, while Los Angeles continued to score runs on a Willie Davis
Willie Davis (baseball)
William Henry Davis was a center fielder in Major League Baseball who played most of his career for the Los Angeles Dodgers...
single and a Lou Johnson
Lou Johnson
Louis Brown Johnson , nicknamed "Sweet Lou" and "Slick", is a former Major League Baseball outfielder...
double in the fifth, and then a Wills double in the sixth.
Osteen, as a pitcher for the Senators, had a perfect 5–0 record against the Twins, completed the 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 getting backup 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...
Jerry Zimmerman
Jerry Zimmerman
Gerald Robert Zimmerman was an American professional baseball player and coach. He played as a catcher in Major League Baseball for the Cincinnati Reds and the Minnesota Twins from 1961 to 1968...
to ground into 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"....
. He allowed only five hits
Hit (baseball)
In baseball statistics, a hit , also called a base hit, is credited to a batter when the batter safely reaches first base after hitting the ball into fair territory, without the benefit of an error or a fielder's choice....
in the contest. He had done what the Dodgers first two aces could not and helped make the series a tight two games to one as the Dodgers won, 4–0.
Game 4
Sunday, October 10, 1965 at Dodger StadiumDodger Stadium
Dodger Stadium, also sometimes called Chavez Ravine, is a stadium in Los Angeles. Located adjacent to Downtown Los Angeles, Dodger Stadium has been the home ballpark of Major League Baseball's Los Angeles Dodgers team since 1962...
in Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
In Game 4, a rematch of Game 1 pitchers Drysdale and Grant, the Dodgers ace prevailed allowing only two runs
Run (baseball)
In baseball, a run is scored when a player advances around first, second and third base and returns safely to home plate, touching the bases in that order, before three outs are recorded and all obligations to reach base safely on batted balls are met or assured...
, both earned
Earned run
In baseball, an earned run is any run for which the pitcher is held accountable . Any runner who tags his base and reaches home plate is scored against the pitcher as an earned run...
on five hits and two walks
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...
. He had eleven strike 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....
s in the game, fanning Jimmie Hall
Jimmie Hall
Jimmie Randolph Hall is a former Major League Baseball outfielder and left-handed batter who played for the Minnesota Twins , California Angels , Cleveland Indians , New York Yankees , Chicago Cubs and Atlanta Braves .-Minor league career:After attending Belmont High School and playing...
and Mincher three times each. The Twins' Grant gave up three runs in the first five innings, then was removed in the sixth inning, when the Dodgers put three more runs on the board, two charged to Grant, while one was charged to reliever
Relief pitcher
A relief pitcher or reliever is a baseball or softball pitcher who enters the game after the starting pitcher is removed due to injury, ineffectiveness, fatigue, ejection, or for other strategic reasons, such as being substituted by a pinch hitter...
Al Worthington
Al Worthington
Allan Fulton Worthington , nicknamed "Red", is a former pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for the Giants , Boston Red Sox , Chicago White Sox , Cincinnati Reds and Minnesota Twins . Worthington batted and threw right-handed...
.
The Twins opened the game with aggression on the base paths when Sandy Valdespino, tried to stretch a single into a double. Lou Johnson, not known as a great fielder gunned down Valdespino with a laser shot to Tracewski at second. The Dodgers meanwhile scored their first two runs without even getting the ball out of the infield. Leading off the first inning, Maury Wills collided at first base with Twins second baseman Frank Quilici on an infield single as pitcher Mudcat Grant was slow to cover the bag. The play cartwheeled Wills backwards, but the Dodger SS dusted himself off and promptly stole second. Wills went to third on another infield single to first, this time by the speedy Willie Davis as Grant was again slow to cover. Wills scored when Ron Fairly was safe at first beating out a DP grounder.
In the bottom of the second, Dodger speed made up for what seemed a lack of power. Parker bunted a single, again down the first base line. Parker then attempted to steal second but made it all the way to third when Grant's pitch went wild. Parker scored when Roseboro's grounder to second got through Quilici.
After that inning, the Dodgers showed power with Parker and Johnson home runs. The Twins had gotten their two runs on home runs from Killebrew and Oliva. Back in form, Drysdale had evened the series up as the Dodgers won, 7–2.
Game 5
Monday, October 11, 1965 at Dodger StadiumDodger Stadium
Dodger Stadium, also sometimes called Chavez Ravine, is a stadium in Los Angeles. Located adjacent to Downtown Los Angeles, Dodger Stadium has been the home ballpark of Major League Baseball's Los Angeles Dodgers team since 1962...
in Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
In Game 5, a mirror image of Game 4, the pitcher for the Twins who had done so well in Game 2, Jim Kaat, did not do as well this time, as the Dodgers won their third straight by shutting out the Twins. Koufax had an excellent start, giving up only four hits, one walk, and striking out ten. After Kaat gave up two runs quickly in the first inning, and then again in the third, Dave Boswell
Dave Boswell
David Wilson Boswell was a Major League Baseball pitcher who played in the American League for the Minnesota Twins from 1964-1971....
came in to attempt to stop the bleeding. Later, Jim Perry
Jim Perry (baseball)
James Evan Perry, Jr. is an American former Major League Baseball pitcher. He pitched for 1959-1975 for four different teams. During a 17-year baseball career, Perry compiled 215 wins, 1,576 strikeouts, and a 3.45 earned run average....
did the same. While both fared better than Kaat, Koufax basically put the game out of reach in the seventh, when he helped himself out with an RBI single to score Fairly. The Dodgers won their third in a row and went up 3–2 in the series. The final score was 7–0.
14-year old and future major league pitcher Craig Swan, a member of the Long Beach, CA, Pony League Champions, threw out the first pitch. In the first inning Dodger speed forced the Twins into fielding mishaps. Maury Wills doubled and Gilliam singled in the run. Next, Willie Davis bunted and third-baseman Killebrew's hurried throw to first went high, through Quilici's glove enabling the streaking Davis to make it all the way to third and plating Gilliam. Meanwhile, Koufax demonstrated top form striking out 4 of 6 hitters in the second and third innings as the Dodgers continued to use speed to put pressure on the Minnesota defense. In the Dodger third, in rapid succession, Davis singled and promptly stole second. Johnson singled and Davis scored without a throw from center-fielder Nossek. Fairly doubled to center bringing home Johnson and chasing Kaat from the mound. In the fourth inning Wills beat out an infield single to Versalles, stole second, and came home on another Gilliam single to center. The Dodgers collected 14 hits and 4 stolen bases on the day, while Koufax steadily kept the Twins in check for the shutout.
Game 6
Wednesday, October 13, 1965 at Metropolitan StadiumMetropolitan Stadium
Metropolitan Stadium was a sports stadium that once stood in Bloomington, Minnesota, just outside Minneapolis. The area where the stadium once stood is now the site of the Mall of America...
in Bloomington, Minnesota
Bloomington, Minnesota
Bloomington is the fifth largest city in the U.S. state of Minnesota in Hennepin County. Located on the north bank of the Minnesota River above its confluence with the Mississippi River, Bloomington lies at the heart of the southern...
In Game 6, Osteen did not fare quite as well as he had in his last start. In the fourth inning, Battey reached on an error by Dick Tracewski
Dick Tracewski
Richard Joseph Tracewski was a player and coach in Major League Baseball. In his career, he was an infielder for the Los Angeles Dodgers and Detroit Tigers....
, yet another fielding blunder made by the Dodgers. This was followed by a Bob Allison
Bob Allison
William Robert "Bob" Allison was born in Raytown, Missouri and was a Major League Baseball outfielder and right-handed batter who played in the American League for the Washington Senators / Minnesota Twins from to ....
two run home run. Meanwhile, Grant for the Twins, was on his game once again. Although Grant pitched very well (1 run, 6 hits, 5 strike outs), he also helped himself, similar to Koufax for L.A. the game before, but this time with a towering three-run home run, after Quilici was intentionally walked
Intentional base on balls
In baseball, an intentional base on balls, usually referred to as an intentional walk and denoted in baseball scorekeeping by IBB, is a walk issued to a batter by a pitcher with the intent of removing the batter's opportunity to swing at the pitched ball...
to get to Grant. A Fairly home run, his second of the series, put the Dodgers on the board and made the score 5–1, which would end up being the final, as Grant pitched a complete game.
Twins manager Sam Mele chose to leave veteran pitchers Pascual and Perry and youngster Jim Merritt in the bullpen, instead going with Mudcat Grant on only two days rest. Grant quickly disposed of the Dodgers in the first inning and the Dodgers responded by turning a double-play after Versalles led off the Twins half of the first with a single. In the second inning, Twins catcher Earl Battey brought the nearly 50,000 Metropolitan Stadium fans to their feet by leading off with a triple past a diving Willie Davis in center. Battey showed no outward ill-effects of his collision with the railing in Game 3, by diving head first into third base on the play. Osteen promptly struck out Allison and Quilici to quell the threat. Later in the third inning, Battey gunned down Roseboro on an attempted steal. Battey continued his fine play in the fourth by hustling to first when Tracewski booted his groundball, and Allison followed with a homerun. Mudcat Grant checked the Dodgers and complimented his battery mate’s performance with his three-run home run in the bottom of the sixth. Grant pitched solidly all day to give the Twins a win and tie the series at 3–3.
Game 7
Thursday, October 14, 1965 at Metropolitan StadiumMetropolitan Stadium
Metropolitan Stadium was a sports stadium that once stood in Bloomington, Minnesota, just outside Minneapolis. The area where the stadium once stood is now the site of the Mall of America...
in Bloomington, Minnesota
Bloomington, Minnesota
Bloomington is the fifth largest city in the U.S. state of Minnesota in Hennepin County. Located on the north bank of the Minnesota River above its confluence with the Mississippi River, Bloomington lies at the heart of the southern...
A series that held many would-be pitching duels featured one final one in Game 7. Dodger manager Walt Alston was torn between starting Drysdale on normal rest or Koufax with only two days' rest. He decided on the left-handed Koufax, figuring if needed he would bring the right-handed Drysdale on in relief, and then go back to his left-handed relief ace Ron Perranoski. Koufax told announcer Vin Scully
Vin Scully
Vincent Edward Scully is an American sportscaster, known primarily as the play-by-play voice of the Brooklyn and Los Angeles Dodgers baseball team on Prime Ticket, KCAL-TV and KABC radio...
in a post-game interview that he and Drysdale had come to the ballpark that day not knowing which of them would be on the mound and that Manager Alston announced his decision at a team meeting. According to Koufax, the manager announced the decision purely in strategic terms regarding lefty vs. righty, saying he worded his announcement without even using the pitchers' names, saying only that he thought he'd "like to start the left hander." The Twins went with Jim Kaat, also starting on two days' rest. Both managers had relief pitchers warming up as their respective starters began the game. Koufax had trouble throwing his curveball for strikes but escaped a couple of early jams, including one in the third inning when Zoilo Versailles had stolen second base with one out but was ruled out due to interference by the batter Joe Nossek. After the early innings, Koufax effectively gave up on his curveball and pitched the rest of the game almost exclusively with fastballs, yet still baffling the hard-hitting Twins. In the fourth inning, Dodger left fielder Lou Johnson told Koufax that he would get him the only run he would need. Johnson promptly stepped to the plate and hit one off the left field foul pole to give the Dodgers a 1–0 lead. Ron Fairly followed with a double and scored on a Wes Parker single. The two runs were scored on three consecutive pitches.
Knowing Kaat was pitching on two days rest, manager Mele had pulled him quickly and brought in reliever Al Worthington. Relievers Worthington, Johnny Klippstein
Johnny Klippstein
John Calvin Klippstein was an American pitcher in Major League Baseball for a number of teams throughout his career. The most prominent portion of his career was spent early on with the Chicago Cubs . In 18 years, he finished with an 101-118 record and a 4.24 ERA in 711 games...
, Jim Merritt
Jim Merritt
James Joseph Merritt is a former left-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball who had an 11-year career from 1965 to 1975. He played for the Minnesota Twins and Texas Rangers , both of the American League, and the Cincinnati Reds of the National League. He won 20 games with the Reds in 1970...
, and Jim Perry
Jim Perry (baseball)
James Evan Perry, Jr. is an American former Major League Baseball pitcher. He pitched for 1959-1975 for four different teams. During a 17-year baseball career, Perry compiled 215 wins, 1,576 strikeouts, and a 3.45 earned run average....
combined to shut out the Dodgers for the rest of the game. The Twins threatened again in the fifth inning when they had runners on first and second with only one out. Versailles then hit a hard ground ball down the third base line that appeared to be going for a double. This may have ended Koufax's day as Don Drysdale was warming up in the bull pen. But Dodger third baseman Jim Gilliam (who ironically was often replaced that season late in games for defensive reasons) made a diving backhanded stop and stepped on third for a force, then Koufax bore down and got the third out of the inning. He ended up tossing a three hit shutout, striking out ten in one of the greatest World Series Game 7 pitching performances ever.
Sweet Lou Johnson hit two home runs, including the game winner in the clinching Game 7.
No relief pitchers were used by the winning team in any game of this series; the winning starting pitcher went the distance in all seven games. This had not happened since 1940, and has not been repeated since.
The Twins' loss in Game 7 remains the only World Series game the Twins have lost at home, having later won all their home games in 1987
1987 World Series
The 1987 World Series pitted the Minnesota Twins versus the St. Louis Cardinals.Minnesota was victorious in a World Series that was the first in which the home team won every game...
and 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....
. Through 2009, the Twins have never won a road World Series Game (not including when the franchise was the original Washington Senators).
Series quotes
Composite box
1965 World Series (4–3): Los Angeles DodgersLos 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...
(N.L.) over Minnesota Twins
Minnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...
(A.L.)