1959 World Series

Infobox World Series Expanded


year = 1959
champion = Los Angeles Dodgers (4)
champion_manager = Walt Alston
champion_games = 88-68, .564, GA: 2
runnerup = Chicago White Sox (2)
runnerup_manager = Al Lopez
runnerup_games = 94-60, .610, GA: 5
date = October 1–October 8
MVP = Larry Sherry
television = NBC
announcers = Jack Brickhouse and Vin Scully
radio_network = NBC
radio_announcers = Mel Allen and By Saam
umpires = Bill Summers (AL), Frank Dascoli (NL), Eddie Hurley (AL), Frank Secory (NL), Johnny Rice (AL: outfield only), Hal Dixon (NL: outfield only)
HOFers = Dodgers: Walt Alston (mgr.), Don Drysdale, Sandy Koufax, Duke Snider.
White Sox: Al Lopez (mgr.), Luis Aparicio, Nellie Fox, Early Wynn.
ALCS =
NLCS =

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 (since the by|1919 Black Sox Scandal). They would have to wait until 2005 to win another championship. The Dodgers won their first pennant since moving from Brooklyn in 1958 by defeating the Milwaukee Braves 2-0 in a best-of-three-games pennant playoff. It was the Dodgers' second World Series championship in five years the first in Los Angeles, and marked the first Championship for a West Coast team. It was the first ever World Series in which no pitcher for either team pitched a complete game.

Vin Scully remarked at the beginning of the official World Series film, "What a change of scenery!" This was the first Series since 1948 in which no games were played in New York, breaking the streak of the city that documentary filmmaker Ken Burns later called the 1950s' "Capital of Baseball". The Yankees won the A.L. pennant every year from 1949 through 1964, except for 1954, when the Cleveland Indians finished first, and 1959 when the White Sox finished first. Al Lopez was the manager of both these teams.

The Dodgers found an unlikely hero when Chuck Essegian, who hit only 1 home run in 1959 and had only 6 in his career to that point, set a World Series record with two pinch-hit home runs.

Games 3, 4 and 5 were:
*The first World Series games ever played on the West Coast;
*The first ever played in Memorial Coliseum;
*The only games in World Series history to exceed 90,000 in attendance: Game 5 drew 92,706 fans (a major league record as of 2007, unlikely to be broken under current arrangements, as no current MLB stadium has a capacity of even 70,000)

Larry Sherry of the Dodgers was the fifth pitcher in Series history to win the World Series Most Valuable Player Award. Sherry, who had been born with club feet, finished all four games the Dodgers won, winning two and saving two. His brother Norm was the Dodgers' backup catcher. The previous winning pitchers were:
*Johnny Podres (Brooklyn, 1955)
*Don Larsen (New York, 1956)
*Lew Burdette (Milwaukee, 1957)
*Bob Turley (New York, 1958)

Ted Kluszewski played for the losing "Pale Hose", but still managed to drive in a World Series record ten runs, and became the first player to have double-digit RBI totals for any length Series.Fact|date=June 2007

The Dodgers became the second team to win a World Series after relocating (the by|1957 Milwaukee Braves being the first).

ummary

NL Los Angeles Dodgers (4) vs. AL Chicago White Sox (2)

Matchups

Game 1

Thursday, October 1, 1959 at Comiskey Park (I) in Chicago, IllinoisLinescore
Road=Los Angeles|RoadAbr=LAD
R1=0|R2=0|R3=0|R4=0|R5=0|R6=0|R7=0|R8=0|R9=0|RR=0|RH=8|RE=3
Home=Chicago|HomeAbr=CHW
H1=2|H2=0|H3=7|H4=2|H5=0|H6=0|H7=0|H8=0|H9=X|HR=11|HH=11|HE=0
RSP=|HSP=
WP=Early Wynn (1-0)|LP=Roger Craig (0-1)|SV=Gerry Staley (1)
RoadHR=|HomeHR=Ted Kluszewski 2 (2)|

Historic Comiskey Park is host to its first World Series in 40 years as Game 1 unfolds and Early Wynn opposes Roger Craig. After scoring twice in the first inning, the Sox pound across seven runs in the third and two more in the 4th on two titanic home runs by first baseman Ted Kluszewski. White Sox bang the ball all over the park and rout the Dodgers 11-0.

Game 2

Friday, October 2, 1959 at Comiskey Park (I) in Chicago, IllinoisLinescore
Road=Los Angeles|RoadAbr=LAD
R1=0|R2=0|R3=0|R4=0|R5=1|R6=0|R7=3|R8=0|R9=0|RR=4|RH=9|RE=1
Home=Chicago|HomeAbr=CHW
H1=2|H2=0|H3=0|H4=0|H5=0|H6=0|H7=0|H8=1|H9=0|HR=3|HH=8|HE=0
RSP=|HSP=
WP=Johnny Podres (1-0)|LP=Bob Shaw (0-1)|SV=Larry Sherry (1)
RoadHR=Charlie Neal 2 (2), Chuck Essegian (1)|HomeHR=|

Game 2 features Bob Shaw vs. Johnny Podres. Again the Sox jump out to a quick 2-0 lead and hold it until the fifth when Charlie Neal homers for the first Dodger run of the series. During that home run, White Sox's left fielder Al Smith got an unexpected beer shower. With the game tied 2-2 in the sixth, Neal hits his second home run of the day to put the Dodgers ahead for the first time, 4-2. During a Sox uprising in the eighth against Larry Sherry, Al Smith doubles to left with two men on, however in the bonehead play of the series, Sherm Lollar is out by a mile at the plate trying to score, and the Dodgers still lead. (Wally Moon faked a catch, fooling Lollar completely; by the time he saw the ball still on the ground it was too late to score.) It's the turning point of the series, as Sherry closes the door in the ninth to wrap up a save and give the win to Podres.

Game 3

Sunday, October 4, 1959 at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, CaliforniaLinescore
Road=Chicago|RoadAbr=CHW
R1=0|R2=0|R3=0|R4=0|R5=0|R6=0|R7=0|R8=1|R9=0|RR=1|RH=12|RE=0
Home=Los Angeles|HomeAbr=LAD
H1=0|H2=0|H3=0|H4=0|H5=0|H6=0|H7=2|H8=1|H9=X|HR=3|HH=5|HE=0
RSP=|HSP=
WP=Don Drysdale (1-0)|LP=Dick Donovan (0-1)|SV=Larry Sherry (2)|

The three games in the Los Angeles Coliseum drew World Series record crowds that will never be equalled. It's Dick Donovan vs. Don Drysdale in Game 3 and both pitchers throw goose eggs through six, Donovan giving up only 1 hit. However, Donovan's control deserts him in the 7th and with the bases loaded, Carl Furillo bats against reliever Staley and singles in two runs to put the Dodgers in front. After Drysdale gives up a run in the 8th, Sherry comes in to relieve and shuts down the Sox as the Dodgers win, 3-1.

Game 4

Monday, October 5, 1959 at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, CaliforniaLinescore
Road=Chicago|RoadAbr=CHW
R1=0|R2=0|R3=0|R4=0|R5=0|R6=0|R7=4|R8=0|R9=0|RR=4|RH=10|RE=3
Home=Los Angeles|HomeAbr=LAD
H1=0|H2=0|H3=4|H4=0|H5=0|H6=0|H7=0|H8=1|H9=X|HR=5|HH=9|HE=0
RSP=|HSP=
WP=Larry Sherry (1-0)|LP=Gerry Staley (0-1)|SV=
RoadHR=Sherm Lollar (1)|HomeHR=Gil Hodges (1)|

Opening game pitchers Wynn and Craig face each other again in Game 4, a 5-4 Dodger victory. Lollar's homer caps a game-tying 7th inning for the Sox, but Gil Hodges blasts one only an inning later to give the Dodgers and reliever Larry Sherry the win.

Game 5

Tuesday, October 6, 1959 at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, CaliforniaLinescore
Road=Chicago|RoadAbr=CHW
R1=0|R2=0|R3=0|R4=1|R5=0|R6=0|R7=0|R8=0|R9=0|RR=1|RH=5|RE=0
Home=Los Angeles|HomeAbr=LAD
H1=0|H2=0|H3=0|H4=0|H5=0|H6=0|H7=0|H8=0|H9=0|HR=0|HH=9|HE=0
RSP=|HSP=
WP=Bob Shaw (1-1)|LP=Sandy Koufax (0-1)|SV=Dick Donovan (1)|

For the first time in series history, three pitchers combine for a shutout as White Sox starter Bob Shaw, Billy Pierce and Dick Donovan all stop the Dodgers 1-0 in game 5, which sends the series back to Chicago. The games's only run scores in the fourth off starter Sandy Koufax, when Nellie Fox scores as Lollar hits into a double play.

Game 6

Thursday, October 8, 1959 at Comiskey Park (I) in Chicago, IllinoisLinescore
Road=Los Angeles|RoadAbr=LAD
R1=0|R2=0|R3=2|R4=6|R5=0|R6=0|R7=0|R8=0|R9=1|RR=9|RH=13|RE=0
Home=Chicago|HomeAbr=CHW
H1=0|H2=0|H3=0|H4=3|H5=0|H6=0|H7=0|H8=0|H9=0|HR=3|HH=6|HE=1
RSP=|HSP=
WP=Larry Sherry (2-0)|LP=Early Wynn (1-1)|SV=
RoadHR=Duke Snider (1), Wally Moon (1), Chuck Essegian (2)|HomeHR=Ted Kluszewski (3)|

The victory in game 5 gives the Sox hope heading home to again play in a "real ballpark", but the change in scenery is no help. Pitcher of the year Early Wynn, starting with only two days rest, goes against Podres, but after scoring two runs in the third off him, the Dodgers break open the game with six runs in the fourth for an 8-0 lead. Podres, however, is also knocked out in the 4th by Chicago's last gasp, another towering home run by the Sox' leading hitter in the series, Ted Kluszewski. In the 9th, Chuck Essegian sets a series record with his second pinch homer of the series, and the Dodgers capture the World Championship, 4 games to 2.

Composite Box

1959 World Series (4-2): Los Angeles Dodgers (N.L.) over Chicago White Sox (A.L.)Linescore
Road=Los Angeles Dodgers
R1=0|R2=0|R3=6|R4=6|R5=1|R6=0|R7=5|R8=2|R9=1|RR=21|RH=53|RE=4
Home=Chicago White Sox
H1=4|H2=0|H3=7|H4=6|H5=0|H6=0|H7=4|H8=2|H9=0|HR=23|HH=52|HE=4Total Attendance: 420,784 Average Attendance: 70,131Winning Player’s Share: – $11,231 Losing Player’s Share – $7,257cite web|url=http://www.baseball-almanac.com/ws/wsshares.shtml|title=World Series Gate Receipts and Player Shares|accessdate=2008-05-07|publisher=Baseball Almanac] |

Notes

References

*Neft, David S., and Richard M. Cohen. "The World Series." 1st ed. New York: St Martins, 1990. (Neft and Cohen 275-280)
*Reichler, Joseph, ed. (1982). "The Baseball Encyclopedia" (5th ed.), p. 2167. MacMillian Publishing. ISBN 0-02-579010-2.
*cite web |author=Forman, Sean L. |title=1959 World Series |date= |work=Baseball-Reference.com - Major League Statistics and Information. |url=http://www.baseball-reference.com/postseason/1959_WS.shtml |accessdate=2007-12-09

External links

* [http://www.baseball-reference.com/postseason/1959_WS.shtml 1959 World Series at Baseball-Reference.com]
* [http://mlb.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/mlb/history/postseason/mlb_ws_recaps.jsp?feature=1959 1959 World Series at "WorldSeries.com (MLB.com)"]
* [http://www.baseball-almanac.com/ws/yr1959ws.shtml 1959 World Series at Baseball-Almanac.com]
* [http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/YPS_1959.htm 1959 World Series box scores and play-by-play at Retrosheet.org]