SHOCKTOBER PREVIEW: INTERESTING WORLD SERIES FACTS

 

1906:  (White Sox vs. Cubs)

This inter-league matchup generated such fervor in Chicago that Charles Martin—a city councilman and avid White Sox supporter—was arrested after brawling with an intoxicated Cubs fan.

 

1926: (Yankees vs. Cardinals)

Babe Ruth had a phenomenal Series for the Yankees, setting a new record with four homers. But he also blew it for New York in Game 7. With two away in the bottom of the ninth, he took it upon himself to attempt a steal of second base. He was thrown out by a wide margin, ending the series in favor of St. Louis.

 

1955: (Dodgers vs. Yankees)

The Dodgers’ win over the Yankees in ’55 was their first in six showdowns against New York. It was their last championship while stationed in Brooklyn. Since moving to Los Angeles, the Dodgers have faced the Yankees five times in World Series play and won on three occasions. 

 

1969: (Mets vs. Orioles)

Prior to this championship season, the Mets had averaged 105 losses per year. They were so bad in the early days that manager Casey Stengel once complained: “The Mets have shown me more ways to lose than I even knew existed.”  

 

1985: (Royals vs. Cardinals)

In Game 6 of this Series, umpire Don Denkinger missed a critical call at first base that allowed the Royals to stage a game-winning rally. Incredibly, a pair of St. Louis disc jockeys gave out Denkinger’s phone number and address over the air. Denkinger was still receiving hate mail and death threats two years later.

 

1987: (Twins vs. Cardinals)

Noise levels generated by fans at the Metrodome in Minnesota ranged from 80 to 125 decibels during Game 2 of this Series. Putting this in perspective, eight hours of exposure to 90 decibel noise can cause permanent damage to your ears. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health recommends that workers not be exposed to decibel levels over 85 for an extended period of time. Game 2 lasted close to three hours.

 

2001: (Diamondbacks vs. Yankees)

This Series took place less than two months after the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center. Though President George W. Bush was told by security officials that it would be safer to throw out the ceremonial first pitch before Game 1 in Arizona, he felt it would be more appropriate to do it in New York before Game 3. Prior to the opening ceremony, bomb-sniffing dogs combed Yankee Stadium, snipers were placed in various locations, and vendors were vetted by federal agents. Bush wore a New York City fire department fleece with a bulletproof vest underneath. He fired a strike to home plate and got a rousing ovation.

 

2006: (Cardinals vs. Tigers)

TV ratings for this Series were the lowest ever for a Fall Classic at the time. It was one of the sloppiest Series ever played with both teams combining for 16 errors in seven games. St. Louis also had the worst regular season record of any pennant-winning club. Since 2006, seven other World Series have had lower TV ratings.   

SHOCKTOBER PREVIEW: THE CUTTING ROOM FLOOR

 

A few people have asked me why I chose to exclude a handful of World Series "upsets" from my latest book. The answer is simple: because some of these so-called "upsets" were not terribly surprising. The following October matchups did not make the cut: 

1931

St. Louis Cardinals over Philadelphia Athletics (4-3)

With three consecutive pennants to their credit and a six-game differential in the “win” column, the A’s were favored to beat the Cardinals, who were making their third World Series appearance in a four-year span. Few if any baseball pundits were taken off guard when the Red Birds, who carried five future Hall of Famers on their roster, gave Connie Mack’s crew more than they could handle.

 

1945

Detroit Tigers over Chicago Cubs (4-3)

With close to 200 players serving in the armed forces, the major league talent pool was seriously diluted. The Cubs—winners of 96 regular season games—were expected to beat the Tigers, who had squeaked into the postseason with 88 victories. Quality pitching was in short supply during the war years, but the Tigers had two of the best arms of the era with Hal Newhouser and Dizzy Trout in their rotation. They also got a shot in the arm when slugger Hank Greenberg returned from wartime duty in July. The end result was hardly shocking as the Cubs dropped their seventh consecutive World Series, extending a luckless streak that had begun with a loss to the A’s in 1910. 

 

1953

New York Yankees over Brooklyn Dodgers (4-2)

The Dodgers had a distinct advantage in terms of regular season wins, having gathered 105 victories to New York’s 99. But the outcome of this Series was a no-brainer as the Yankees won it all for the fifth year in a row—a record that still stands. It was Brooklyn's fifth consecutive World Series loss to New York. 

 

1963

Los Angeles Dodgers over New York Yankees (4-0)

The Yankees may have looked like the better team on paper. But Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris were hobbled by injuries during the regular season. Likewise, Yogi Berra was nearing the end of his playing days. The Dodgers won fewer games that year, but they had Sandy Koufax and Don Drysdale—both of whom were very much in their prime. They also had NL batting champ Tommy Davis along with baseball’s reigning stolen base king, Maury Wills. The only thing moderately shocking about this Series was the L.A. sweep. 

 

1966

Baltimore Orioles over Los Angeles Dodgers (4-0)

Prior to their 1954 move from St. Louis to Baltimore, the Orioles (formerly known as the Browns) had established a losing reputation. The addition of four Hall of Famers (Brooks Robinson, Luis Aparicio, Frank Robinson, and Jim Palmer) made them contenders at long last, but they still didn’t get the kind of respect they deserved. Although the defending world champion Dodgers were expected to win this Series, Don Drysdale was having an “off” year and the lineup was full of forgettable players. (How often do Wes Parker, Jim Lefebvre, and Lou Johnson surface in baseball discussion nowadays?) Though technically an upset, the writing was on the wall before the first pitch was thrown.  

 

1995

Atlanta Braves over Cleveland Indians (4-2)

The Indians had some heavy hitters in residence, leading the majors with 207 homers. But Atlanta’s so-called “Big Three” (Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine, and John Smoltz) were well-equipped to shut down the Cleveland offense. The Indians won 100 games during the strike-shortened regular season and were favored to eliminate the Braves, who had gathered 90 victories of their own. The win differential was just about the only advantage the Indians held against an Atlanta squad that included six eventual Cooperstown inductees. (Fred McGriff, Chipper Jones, and Bobby Cox were all enshrined in addition to the “Big Three”)

 

1996

 New York Yankees over Atlanta Braves (4-2)

 The Yankees had been absent from the Fall Classic for more than a decade—one of the longest droughts in franchise history. Atlanta still had a slew of Hall of Famers on board. But the Braves had a storied history of choking in the postseason. And the teams had similar won-loss records. With a lineup featuring the likes of Derek Jeter, Wade Boggs, and Tim Raines, the Yankees were underdogs in name only.

2004

Boston Red Sox over St. Louis Cardinals (4-0)

The Cardinals won 105 games in 2004 and were making their first World Series appearance since the Whitey Herzog era. The Red Sox entered the postseason as a Wild Card team. With superstars David Ortiz, Manny Ramirez, Pedro Martinez, and Curt Schilling in the lineup, the BoSox took down the dreaded Yankees in one of the most dramatic ALCS comebacks in history. Having already accomplished an improbable task, was anybody really surprised when they rolled over the Cardinals in four games? If I were doing a book on upsets in the American League Championship Series, Boston's win over New York would probably rank No. 1. 

SHOCKTOBER PREVIEW: UNLIKELY WORLD SERIES HEROES (PART III)

 

TOMMY THEVENOW

(ST. LOUIS CARDINALS)

Thevenow spent 15 seasons in the majors, never hitting a single ball beyond the outfield fence. All three of his lifetime homers (accumulated during a three-week span in 1926) were of the inside-the-park variety. In spite of his weak hitting, Thevenow became a regular in the St. Louis lineup on account of his stellar defense. In the Cardinals championship season of ’26, he led American League shortstops in putouts and assists. His modest .256 regular season batting average was not a reliable predictor of what lay ahead as he posted the highest mark among both World Series clubs at .417. Only two players (Babe Ruth and Billy Southworth) scored more runs. Plagued by injuries throughout his career, Thevenow played for the Phillies, Pirates, Bees, and Reds before falling from the major league ranks for good in the late-1930s.

 

TIM LAUDNER

(MINNESOTA TWINS)

 Laudner struggled with a bat throughout his major league career. Although he had moderate power, he struck out fairly often while averaging just one walk per every 12 plate appearances. He launched a career-best 16 homers during the Twins’ championship year of 1987, but failed to crack the .200 mark during the regular season. Entering the World Series against the heavily-favored Cardinals, Laudner was among the least likely candidates for a breakout performance. Defying the odds, the free-swinging catcher showed uncharacteristic discipline at the plate, hitting .318 with 5 walks. His four runs scored and four RBIs helped Minnesota to an unlikely Series victory.  

 

DAVID ECKSTEIN

(ST. LOUIS CARDINALS)

At 5-foot-6, Eckstein was one of the smallest players in the majors. He carried the nickname of “Just Enough,” gaining acclaim for his energy and enthusiasm. Serving as the Cardinals’ leadoff man in 2006, he hit at a respectable .292 clip, earning his second (and final) All-Star selection. His performance in the World Series that year was next-level as he tied with teammate Scott Rolen in hits and doubles. Only Albert Pujols drove in more runs. Eckstein’s .364 batting average earned him Series MVP honors. It was the second championship of his career (the first one coming with the Angels in 2002). Eckstein retired after the 2010 campaign with a lifetime .333 batting mark in World Series play—more than 50 points above his lifetime regular season average.    

SHOCKTOBER PREVIEW: UNLIKELY WORLD SERIES HEROES (PART II)

 

HANK GOWDY

(BOSTON BRAVES)

Tall and lean at 6-foot-2, 180 pounds, Gowdy was once referred to as a “fair-haired skyscraper.” Originally property of the Giants, he came to Boston in a 1911 trade involving two other players. 1914 was Gowdy’s first season as a full-time catcher. The Braves got off to a rocky start, but Gowdy helped turn things around, leading major league backstops in extra-base hits. He faced three of the best pitchers of the era in the Fall Classic that year—Charles Bender, Eddie Plank, and Bullet Joe Bush. Rising to the challenge, Gowdy gathered a cumulative total of six hits and five walks, guiding the so-called “Miracle Braves” to a sweep of the powerful A’s, who had won three of the previous four World Series. Sportswriters began referring to Gowdy as “Hammerin’ Hank,” but as the Braves gradually sank in the standings, Gowdy faded into relative obscurity. His critical error for the Giants in the 1924 Fall Classic made him a Series “goat.”

 

DANNY BAUTISTA

(ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS)

Bautista was no stranger to postseason play. He came up through the Tigers farm system and wound up being traded to the Braves in 1996. Serving as a utility outfielder, he made sporadic appearances in the ’97 and ’98 playoffs. Acquired by the Marlines in 1999 and the Diamondbacks the following year, Bautista became a regular in the Arizona outfield during the 2001 slate. Prior to then, he had never appeared in 100 games for any team in a single season. The Diamondbacks clinched the pennant in spite of Bautista’s abysmal 1-for-10 showing at the plate in the Division Series and League Championship Series. Bautista caught fire against the Yankees in the Fall Classic, tying for the team lead in RBIs despite sitting out two of the seven games. He ended up with a .583 batting average as Arizona stunned New York. 

 

DAVID FREESE

(ST. LOUIS CARDINALS)

A late arrival to the majors, Freese was 27 years-old in his rookie season with the Cardinals. The St. Louis lineup was stocked with stars and Freese became part of a third base platoon that included veteran slugger Pedro Feliz. In 2011, Freese shared hot corner responsibilities with rookie Daniel Descalso. Freese was more adept with a bat and became St. Louis’s primary third-sacker in the 2011 playoffs. After capturing MVP honors in the NLCS against Milwaukee, he led the underdog Cardinals to a World Series victory over the Rangers, raking Texas pitching for 5 extra-base hits and 7 RBIs. He hit a walk-off homer in the sixth match and a game-tying double in the finale. His performance earned him another MVP award. He finished the 2011 postseason with 5 homers and 21 ribbies in 18 games. Freese returned to the World Series with the Dodgers in 2018, but was unable to recapture the magic that had put him on the map. He retired after the 2019 slate.