Ron Griffitts
Contributing Columnist
In October 1955, the Brooklyn Dodgers(98-55-1) managed by Walt Alston with general manger Buzzie Bavasi met the New York Yankees (98-55) for the fifth time in nine years for the 53rd World Series since its inception in 1903.
The Yankees had won all of their previous Fall Classic meetings. The Dodgers were led on offense by centerfielder Duke Snider (42 HR, 136 RBI, .309 BA, 126 RS), catcher Roy Campanella (32 HR, 107 RBI, .318 BA, 81 RS), Gil Hodges (27 HR, 102 RBI, .289 BA) Jim Gilliam (110 RS), Pee Wee Reese (99 RS), Carl Furillo (26 HR, 95 RBI, .314 BA) and Jackie Robinson (12 SB).
Their pitching staff was led by Don Newcombe 20-5, Carl Erskine 11-8, Billy Loes 11-4, and Russ Meyer 6-2. Ed Roebuck with 12 saves and Clem Labine 13-5 with 11 saves were in the bullpen.
The Yankees were led on offense by Mickey Mantle (37 HR, 99 RBI, .306 BA, 121 RS) Yogi Berra (27 HR, 108 RBI) Hank Bauer (20 HR, 97 RS) and also had Phil Rizzuto, Enos Slaughter, Billy Martin, Elston Howard and Bobby Richardson.
Whitey Ford 18-7, 2.63 ERA, Bob Turley 17-13, Tommy Bryne 16-5 and Don Larsen 9-2 were the starters while Jim Konstanty 9-2 with 12 saves and Tom Morgan 7-3 with 11 saves were in the bullpen.
Game one was in the original Yankee Stadium in the Bronx with Whitey Ford opposing Don Newcombe. The Yankees outlasted the Dodgers 6-5 with the help of three home runs, two by Joe Collins and one by Elston Howard, and the Bronx Bombers took a 1-0 series lead.
Duke Snider and Carl Furillo added solo home runs for Brooklyn.
The Yanks seemed in control as in the second game they got a five hit complete game from Tommy Bryne, who helped his own cause with a two run single in the fourth inning, as the Yankees go up 2-0 in the series with a 4-2 win.
The teams moved across town to Ebbets Field in Brooklyn for game three. Dodger lefthander Johnny Podres turned in a complete seven hitter and with the help of a two-run home run by Roy Campanella, they defeated the Yankees 8-3 as Brooklyn closed the gap in the series 2-1.
Mickey Mantle added a home run for the Yankees.
In game four, the Dodgers used home runs by Campanella, Snider and Gil Hodges along with a strong relief performance by Clem Labine to power to an 8-5 win as Brooklyn evened the series at 2-2.
Gil McDougald added a home run for the Yankees.
In game five, still in Brooklyn, Roger Craig and Clem Labine combined for a six hit, three run outing. With the help of two home runs by Duke Snider and one by Sandy Amoros, the Dodgers made it three straight wins at home as they score a 5-3 victory and go up in the series 3-2 in spite of home runs by Bob Cerv and Yogi Berra for the Yankees.
For game six, the two teams go back to Yankee Stadium as game one winner Whitey Ford went to the mound for New York. With the help of a five run first inning, with the key hit being a three-run home run by Bill Skowron, the Yankees win 5-1 behind Ford’s four hit pitching to even the series at three games each and the teams prepared for a seventh game.
The Dodgers had lost game sevens against the Yankees in 1947 and 1952 but 1955 was different and lefthander Johnny Podres coolly scattered eight hits and went the distance for a 2-0 Dodger victory in the game and the World Series.
Johnny Podres got the series MVP and both teams were back the following year in the Fall Classic.
Statistics for this article were from baseball-reference.com.
