As everyone expected, Dressen went with big Joe Black. This was a third start in seven days, but Black was strong. Frank Graham, Jr., the Dodgers' scholarly publicist, pointed out that Christy Mathewson made three starts in six days during the World Series of 1905, and pitched three shutouts. But Mathewson was the nonpareil -- in twenty-seven innings he walked only one batter -- and besides the ball was dead. He didn't have to throw the modern rabbit to the likes of Mantle and Berra in a small ballpark. Dizzy Dean started three World Series games in seven days in 1934. He lost the middle one, but finished with a six-hit shutout. "I don't feel tired," Black said before the game.
[Casey] Stengel chose Ed Lopat, the lefthanded loser of Game Three. Except for [Duke] Snider and Shotgun Shuba, all the Dodger starters batted right and Snider, on a record pace, seemed to be hitting everything anyway. Stengel declined to discuss his reasoning. "Why doncha just watch the game?" he grumbled. "They give ya free tickets. Watch the game." We were left to conclude that Stengel preferred Lopat's experience and pitching wiles, to the younger, stronger, rested right arms of Tom Gorman or Tom "Ploughboy" Morgan.
Lopat nibbled at corners, changed speeds and spin and kept the Dodgers scoreless for three innings. Black looked strong and held the Yankees hitless until the fourth. Then [Phil] Rizzuto doubled to left and advanced as Mantle bounced out to first. The hitter was [Johnny] Mize. Black would stay away from his power, the inside part of the plate. He threw a low outside breaking ball. Mize changed his swing and tapped a gentle single to left field. The Yankees led by one run.
The Dodgers countered quickly. Snider singled to right. [Jackie] Robinson bunted deftly toward third. Even though the Yankees were anticipating a sacrifice, nobody could make a play. [Roy] Campanella bunted toward the same spot and beat Ed Lopat's throw to first base. Stengel hurried to the mound and lifted Lopat for Reynolds, who would now pitch in his fourth game this World Series.
Gil Hodges, who had come to bat eighteen times without hitting safely, lined out to left and Snider scored. When the outfield throw went bad, Robinson ran to third base. The game looked as though it might explode. But Reynolds reached back and struck out Shuba. Then Furillo bounced out. Going into the fifth, the game was tied.
Gene Woodling drove a home run over the screen in right.
Later, [Billy] Cox doubled and [Pee Wee] Reese singled. The game was tied again going into the sixth.
Reynolds and Black were wearing down. Strong, brave, heroic, but wearing down. Rizzuto opened the sixth with a liner that Reese was able to snare. Mantle caught up with a fastball and hit a very long home run, over the scoreboard in right, over the sidewalk beyond, over Bedford Avenue beyond that and into a parking lot. A swarm of civilians scrambled for the ball. Dressen replaced Black with Preacher Roe.
Reynolds retired the Dodgers in the sixth. [Gil] McDougald singled n the seventh, Rizzuto sacrified, Mantle shot a long single to left. The Yankees led by two. Stengel replaced Reynolds with Vic Raschi. He was using the heart of his starting rotation, his three finest pitchers, in a single game.
One day after his enervating struggle against Billy Loes, Raschi was wild. He walked [Carl] Furillo, got an out, fell behind to Billy Cox, who singled, and walked Reese. The bases were loaded with one out and here came the hottest batter in the cosmos, Duke Snider.
The crowd made raucous noises. Thirty-three thousand, a full house in Brooklyn, was less than half a Yankee Stadium crowd, but twice as passionate. So far, in a triumphant World Series, Snider had hit four singles, two doubles, and four home runs. Red Smith was calling him "The Archduke Snider." A single now would tie the score. A long double would put the Dodgers ahead. Another Duke Snider home run? ... The thought turned Brooklyn fans giddy.
A decidedly ungiddy Casey Stengel was not surprised to find Snider coming to bat with the ballgame and the Series on the line. As in classic drama, the major figures would play the principal scenes. Stengel was, in fact, prepared. One Yankee spearcarrier, 6-foot 2-inch Bob Kuzava, out of Wyandotte, Michigan, threw hard, lefthanded stuff. Kuzava was a career .500 pitcher, win one, lose one, never a star, just someone you needed to pitch the innings. In 1948 Kuzava lost sixteen games with the Baltimore Orioles of the International League. But one batter Bob Kuzava mastered that season was the star center fielder of the Montreal Royals, Duke Snider. Stengel was not a man to disregard history. He replaced Raschi with Kuzava. The issue was joined.
Snider worked the count full. If he could win this game, the Duke would be anointed King, Pope, Grand Rabbi, and Czar of all the realms of Flatbush.
Snider bore down. So did Kuzava. He threw a tailing outside fastball. Trying to drive the pitch to left, Snider lifted a mighty pop fly over third. Gil McDougald tapped his glove. Two out.
The hitter was Jackie Robinson. Two strong right arms were active in the Yankee bullpen. Stengel made no move. Kuzava threw hard stuff to Robinson who fouled back four consecutive pitches. Now came the play that decided the series.
Trying to drive a single to right, Robinson lifted a pop fly toward first base. Kuzava called the play, shouting, "Joe, Joe." But Joe Collins, who had replaced [Johnny] Mize, was looking to the same light pattern that brought down Billy Loes the day before -- blinding sunlight slanting through the arches behind the third base stands. Collins, a fine fielder, never saw the ball.
Billy Martin suddenly realized what was happening. He raced in from his spot at second base. The wind was blowing the pop fly away from him. Running with two out, Furillo and Cox crossed home plate. If Robinson's pop-up landed safely, the score was tied. Martin lunged and caught the baseball, ankle high.
She played "This Nearly Was Mine."
From my earliest years I'd heard Brooklyn fans cry out in defeat, "Wait till next year." My lead for the front page of the Herald Tribune leapt through the peanut shells residing in my portable typewriter:
"Every year is next year for the Yankees."
Red Smith peeked at my typewriter. "Good lead, sire," he said.
Memories of Summer, Roger Kahn
Copyright 1997 Hook Slide, Inc.
Published by University of Nebraska Press
Image: Mickey Mantle and other Yankees celebrate winning the World Series
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