1938 World Series

vs. 1938 World Series (4-0) New York Yankees (99-53, AL) vs. Chicago Cubs (89-63, NL) BR 1938 World Series Summary

The 1938 World Series matched the two-time defending champion New York Yankees against the Chicago Cubs, with the Yankees sweeping the Series in four games for their seventh championship and record third straight (they would win 4 in a row this time, and 5 in a row later from 1949-53).

Dizzy Dean, who had helped carry the Cubs to the National League pennant despite a sore arm, ran out of gas in the Series as the Yanks crushed the Cubs again, as they had in 1932. The Cubs did not win a meaningful game against the Yankees until a regular-season interleague series in 2003.

New York Yankees starting pitcher Red Ruffing would win two (2) games without a loss, although he would give up a record seventeen (17) hits in eighteen (18) innings pitched.

This was the first World Series at Wrigley Field since the bleacher reconstruction of 1937 which had significantly shortened the left-center field power alley.

Records: New York Yankees (W: 99, L: 53, Pct: .651, GA: 9 ½) - Chicago Cubs (W: 89, L: 63, Pct: .586, GA: 2)

Managers: Joe McCarthy (New York), Gabby Hartnett (Chicago)

Umpires: Charlie Moran (NL), Cal Hubbard (AL), Ziggy Sears (NL), Lou Kolls (AL)

Summary

AL New York Yankees (4) vs. NL Chicago Cubs (0)

Game	Score	Date	Location	Attendance
1	Yankees – 3, Cubs – 1	October 5	Wrigley Field	43,642
2	Yankees – 6, Cubs – 3	October 6	Wrigley Field	42,108
3	Cubs – 2, Yankees – 5	October 8	Yankee Stadium	55,236
4	Cubs – 3, Yankees – 8	October 9	Yankee Stadium	59,847

Matchups

Game 1

October 5, 1938 at Wrigley Field in Chicago, Illinois

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
New York (A)	0	2	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	3	12	1
Chicago (N)	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	9	1
W: Red Ruffing (1-0)   L: Bill Lee (0-1)

Game 2

October 6, 1938 at Wrigley Field in Chicago, Illinois

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
New York (A)	0	2	0	0	0	0	0	2	2	6	7	2
Chicago (N)	1	0	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	3	11	0
W: Lefty Gomez (1-0)   L: Dizzy Dean (0-1)   S: Johnny Murphy (1)
HR: NYY – Frankie Crosetti (1), Joe DiMaggio (1)

Dizzy Dean had tried to come back too soon after his 1937 All-Star Game toe injury, favoring the toe and hurting his arm in the process. He had been obtained from the St Louis Cardinals in April of 1938, and had won 7 of 8 decisions in the regular season, relying on finesse rather than his now-gone fastball. Dean would give up 6 earned runs in 8 1/3 innings pitched overall and take the loss in Game 2. Dean's luck ran out in the late innings of Game 2, as Frank Crosetti and Joe DiMaggio hit two-run home runs off Dean in the 8th and 9th innings, respectively, to send the Cubs to New York down two games to none in the Series.

Game 3

October 8, 1938 at Yankee Stadium in New York, New York

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Chicago (N)	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	1	0	2	5	1
New York (A)	0	0	0	0	2	2	0	1	x	5	7	2
W: Monte Pearson (1-0)  L: Clay Bryant (0-1)
HR: : CHI – Joe Marty (1)    NYY – Joe Gordon (1), Bill Dickey (1)

Game 4

October 9, 1938 at Yankee Stadium in New York, New York

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Chicago (N)	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	2	0	3	8	1
New York (A)	0	3	0	0	0	1	0	4	x	8	11	1
W: Red Ruffing (2-0)  L: Bill Lee (0-2)
HR: : CHI – Ken O'Dea (1)    NYY – Tommy Henrich (1)

Composite Box

1938 World Series (4-0): New York Yankees (A.L.) over Chicago Cubs (N.L.)

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
New York Yankees	0	7	0	0	2	4	0	7	2	22	37	6
Chicago Cubs	1	0	3	1	1	0	0	3	0	9	33	3
Total Attendance: 200,833   Average Attendance: 50,208
Winning Player’s Share: – $5,783   Losing Player’s Share – $4,675

Further Reading

• Bruce A. Rubenstein: Chicago in the World Series, 1903-2005: The Cubs and White Sox in Championship Play, McFarland, Jefferson, NC, 2006.

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