1939 World Series

vs. 1939 World Series (4-0) New York Yankees (106-45, AL) vs. Cincinnati Reds (97-57, NL) BR 1939 World Series Summary

The 1939 World Series featured the three-time defending champion New York Yankees against the Cincinnati Reds, who were making their first Series appearance since the scandal-tainted 1919 World Series. The Yankees swept the Series in four games for the second time in a row, winning their record fourth consecutive title (they would later win 5 straight from 1949-1953). Yankee manager Joe McCarthy won his fifth title, tying the record held by Connie Mack.

The Reds had made it to the Series despite finishing last in the National League in 1937 (56-98, .364) and then fourth in 1938 (82-68, .547).

In the 9th inning of the final game, a famous play at the plate typified the Series. Charlie Keller scored when he and the ball both collided with catcher Ernie Lombardi and then Joe DiMaggio also scored while Lombardi, rolling on the ground, tried in vain to retrieve the ball. Lombardi had been smacked in the groin, but the puritanical press reported it as if Lombardi was "napping" at the plate. It became known as "Lombardi's Snooze".

The Yankees matched the Reds in hits with twenty-seven (27) but out-homered the Reds seven to none. Charlie "King Kong" Keller led the Yanks with 8 runs, 7 hits, 3 homeruns, 6 runs batted in, a .438 batting average, and a 1.188 slugging percentage.

Keller broke the record for most homers by a rookie in a World Series game, during Game 3 when he went deep twice. Also in game 3, Junior Thompson gave up five hits in 4.2 innings worked. Four of those five hits were home runs tying the record for longs balls allowed during a Series game set by Charlie Root during the 1932 World Series.

Records: New York Yankees (W: 106, L: 45, Pct: .702, GA: 17) - Cincinnati Reds (W: 97, L: 57, Pct: .630, GA: 4 ½)

Managers: Joe McCarthy (New York), Bill McKechnie (Cincinnati)

Umpires: Bill McGowan (AL), Beans Reardon (NL), Bill Summers (AL), Babe Pinelli (NL)

Summary

AL New York Yankees (4) vs. NL Cincinnati Reds (0)

Game	Score	Date	Location	Attendance
1	Reds – 1, Yankees – 2	October 4	Yankee Stadium	58,541
2	Reds – 0, Yankees – 4	October 5	Yankee Stadium	59,791
3	Yankees – 7, Reds – 3	October 7	Crosley Field	32,723
4	Yankees – 7, Reds – 4 (10 innings)	October 8	Crosley Field	32,794

Matchups

Game 1

October 4, 1939 at Yankee Stadium in New York, NY

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Cincinnati (N)	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	4	0
New York (A)	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	1	2	6	0
W: Red Ruffing (1-0)  L: Paul Derringer (0-1)

Game 2

October 5, 1939 at Yankee Stadium in New York, NY

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Cincinnati (N)	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	0
New York (A)	0	0	3	1	0	0	0	0	x	4	9	0
W: Monte Pearson (1-0)  L: Bucky Walters (0-1)
HR: : NYY – Babe Dahlgren (1)

Game 3

October 7, 1939 at Crosley Field in Cincinnati, OH

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
New York (A)	2	0	2	0	3	0	0	0	0	7	5	1
Cincinnati (N)	1	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	3	10	0
W: Bump Hadley (1-0)   L: Junior Thompson (0-1)
HR: NYY – Charlie Keller (1, 2), Joe DiMaggio (1), Bill Dickey (1)

Game 4

October 8, 1939 at Crosley Field in Cincinnati, OH

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	R	H	E
New York (A)	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	0	2	3	7	7	1
Cincinnati (N)	0	0	0	0	0	0	3	1	0	0	4	11	4
W: Johnny Murphy (1-0)   L: Bucky Walters (0-2)
HR: NYY – Charlie Keller (3), Bill Dickey (2)

Composite Box

1939 World Series (4-0): New York Yankees (A.L.) over Cincinnati Reds (N.L.)

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	R	H	E
New York Yankees	2	0	5	1	4	0	2	0	3	3	20	27	2
Cincinnati Reds	1	2	0	1	0	0	3	1	0	0	8	27	4
Total Attendance: 183,849   Average Attendance: 45,962
Winning Player’s Share: – $5,542   Losing Player’s Share – $4,193

Reference(s)

• David S. Neft and Richard M. Cohen: The World Series, 1st ed., St Martins Press, New York, NY, 1990, pp. 175-178.

External links

• 1939 World Series at WorldSeries.com (MLB.com)
• 1939 World Series at Baseball-Almanac.com
• 1939 World Series box scores and play-by-play at Retrosheet.org
• Cincinnati Reds History
• Audio - Mel Allen's Play-by-Play of the Lombardi Snooze

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Yankees over Reds (4-0)