1951 World Series

vs. 1951 World Series (4-2) New York Yankees (98-56, AL) over New York Giants (98-59, NL) BR 1951 World Series Summary

The 1951 World Series matched the two-time defending champion New York Yankees against the New York Giants, who had won the National League pennant in a thrilling three-game playoff with the Brooklyn Dodgers on the legendary home run by Bobby Thomson (the Shot Heard 'Round the World).

In the Series, the Yankees showed some power of their own, including Gil McDougald's grand slam home run in Game 5, at the Polo Grounds. The Yankees won the Series in 6 games, for their third straight title and 14th overall. This would be the last World Series for Joe DiMaggio, who retired afterward, and the first for rookies Willie Mays and Mickey Mantle. This World Series also matched up two of baseball's most colorful managers, Casey Stengel of the Yankees and Leo Durocher of the Giants.

This was the thirteenth appearance by the Giants in Series play, their ninth loss, and their first appearance since the 1937 World Series.

"The Commerce Comet arrives on the final voyage of the Yankee Clipper." The 1951 World Series was the first for future Hall-of-Famer Mickey Mantle and the final for soon-to-be Hall-of-Famer Joe DiMaggio.

Mantle's bad luck with injuries in the major leagues began here. In the 5th inning of Game 2 at Yankee Stadium, Mays flied to deep right-center. DiMaggio and Mantle converged on the ball, DiMaggio called Mantle off, and Mantle stutter-stepped, catching a cleat in a drain cover, and fell to the ground in a heap with a wrenched knee as DiMaggio made the catch. Mantle was done for this Series, but would come back to play many more.

Records: New York Yankees (W: 98, L: 56, Pct: .636, GA: 5) - New York Giants (W: 98, L: 59, Pct: .624, GA: 1†)

† Won a best-of-three game playoff over the Brooklyn Dodgers, October 1st (3-1), October 2nd (0-10), and October 3rd (5-4)

Managers: Casey Stengel (New York Yankees), Leo Durocher (New York Giants)

Umpires: Bill Summers (AL), Lee Ballanfant (NL), Joe Paparella (AL), Al Barlick (NL), Johnny Stevens (AL: outfield only), Artie Gore (NL: outfield only)

Television: NBC (Jim Britt, Mel Allen and Russ Hodges announcing)

Summary

AL New York Yankees (4) vs. NL New York Giants (2)

Game	Score	Date	Location	Attendance
1	Giants – 5, Yankees – 1	October 4	Yankee Stadium	65,673
2	Giants – 1, Yankees – 3	October 5	Yankee Stadium	66,018
3	Yankees – 2, Giants – 6	October 6	Polo Grounds	52,035
4	Yankees – 6, Giants – 2	October 8	Polo Grounds	49,010
5	Yankees – 13, Giants – 1	October 9	Polo Grounds	47,530
6	Giants – 3, Yankees – 4	October 10	Yankee Stadium	61,711

Matchups

Game 1

October 4, 1951 at Yankee Stadium in New York, New York

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
New York (N)	2	0	0	0	0	3	0	0	0	5	10	1
New York (A)	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	7	1
W: Dave Koslo (1-0)   L: Allie Reynolds (0-1)
HR: NYG – Alvin Dark (1)

Game 2

October 5, 1951 at Yankee Stadium in New York, New York

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
New York (N)	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	1	5	1
New York (A)	1	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	x	3	6	0
W: Ed Lopat (1-0)   L: Larry Jansen (0-1)
HR: NYY – Joe Collins (1)

Game 3

October 6, 1951 at the Polo Grounds in, New York, New York

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
New York (A)	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	1	2	5	2
New York (N)	0	1	0	0	5	0	0	0	x	6	7	2
W: Jim Hearn (1-0)  L: Vic Raschi (0-1)
HR: NYY – Gene Woodling (1)   NYG – Whitey Lockman (1)

Game 4

October 8, 1951 at the Polo Grounds in, New York, New York

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
New York (A)	0	1	0	1	2	0	2	0	0	6	12	0
New York (N)	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	2	8	2
W: Allie Reynolds (1-1)  L: Sal Maglie (0-1)
HR: NYY – Joe DiMaggio (1)

Game 5

October 9, 1951 at the Polo Grounds in New York, New York

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
New York (A)	0	0	5	2	0	2	4	0	0	13	12	1
New York (N)	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	5	3
W: Ed Lopat (2-0)  L: Larry Jansen (0-2)
HR: NYY – Gil McDougald (1),  Phil Rizzuto (1)

Game 6

October 10, 1951 at Yankee Stadium in New York, New York

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
New York (N)	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	2	3	11	1
New York (A)	1	0	0	0	0	3	0	0	x	4	7	0
W: Vic Raschi (1-1)   L: Dave Koslo (0-1)   S: Bob Kuzava (1)

Composite Box

1951 World Series (4-2): New York Yankees (A.L.) over New York Giants (N.L.)

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
New York Yankees	2	3	5	3	2	5	6	2	1	29	49	4
New York Giants	4	1	0	0	6	3	1	0	3	18	46	10
Total Attendance: 341,977   Average Attendance: 56,996
Winning Player’s Share: – $6,446   Losing Player’s Share – $4,951

Further Reading

• Sol Gittleman: Reynolds, Raschi and Lopat: New York's Big Three and the Great Yankee Dynasty of 1949-1953, McFarland, Jefferson, NC, 2007.
• Chris Haft: "Giants fielded first all-black OF in '51 Series: Talented trio of Irvin, Mays, Thompson made MLB history", mlb.com, February 13, 2017. [1]
• David S. Neft and Richard M. Cohen: The World Series, 1st ed., St Martins Press, New York, NY, 1990, pp. 234-239.

External links

• 1951 World Series at Baseball-Reference.com
• 1951 World Series at WorldSeries.com (MLB.com)
• 1951 World Series at Baseball-Almanac.com
• 1951 World Series box scores and play-by-play at Retrosheet.org
• Kodak Presents - Baseball's 25 Greatest Moments, The Shot Heard 'Round the World
• Listen to Russ Hodges' radio call of "The Shot Heard 'Round the World"

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