On This Day in Sports October 6, 1947: An Integrated World Series
In collaboration with the Sportsecyclopedia.com
In one of the most thrilling World Series, the New York Yankees beat the Brooklyn Dodgers in seven games, winning the finale in the Bronx 5-2. The first integrated Fall Classic, which saw the World Series debut of Jackie Robinson, had its share of timeless moments. Like Bill Bevens coming one out from a not hitter only to lose Game 4 and Al Gionfriddo’s thrilling catch in Game 6. It was also the first World Series to be televised.
New York was all abuzz for the World Series, as the Brooklyn Dodgers and New York Yankees were meeting for the second time. It was the seventh overall Subway Series as the Yankees had previously faced New York Giants in 1921, 1922, 1923, 1936, and 1937. The Yankees needed just five games in their previous meeting against the Dodgers in 1941.
Before the first pitch was thrown, the 1947 World Series made history as the Brooklyn Dodgers, managed by Burt Shotten, posted a record of 94-60. All season long, the Dodgers were the biggest story in baseball as Jackie Robinson became the first African American to play in the majors in over 60 years. Robinson was the first ever Rookie of the Year, hitting .297, with 12 home runs, 48 RBI, 125 runs scored, and a league-best 29 stolen bases. Their opponents, the New York Yankees managed by Bucky Harris, posted a record of 97-57. Select fans in the northeast could watch the World Series from their living room for the first time on television as NBC aired Games 1, 3, 4, and 5, while the DuMont Television Network aired Games 2, 6, and 7. It was also the first World Series to use six umpires assigning umpires down the lines in the outfield.
The series' first two games were all Yankees as they beat the Dodgers 5-3 in Game 1 and 10-3 in Game 2. As the series shifted to Ebbets Field, the Dodgers bats broke out in the second inning of Game 3, sparked by doubles by Bruce Edwards, Eddie Stanky, and Carl Furillo. The Yankees answered with two runs in the third inning and two in the fourth. The Dodgers, though, continued to answer as they scratched across a run in the third and two in the fourth to hold a 9-4 lead at the end of four innings. The Yankees continued to chip away as the Dodgers' offense faltered over the final four innings. In the fifth inning, Joe DiMaggio hit a two-run homer; in the sixth, Tommy Henrich scored a run with a double, while Yogi Berra made it 9-8 with a home run in the seventh. Berra’s home run against Ralph Branca was the first ever Pinch-Hit home run in the history of the World Series. With the game slipping away, Shotten turned to Hugh Casey to save the day as he allowed just one hit over two and two-thirds inning and was credited with the win.
Looking to take a 3-1 series lead, the Yankees Bill Bevens was effectively wild as the Yankees held a 2-1 lead heading with two outs in the ninth inning as Bevens was looking to throw the first-ever no-hitter in the World Series. Though with ten walks, the game still hung in the balance as Cookie Lavagetto pinch-hitting for Eddie Stanky was Brooklyn’s last hope with two runners on base. Lavagetto ripped a double to right and scored Al Gionfriddo and Eddie Miksis with the tying and winning runs. With the series tied at two games apiece, Spec Shea went the distance for the Yankees in Game 5 while also driving in a run as they regained control of the series with a 2-1 win.
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With the Yankees seeking their 11th World Championship at Yankee Stadium, the Dodgers pulled out all the stops in Game 6, building an early 4-0 lead with a pair of runs in the first and third innings. However, the Yankees quickly erased the deficit with four runs in the bottom of the third, with a parade of singles. The Yankees onslaught continued in the fourth as Yogi Berra singled home Tommy Henrich to take a 5-4 lead. In the sixth, the Dodgers answered back with a four-run inning of their own, capped by a two-run single by Pee Wee Reese. Down 8-5, the Yankees looked to strike back in the bottom of the sixth as Joe DiMaggio blasted a ball deep to left center with two runners on base. However, Al Gionfriddo made a great running catch along the bullpen fence, causing the Yankee Clipper to show a rare outburst of emotion by kicking the dirt near first. Brooklyn would hold on to win the game 8-6 to force a seventh game.
Game 7 saw a pitching matchup of Spec Shea seeking his third win for the Yankees against Hal Gregg. The Dodgers would knock Shea out of the game with a pair of runs in the second, highlighted by a double by Spider Jorgensen. Phil Rizzuto answered at the bottom of the second with an RBI single off Gregg. In the fourth inning, the Yankees took the lead with Bobby Brown proving the big hit with a game-tying double, as Tommy Henrich drove home the go-ahead run. The Yankees meanwhile added runs in the sixth and seventh inning, while Joe Page closed the book on the Dodgers, allowing just one hit over five innings in relief to earn the win as the Yankees won the game 5-2 to claim their 11th World Series title in 25 years.
In his first World Series appearance, Jackie Robinson hit .259 over the seven-game series, scoring three runs, three RBI, and two stolen bases. The Yankees, meanwhile, got a monster series from Joe DiMaggio and Tommy Henrich, who each had five RBI.