85. 1942 Brooklyn Dodgers v. 108. 1909 AL Champion Detroit Tigers
Dodgers 104-50 Mgr Leo Durocher
2nd in NL
d. #44 1986 Mets (MVP: Pete Reiser)
All-Stars 2B Billy Herman, OF Ducky Medwick, C Mickey Owen (4th NL MVP) SS Pee Wee Reese, OF Pete Reiser, 3B Arky Vaughan, SP Whit Wyatt
Hall of Famers: Billy Herman, Ducky Medwick, Pee Wee Reese, Arky Vaughan, Leo Durocher
Tigers 98-54 Mgr Hughie Jennings
Won AL Pennant
lost to Pirates in WS
d. #21 1932 Yankees (MVP: Oscar Stanage/George Mullin)
Hall of Famers: Ty Cobb, Sam Crawford, Hughie Jennings
Tigers-Hughie Jennings
SS Bush (21) (SH) 115 6.7
CF Crawford (29) (LH) 152 5.7
RF Cobb (22) 192 (LH) 9.8
LF McIntyre (29) 101 (LH) 1.1
2B Delahanty (30) 116 1.2
3B Moriarity (23) 100 3.8
C Stanage (26) 97 .9
1B Rossman (28) (LH) 86 .7
SP Killian (32) (LH) 148 3.1
Bench:
1B Jones (35) 103 1.1
LF Jones (29) 110 (LH) .9
C Schmidt (28) (SH) 57
2B Schaefer (33) 79
SP2 Mullin (28) 114 3.8
SP3 Summers (24) 113 3.4
Tigers would platoon at first but all the Dodgers starters are RH and will ride the hot bat in left.
Dodgers-Leo Durocher
SS Reese (23) 98 6.1
CF Reiser (23) (LH) 143 4.5
1B Camilli (35) (LH) 144 5.1
RF Walker (31) (LH) 126 2.8
LF Medwick (30) 115 2.1
2B Herman (32) 95 3.2
3B Vaughan (30) (LH) 100 2.7
C Owen (26) 87 2.6
SP1 Davis (38) 139 3.7
Bench
C Sullivan (31) (LH) 98 .4
OF Rizzo (29) 83
OF Galan (30) (SH) 97
3B Riggs (32) (LH) 100
SP2 Wyatt (34) 120 3.3
SP3 Higbe (27) 101 1.3
Platoon at catcher.
WAR Advantage:
C-Dodgers
1B-Dodgers
2B-Dodgers
SS-Tigers
3B-Tigers
LF-Dodgers
CF-Tigers
RF-Tigers
SP1-Dodgers
SP2-Tigers
SP3-Tigers
Bullpen-Dodgers
WAR: Dodgers 6 Tigers 6, Dodgers have seed advantage; Tigers have easily the best position player (Cobb). This is a coin flip game - I'll say the better seed gives Brooklyn the advantage; been awhile since we've had a 5 game series, let's bet it happens here. Winner moves on to play the '72 A's.
GAME ONE
1st: First round 2 game at Ebbets Field. 38 year old RH Curt Davis gets the ball for Leo Durocher's Dodgers. 15-6, 2.36. In his rookie season back in '34, Davis was 8th in the NL MVP with the Phillies, made the All Star team in '36 and then again in '39 with the Cards. He and Ducky Medwick were sent to the Dodgers in 1940. Last year, he led the league in fewest walks per nine innings. He finishes in '46. He gives up a leadoff single to Donie Bush - who steals second - and scores on a Sam Crawford single and before the crowd even settles in the Dodgers are down a run Matty McIntyre will single two outs later, that's it. Tigers 1 Dodgers 0
1st: Detroit counters with a 32 year old lefty, Ed Killian. 11-9, 1.71. Broke in with the Indians in '03, dealt to Detroit, in about 800 innings from '04-'06, he didn't give up a single homer. Not a single home run in 800 innings pitched. 1910 is his last season. Pee Wee Reese greets him with a double. An out later Dolph Camilli singles and the score is tied. Camilli steals second - and scores on a Dixie Walker double and the Dodgers take the lead. Ducky Medwick singles home Walker - the Dodgers are all over Killian. Tigers 1 Dodgers 3
2nd: George Moriarity doubles. He was just 17 (you know what I mean) when he came up with the Cubs in '03, this is his first Detroit season, he'll be here until the last 7 games of his career in 1916 which were with the White Sox. That's all.
2nd: 1-2-3
3rd: Donie Bush singles with one out. Bush is 21, came up last year - led the league in runs scored this season. Five years from now he finishes 3rd in the AL MVP. He's released in '21 and spends the last 3 years of his career with the Senators. That's it.
3rd: 1-2-3, 8 straight for Killian.
4th: Ty Cobb doubles. Ty Cobb is 22 years old; he came up in '05, from 1907 to 1919 he leads the league in batting average and OPS+ every season but one. This year -- Ty Cobb won the Triple Crown. He wins the MVP in '11, 7th in '12. In 1925 - when he's 38 years old, he leads the league in OPS+. He spends the last two years of his career with the A's and is done after the 1928 season. The Tigers don't score.
4th: Billy Herman singles. Herman broke in with the Cubs back in '31. 9th in the MVP in '32, 4th in '35, 3rd in '36. 9th in '37. The Dodgers got him last year, he made the All Star team this year - will make it next year - and then at the age of 34, head to the military for two years. He finishes with the Pirates in '47. After an out he's standing at second and scores on a Mickey Owen single. After the second out Owen is at second and he scores on a Pee Wee Reese single. Pete Reiser walks - that's it, but the Dodgers are solidly out in front, Tigers 1 Dodgers 5
5th: Oscar Stanage singles. Stanage spends 13 of 14 big league seasons in Detroit, this is his first. He'll retire at the age of 42. Claude Rossman then singles, but Davis works out of it - and the Dodgers hold on to a really nice lead here in game one.
5th: Dixie Walker singles. We've seen his brother Harry with the Cardinals; Walker broke in with the Yankees in '31, leads the league in triples with the White Sox in '37 and then moves to the Tigers. Detroit releases Walker in '39 - and then his career really starts with Brooklyn at the age of 29. Walker was 6th in the NL MVP in '40, 10th last year, he'll finish third in '44, second in '46, he'll be dealt to Pittsburgh after the '47 season (not a coincidence, he was opposed to the Dodgers signing Jackie Robinson) for Billy Cox and Preacher Roe and his last season is '49. That's all.
6th: 1-2-3
6th: 21 year old RH Ralph Works enters for Detroit - Mickey Owen singles. Came up with the Cards in '37, the Dodgers got him last year and he made his first of 4 straight All Star teams. This year, Owen was 4th in the NL MVP. He finishes with the Red Sox in '54. That's it.
7th: 1-2-3, 9 straight for Davis
7th: 23 year old lefty Kid Speer is the next Tiger pitcher, 1-2-3
8th: Bush doubles and is driven home by a Sam Crawford single. Crawford was 19 when he came up with the Reds a decade ago. Led the league in homers in '01, triples in '02 and moved to Detroit in '03. Led the league in triples that year, in runs in '07, in homers in '08 - this year he led the league in doubles. He'll lead in triples 4 more times finishing 2nd in the MVP in '14 and his last year is '17. Cobb then singles - but that's it. Tigers 2 Dodgers 5
8th: Speer gets 2 - but then gives up a pinch double to Augie Galan - and he scores on a Pee Wee Reese single. Reese is 23 (I live 10 minutes from a street named after Reese, I once lived 5 minutes from a street named after Hank Aaron) came up in '40, made the All Star Team this year and will miss the next 3 seasons for the War. He returns in '46 and has 4 straight top 10 MVP finishes. He leads the league in steals in '52 and will have 3 more top 10 finishes before his career ends. Reese makes the move west with the Dodgers, playing in 59 games for Los Angeles in '58 before retiring. 26 year old RH George Suggs comes on to end the inning. Tigers 2 Dodgers 6
9th: 28 year old RH Hugh Casey comes on for Brooklyn. 2.25 ERA. He gets one but then walks Stanage and gives up a Rossman double.
But that's it.
Tigers 2
Dodgers 6
WP Davis
LP Killian
Brooklyn takes game - 8 innings for Davis.
For the Dodgers:
Reese reached 3x
Walker reached 2x
Owen reached 2x
For Detroit...
Bush reached 3x
Crawford reached 2x
Cobb reached 2x
Stanage reached 2x
Rossman reached 2x
One more in Brooklyn...
SS Bush (21) (SH) 115 6.7
CF Crawford (29) (LH) 152 5.7
RF Cobb (22) 192 (LH) 9.8
LF Jones (29) 110 (LH) .9
2B Delahanty (30) 116 1.2
3B Moriarity (23) 100 3.8
C Stanage (26) 97 .9
1B Rossman (28) (LH) 86 .7
SP2 Mullin (28) 114 3.8
SS Reese (23) 98 6.1
CF Reiser (23) (LH) 143 4.5
1B Camilli (35) (LH) 144 5.1
RF Walker (31) (LH) 126 2.8
LF Medwick (30) 115 2.1
2B Herman (32) 95 3.2
3B Vaughan (30) (LH) 100 2.7
C Owen (26) 87 2.6
SP2 Wyatt (34) 120 3.3
GAME TWO
1st: Dodgers looking to take the second game in Brooklyn; Whit Wyatt is a 34 year old RH, 19-7, 2.73. Wyatt came up with the Tigers in '29, a decade later he's in Brooklyn for his best years. First All Star team in '39, 3rd in the NL MVP in '41, in '43 he will lead the league in fewest hits/9. He ends in '45 with the Phillies. Crawford reaches on a one out error and then Cobb walks - that's all.
1st: 28 year old RH George Mullin looks to even the series; 29-8, 2.22. Came up in '02, leads the league in wins this season. Sold to the Senators in '13 and finishes in the Federal League in '15. Dolph Camilli doubles with 2 outs and Dixie Walker follows with a double that scores him. Tigers 0 Dodgers 1
2nd: Oscar Stanage walks with one out, after the second out Mullin helps himself with a single, that's it.
2nd: Billy Herman singles. He's caught stealing, so there's one out when Arky Vaughan singles. Like Herman, Vaughan is a future Hall of Famer who spent the bulk of his career someplace else. Vaughan came up a decade ago in Pittsburgh, Led the league in OBP in '34, 3rd in the MVP in '35 and then again in '38. Led the league in runs scored and triples in '40 - this is the first of four seasons to end his career with Brooklyn (traded for Babe Phelps, among others) he's just okay this year but bounced back in '43, when he leads the league in runs and stolen bases. He's 36 when he retires in '48. Mickey Owen doubles him to third - Dodgers in business - but Mullin bears down and works through it.
3rd: With one out, Cobb singles, steals second, Davy Jones is in left today and he walks, after the second out Jim Delahanty singles -- but the Tigers are kept off the board.
3rd: Camilli walks with one out, that's it.
4th: 1-2-3
4th: Ducky Medwick singles. Like Herman and Vaughan, he's a future Hall of Famer in his early 30s who already had the fat part of his career. Medwick came up in '32, his first of 7 straight All Star appearances was '34, 5th in the MVP in '35, 4th in '36. Wins it in '37. 7th in '39. Dealt to the Dodgers in '40. This is Medwick's 12th big league season; he's hit .300 or above every year. He's released in '43 and eventually winds up back in St Louis - finishing in '48. That's it.
5th: 1-2-3, 7 straight for Wyatt.
5th: Wyatt singles. That's it.
6th: Davy Jones singles. Tigers trying to stay alive. He's wiped out with a double play; so nobody on and 2 outs - George Moriarty singles and comes all the way around to score the tying run on an Oscar Stanage triple. Huge triple by Stanage ties this score in a game Detroit really needs. Tigers 1 Dodgers 1
6th: Medwick doubles with one out - Herman walks and then Vaughan reaches by error. Bases loaded for Brooklyn -- Owen singles and the Dodgers go ahead again. Augie Galan hits for Wyatt - and he singles home another run. And then Reese singles home two. Big, big inning for the Dodgers. Ralph Works enters for the Tigers - he gets a Reiser groundout to score another run. Camilli walks. That's all. Tigers 1 Dodgers 6
7th: Hugh Casey finished game one and he comes on now; he walks Bush with one out, then walks Crawford - but that's it. The Dodgers are about to go up 2-0.
7th: Vaughan walks with two outs, that brings in George Suggs for the Tigers, that's it.
8th: 1-2-3
8th: Dolph Camilli walks with two out, that brings in Kid Speer to finish the inning.
9th: 24 year old RH Ed Head looks to close this one out, he gives up a Rossman single then walks the pinch hitter Red Killefer. But that's it.
Tigers 1
Dodgers 6
WP Wyatt
LP Mullin
Dodger pitching just keeps the Tigers off the scoreboard in Brooklyn; they take both games and send the series to Detroit.
For the Dodgers:
Reese reached 4x
Camilli reached 4x in game 2
Walker reached 3x
Medwick reached 2x in game 2
Herman reached 2x in game 2
Vaughan reached 2x in game 2
Owen reached 4x
For Detroit...
Bush reached 4x
Crawford reached 3x
Cobb reached 4x
Jones reached 2x
Stanage reached 4x
Rossman reached 2x
SS Reese (23) 98 6.1
CF Reiser (23) (LH) 143 4.5
1B Camilli (35) (LH) 144 5.1
RF Walker (31) (LH) 126 2.8
LF Medwick (30) 115 2.1
2B Herman (32) 95 3.2
3B Vaughan (30) (LH) 100 2.7
C Owen (26) 87 2.6
SP3 Higbe (27) 101 1.3
SS Bush (21) (SH) 115 6.7
CF Crawford (29) (LH) 152 5.7
RF Cobb (22) 192 (LH) 9.8
LF Jones (29) 110 (LH) .9
2B Delahanty (30) 116 1.2
1B Jones (35) 103 1.1
3B Moriarity (23) 100 3.8
C Stanage (26) 97 .9
SP3 Summers (24) 113 3.4
GAME THREE
1st: Down what so far has been an insurmountable 2-0 deficit, the Tigers turn to 24 year old RH Ed Summers, 19-9, 2.24. he pitches just five seasons, all with Detroit, this is the second. He gives up a one out single to Pete Reiser, that's all.
1st: 27 year old RH Kirby Higbe can wrap this up for the Dodgers. 16-11, 3.25. Higbe broke in with the Cubs in '37, last year was his first in Brooklyn and he finished 7th in the MVP. He'll be sent to the Pirates in '47 and stop with the Giants in '50. Donie Bush doubles and an out later scores on a Ty Cobb base hit. Dodgers 0 Tigers 1
2nd: 1-2-3
2nd: Tom Jones gets a start at first base and he walks. Two outs later Oscar Stanage singles, that's all.
3rd: Arky Vaughan singles. Mickey Owen singles. After an out, Pee Wee Reese hits a sac fly that ties the score and Pete Reiser reaches on an error that scores the go ahead run for the Dodgers 2 Tigers 1
3rd: Cobb singles with 2 outs and then Davy Jones walks - thats it.
4th: Dixie Walker doubles, that's it.
4th: George Moriarty singles with one out, Oscar Stanage singles after the second out. Onto the fifth.
5th: 1-2-3
5th: 1-2-3
6th: The Dodgers just have 4 hits today but are 4 innings away from a sweep. Pete Reiser singles, two outs later Medwick reaches on error and Herman walks - but the Dodgers leave them loaded.
6th: Delahanty doubles with one out, that's all.
7th: Mickey Owen leads off with a single, after an out - Pee Wee Reese triples him home - and things look grim in Detroit. Camilli walks after the second out and the Dodgers have extended the lead in the 7th. Dodgers 3 Tigers 1
7th: 1-2-3, the Tigers are down to their last 6 outs.
8th: Medwick reached on an error and an out later Vaughan triples him home and you can turn the lights out in Detroit. Owen then triples and that makes it 5-1 and they are celebrating in the Dodger dugout - Brooklyn will be taking on Oakland in the next round. Higbe stays in to hit for myself and he's hit - the inning ends - Dodgers 5 Tigers 1
8th: Cobb singles with one out, that's all.
9th: Camilli walks, that's all. Bottom of the 9th.
9th: Higbe remains in the game - Jones grounds to Vaughan - throw to first. One down.
Moriarity reaches on an error.
Stanage grounds to Reese -- flip to Herman -- onto Camilli. Double play. Sweep.
Dodgers 5
Tigers 1
WP Higbe
LP Summers
It looked like a dead even series on paper, the Dodgers slight favorites - but Brooklyn gets the first sweep of Round Two and becomes team #20 to advance. 12 slots left.
Pitching is the story here - all the Dodger starters get wins; let's say it's Higbe from game 3 and Davis from game one who get the MVP.
