The Year Was 1950


Robin Roberts started for the Phillies and Don Newcombe for Brooklyn. Roberts was making his third start in five days. That is not a mistake. Roberts was making his fifth start in five days. In 1949, Roberts pitched 226 2/3 innings, winning 15 and losing 15. In the next six seasons he pitched over 300 innings each season, averaging 43 starts. So much for pitch counts.

Brooklyn's Don Newcombe also pitched a few innings. On September 6 he started BOTH games of a doubleheader against the Phillies. All he did was pitch a shutout in Game 1 and then went seven innings in Game 2 in a game the Brooklyns eventually won.

The score in the final regular season contest was 1-1 after nine innings. Both starters were, of course, still in the game. Brooklyn almost won it in the ninth inning but questionable strategy and Roberts' clutch pitching prevent that from happening.

Cal Abrams led off the Dodgers' ninth by taking a 3-2 fastball for ball four. PeeWee Reese fouled off two bunt attempts and then singled to left center with Abrams stopping at second. The Dodgers were in business with Snider coming to the plate. Most fans and the Phillies thought Snider would bunt the runners over but he took a full swing and lined a single to center where Ashburn was playing more shallow than usual because the sacrifice was in order. Ashburn charged the hit, third base coach Milt Stock, with no out, waved Abrams home, Ashburn fired the ball home to catcher Stan Lopata who tagged Abrams out and game remained tied.

Most accounts emphasize that Ashburn nailed Abrams trying to score the winning run in the ninth inning on a Duke Snider single and that Dick Sisler hit a three run home run in the tenth inning to win the game, but what is overlooked is that Reese went to third and Snider took second on the throw home, giving Brooklyn runners on second and third with only one out. Jackie Robinson was walked intentionally to load the bases, not only to set up the double play but also because no one in his right mind wanted to face Jackie Robinson with the pennant at stake. This brought up the always dangerous Carl Furillo. who swung at the first pitch and lifted a harmless pop fly on the right side of the diamond that Eddie Waitkus caught for the

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