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The Year Was 1950 - Page 3

© Harold Friend

Roberts led off the tenth with a single. Now, can anyone imagine a manager today allowing a pitcher who went nine tough innings to lead off the tenth? Anyway, Waitkus failed to bunt Roberts over on the first pitch, swung at Newcombe's next delivery and hit a short pop up to center that fell in for a single, moving Roberts to second. Ashburn bunted back to Newcombe who threw Roberts out at third, leaving runners on first and second with one out. Dick Sisler was the batter. He hit a 1-2 Newcombe pitch to left field for an opposite field three run home run to win the pennant.

The 1950 National League pennant race was one of the greatest in history. It was significant because the only way to win the World Series was to first win the pennant. Only the team with the league's best record played in the World Series. The only time there was a playoff series was when there was more than one team with the best record. A team that finished second, unlike today (see the Marlins of 1997 and 2003, the Mets of 2000, the Angels and Giants of 2002, and the Red Sox of 2004) went home for the winter.

It's unfair to allow the team with the second best record to play in the World Series? It decreases the significance of the regular season? It cheapens winning the championship? So what. We all know what counts. Having two playoff rounds generates a tremendous amount of money. It is good for the owners. Any questions?

References:

McGowen, Roscoe. (1950). Brooks overcome leaders by 2-0, 3-0. Newcombe hurls 3-hitter and then goes 7 innings of 2nd game, won by Bankhead. The New York Times, September 7, 1950. p.43.

McGowen, Roscoe. (1950). Phils beat Dodgers for flag; Win flag. Robinson purposely passed. Biggest and shortest marooned at second. The New York Times, October 2, 1950. p.1

Neft, David S., Cohen, Richard M. & Neft, Michael L. (2000). The sports encyclopedia: Baseball 2000. New York: St. Martin's Press.

Sheehan, Joseph M. (1950). Giants turn back whiz kids, 8-7, 5-0. The New York Times, September 28, 1958. p.52.

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