They Sure Were Still in the League

When Sunday's games were over, some of the Cardinals, during their pennant celebration, shouted that Brooklyn was still in the league. With improved weather, 45,000 fans had filled the Polo Grounds to capacity. In the first inning, the Giants opened up a four run lead which was transformed to a 5-3 lead as the Brooklyns came to bat in the eighth inning. They scored twice to tie the game. Almost simultaneously, the Polo Grounds scoreboard operator posted a big "3" in the Cardinals fourth inning, giving the team from St. Louis a 5-0 lead behind Dizzy Dean, who was going for this thirtieth win of the season.

The game in New York remained 5-5 when Brooklyn came to bat in the tenth inning of the last game of the season for both teams. Sam Leslie singled, Tony Cuccinello doubled him to third, and Bill Terry brought in Carl Hubbell to face Brooklyn relief pitcher Johnny Babich. Hubbell struck out Babich and then intentionally passed third baseman Johnny Stripp to load the bases with one out, bringing up catcher Al Lopez, who many years later, as the Indians manager in 1954, would break Casey Stengel's streak of winning five consecutive pennants.

But this is then and that was yet to be. Hubbell got Lopez to hit a ground ball to Giants' shortstop Blondie Ryan but the usually reliable Ryan bobbled the ball, Brooklyn went ahead, scored two more runs, and the Cardinals won the pennant.

Terry's Giants didn't win the National League pennant in 1935 either, but they did win it in 1936 and 1937, losing to the Yankees in the World Series each time. Terry managed until the end of the 1941 season, was the Giants general manager for one season, and then left baseball until 1954, when he became president of the South Atlantic League.

Terry is one of only eight players who hit over .400 after 1900. A forgotten aspect of his career is that after playing in the minors from 1914-1918, Terry became despondent about baseball and operated a gas station while playing semi-pro baseball. The Giants had heard about him and convinced him to resume his career. He did, spending two more years in the minors before joining the Giants. He was an outstanding player who is ranked among the all-time greats.

References: http://www.baseball-reference.com/t/terr...

http://www.baseballhalloffame.org/hofers...

http://www.answers.com/bill%20terry'

http://www.baseballlibrary.com/baseballl...

http://www.baseball-reference.com/postse...

http://barrypopik.com/article/897/is-bro...

http://www.thedeadballera.com/Obits/Terr...

McGowen, Roscoe. (1934). "Brooklyn rooters have a great day; Giant fans

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