THE REPLAY ZONE – MARCH 2016
By Jeff Polman
March ruminations from your trusty Strat-O-Matic replay addict. Check out “Twinbill”, my new baseball novel incorporating two unique replays: one with the 1938 season and one with the Negro League All-Stars in 1941.
THE REDEMPTION GAMES: SHOTS HEARD ‘ROUND THE WORLD
For my second “Redemption Game” replay, I decided on the climactic, infamous 1951 National League playoff between the Brooklyn Dodgers and New York Giants. Compiling the “as played” lineups, I saw that slugging Roy Campanella was hurt and unable to play, so I couldn’t imagine how this result would turn out any different. Bobby Thomson waited patiently on my tabletop, eager to re-live his heroic moment.
Let’s head to the Polo Grounds for this cool afternoon, Oct. 3, 1951:
BROOKLYN
Furillo RF
Reese SS
Snider CF
Robinson 2B
Pafko LF
Hodges 1B
Cos 3B
Walker C
Newcombe P
NEW YORK
Stanky 2B
Dark SS
Mueller RF
Irvin LF
Lockman 1B
Thomson 3B
Mays CF
Westrum C
Maglie P
1st INNING
Dodgers go 1-2-3.
For the Giants, Mueller reaches third with two outs when Jackie Robinson hurls an infield single into the stands for an additional two-base error. Irvin walks, but Lockman flies out to end the mini-threat.
2nd INNING
Andy Pafko HOMERS with one out off Maglie, the Polo Grounds’ friendly 1-19 home run chance helping out. Gil Hodges says I can do that too, and does one pitch later to make it 2-0 Dodgers!
Giants go 1-2-3.
3rd INNING
Furillo singles with one out but Reese hits into a double play to end the inning.
Stanky walks with one out for the Giants and Dark singles him to third, where Irvin’s single with two outs knocks him in. 2-1 Brooklyn after three…
4th INNING
Dodgers go out 1-2-3.
Giants get a Mays single with one out but New whiffs Westrum and Maglie.
5th INNING
Hodges belts another HOMER leading off to make it 3-1. Rube Walker singles, gets bunted to second and scores on a Furillo single and it’s 4-1.
Giants go 1-2-3.
6th INNING
Robinson walks and Hodges singles for his third hit, but Brooklyn fails to score.
Irvin draws a leadoff walk, but is quickly erased on a 4-6-3 double play by Lockman. 4-1 Dodgers after six…
7th INNING
Dodgers go out 1-2-3.
Hank Thompson bats for Maglie with two outs and lines out for a 1-2-3.
8th INNING
Al Corwin takes the ball for the Giants and walks Reese to start things. After getting Snider on a fly and Robinson on a force, Pafko HOMERS over the wall in left, and Hodges smacks his THIRD HOMER, the second time he and Pafko go back-to-back. It’s a rout, folks.
Giants go down 1-2-3.
9th INNING
Dodgers go out 1-2-3.
With the Brooklyn fans on hand delirious with joy, Newcombe gets Irvin on a grounder, Lockman on a popout, and fittingly, Bobby Thomson on a liner to short and THE DODGERS WIN THE PENNANT! THE DODGERS WIN THE PENNANT!
Oh well, as they say.
FINAL TOTALS:
BRK 020 020 030 – 7 9 1
NYG 001 000 000 – 1 4 0
W-Newcombe L-Maglie
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