1954 World Series

1954 World Series

The Catch
Team (Wins) Manager Season New York Giants (4) Leo Durocher 97–57, .630, GA: 5 Cleveland Indians (0) Al Lopez 111–43, .721, GA: 8
Dates:	October 1–October 5
Television:	NBC
TV announcers:	Jack Brickhouse, Russ Hodges
Radio:	Mutual
Radio announcers:	Al Helfer, Jimmy Dudley
Umpires:	Al Barlick (NL), Charlie Berry (AL), Jocko Conlan (NL), Johnny Stevens (AL), Lon Warneke (NL: outfield only), Larry Napp (AL: outfield only)
Future Hall of Famers:	Giants: Leo Durocher (mgr.), Monte Irvin, Willie Mays, Hoyt Wilhelm. Indians: Al Lopez (mgr.), Larry Doby, Bob Lemon, Early Wynn.
< 1953 World Series 1955 >

The 1954 World Series matched the National League champion New York Giants against the American League champion Cleveland Indians. The Giants swept the Series in four games to win their first championship since 1933, defeating the heavily favored Indians, who had won an AL-record 111 games in the regular season. The Series is perhaps best-remembered for "The Catch", a sensational running catch made by Giants center fielder Willie Mays in Game 1, snaring a long drive by Vic Wertz near the outfield wall with his back to the infield. It is also remembered for utility player Dusty Rhodes' clutch hitting in three of the four games. Giants manager Leo Durocher won his only title among the three pennants he captured in his career. As of 2009, it remains the last World Series victory for the Giants. The San Francisco Giants have never won a World Series since the 1958 move to the West Coast.

This was the first time the Cleveland Indians had been swept in a World Series and the first time the New York Giants had swept an opponent without qualification. They had won four games without a loss in the 1922 World Series, but there was also one tied game. Game 4 was the last World Series game at Cleveland Stadium; the Indians did not return to the World Series until 1995, a year after Progressive Field opened.

Background

The Indians, by winning the American League pennant, kept the Yankees from winning their sixth straight series. The last time the Yankees had not won the series or pennant beforehand was 1948, when, again, the Indians kept them out (although that year, they won the Series). It was also the only World Series from 1949 to 1958 which did not feature the Yankees.

Summary

NL New York Giants (4) vs. AL Cleveland Indians (0)

Matchups

Game 1

Wednesday, September 29, 1954 at Polo Grounds (IV) in New York, New York

WP: Marv Grissom (1–0)  LP: Bob Lemon (0–1)  
HRs:  NYG – Dusty Rhodes (1)

Game 2

Thursday, September 30, 1954 at Polo Grounds (IV) in New York, New York

WP: Johnny Antonelli (1–0)  LP: Early Wynn (0–1)  
HRs:  CLE – Al Smith (1)  NYG – Dusty Rhodes (2)

Game 3

Friday, October 1, 1954 at Cleveland Stadium in Cleveland, Ohio

WP: Ruben Gomez (1–0)  LP: Mike Garcia (0–1)  SV: Hoyt Wilhelm (1)  
HRs:  CLE – Vic Wertz (1)

Game 4

Saturday, October 2, 1954 at Cleveland Stadium in Cleveland, Ohio

WP: Don Liddle (1–0)  LP: Bob Lemon (0–2)  SV: Johnny Antonelli (1)  
HRs:  CLE – Hank Majeski (1)

Composite box

1954 World Series (4–0): New York Giants (N.L.) over Cleveland Indians (A.L.)

Series quotes

There's a long drive, waaay back in center field, way back, back, it is... CAAAUGHT by Willie Mays! ... The runner on second, Doby, is able to tag up and go to third; Willie Mays just brought this crowd to its feet, with a catch... which must have been an optical illusion to a lot of people. Boy!

—Jack Brickhouse on NBC television, calling Willie Mays' catch off Vic Wertz's drive to deep center field in Game 1.

Records

• Hank Thompson set a World Series record for bases on balls received during a four-game series with seven and Bob Lemon set a World Series record for bases on balls given up during a four game Series with eight.

Notes

References

• Neft, David S., and Richard M. Cohen. The World Series. 1st ed. New York: St Martins, 1990. (Neft and Cohen 250–253)
• Reichler, Joseph, ed. (1982). The Baseball Encyclopedia (5th ed.), p. 2162. MacMillian Publishing. ISBN 0-02-579010-2.
• Forman, Sean L.. "1954 World Series". Baseball-Reference.com - Major League Statistics and Information.. http://www.baseball-reference.com/postseason/1954_WS.shtml. Retrieved 2007-12-09. 
• A Day in the Bleachers, by Arnold Hano (who later wrote Mays' biography). The author describes sitting in the left-center field bleachers at the Polo Grounds for Game 1. An entire chapter is devoted to The Catch.

External links

• 1954 World Series History at WorldSeries.com (MLB.com)
• 1954 World Series at Baseball Almanac
• 1954 World Series at Baseball-Reference.com
• The 1954 Post-Season Games (box scores and play-by-play) at Retrosheet
• History of the World Series - 1954 at The SportingNews
• Baseball's Best: 1954 World Series (MLB.com)
• Kodak Presents - Baseball's 25 Greatest Moments, Willie Mays' Catch