Picking Up Where They Left Off

1947 New York YankeesHome Field: Yankee Stadium
World ChampionsHit: #1 R, BA
W - 97 L - 57Pitch: #1 OR, ERA
Manager: Bucky HarrisDef: #2 FA

In two decades leading up to World War II, the Yankees had established themselves as baseball's dominant team. Between 1921 and 1943, the pinstripers had won 14 American League pennants and 10 World Series titles. But would they be able to sustain their dominance in the post war era?

The 1946 edition still had many of the stars who had guided them to a World Championship five years earlier - including the outfield trio of Joe DiMaggio, Charlie Keller, and Tommy Henrich. The double play team of Joe Gordon and Phil Rizzuto were there as well. But 1946 would not be there year. New York finished in third, 17 games behind league champion Boston.

That offseason brought some changes. Bucky Harris was hired to manage the club, and Joe Gordon was dealt to Cleveland in exchange for pitcher Allie Reynolds. Reynolds paid immediate dividends, leading the pitching staff with a 19-8 mark and owning the league's best winning percentage. Joe Page was instrumental in relief, winning 14 games and saving 17 more. Another new face was a rookie who would become an integral part of Yankee lore - a catcher named Yogi Berra. He split catching chores with Aaron Robinson.

Joltin' Joe was the league's MVP, a controversial selection in light of the fact that Boston's Ted Williams won the Triple Crown. Nonetheless, DiMaggio turned in a fine season, batting .315 and ranking third in the loop with 97 RBIs. Henrich and third baseman Billy Johnson added support, each ranking among the league's top five RBI men.

The World Series pitted New York against Brooklyn and a rookie named Jackie Robinson. The series is best remembered for Bill Bevens's effort in game four. Although he walked ten batters, including two in the ninth Bevens was one out away from the first no hitter in World Series history. His bid was broken up by pinch hitter Cookie Lavagetto, and the Dodgers claimed a 3-2 win to even the series at two games apiece. The series went seven games, and starter Spec Shea, twice a winner already, was kayoed early. Bevens and Page relieved and kept the Dodgers off the scoreboard and the Yankees rallied for a 5-2 win and claimed their eleventh World Series championship.



Pos Player Bats AB H R HR RBI BA    AL Rank
C-OF Yogi Berra L 293 82 41 11 54 .280  
1B George McQuinn L 517 157 84 13 80 .304  
2B Snuffy Stirnweiss R 571 146 102 5 41 .256    #4 R
SS Phil Rizzuto R 549 150 78 2 60 .273  
3B Billy Johnson R 494 141 67 10 95 .285    #5t RBI
LF Johnny Lindell R 476 131 66 11 67 .275  
CF Joe DiMaggio R 534 168 97 20 97 .315    #3 RBI, #5 R
RF Tommy Henrich L 550 158 109 16 98 .287    #2 R, RBI
                   
C Aaron Robinson L 252 68 23 5 36 .270  
OF Charlie Keller L 151 36 36 13 36 .238  
3B-SS Bobby Brown L 150 45 21 1 18 .300  
C Ralph Houk R 92 25 7 0 12 .272  
OF Allie Clark R 67 25 9 1 14 .373  
                   
Total: Team   5308 1439 794 115 745 .271  
  League   42002 10739 5161 679 4906 .256  

Pitcher Throw G IP W L ERA PCT    AL Rank
  Allie Reynolds R 34 242 19 8 3.20 .704    #2t W, #4 K
  Spec Shea R 27 179 14 5 3.07 .737  
  Spud Chandler R 17 128 9 5 2.46 .643    #2 ERA
  Bill Bevens R 28 165 7 13 3.82 .350  
  Joe Page L 56 141 14 8 2.49 .636  
  Bobo Newsom R 17 116 7 5 2.79 .583  
  Vic Raschi R 15 105 7 2 3.86 .778  
  Karl Drews R 30 92 6 6 4.89 .500  
                   
Total: Team       97 57 3.39    
  League           3.71    

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