Next Year Finally Comes
1955 Brooklyn DodgersHome Field: Ebbets Field
World ChampionsHit: #1 R, BA
W - 98 L - 55Pitch: #1 OR, ERA
Manager: Walter AlstonDef: #2 FA

The Brooklyn Dodgers were a powerhouse in the 1940s and 1950s. Between 1941 and 1953, they won five National League pennants. Each of those seasons they faced the New York Yankees in the World Series, and in each of those fall classics they lost. The frustration of coming so close to winning it caused many a Dodger fan to use the expression "wait 'til next year".

Brooklyn got out of the gates quickly in 1955, winning its first 10 games and 22 of 24. The Dodgers won the pennant by 13 1/2 games as catcher Roy Campanella was the MVP. Duke Snider hit 42 homers and led the league with 136 RBIs. Ace hurler Don Newcombe led the loop's best pitching with a 20-5 mark. Once again, they would get a shot at the hated Yankees.

There was little indication that this year would be any different when the Yankees won the first two games in Yankee Stadium. Returning home to Ebbets Field, the Dodgers regrouped and won three straight. They now had two opportunities to beat the Yankees.

The scene returned to the Bronx and the Yankees won to set up a decisive seventh game. Manager Walter Alston opted to start lefty Johnny Podres who had been just 9-10 during the regular season but had been victorious in Game 3. Everything seemed to favor New York in Game 7, the home park and history just to name two. Despite this, the Dodgers built a 2-0 lead and held on thanks to a game saving catch by Sandy Amoros in the sixth. Brooklyn could finally celebrate a World Series victory.



Pos Player Bats AB H R HR RBI BA    NL Rank
C Roy Campanella R 446 142 81 32 107 .318    #4 BA
1B-OF Gil Hodges R 546 158 75 27 102 .289  
2B-OF Jim Gilliam B 538 134 110 7 40 .249    #5 R
SS Pee Wee Reese R 553 156 99 10 61 .282  
3B-OF Jackie Robinson R 317 81 51 8 36 .256  
LF Sandy Amoros L 388 96 59 10 51 .247  
CF Duke Snider L 538 166 126 42 136 .309    #1 RBI, R; #4 HR
RF Carl Furillo R 523 164 83 26 95 .314  
                   
2B-SS-3B Don Zimmer R 280 67 38 15 50 .239  
3B Don Hoak R 279 67 50 5 19 .240  
C Rube Walker L 103 26 6 2 13 .252  
1B Frank Kellert R 80 26 12 4 19 .325  
OF George Shuba L 51 14 8 1 8 .275  
                   
TOTAL: Team   5193 1406 857 201 800 .271  
  League Average   41773 10808 5578 1263 5236 .259  

Pitcher Throw G IP W L ERA PCT    NL Rank
  Don Newcombe R 34 234 20 5 3.19 .800    #2 W, ERA; #4 K
  Carl Erskine R 31 195 11 8 3.78 .579  
  Billy Loes R 22 128 10 4 3.59 .714  
  Johnny Podres L 27 159 9 10 3.96 .474  
  Clem Labine R 60 144 13 5 3.25 .722  
  Karl Spooner L 29 99 8 6 3.64 .571  
  Roger Craig R 21 91 5 3 2.77 .625  
  Ed Roebuck R 47 84 5 6 4.71 .455  
  Russ Meyer R 18 73 6 2 5.42 .750  
  Don Bessent R 24 63 8 1 2.71 .889  
                   
TOTAL: Team       98 55 3.68    
  League Average           4.04    

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