Pepper Martin, Party of One
A one-man offense, an arm that wouldn't let a dynasty fall, the biggest crowd the Series has ever seen, and an Iron Man's last night on deck.
Ed. 10.06.26
Pepper Martin, Party of One (1931)
Pepper Martin was the whole show for St. Louis in the 1931 World Series, and this afternoon in Philadelphia proved it. A's ace George Earnshaw held the Cardinals to two hits. Martin had both of them, and stole a base just to make the point. It didn't matter: Jimmie Foxx homered, the A's won 3-0, and the Series was tied. The Cardinals got the last word anyway, winning it in seven.
Bullet Bob Saves the Season (1958)
The Yankees were one loss from falling to Milwaukee for a second straight October. Bob Turley, knocked out after getting one out in Game 2, took the ball for Game 5 at Yankee Stadium and threw a five-hit shutout, 7-0. Two days later in Milwaukee he got the final out in the 10th to save Game 6. The next day he pitched 6 2/3 innings of relief to win Game 7. Two wins and a save in three games, and the Series MVP award to show for it.
92,706 (1959)
Los Angeles had been a big-league town for barely two seasons, and it showed up. A crowd of 92,706 filled the Memorial Coliseum for Game 5, the third straight day the World Series attendance record fell. The White Sox, down three games to one, scratched out a single run and won 1-0. The Dodgers finished the job two days later in Chicago, but that crowd is still the largest ever to see a World Series game. In today's ballparks, it may stay that way forever.
The Iron Man, On Deck (2001)
Cal Ripken Jr.'s final game was supposed to be at Yankee Stadium, but the schedule rebuilt after September 11 sent it home to Camden Yards. Baltimore lost to Boston 5-1, and Ripken went 0-for-3. In the ninth he stood in the on-deck circle while the crowd chanted "We want Cal!" and his longtime teammate struck out swinging. The man who once played 2,632 straight games ended his career one batter short of one more at-bat. Twenty-five years ago tonight.
