‘42 Swifties sweep ‘53 Bombers in 3 straight

It was the 1940s National League vs the 1950s American League in a series featuring signature franchises from their respective leagues. Arguably the greatest Cardinal squad of all time, the 1942 club lead by Billy Southworth, squared off against the only team to complete a "Five-peat" in baseball history, the 1953 New York Yankees lead by the great Casey Stengel.

The first two games were played in a packed house at Sportsman's Park in St. Louis, and the Cardinals looked quite comfortable at home, thank you. A 10 hit attack, coupled with two Yankee errors less than stellar control by the Bombers hurlers, and dominate pitching by Mort Cooper made for a lopsided 9-1 victory in the lid lifter. The Cardinals wasted no time in this one, putting all the runs they would need on the board in the bottom of the first after Cooper disposed of the Yankees in order in the top half.

Marty Marion started things with a single off of Whitey Ford, but was gunned down at second by Yogi Berra on a busted hit and run play. But Terry Moore, who swung and missed on the hit and run, then doubled. Enos Slaughter walked, and rookie Stan Musial timed a Ford off-speed pitch and hit one into the right field pavilion to put the Redbirds up by 3.

Cooper kept the Yankees at bay, pitching out of second-and-third-no-out jam in the second, and the Cardinals put 2 apiece across in each of the 5th, 6th, and 7th innings to cruise to victory. Cooper ended the day with 9 strikeouts, while Yankee hurlers walked 8 Swifites.

Game two was more of the same, and probably even more dominate for the Cardinals. They coasted to a 10-2 win behind 14 hits, 5 walks, and again the Yankees committed two miscues. Cardinal starter Johnny Beazley notched a complete game four hitter. The Cardinal offense was incredibly balanced, with every position player getting a hit, and no less than five players got two hits. Johnny Sain and Allie Reynolds were roughed up by the Cardinals, with Sain getting so frustrated he was kicked out of the game in the fourth inning for arguing with the ump on a questionable call in walking Slaughter.

The scene shifted to the Bronx for game three, with soft tossing lefty Eddie Lopat hoping to get the Bombers back in to the series, facing fellow southpaw Max Lanier. Lopat frustrated the Cardinals bats, as he went through the order relatively easy through the first four innings. But the Yankees offense was not able to muster up much against Lanier either, finally breaking through with a run in the fourth. It looked like a big inning for the Yankees when Yogi Berra lead off with a double, and Mickey Mantle and Gil McDougald walked loading the bases with no outs. Big Bill Renna came to the plate with a chance to break it open, and hit one right back to Lanier, who fired home for the force out. Don Bollweg then struck out, and with Lopat up it looked like Lanier had dodged a bullet. But lo and behold, Max walked Lopat to force in a run. He then got Billy Martin on an easy fly to Terry Moore in center to end the threat.

The Redbirds came right back to take the lead on singles by Ray Sanders and Jimmy Brown, a sacrifice bunt by Lanier, and a big two run single off the bat of Marty Marion.
The Yankees tied it in the seventh when after Lanier struck out Lopat looking, Bill Martin doubled. The Cardinals went to the bullpen to summon righthander Howie Krist to face Phil Rizzuto, but Rizzuto foiled the strategy with a double of his own to plate Martin. Krist then retired Hank Bauer, and manager Bike Mike again went to the pen to get another Howie, lefty Pollet this time, to face Yogi Berra. But Pollet lost Berra to a base on balls, but then rebounded to strike out Mickey Mantle batting righthanded.

Lopet and Pollet traded shutout innings in the eighth. Lopat then got Musial and Walker Cooper to start the 9th. But then lightning struck, as Whitey Kurowski launched a slow curve to right, just deep enough to get over the wall to put the Redbirds up 3-2.
With righthander "Gunboat" Gumbert warming up in the bullpen, Bike Mike stuck with Pollet to start the ninth despite three righthanded hitters due up. Pollet was equal to the task however, retiring Martin, Rizzuto and Bauer in order, with Bauer going down on strikes, to seal the win and the series.