1951 New York Yankees: Changing of the Guard

1951 New York Yankees: Changing of the Guard

1951 New York Yankees: Changing of the Guard

For the longest time The Yankee Clipper had patrolled center field at Yankee Stadium, but 1951 would be the year where Joe DiMaggio would bow out and say farewell to the game of baseball. A changing of the guard was in progress as the New York Yankees found a more than suitable replacement for DiMaggio to take care of center field. At the age of 19 Mickey Mantle would be found.

The Yankees went 98-56 in 1951, winning another American League pennant by 5 games over the Cleveland Indians. The Yankees went 15-7 against the Indians in head-to-head play. The Yankees went 56-22 at home and 42-34 on the road. The Yankees remained imposing to the rest of the American League as they went 8-4 in April, 18-9 in May, 16-11 in June, 17-11 in July, 21-12 in August and 18-9 in September. In blowout games that ended with margins of 5 or more runs, the Yankees went 28-14.

Middle infielder and third baseman Gil McDougald batted .306 with 14 home runs and 63 RBI’s off 123 hits, 23 doubles and 14 stolen bases in 131 games. Right fielder Hank Bauer batted .296 with 10 home runs, 103 hits and 19 doubles in 118 games. Catcher Lawrence Peter “Yogi” Berra batted .294 with 27 home runs and 88 RBI’s off 161 hits and 19 doubles. First baseman Joe Collins batted .286 with 9 home runs, 75 hits, 8 doubles and 9 stolen bases. Left fielder Gene Woodling batted .281 with 15 home runs and 71 RBI’s off 118 hits, 15 doubles and 8 triples in 120 games. Shortstop Phil Rizzuto batted .274 with 148 hits, 21 doubles, 6 triples and 18 stolen bases. Third baseman Bobby Brown had 84 hits and 15 doubles in 103 games.

Being given nicknames like “The Mick”, “The Commerce Comet” and “Muscles”, Mickey Mantle had 13 home runs and 65 RBI’s off 91 hits, 11 doubles, 5 triples and 8 stolen bases in 96 games. Joe DiMaggio had 12 home runs and 71 RBI’s off 109 hits and 22 doubles in 116 games. First baseman Johnny Mize had 10 home runs, 86 hits and 14 doubles in 113 games. Second baseman Jerry Coleman had 90 hits and 11 doubles in 121 games.

Starting pitcher Eddie Lopat wet 21-9 with a 2.91 ERA, 20 complete games and 4 shutouts. Vic Raschi went 21-10 with 164 strikeouts and a 3.27 ERA, recording 15 complete games and 4 shutouts. Allie Reynolds went 17-8 with 126 strikeouts and a 3.05 ERA, recording 16 complete games, 7 shutouts and 6 saves. Tom Morgan went 9-3 with a 3.68 ERA, recording 4 complete games, 2 shutouts and 2 saves.

Closer Joe Ostrowski went 6-4 with 2 complete games, 6 saves and a 3.49 ERA. Relief pitcher Bob Kuzava went 8-4 with 4 complete games, 1 shutout, 5 saves and a 2.40 ERA. Francis Joseph “Spec” Shea went 5-5 with 2 complete games and 2 shutouts. Art Schallock went 3-1 with a 3.88 ERA and 1 complete game. Johnny Sain went 2-1 with 1 complete game and 1 save. Tommy Byrne went 2-1 from the bullpen. Frank “Stubby” Overmire went 1-1 with 1 complete game.

Yogi Berra was the starting catcher in the 1951 MLB All-Star Game for the American League. Berra would also be named the American League Most Valuable Player. Phil Rizzuto and Joe DiMaggio also made the American League All-Star team, though they wouldn’t play. Manager Casey Stengel managed the American League.

The 1951 World Series was another battle inside the city of New York as the Yankees took on the National League Champion New York Giants. In Game 1 on October 4 at Yankee Stadium the Giants beat the Yankees 5-1. Dave Koslo was solid for the Giants as he pitched a complete game, giving up 7 hits, 3 walks and 1 run while recording 3 strikeouts. In the top of the 1st inning first baseman Whitey Lockman had an RBI ground rule double, and then left fielder Monte Irvin followed by stealing home plate. In the bottom of the 2nd Jerry Coleman had an RBI single, but then in the top of the 6th shortstop Al Dark secured the Giant victory by smashing a 3-run home run.

In Game 2 on October 5 the Yankees bounced back to beat the Giants 3-1. Eddie Lopat pitched a complete game, giving up 5 hits, 2 walks and 1 run while recording 1 strikeout. In the bottom of the 1st inning Gil McDougald had an RBI single, and in the bottom of the 2nd Joe Collins hit a solo home run. In the top of the 7th pinch hitting middle infielder and third baseman Bill “The Cricket” Rigney flew out to the outfield to score Irvin. In the bottom of the 8th Lopat had an RBI single.

In Game 3 on October 6 at the Polo Grounds, the Giants beat the Yankees 6-2. Jim Hearn served the Giants well by pitching 7.2 innings, giving up 4 hits, 8 walks and 1 run while recording 1 strikeout. In the bottom of the 2nd center fielder Willie Mays had an RBI single. In the bottom of the 5th Dark had an RBI single, Irvin hit into a fielder’s choice at third base to score Mays, and then Lockman blasted a 3-run home run. In the top of the 8th Collins drew a bases loaded walk to score Phil Rizzuto, and Gene Woodling hit a solo home run in the top of the 9th.

In Game 4 on October 8 the Yankees won 6-2. Irvin had an RBI single in the bottom of the 1st inning, and in the top of the 2nd Collins had his own RBI single. In the top of the 4th Allie Reynolds had his own RBI single, and in the top of the 5th Joe DiMaggio crushed a 2-run home run. In the top of the 7th Rizzuto was picked off at second base, but due to an error he was allowed to score. McDougald followed with an RBI single. In the top of the 9th outfielder Bobby Thomson had an RBI single, but no rally would follow.

Game 5 appeared to be the momentum-grabbing game for the Yankees as they crushed the Giants 13-1. Eddie Lopat pitched another complete game, giving up 5 hits, 1 walk and 1 run while recording 3 strikeouts. Irvin had an RBI single in the bottom of the 1st inning, but that would be it for the Giants. The Yankees then took over and never looked back. In the top of the 3rd DiMaggio had an RBI single, and McDougald followed by crushing a grand slam home run. In the top of the 4th Rizzuto smacked a 2-run home run. In the top of the 6th Yogi Berra had an RBI single, and Johnny Mize followed with an RBI double. In the top of the 7th a bases loaded walk drawn by Rizzuto scored Coleman, a wild pitch allowed Collins to score, and then DiMaggio had a 2-run double.

In Game 6 on October 10 at Yankee Stadium the Yankees beat the Giants 4-3 to capture yet another World Series Championship. Vic Raschi pitched 6 innings and gave up 7 hits, 5 walks and 1 run while recording 1 strikeout. In the bottom of the 1st inning McDougald flew out to the outfield to score Coleman. In the top of the 5th second baseman Eddie Stanky flew out to the outfield to score Mays. In the bottom of the 6th Hank Bauer hit a 2-run triple out to deep left field. In the top of the 9th the Giants attempted one last comeback as Irvin flew out to the outfield to score Stanky, and then Thomson flew out to the outfield to score Dark. However, the Giants came up 1 run short.

Phil Rizzuto would be given the Babe Ruth Award for his great performances in the World Series. Going out in style, Joe DiMaggio left behind a legacy that is still cherished by Yankees fans to this day. The very next year the reigns to center field would permanently be given to Mickey Mantle.