GAME 6 (Ebbets Field) Dodgers 8, Yankees 4:
During the travel day off the Yankee skipper pondered who would toe the rubber in hopes of holding down the Dodger bats and forcing the all important game 7. The decision was simple: The Boomer, David Wells, who was outstanding in his last outing a complete game 1 run performance in game 2. Wells is a big man with a big thirst for the spotlight. He relishes these moments and seems to amp up his game when he puts on the Pinstripes or in this case, the road gray. The Dodgers decision was much harder. Preacher Roe was ready to go, but he was knocked around by the Bombers (5 runs) in his last outing or Big Don Newcombe who was fresh off a stellar performance...but could he go on 2 days rest ? The logical choice was to go with Roe and hold New back for a possible game 7, but Roe would be on a very tight leash just the same. Since the 1951 Dodgers are old school, game time for this one was 1:05 pm EST. Wind was gusting from Right to Left and even with the sun out the
temperature would not clime over 60ΓΈ. Translation: Perfect Fall Classic weather and setting. The opening ceremonies lasted a bit longer than scheduled as Mayor Wagner found a way to "ham it up" for the photogs. Roe threw his first pitch to Chuck Knoblauch at 1:12pm and by 1:13pm Knobby had struck out. Roe retired the side without a hitch and the Dodger faithful felt more at ease. Yankee fans, on the other hand, did not experience that same luxury as Jackie Robinson led off the bottom of the 1st with a sharp single to center off of Wells. Robinson was dancing off of 1st and the 35,000 fans that paid their way in to see the game today expected him to steal second. Instead Pee Wee Reese bunted him over in a more conventional play. Snider, who has been hitting the cover off the ball this series, was pitched to very carefully. Wells was not about to let him take advantage of the screen in right field. Snider the consummate professional sliced one to shallow left to make it 1st and 3rd with only 1 out. Wells then got Campy to line out to shallow center and the runners looked to be stranded, until Furillo singled home Robinson for the first run of the
day. Hodges struck out on 4 pitches to end the inning, but the Dodgers drew first blood. Roe set the Yanks down in order in the 2nd and looked good in doing so. Wells again was in trouble in the bottom of the frame, but escaped with just one run against and kept the Dodgers out of that big inning. Scotty "Big Game" Brosius homered in the 3rd to cut the Dodger lead to 2-1. You could hear a collective groan all across Kings County when it happened. If you walked by an walk up, brownstone or tenement you could hear the game on the radio going full blast. If you couldn't get to the game and you weren't able to stay home you just needed to walk the streets of Brooklyn to hear the old redhead, Red Barber on the call, along with his sidekick...some kid name Scully. Virtually all business was closed in Brooklyn because of the importance of this game. The bottom of the 3rd would see the home team strike for 2 and really have Wells on the ropes. Campy led the inning off with a walk, followed by two easy outs made by Furillo and Hodges. Up stepped Andy Pafko, who along with Abrams and Thompson shared the left field duties. Wells delivered a flat slider that Pafko turned on and promptly sent into the left field seats to make it 4-1 Brooklyn. By this point it was apparent to all that Boomer Wells did not have anything left in his left arm. By the bottom of the
4th Wells and the Yankees fates were sealed as the Boys of Summer graduated to becoming Men of the Fall by posting 3 runs and knocking Wells out of the box. Robinson tripled with 1 out, then scored on Reese's grounder to second. Up stepped Snider who turned on a fastball and deposited it onto Bedford Avenue. Action in the Yankee pen was fast and furious. Ramiro Mendoza couldn't move fast enough to get warm, but it was too late. Campy followed Snider's blow with one of his own and just like that dem Bums were up 7-1. New York did score 3 runs to make the final score a respectable 8-4, but the outcome was never in jeopardy. Roe pitched well and went the distance and the celebration was on in America's 4th largest city. Traffic was stopped for hours. Horns were blasting. The noise and bedlam could be heard and seen all the way to Canarsie. Dem Bums finally did it. They defeated the Evil Empire and brought Brooklyn it's elusive world Championship. All of the local tabloids featured headlines, articles and pictures glorifying Brooklyn's historical victory. Well hidden and hardly noticed was a three line snippet on page 32 of the Post informing us that one Walter O'Malley of Montague Street in Brooklyn purchased the rights to Los Angeles' Wrigley Field. On this day of euphoria in Brooklyn that article would mean nothing as time seemed to stand still.
During the travel day off the Yankee skipper pondered who would toe the rubber in hopes of holding down the Dodger bats and forcing the all important game 7. The decision was simple: The Boomer, David Wells, who was outstanding in his last outing a complete game 1 run performance in game 2. Wells is a big man with a big thirst for the spotlight. He relishes these moments and seems to amp up his game when he puts on the Pinstripes or in this case, the road gray. The Dodgers decision was much harder. Preacher Roe was ready to go, but he was knocked around by the Bombers (5 runs) in his last outing or Big Don Newcombe who was fresh off a stellar performance...but could he go on 2 days rest ? The logical choice was to go with Roe and hold New back for a possible game 7, but Roe would be on a very tight leash just the same. Since the 1951 Dodgers are old school, game time for this one was 1:05 pm EST. Wind was gusting from Right to Left and even with the sun out the
temperature would not clime over 60ΓΈ. Translation: Perfect Fall Classic weather and setting. The opening ceremonies lasted a bit longer than scheduled as Mayor Wagner found a way to "ham it up" for the photogs. Roe threw his first pitch to Chuck Knoblauch at 1:12pm and by 1:13pm Knobby had struck out. Roe retired the side without a hitch and the Dodger faithful felt more at ease. Yankee fans, on the other hand, did not experience that same luxury as Jackie Robinson led off the bottom of the 1st with a sharp single to center off of Wells. Robinson was dancing off of 1st and the 35,000 fans that paid their way in to see the game today expected him to steal second. Instead Pee Wee Reese bunted him over in a more conventional play. Snider, who has been hitting the cover off the ball this series, was pitched to very carefully. Wells was not about to let him take advantage of the screen in right field. Snider the consummate professional sliced one to shallow left to make it 1st and 3rd with only 1 out. Wells then got Campy to line out to shallow center and the runners looked to be stranded, until Furillo singled home Robinson for the first run of the 
day. Hodges struck out on 4 pitches to end the inning, but the Dodgers drew first blood. Roe set the Yanks down in order in the 2nd and looked good in doing so. Wells again was in trouble in the bottom of the frame, but escaped with just one run against and kept the Dodgers out of that big inning. Scotty "Big Game" Brosius homered in the 3rd to cut the Dodger lead to 2-1. You could hear a collective groan all across Kings County when it happened. If you walked by an walk up, brownstone or tenement you could hear the game on the radio going full blast. If you couldn't get to the game and you weren't able to stay home you just needed to walk the streets of Brooklyn to hear the old redhead, Red Barber on the call, along with his sidekick...some kid name Scully. Virtually all business was closed in Brooklyn because of the importance of this game. The bottom of the 3rd would see the home team strike for 2 and really have Wells on the ropes. Campy led the inning off with a walk, followed by two easy outs made by Furillo and Hodges. Up stepped Andy Pafko, who along with Abrams and Thompson shared the left field duties. Wells delivered a flat slider that Pafko turned on and promptly sent into the left field seats to make it 4-1 Brooklyn. By this point it was apparent to all that Boomer Wells did not have anything left in his left arm. By the bottom of the
4th Wells and the Yankees fates were sealed as the Boys of Summer graduated to becoming Men of the Fall by posting 3 runs and knocking Wells out of the box. Robinson tripled with 1 out, then scored on Reese's grounder to second. Up stepped Snider who turned on a fastball and deposited it onto Bedford Avenue. Action in the Yankee pen was fast and furious. Ramiro Mendoza couldn't move fast enough to get warm, but it was too late. Campy followed Snider's blow with one of his own and just like that dem Bums were up 7-1. New York did score 3 runs to make the final score a respectable 8-4, but the outcome was never in jeopardy. Roe pitched well and went the distance and the celebration was on in America's 4th largest city. Traffic was stopped for hours. Horns were blasting. The noise and bedlam could be heard and seen all the way to Canarsie. Dem Bums finally did it. They defeated the Evil Empire and brought Brooklyn it's elusive world Championship. All of the local tabloids featured headlines, articles and pictures glorifying Brooklyn's historical victory. Well hidden and hardly noticed was a three line snippet on page 32 of the Post informing us that one Walter O'Malley of Montague Street in Brooklyn purchased the rights to Los Angeles' Wrigley Field. On this day of euphoria in Brooklyn that article would mean nothing as time seemed to stand still.
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