Game 4 - "Jack be Nimble"

GAME 4

French vs Pennock

Cubs 10, Yankees 8

In a wild and wooly game where that saw no fewer than 5 lead changes exchanged the Cubbies outlasted a depleted Bomber pen to even up the series.  With Herb Pennock getting knocked out of the box after 2 1/3 innings the Yankee pen was tapped 4 times as if they were a 2015 pen.  None of New York’s boys were capable of holding down the relentless Cubbies.  In contrast Jack Russell pitched 4 innings of 1 run ball in relief of putrid Cub starter Larry French with Bob Logan getting a scoreless 9^th inning save.  Both teams combined for 18 runs on 28 hits, yet no one hit a homer. 

Series tied 2-2

Game 3 - "Dean's List"

GAME 3 – Yankee Stadium

Dean vs Hoyt

Cubs 8, Yankees 2

In a must win game 3 on the road Cubs manager tapped veteran Dizzy Dean to control the Bombers and out-duel Waite Hoyt.  Dean, who won game 7 of the LCS scattered 9 hits and allowed just 2 runs to keep the big Bronx bats at bay.  Cub bats came alive with 8 runs on 13 hits.  Frank Demaree (2-4) knocked in 3 runs and Stan Hack brought in 2 as the Cubs give the Bombers their first post season loss.

Yankees lead series 2-1

Game 2 - "Urban Legend"

GAME 2

Shocker vs C.Bryant

Yankees 6, Cubs 4

A 3 run shot, by the Sultan of Swat, and a solo shot by “Poos h ‘em up” Tony Lazzeri lead put the Bombers up 4-0.  Chicago played small ball and after 6 inning of play cut NY’s lead to 4-3.  Then in the 7^th the Bambino ripped a two run single, which would turn out to plate the eventual winning run.  Urban Shocker went 7 and gained the win.  Bryant who gave up all 6 runs took it on the chin  New York, who has won 10 straight playoff games looks unbeatable as the series heads back to the Bronx.

Yankees lead series 2-0

KOD22 World Series Game 1 - "Bomber draw first Blood"

GAME 1 – Wrigley Field

Pennock vs B.Lee

Yankees 5, Cubs 4

Cub starter Bill Lee (no that guy) was cruising for 6 innings of shutout ball until the Bronx Bombers exploded for 5 runs in the top of the 7^th.  RBI singles by PH Ben Paschal and SS Mark Koenig got the party started.  A bases clearing double by the Bambino was the final stake in the heart of Cub fans.

Yankees lead series 1-0

26 Bombers sweep 39 Tribe to head to World Series.

The ALCS between the 1926 Yankees and the 1939 Indians opened with high expectations. The Indians were the top seed and had just disposed of another Yankees team (the 1924 squad) with many of the same players.  The Yankees had also just beaten the 1940s Indians squad and had not lost a game in the postseason.

Game 1 at Cleveland: Pennock vs Harder

The Yankees got off to a solid start with a solo shot by Bob Muesel in the top of the second, but the Tribe stormed back in their half of the fourth with two runs on four singles by Campbell, Solters, Hale and Bouderau. The wheels came off for Mel Harder in the top of the sixth: consecutive RBI singles by Pat Collins and Joe Dugan led Yankee manager Michael Hopcroft to replace starter Herb Pennock with pinch hitter Ben Paschal, who grounded into an error at shortstop to load the bases.  This was immediately followed by a two-run single from Earle Combs to give the Yankees a 5-2 lead. Cleveland got one back on a Helmsley RBI single, but three Yankee relievers held serve the rest of the way. An insurance run in the ninth off a Tony Lazzeri RBI double sealed the win as the Yankees took Game 1 6-3. Pennock took the win, Harder got the lost, Braxton got the save.

Game 2 at Cleveland: Shocker vs Allen

Game 2 gave every indication from the very start that it would not be a pitching duel. It became clear in the top of the first, when Babe Ruth hit his first homerun of the postseason and Lou Gehrig followed up with his second, staking the Yankees to a three-run lead. But the Indians got all of it back when Heath hit a three-run shot off of Urban Shocker. Hal Trosky would drive in a run in the second and it was clear Herb Pennock would not last long. Tony Lazzeri hit a two-run shot in the top of the third to give the Yankees the lead back and Pennock held the Tribe off the board for two more innings. Then in the fifth the Yankees tacked on three more on three hits, a walk, and an error. With Pennock having been lifted for a pinch-hitter, Hopcroft handed the ball to Bob Shawkey, who allowed one run and one hit the rest of the way to claim the win and give New York am 8-5 win and a 2-0 series lead headed to Yankee Stadium.

Game 3 at New York: Feller vs Hoyt

The most effective pitchers on each side took the mound as the series traveled to Yankee Stadium, with Tribe ace Bob Feller squaring off against the Yankees’ Waite Hoyt. For five and a half innings the bats were quiet, until Feller got hammered in the sizth with Babe Ruth’s second postseason homerun and Bob Meusel’s second. Although Heath led off the seventh inning with a solo shot, Feller would give up two more runs in the bottom of the inning and matter had been settled. The Yankees took the win 7-2, with Hoyt taking the win on eight innings of two-run ball. Feller took the loss.

Game 4 at New York: Milnar vs Pennock

Looking to close out at home, the Yankees sent out Herb Pennock on three days rest. In the bottom of the fourth inning; the Yankees were able to load the bases, send nine men to the plate, and score three runs on two hits, three walks and an error. That was all Pennock would need. He pitched the entire game scorelessly, giving up four hits and no walks. The Yankees secured the pennant with a 5-0 win and send manager Hopcroft to his second World Series in three seasons against the 1938 Cubs, winners of the National League pennant.

Congratulations to Dovid Zaner on a great season!

--submitted by Michael Hopcroft--

1938 Cubs win NL Pennant in 7 game series vs 1941 Reds

GAME 1 - Wrigley Field
Riddle vs Dean
Cubs 6, Reds 4

'Ole Diz wasn't at his best, so after 4 he was lifted for a pinch hitter (Tony Lazzeri).  That move seemed to work wonders for the Northsider's confidence as the bats came alive to turn a 3-1 deficit into a 6-3 lead.  All Star backstop Gabby Hartnett was 4 for 5, but didn't score a run or knock in a run.  Augie Galan (3-4) knocked in 2 and scored 2.  Sometimes thing work that way.  J.Russell pitched 3 scoreless innings for the win and Epperly gave up just 1 run in 2 innings to get something called a save, which no one really seams to understand back in the pre-war days.  After the game the press started to speculate that Dean might be done for the series and washed up for good with his toe and foot ailing.  If so, this would not be the way he wanted to go out on the grand stage.
Cubs lead series 1-0

GAME 2

Derringer vs Bryant
Reds 5, Cubs 3

Down 3-0 after 6 both the sunlight and the Reds chances seemed to be darkening.  An RBI single by Werber in the 7th made it 3-1.  Then in the 8th Harry Craft slammed a 363 foot shot just beyond the ivy to plate 4 runs and give the Redlegs a 5-3 lead.  Paul Derringer who threw 141 pitches in anger was tuckered out, so Beggs came in to set the Cubbies down to secure the win and get himself one of those save things.
Series tied 1-1

GAME 3 - Crosley Field
Lee vs Vander Meer
Cubs 3, Reds 2

Bill Lee got the best of Johnny "Double No-Hit" Vander Meer in a well pitched and well played (no errors) game.  For a while it looked like Vandy was going to be the top dog, but he threw an awful lot of pitches (163) and his arm went to mush in the top of the 9th where Babe Herman singled home two runs to put the Cubbies on top.  Cincy had their chance in the home half of the 9th, but Lee set the side down in order for the win.
Cubs lead series 2-1

GAME 4

French vs Walters
Reds 5, Cubs 2

A 2-2 tie was broken in the bottom of the 7th when the Reds got hit happy with 2 outs.  Ernie Koy led off the inning with a triple, but after Joost and Werber got out it looked like Koy was going to be stranded 90 feet from home.  In a curious move manager Clouser let his starting hurler Bucky Walters bat for himself.  Having his manager's confidence gave Bucky the moxie he needed, which resulted in an RBI double to give the Reds a 3-2 lead.  For good measure both Mike McCormick and Lonny Frey singled home runs to push the lead to 3.  Walters shut the door on the Cubbies in the 8th and 9th for the complete game win.
Series tied 2-2

GAME 5
Bryant vs Derringer
Cubs 6, Reds 1

In the pivotal game 5 Clay Bryant was magical for 8 innings.  The Reds got their knocks (8), but the runs came as frequently as Jack Benny picked up a dinner tab.  On the other side of the coin the Cubbies had no trouble scoring, which hastened Derringer's departure.  Cincy's starter was gone after giving up 5 runs in 4 innings.  J.Russell came on in the 9th to finish it out for Bryant.  Frank Demaree (3-4) had 2 runs scored and 1 knocked in to pace a balanced Cub attack.
Cubs lead series 3-2

GAME 6 - Wrigley Field

Vander Meer vs French
Reds 4, Cubs 2

The boys hopped a train at Union Station in the Queen City and headed to Chi-town via Indy.  The pressure was square on the back of the man known for throwing back to back no hitters.  That man, Johnny Vander Meer, wasn't near perfect today, but he was as good as he needed to be.  Cincy bats jumped out to a 4-0 lead on Larry French, by doing damage in the top of the 2nd.  Back to back to back singles by Craft, Koy and Werber accounted for the first run.  Lonny Frey's 2 out 2 run single made it 3-0 and Mike McCormick's line shot double gave the Reds all the runs they would need for the day.  Chicago clawed their way back with solo runs in the 2nd and 6th, but that would not be enough to gain victory of Vandy and his 9th inning replacement Ray Starr.
Series tied 3-3

GAME 7
Riddle vs Dean
Cubs 2, Reds 0

Tension filled the air in the friendly confines.  Everyone was nervous, except 'Ole Dizzy Dean, who had been grabbing pine since game 1.  Dean never gets nervous.  In fact the bigger the moment the calmer "The Great Man" from Lucas, Arkansas got.  Dean walked to the mound with the swagger of a man who had been there and done that many times before.  For 4 1/2 innings both Dean and his opposing number, Elmer Riddle, were throwing up goose eggs.  In the bottom of the 4th the Cubs began to threaten.  Reynolds led off the frame with a clean single.  Galan followed it up with a shot to the track that would have gone out if the wind was howling.  Hartnett singled to put runners on first and second, but Ripper Collins popped to first for the second out.  Al Demaree followed with a seeing eyed single that found it's way just past McCormick (1B) and Frey (2B).  Babe Herman flew out weakly to right to end the inning, but Dean now had himself a 1-0 lead.  After three and a half innings of zero the score remained 1-0 until Galan singled home Stan Hack with 2 outs in the bottom of the 8th to provide Diz with some breathing room.  The top of the 9th saw Frank McCormick lead off with a clean single.  Patrons in the grandstand were on the edge of their seat knowing that with one swing of the bat this game could be tied.  Once again "The Great Man" was more than up for the task.  First things first he got "The Schnozz" to pop up to Collins at first.  Then he got Craft to hit a slow roller to Herman at second.  To end it off he got Goodman to do what Craft did.  As soon as Collins closed his mitt on Herman's throw the crowd rushed the field as the Cubbies celebrated another NL Pennant.  You see these Cubbies go to the World Series every 3 years (1929, 1932, 1935, 1938), so North Side fans are used to success.  Dean, who threw himself a 5 hit shutout, was carried off the field as the conquering hero.  Manager Andy Weinrib heads to his second KOD World Series in 3 seasons.
Cubs win series in 7

ALDS - '26 Murders Row sweeps '39 Tribe

Well, it was a great regular season for the Indians, who had KOD's best record. But with all their energies devoted to the season, the Indians didn't have much left in the tank to face the Yankee's Murderers' Row lineup.

Game One was close but the next two saw the Yankees' turn up the jets offensively and easily perform a tomahawk chop to the solar plexis of the Tribe team. The Yankees win the series, 3-0.

Game One: Bob Feller and Waite Hoyt hold a pitching clinic, with Feller striking out 10. But with a 2-0 lead for the Indians, the Yankees dented his armor slightly, tying the score late on a Lou Gehrig homer and a Tony Lazzeri run-scoring triple.

Tied at two apiece in the top of the 12th, Joe Dugan doubled to lead off the inning. ManagerYankees 3, Indians 2 (12)
Game Two: The only good news for the Indians is that they had 12 hits off Yankees' starter Herb Pennock. But the bad news is that they only scored four runs, while their pitching was a sieve. Starter Al Milnar ended up allowing eight runs in 6.2 innings, as the Yankees exploded for a seven run seventh to break it open.  The long inning included four doubles and three singles, including a three run double from Mark Koenig that opened the door for the rout. Yankees 10, Indians 4.

Game Three: There was some hope for the Indians in this one. The Yankees went up 5-2 early with a three run fifth off Indians starter Al Smith, including back-to-back-to-back singles in the inning. But in the top of sixth, Jeff Heath belted a three run home to tie the game at five.

However, the Yankees weren't done scoring, coming back for three in the bottom of the sixth that included a bases clearing double from Tony Lazzeri to make it 9-5. Unfortunately for Cleveland fans, the Indians were cooked after that and couldn't muster much of a rally. Yankees 9, Indians 6. The AL championship will be a great matchup between 39 Cleveland and 26 New York. I expect a lot of offense in this one.

An exciting season of KOD 22 is over for me. I enjoyed the games and company. See you all in KOD 23.


Regards,

Pryweller brought in Joe Dobson and then Johnny Allen to attempt to put out the fire. But they just ignited the flames, as Allen walked in the winning run with two outs.

Joe Pryweller