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Rematch of 1954 Series Teams
By Jeremy Kahn June 10, 2005 |
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Major league baseball began interleague play in 1997. As a result, after a half a century, the Cleveland Indians and the San Francisco Giants will again face each other in a meaningful game. The last time these two teams met was on October 2, 1954 at old Cleveland Stadium in game four of the 1954 World Series. In that game, the Giants then plying their trade in New York, defeated the Indians 7-4 to win their first World Championship since 1933. The Giants have not since won the World Series. Don Liddle defeated Bob Lemon to clinch the series for the Giants, who were backed by some memorable plays both offensively and defensively. The two key plays came in game one at Polo Grounds, with Vic Wertz at the plate in the top of the eighth inning, he launched a towering fly ball to the deepest part of the ballpark. Willie Mays, who returned that season after spending the entire 1953 season in the Army, made probably the most replayed catch of all-time, holding the runners on base and helping send the drama into extra innings. In the bottom of the 10th inning, Dusty Rhodes hit a short flyball to right field, les than 300-feet at the foul pole, and it carried out of the ballpark, to give the Giants the 5-2 victory. That home run came off Bob Lemon, who pitched a complete game and lost game four. In the ensuing 51 years, the Giants moved to San Francisco, played in and lost 3 World Series. The Indians, after fielding poor teams for years, made the World Series in both 1995 and 1997, losing both. This version of the Indians has Bay Area ties. Former Stanford star Jody Gerut, along with Vallejo native C.C. Sabathia, anchor manager Eric Wedge’s rebuilding roster. The Giants and Indians. It may not be 1954; however, this is the first time these teams have ever met in interleague play and it should be fun baseball at SBC Park. |
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