By Ron Griffitts
Contributing columnist
In fall 1923, the New York Giants (95-58) managed by John McGraw met the New York Yankees (98-54) managed by Miller Huggins in the World Series.
The Giants were led on offense by George Kelly (.307 BA, 16 HR, 103 RBI), Frankie Frisch ( .348 BA, 111 RBI, 116 R, 29 SB, 10 3b), Dave Bancroft (.304 BA), Heinie Groh ( .290 BA, 91 R), Ross Youngs ( .336 BA, 121 R, 87 RBI, 200 H, 12 3b), Irish Meusel ( .297 BA, 19 HR, 119 RBI, 102 R, 14 3b) and Casey Stengel ( .339 BA).
Their pitching staff was headed by Hugh McQuillan (15-14), Jack Scott (16-7), Art Neff (13-10), Jack Bentley (13-8) and Mule Watson (8-5) with Rosy Ryan (16-5) in the bullpen.
The Yankees were led on offense by Babe Ruth ( .393 BA, 41 HR, 130 RBI, 151 R, 205 H, 13 3b, 17 SB, 170 BB), Wally Pipp ( .304 BA, 109 RBI), Joe Dugan (111 R), Bob Meusel (.313 BA, 91 RBI) and Whitey Witt (.314 BA, 113 R).
Their pitching staff was anchored by Joe Bush (19-15), Bob Shawkey (16-11), Sad Sam Jones (21-8), Waite Hoyt (17-9)and Herb Pennock (19-6).
Game one was in the newly built Yankee Stadium with Mule Watson and Waite Hoyt as opposing pitchers. The game was fairly even and tied 4-4 after eight innings when Giant centerfielder Casey Stengel homered off of Joe Bush for a 5-4 Giants win and a 1-0 series lead.
For game two, Herb Pennock pitched a complete game 4-2 win with the help of two home runs by Babe Ruth and one by Aaron Ward and the Yankees tied the series up 1-1.
The good pitching continued in game three as Giant lefthander Art Nehf pitched a six hit shutout and Casey Stengel provided all the offense he needed with a solo home run. The Giants won 1-0 and took a 2-1 series lead.
For game four, the teams switched to the Polo Grounds which the Yankees were familiar with as that had been both theirs and the Giant’s home field while Yankee Stadium was being built.
The Yanks scored eight runs on their way to an 8-4 victory with Everett Scott, Whitey Witt and Bob Meusel driving in two runs each to even the series at 2-2.
The Yankees continued their prolific scoring in game five with seven runs in the first two innings with a three-run Joe Dugan home run and a three-run triple by Bob Meusel being the key hits. Joe Bush pitched a complete game victory and the Yankees took a 3-2 lead in the series with an 8-1 win.
In game six, the Giants led 4-1 going into the eighth inning when the Yankees scored five runs off of Art Nehf and went on to a 6-4 win in the game and the World Series. Babe Ruth homered in the first inning for his fourth of the series and Frank Snyder added one for the Giants.
The Giants were back the following year and the Yankees returned to the Fall Classic in 1926.
Casey Stengel spent a long career in MLB which ranged from 1912 to 1965. He was a player for twelve years and a manager for twenty-five, twelve of which were with the New York Yankees from 1949 to 1960 at which time they won ten pennants and seven World Series. He spent his last years as manager of the expansion New York Mets and was inducted as a manager into the baseball Hall of Fame in 1966.
Statistics were from baseball-reference.com.
