Damn Yankees by Edward Drobinski - HTML preview
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Damn Yankees
Page 30
1949 World Series
Across town the Brooklyn Dodgers were "cutting it close" as well while managing to beat the St. Louis Cardinals by one game in the National League pennant race.
So, in the 1949 World Series, Stengel's first as a participant since 1923, the Yankees faced the Brooklyn Dodgers, who were assembling the team that would challenge the Yankees through much of his time in New York.
Don Newcombe, who had a 17-8 record as a Dodgers rookie in 1949,
drew the First Game start and did all he could to spoil Stengel's debut. Through eight innings of Game 1, Newcombe struck out eleven Yankees, walked no one, surrendered only four hits and had not permitted a run. Pitching rival Allie Reynolds wasn't far behind with nine strikeouts, four walks, two hits and
no runs. Reynolds managed to retire the order in the ninth on a grounder, pop up and fly ball, but Newcombe was not as lucky as the Yankees' Tommy Henrich put one in the right field stands for the win. The Dodgers answered the close Yankees' triumph the next day with a Game 2 nail biter of their own. Preacher Roe outpitched Vic Raschi for the 1-0 win and Gil Hodges singling home a run in the second inning.