It happened on Sept. 18, 1954, but it really happened before then.
The New York Yankees would go on to win 103 games, which would be the most the perennial World Champions would ever win under their greatest manager of all time, Casey Stengel, but the Cleveland Indians would be American League Champions.
On Sept. 12, the Yankees were in Cleveland to face the Tribe in a doubleheader before a record crowd of 86,563 paying customers. Yes, the Indians were a force during the early and mid-1950s.
The Indians were World Champions in 1948, but from 1949-1953, the Yankees won five consecutive pennants and followed each pennant by winning the World Series.
Nineteen fifty four was different. The best the Yankees could produce would not be good enough.
The Indians led the Yankees by six a half games. The Yankees had to sweep in order to keep their slim pennant hopes alive. They sent Whitey Ford to the mound to face Bob Lemon.
Whitey struggled through six innings, allowed five hits and four walks, but the Indians could score only one run which the Yankees matched. Stengel pinch-hit for Ford in the seventh inning, but the Yankees didn't score. Allie Reynolds lost the game in relief.
The second game proved that Cleveland really was the better team. Early Wynn held the Yankees to three lonely hits on his way to a 3-2 win. The Yankees jumped off to a 2-0 lead in the first, but they couldn't score again.
Mickey Mantle struck out six times in the twin bill. The last was his 100th of the season, which was an ignominious achievement in those days. It is still an ignominious achievement today, but it is not recognized as such.
Less than a week later, the Indians beat the Detroit Tigers to clinch their first pennant since 1948. The paid attendance was 6,913.
Early Wynn beat former teammate Steve Gromek, but needed help from ace relief pitcher Ray Narleski.
Gromek outdueled Wynn until Dale Mitchell belted a pinch-hit two run homer in the seventh to put the Tribe up by a run. Before the inning was over, catcher Jim Hegan hit a home run for a 3-1 lead, but Wynn had problems with the Tigers.
Bill Tuttle, one of the greatest defensive center fielders who is hardly remembered today, led off the bottom of the seventh with a ringing single to center field. After catcher Frank House struck out, pinch-hitter Bob Nieman singled to right field, sending Tuttle to second.
Wynn got the dangerous Harvey Kuenn on a fly ball to center fielder Larry Doby for the second out, but then the Indians' big right-hander walked the offensively challenged Freddie "Scrap Iron" Hatfield to load the bases.
When Wynn walked Jim Delsing to force in run, Narleski came in to face Ray Boone.
Boone grounded out to third.
The Indians had snapped the Yankees' streak of pennants. They went on to win a record 111 games, a mark that stood until the 1998 Yankees won 114 games, but the Tribe's winning percentage was .721 compared the Yankees' .704.
The 1954 Yankees were an outstanding team in a weak league. After the Indians and Yankees, the Chicago White Sox won 94 games, for a .610 percentage, but the fourth place BoSox won only 69 times to finish 42 games behind the Tribe.
The Baltimore Orioles, in their first season since moving from the great city of St. Louis, managed only 54 wins, and the once-great Philadelphia Athletics, in what turned out to be their last season in Philly, were 51-103, finishing 60 games out of first place.
References:
By LOUIS EFFRAT Special to The New York Times.. (1954, September 13). Indians Sink Yanks Twice Before Record 86,563; Magic Number Is Three :LEMON, WYNN HURL 4-1, 3-2 TRIUMPHS They Help Indians Lift Lead to 8 1/2 Games Over Yanks -- Berra Wastes Homer. New York Times (1923-Current file),27. Retrieved December 18, 2010, from ProQuest Historical Newspapers The New York Times (1851 - 2007). (Document ID: 93409424).
By The United Press.. (1954, September 19). TRIBE TOPS TIGERS :Mitchell, Hegan Homers in 3-Run Seventh Win, 3-2, and End Race INDIANS WIN FLAG WITH 3-2 TRIUMPH. New York Times (1923-Current file),S1. Retrieved December 18, 2010, from ProQuest Historical Newspapers The New York Times (1851 - 2007). (Document ID: 92606757).
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