Greatest moments in Dodger history No. 3: Winning the 1955 World Series

Hi, and welcome to another edition of Dodgers Dugout. My name is Houston Mitchell, and the greatest moment countdown continues

I’m assuming everyone knows how this works by now, so I’m going to drop the explanatory introduction to these. If you need a reminder, click on any of the Nos. 20-25 greatest moments below.

Up next is a World Series first.

No. 3: Winning the 1955 World Series (941 first-place votes, 29,892 points)

The Dodgers lost to the New York Yankees in the World Series in 1941. And in 1947. And in 1949. And in 1952. And in 1953. But then this happened:

Game 1 — Yankees 6, Dodgers 5

Game 2 — Yankees 4, Dodgers 2

Game 3 — Dodgers 8, Yankees 3

Game 4 — Dodgers 8, Yankees 5

Game 5 — Dodgers 5, Yankees 3

Game 6 — Yankees 5, Dodgers 1

Game 7 — Dodgers 2, Yankees 0

In their sixth Series matchup in 15 years, the Dodgers finally beat the Yankees. The Dodgers dropped the first two games, but won the next three in Brooklyn. In Game 3, Johnny Podres held the Yankees to three runs, one of them a homer by Mickey Mantle, who appeared in only three games because of a leg injury. Home runs by Roy Campanella, Gil Hodges and Duke Snider accounted for six of Brooklyn’s eight runs in Game 4 and Snider had two homers in the Game 5 win. The Yankees took Game 6, scoring all five of their runs in the first inning. In Game 7, Hodges drove in two Brooklyn runs with a single in the fourth and a sacrifice fly in the sixth and that was enough as left fielder Sandy Amoros stopped New York’s only scoring threat with a spectacular running catch in the sixth that started a double play and preserved Podres’ second win. Amoros’ catch was voted the 21st-greatest moment in Dodger history.

Podres, on starting Game 7: “I remember after the sixth game, Whitey Ford beat us and I said to Pee Wee Reese, ‘Don’t worry. I’ll shut them out.’ I was just kidding. But I didn’t feel there was any pressure on me. If I beat them, great. If not, I wasn’t supposed to, anyway. They were the Yankees. I slept good the night before. The Yankees probably figured I couldn’t do it again and the Dodgers had never beaten them, so they weren’t worried. Neither was I. There was no pressure on me.”

Or perhaps Vin Scully said it best: “In 1955, when the Dodgers won their only championship for Brooklyn, that was more than just a World Series victory. It was a crowning point for a borough that had given its heart to the ballclub and had been disappointed so many times. I can remember when that game ended in Yankee Stadium. Suddenly, the Bronx was in a football mode. Fall had arrived. And we went through the Battery Tunnel and came out on the Brooklyn side and hallelujah it was like VE Day and VJ Day! I mean there was dancing in the streets, block parties, stores were closed. That really stays in your mind and in your heart as well.”

For more on the 1955 World Series, read this fine article at walteromalley.com.

Previous greatest moments

No. 4: Sandy Koufax’s perfect game

No. 5: Winning the 2020 World Series

No. 6: Orel Hershiser’s scoreless innings streak

No. 7: Dodgers win the 1963 World Series

No. 8: Fernandomania

No. 9: Vin Scully’s final game at Dodger Stadium

No. 10: Maury Wills sets the stolen base record

No. 11: Dodgers move to L.A.

No. 12: Don Drysdale’s scoreless innings streak

No. 13: Four straight homers against the Padres

No. 14: Sandy Koufax’s shutout in Game 7 of the 1965 World Series

No. 15: Dodgers win 1981 World Series

No. 16: Roy Campanella Night

No. 17: Rick Monday’s 1981 NLCS home run

No. 18: Rick Monday saves the flag

No. 19: Winning the 1988 World Series

No. 20: Winning the 1959 World Series

No. 21: Sandy Amorós’ catch in 1955 World Series

No. 22: Cody Bellinger’s catch in 2020 NLDS

No. 23: Justin Turner’s walkoff homer in 2017 NLCS

No. 24: Sandy Koufax strikes out 15 in 1963 World Series Game 1

No. 25: Mike Scioscia’s 1988 NLCS homer

Don’t boo Yu Darvish

Times columnist Dylan Hernández talked to former Dodger Yu Darvish, who is now pitching for the Padres. Darvish expressed concern that he would be booed heavily by fans because of his performance in Game 7 of the 2017 World Series. As Dylan writes:

Actually, he was told, there’s a good chance he’ll receive a warm welcome there when he takes the mound for the Padres on Friday in the second game of their four-game series.

“Really?” he asked.

Darvish sounded genuinely surprised.”

“I really don’t want anyone to feel guilty,” Darvish said in Japanese. “The fans really wanted the team to win and cheered hard every day. If something like that happens at the end, it’s common sense they’d want to criticize the player, especially if he was acquired in a trade to help the team win.

“I’m on the Padres now. We’re challengers to the Dodgers. So it’s not as if I’m going to be hurt just because I’m booed. I also think booing is one of the things fans look forward to doing at the stadium. So please write that if they want to do it, I would like for them to not be overly considerate of my feelings and enjoy booing as loud as they can.”

Darvish recalled how in the team meeting immediately after the Game 7 loss, Justin Turner walked over and put his arm around him, remaining by his side as manager Dave Roberts addressed the team.

“I thought, ‘This person’s really a leader,’ ” Darvish said. “I thought I was really fortunate to play on a team with such a kind person.”

Darvish was particularly touched by how Clayton Kershaw asked him to be his throwing partner the following winter. They both make their offseason homes in the Dallas area.

Think of how much Kershaw wanted to win a World Series ring, Darvish said, and consider the generosity of spirit he demonstrated by setting aside his disappointment and reaching out to a player who might have cost him a championship.

“I do think I’ve become emotionally stronger since then, but not because I was strong,” Darvish said. “The strength that [Kershaw] had to do that has, in a way, become my strength, my support.”

And finally

Listen to the radio call of Game 7 of the 1955 World Series. Click here to listen.