1969 World Series Game 2

The teams returned to Memorial Stadium in Baltimore for Game 2 of the 1969 World Series. Looking to even things up, the Orioles sent 20-game winner Dave McNally to the mound. New York countered with its own stellar southpaw, 17-game winner Jerry Koosman.

The Orioles opened the scoring in the bottom of the first when Don Buford led off with a single and then stole second. He advanced to third when Frank Robinson chopped a slow bouncer that Koosman misplayed for an error. Buford scored on a ground out by Boog Powell. In the top of the fourth, Paul Blair reached when Koosman threw wildly to first for his second error of the game. Following a walk to Powell, Brooks Robinson singled to left to put Baltimore up 2-0.

McNally, meanwhile, was at the top of his game. But in the fifth inning, he hung a breaking ball over the heart of the plate that New York catcher Jerry Grote blasted over the left field wall. That solo shot proved to be the lone offensive highlight for the Mets as McNally encountered little trouble the rest of the way. Earl Weaver's star lefty allowed only five hits, while striking out 11 in a complete game victory.

Even at one game apiece, the series heads to Queens for Game 3.

Game 2: Baltimore 2, New York 1

1969 World Series Game 1

With the release of Diamond Legacies 1969 just days away, I started a replay of the World Series from that year. The series opened at Memorial Stadium in in Baltimore. Mike Cuellar took the hill for the heavily favored Orioles, while Tom Seaver got the start for the underdog Mets. Each pitcher won his league's Cy Young Award for that season, so it is no surprise that a pitcher's duel ensued.

The game remained scoreless until the top of the fifth when New York catcher Jerry Grote doubled to lead off the frame. Cuellar struck out the next two batters, but Tommie Agee then drilled a double off the center field wall to score Grote. That lone tally was all that Seaver needed. The Franchise lived up to his name, allowing only two hits and a walk to the powerful Baltimore lineup. Seaver struck out seven in a masterful shutout performance.

Game 1: New York 1, Baltimore 0    

Volume 6 Update

Postseason baseball has begun! And the next volume of Diamond Legacies is not far behind.

Diamond Legacies 1969 will be available in mid-October.

Diamond Legacies Book 6

I am working on the sixth volume of the Diamond Legacies series. It will be available next month.

Your clue about which season is next ... it was an amazin' year in baseball.

Video Review of Diamond Legacies Book 5

Kurt Bergland's Baseball World just posted a video on Diamond Legacies 1955. Many thanks to Kurt for discussing the latest volume of my game on his channel. Click the image below to watch the video.

More 1955 Games

In a matchup of second place teams in 1955, the Milwaukee Braves battled the Cleveland Indians. With Warren Spahn and Herb Score on the mound, it is no surprise this turned out to be a pitcher's duel. Each team only managed three hits, but Cleveland scored on a Vic Wertz homer in the second and a Larry Doby RBI-grounder that plated Bobby Avila in the sixth. Herb Score struck out 10 in a dominating shutout performance.

Cleveland 2, Milwaukee 0

The next contest pitted the seventh-place St. Louis Cardinals against the sixth-place Kansas City Athletics. The starters Harvey Haddix and Bobby Shantz each pitched well and the A's held a 3-1 lead heading into the ninth. But in the top of that frame an RBI-triple from Stan Musial and an RBI-single from Wally Moon pulled the Cards into a tie. In the bottom of the 10th, Vic Power drilled a double into the RF corner to plate Harry "Suitcase" Simpson with the winning run.

Kansas City 4, St. Louis 3 (10 innings)

1955 World Series Game 6

One win from the championship, Walter Alston gave the starting nod to southpaw Karl Spooner. Casey Stengel countered with his ace Whitey Ford. The capacity crowd at Yankee Stadium hoped today would not mark the end of the season.

Ford ran into early trouble when Brooklyn loaded the bases with two outs in the first. Gil Hodges drew a walk to force in the first run of the game. The Dodgers added another run in the fifth when Roy Campanella delivered an RBI-groundout that sent Jim Gilliam across the plate. Spooner, meanwhile, was in peak form, allowing only one hit to the Bombers through six innings. In the seventh, however, Yogi Berra hit a fly ball that just cleared the wall in right field.

In the top of the eighth, pinch hitter George Shuba gave the visitors some insurance with an RBI-single that plated Hodges. Dodger reliever Don Bessent then tossed two scoreless innings to close out the 3-1 victory. 

After years of frustration, Brooklyn finally triumphs over the Yankees and claims its first World Series title.

Game 6: Brooklyn 3, New York 1