1934 Cardinals vs. 1948 Indians Game 3

Looking to get his team back on track, Lou Boudreau called on 20-game winner Bob Lemon to start Game 3. Frankie Frisch gave the ball to his effective southpaw Bill Walker (12-4, 3.12 ERA).

Cleveland jumped out to an early lead when Joe Gordon lined a double into the left-center field gap to drive in two in the bottom of the first. Two innings later, Ken Keltner belted a solo homer to increase the home team's lead to three. In the top of the fourth, back-to-back-to-back hits from Ripper Collins, Joe Medwick, and Bill DeLancey plated two runs for the Redbirds. Following a groundout and a dropped foul pop by Indians catcher Joe Tipton, Jack Rothrock sliced a double down the left field line to drive in the tying run.

The game remained knotted at three into the eighth inning. In the top of that frame, singles by Frisch and Medwick and a double from DeLancey gave St. Louis the lead. Satchel Paige came on to relieve Lemon, but Orsatti greeted him with a double that scored two more for the Cards. Cleveland narrowed the deficit in the bottom of the eighth when Eddie Robinson singled to drive in Keltner. But Medwick tagged Paige for a two-run homer to right in the top of the ninth to increase the Redbird lead to four. Jesse "Pop" Haines retired the Indians in order in the ninth to close out the victory.

The series returns to Municipal Stadium for Game 4 with the Cardinals up three games to none.

St. Louis 8, Cleveland 4

1934 Cardinals vs. 1948 Indians Game 2

The second game of the championship series featured a matchup of star rookie pitchers: Gene Bearden (20-7, 2.43 ERA) vs. Paul Dean (19-11, 3.43 ERA). Both young hurlers were up to the challenge.

In the top of the third, Cleveland catcher Jim Hegan led off with a double and advanced to third on Bearden's sacrifice bunt. But Dale Mitchell lined into a double play to end the threat. In the bottom of the fifth, St. Louis loaded the bases with two outs but could not score. An inning later, singles by Medwick and Rothrock put Cardinals at the corners with just one out. Cleveland pulled the infield in, a move that proved wise after Eddie Robinson fielded an Orsatti grounder and gunned down Medwick at the plate. Bearden looked like he would escape the frame unscathed, but Spud Davis followed with a two-out double to drive in two runs for the home team. That was all Dean needed as he allowed only two hits in a masterful complete-game shutout.

After the game, Dizzy Dean (who gave up only one run in winning Game 1) told his brother Paul, "If I'd have known you was gonna throw a shutout, I'd have thrown one too!" The series moves to Cleveland for Game 3 with the Cardinals up two games to none.

St. Louis 2, Cleveland 0

1934 Cardinals vs. 1948 Indians Game 1

As the higher seed, the 1934 Cardinals will host the first two games of the best-of-seven championship series at Sportsman's Park. The next three games (if Game 5 is necessary) will be played in Cleveland and the final two games, if needed, will be in St. Louis again. The opening game featured a matchup of Hall of Fame fireballers, Dizzy Dean vs. Bob Feller.

The Cardinals jumped out to an early lead when Ripper Collins doubled with two outs in the bottom of the first. Catcher Bill Delancey then launched a drive that just cleared the right field screen to put St. Louis up 2-0. Feller settled down after that and did not allow another run through his five innings. Cleveland reliever Bob Muncrief followed with three scoreless frames to keep the game close.

Dean continued his mound dominance, taking a no-hitter into the seventh when Lou Boudreau beat out an infield single. Ol' Diz did not allow a run through eight innings, marking 22 scoreless frames thus far in the tournament. In the top of the ninth, Wally Judnich (pinch hitting for Jim Hegan) led off with a double. Hank Edwards (pinch hitting for Muncrief) followed with a single to put men at the corners with nobody out. Dale Mitchell then hit a sacrifice fly to right that scored Cleveland's first run. Larry Doby came to the plate representing the go-ahead run, but grounded into a 4-6-3 double play to end the game.

The Indians will look to even the series in Game 2.

St. Louis 2, Cleveland 1

Yankees vs. Indians Game 3

The Yankees-Indians semifinal matchup moved back to Yankee Stadium in 1927 for the deciding game of the best-of-three series. The visitors started Hall of Famer Bob Lemon (20-14, 2.82 ERA), while the home team countered with Urban Shocker (18-6, 2.84 ERA). 

Cleveland's MVP player-manager Lou Boudreau opened the scoring with a solo shot into the left field seats in the top of the first. An Earle Combs walk and Mark Koenig double gave New York men at second and third with nobody out in the bottom of the first. But Lemon struck out Babe Ruth and (after a walk to Gehrig) retired Meusel on a shallow fly and Lazzeri on a groundout to end the threat. In the top of the second, Cleveland scored three more when Gordon doubled, Robinson singled, Hegan reached on an error, and Lemon doubled.

Yankee fans grew restless as the visitors held their 4-0 advantage into the sixth. In the bottom of that frame, Ruth walked and Gehrig singled. Meusel then ripped a double into the gap in left-center to plate two runs for the Bombers. But in the top of the seventh, Ken Keltner doubled home Larry Doby to push the Cleveland lead back to three. Bob Lemon remained in command, but after he surrendered a double to Lazzeri to start the bottom of the ninth, Boudreau summoned Russ Christopher from the bullpen. After allowing a single to Dugan, Christopher retired the next two Yankee batters. Combs then singled to cut the deficit to two and put the tying run on base. But Christopher retired Koenig on a fly to center to end the game with Ruth in the on-deck circle.

Cleveland completes the surprising upset of Murderers' Row to advance to the tournament finals against the Gas House Gang.

1948 Indians 5, 1927 Yankees 3

Up next, Game 1 of the championship round!

Cardinals vs. Stars Game 2

Shibe Park in Philadelphia hosted Game 2 of the Cardinals-Stars semifinal matchup. After the marathon pitchers' duel in the series opener, batters were happy that Slim Jones and Dizzy Dean would not be playing in this game. But Philadelphia deployed another excellent southpaw hurler in Lefty Jones and St. Louis started another Dean on the mound: Dizzy's brother Paul.

Pepper Martin opened the game with a single and Frankie Frisch followed by drawing a walk. Ripper Collins then lifted a slicing fly ball to right that bounded off Jake Dunn's glove and rolled into the corner, allowing two runs to score. Following a sacrifice bunt, Jack Rothrock singled to give St. Louis an early 3-0 lead. In the second, Leo Durocher doubled, advanced to third on Dean's sac bunt, and scored on a Pepper Martin grounder to short.

Philadelphia got on the board in the third after Dick Seay walked and came around on a double by Holmes. Two batters later, Chaney White doubled to plate Holmes and cut the deficit to two. Paul Dean, however, was lights out the rest of the way. The young Cardinal hurler allowed only two singles after the third inning to pick up the complete-game victory.

The Gas House Gang sweeps the best two-of-three series and advances to the finals of the Tournament of Champions.

1934 Cardinals 4, 1934 Stars 2

Next up, the deciding Game 3 between the 1927 Yankees and 1948 Indians. 

Yankees vs. Indians Game 2

Municipal Stadium in Cleveland hosted Game 2 of this semifinal matchup between the 1927 Yankees and the 1948 Indians. Both teams started a Hall of Fame pitcher who won 19 games during the regular season: Herb Pennock vs. Bob Feller.

Earle Combs opened the game with a triple and then scored on a sacrifice fly by Mark Koenig. After Babe Ruth grounded out, Lou Gehrig blasted a deep drive over the right field wall to give the visitors an early 2-0 lead. Cleveland tied it in the second with a Joe Gordon home run, a pair of singles by Larry Doby and Eddie Robinson, and a squeeze bunt from Feller. In the top of the fourth, Ruth put the Yankees ahead again with a solo shot to center.

Cleveland claimed the lead in the bottom of the fifth with four hits (Mitchell double, Clark single, Boudreau double, Gordon single) that plated three runs. New York cut the lead to 5-4 in the sixth after Bob Meusel doubled home Ruth. In the bottom of that frame a walk to Robinson, a single by pinch hitter Joe Tipton, and a double by Allie Clark increased Cleveland's lead to three. Indians reliever Steve Gromek held the powerful Yankees lineup in check over the final three innings to even the series at one game apiece. Feller pitched five innings to pick up the win. The series moves back to the Bronx for the deciding third game.

Indians 7, Yankees 4

Next up, Game 2 of the Cardinals-Stars series.

Cardinals vs. Stars Game 1

The 1934 MLB champion St. Louis Cardinals hosted the 1934 NNL champion Philadelphia Stars at Sportsman's Park for Game 1 of their semifinal matchup. With the Stars dominant southpaw Slim Jones (20-4, 1.29 ERA) facing the Cards 30-game winner Dizzy Dean, a pitchers' duel seemed likely. But few could have predicted the extent of the mound excellence that was about to ensue.

Philadelphia put men at the corners with one out in the top of the fourth, but Dean escaped the jam with a strikeout and a ground out. Ernie Orsatti tripled with one out in the bottom of the fifth, but Jones extinguished the threat with a line out and a strikeout. Both aces were at the top of their game, handcuffing the batters in both lineups. With the game tied 0-0 after nine, the starters continued their duel into extras. Dean tossed 11 shutout frames before yielding the mound to Dazzy Vance. Jones did him one better, not allowing a run in 12 innings.

The scoreless tie continued into the 14th inning. St. Louis reliever Bill Walker sent the visitors down in order in the top of the frame. With one out in the home half of the inning, Frankie Frisch singled off fellow player-manager Webster McDonald. Frisch then called for a hit and run, which paid off when Ripper Collins singled to send him to third. McDonald intentionally walked Joe Medwick to set up a force at the plate. Batting with the bases loaded, Cardinals right fielder Jack Rothrock made solid contact, driving the ball to within a couple strides of the warning track in left. Deep enough for Frisch to sprint home with the winning run. And so ended this epic battle--the longest Diamond Legacies game I have ever played.

Cardinals 1, Stars 0 (14 innings)

Next up, Game 2 of the Yankees-Indians series.