1928 WORLD SERIES

New York Yankees (4) vs St. Louis Cardinals (0) | Baseball Almanac

After coming off of a magical season, the defending champion Yankees managed to hold off the Athletics to win their third consecutive pennant by 2½games, but at a serious cost as injuries depleted their line-up. Pitcher Herb Pennock (17-6) was on the sidelines for the Series with a sore arm. Centerfielder Earle Combs was available only as a pinch-hitter because of a broken finger. Second baseman Tony Lazzeri suffered a lame-throwing arm, and Babe Ruth was playing on a bad ankle. The St. Louis Cardinals, however, were all in good shape and ready for a repeat of the 1926 contest when they had dethroned New York four games to three.

For Game 1, Waite Hoyt went up against Bill Sherdel in a classic rematch of David vs. Goliath. The Babe managed to play, despite his inability to run and he and his young protégé both put on quite a show. Ruth had a single and two doubles, Gehrig went two-for-four with two RBIs and Bob Meusel knocked a two-run home run on the way to a 4-1 opening victory.

Grover Alexander (who had embarrassed the Yankees and their pitching staff in the '26 Series) returned for Game 2, but lacked the dominating presence of two years ago. Lou Gehrig started things off with a three-run homer in the first inning and the Yankees continued to score without resistance on the way to a 9-3 victory.

As expected, Ruth and Gehrig continued to abuse the Cardinals' pitching staff with reckless abandon. The Iron Horse launched two blasts in Game 3 for a 7-3 win and The Babe knocked three into the seats in Game 4 (with Gehrig contributing one) for another 7-3 triumph and a second sweep for the World Championship.

Both sluggers had combined to go sixteen-for-twenty-seven at the plate, with a .593 average, seven homers and thirteen RBIs. Ruth set one of many Series records hitting an unbelievable .625 with ten hits in four games. Gehrig hit .545 and set his own record with nine RBIs in four games.

It truly was a two-man show as the rest of the Yankees batted .196, but were supported by solid pitching by Hoyt, George Pipgras and Tom Zachary. The perennial World Champions had managed to save-face after a difficult season and once again proved that they were the best-of-the-best. Research by Baseball Almanac.

Baseball Almanac Top Quote

"Word of the Cardinals winning the National League championship this afternoon was followed by small demonstrations downtown and in many parts of the city, but the reaction was not comparable with the great outburst (in) 926, when the Cardinals brought St. Louis its first pennant in 38 years." - St. Louis Gazette (September 29, 1928)

1928 World Series

1928 World Series Pin

1928 World Series Commemorative Pin

1927 | New York Yankees (4) vs St. Louis Cardinals (0) | 1929

Game 1 Date | Box Score 10-04-1928
Location Yankee Stadium
1st Pitch From: James J. Walker (Mayor of NYC, 1926-32)
To: Not Yet Determined (--)
Attendance 61,425
Game 2 Date | Box Score 10-05-1928
Location Yankee Stadium
Attendance 60,714
Game 3 Date | Box Score 10-07-1928
Location Sportsman's Park
1st Pitch From: Victor J. Miller (Mayor of St. Louis, MO 1925-33)
To: Not Yet Determined (--)
Attendance 39,602
Game 4 Date | Box Score 10-09-1928
Location Sportsman's Park
Attendance 37,331
1928 World Series History | Research by Baseball Almanac

Game 1 of the 1928 World Series

1928 World Series Program, New York Yankees Version

1928 World Series Yankee Stadium Official Program

Line Score | Box Score

Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
St. Louis 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 3 1
New York 1 0 0 2 0 0 0 1 x 4 7 0
Bill Sherdel (L)
  Syl Johnson (8th)
Waite Hoyt (W)
  -
Jim Bottomley (7th) Bob Meusel (4th)

Game 2 of the 1928 World Series

Line Score | Box Score

Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
St. Louis 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 4 1
New York 3 1 4 0 0 0 1 0 x 9 8 2
Grover Alexander (L)
  Clarence Mitchell (3rd)
George Pipgras (W)
  -
None Lou Gehrig (1st)

Game 3 of the 1928 World Series

1928 World Series Program, St. Louis Cardinals Version

1928 World Series Sportsman's Park Official Program

Line Score | Box Score

Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
New York 0 1 0 2 0 3 1 0 0 7 7 2
St. Louis 2 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 3 9 3
Tom Zachary (W)
  -
  -
Jesse Haines (L)
  Syl Johnson (7th)
  Flint Rhem (8th)
Lou Gehrig (2nd)
Lou Gehrig (4th)
None
-

Game 4 of the 1928 World Series

Line Score | Box Score

Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
New York 0 0 0 1 0 0 4 2 0 7 15 2
St. Louis 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 3 11 0
Waite Hoyt (W)
  -
Bill Sherdel (L)
  Grover Alexander (7th)
Babe Ruth (4th)
Babe Ruth (7th)
Lou Gehrig (7th)
Cedric Durst (8th)
Babe Ruth (8th)
None
-
-
-
-

1928 World Series

New York Yankees 1928 World Series Composite Hitting Statistics

New York Yankees 1928 World Series Composite Hitting Statistics

Benny Bengough
Pat Collins
Earle Combs
Joe Dugan
Leo Durocher
Cedric Durst
Lou Gehrig
Waite Hoyt
Mark Koenig
Tony Lazzeri
Bob Meusel
Ben Paschal
George Pipgras
Gene Robertson
Babe Ruth
Tom Zachary
c
c
ph
3b
2b
of
1b
p
ss
2b
of
of
p
3b
of
p
4
1
1
3
4
4
4
2
4
4
4
3
1
3
4
1
13
1
0
6
2
8
11
7
19
12
15
10
2
8
16
4
3
1
0
1
0
3
6
1
3
3
3
2
0
1
10
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
1
1
0
0
0
3
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
4
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
3
0
1
0
0
0
0
3
5
0
1
2
5
0
0
1
9
0
1
0
1
1
0
2
9
0
0
0
3
1
1
2
4
0
.231
1.000
.000
.167
.000
.375
.545
.143
.158
.250
.200
.200
.000
.125
.625
.000
1
0
0
0
0
0
6
0
0
1
2
1
0
1
1
0
1
0
0
0
1
1
0
0
1
0
5
0
1
0
2
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
2
2
0
0
0
0
0

1928 World Series

St. Louis Cardinals 1928 World Series Composite Hitting Statistics

St. Louis Cardinals 1928 World Series Composite Hitting Statistics

Grover Alexander
Ray Blades
Jim Bottomley
Taylor Douthit
Frankie Frisch
Chick Hafey
Jesse Haines
George Harper
Andy High
Wattie Holm
Syl Johnson
Rabbit Maranville
Pepper Martin
Clarence Mitchell
Ernie Orsatti
Flint Rhem
Bill Sherdel
Earl Smith
Tommy Thevenow
Jimmie Wilson
p
ph
1b
of
2b
of
p
of
3b
of-1
p
ss
pr
p
of-1
p
p
c
ss
c
2
1
4
3
4
4
1
3
4
3
2
4
1
1
4
1
2
1
1
3
1
1
14
11
13
15
2
9
17
6
0
13
0
2
7
0
5
4
0
11
0
0
3
1
3
3
0
1
5
1
0
4
0
0
2
0
0
3
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
2
0
0
1
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
1
1
0
0
1
1
0
0
2
1
0
1
0
0
0
0
1
1
0
3
1
1
0
0
0
1
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
.000
.000
.214
.091
.231
.200
.000
.111
.294
.167
.000
.308
.000
.000
.286
.000
.000
.750
.000
.091
0
0
2
1
2
1
0
2
1
0
0
1
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
6
1
2
4
0
2
3
1
0
1
0
0
3
0
2
0
0
3
0
0
0
0
2
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1928 World Series Composite Batting Statistics

1928 World Series

New York Yankees 1928 World Series Composite Pitching Statistics

New York Yankees 1928 World Series Composite Pitching Statistics

Waite Hoyt
George Pipgras
Tom Zachary
2
1
1
0
0
0
2
1
1
2
1
1
2
1
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
18.0
9.0
9.0
1.50
2.00
3.00
6
4
1
14
8
7
3
2
3
6
4
1

1928 World Series

St. Louis Cardinals 1928 World Series Composite Pitching Statistics

St. Louis Cardinals 1928 World Series Composite Pitching Statistics

Grover Alexander
Jesse Haines
Syl Johnson
Clarence Mitchell
Flint Rhem
Bill Sherdel
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
1
0
0
0
2
2
1
2
1
1
2
1
1
0
0
0
2
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
5.0
6.0
2.0
5.2
2.0
13.1
19.80
4.50
4.50
1.59
0.00
4.72
10
6
4
2
0
15
2
3
1
3
1
3
11
3
1
1
0
7
4
3
1
2
0
3
1928 World Series Composite Pitching Statistics
baseball almanac flat baseball

baseball almanac fast facts

The New York Yankees were the first American League team to sweep their senior circuit opponent (1927 World Series) and the first Major League team to sweep two (2) consecutive Fall Classics.

Did you know that Lou Gehrig was one of sixteen (16) New York Yankees who played in the 1928 World Series, but drove in as many runs by himself as the entire St. Louis Cardinals team combined?

George Pipgras won Game 2 of the 1927 World Series, Game 2 of the 1928 World Series, and Game 3 of the 1932 World Series — giving him a World Series career pitching line of three (3) games, three (3) wins, two (2) complete games and an earned run average of 2.77.