1955 World Series
It was late in the month of September, and all Baseball fans did know;
There were two Teams in New York City that were ready for the show.
Some fans were very happy, yet others very cranky;
It was World Series time again; the Dodgers vs the Yankees.
It was getting to be a habit that these two great teams would meet,
In another World Series: where the fans would get a treat.
Five times before the teams have met and the Yankees did always win.
The Dodger fans would reluctantly say, “Wait `til next year!”, with a grin.
The City was alive with excitement as the first game got underway.
It was played in Yankees Stadium and it turned out to be quite a day.
Don Newcombe walked out on the Mound, dressed in Dodger blue;
He would face the Yankees’ Whitey Ford; he knew what to do.
The Dodgers scored twice in the Second and in the “Toid” one more,
But each time the Yankees rallied and evened up the score.
Two Home Runs by Joe Collins, had the Home fans do a jive,
The New York Yankees won the Opener, by a score of 6-5.
The second game was played at Yankees Stadium too,
And with Tommy Byrne, pitching; New York won 4-2.
The Brooklyn Pitcher, Billy Loes, did his best but he got weary,
The Yankees scored four in the Fourth, and led 2-0 in the Series.
The Baseball World was wondering; would the outcome be the same?
Would the Yankees win this Series? Would the Dodgers win a game?
The Flatbush fans were confident that their heroes would come through;
Especially in games at Ebbets Field, amidst a sea of Dodger blue.
The Series shifted to Ebbets Field and the Brooklyn fans went wild.
The shouted, sang and waved their flags, cause to their team, “wuz’ loyal.
It was Bob Turley against Johnny Podres, the Pitchers who got the “Call”;
The “Toid” game got underway, when the Umpire yelled, “Play Ball”.
The Dodgers scored their runs in twos that totaled up to eight.
The Yankees had some trouble and failed to keep the pace.
A completed game by Johnny Podres, saw the Dodgers win 8-3,
And all the fans in Brooklyn, that day, were as happy as could be.
The Series resumed the following day and the Dodgers followed the script,
Campanella, Hodges and Snider hit HRs and the Yankees did get whipped.
Clem Labine picked up the Win; Now! What more could he do?
The Brooklyn Dodgers won, 8-5 and evened the Series at Two.
The fifth game was important and to the fans quite serious.
The Winner of this game would probably win the Series.
Both teams were very confident and their spirits did not sag.
For the Yankees, it was Bob Grim; For the Dodgers, Roger Craig.
Bob Cerv and Yogi Berra hit HRs for the Yankees, but that just wouldn’t do,
For the Dodgers, Sandy Amoros hit One, and Duke Snider, he hit Two.
The Dodger fans were very happy as their team won 5-3,
And leading the Series 3-2, they were in their glee.
Throughout the night, until the dawn, the Brooklyn fans did cheer;
Hoping the adage, “wait `til next year!”, would soon disappear.
No matter what would happen, the Dodger fans would be true.
Now! All da Bums had to do, “wuz” win One out of Two.
The Bronco Zoo was waiting for the Yankees to come Home.
Their fans were use to winning; they had no need to moan.
The fans arrived at the Stadium; they came by Trolley and Bus,
For the Yankees to win the Series, Two wins was a must.
Whitey Ford, had four days rest, he couldn’t pitch, no sooner.
The Yankee Great went to the Mound, to pitch against Karl Spooner.
The New York team wasted little time, Moose Skowron showed the way;
He hit a three Run Homer, and for the Yankees, made their day.
The Yankee Lefty tossed a gem; an important game was won.
With five Runs in the First Inning, they were Winners, 5-1.
Ford had pitched a complete game win, for all of us to see.
Game six was over, the Yanks had won, and the Series was tied at Three.
It was the seventh game of the Series, a game a team can’t lose.
The fans did pack the Stadium; a Winner was hard to choose.
It was another Classic Series for all Baseball fans to see,
It was a case of …que sera, sera; or what will be, will be.
The fans were all excited as they came inside the gate.
They looked to see who was pitching; they could hardly wait.
When the Starting Pitchers were announced; some heads did toss and turn,
For the Dodgers, it was Johnny Podres; for the Yankees, Tommy Byrne.
The two Lefties dueled through Three with ease; the game went rather quick.
In the Fourth, some fans cheered louder, when Roy Campanella got a hit.
Campy stopped at Second Base; he couldn’t advance no more;
He waited for a team-mate to hit the ball, so that he could score.
Carl Furillo, didn’t get a hit; although he made the try.
Gil Hodges, stroked a Single, and he got an RBI.
The Dodgers took a 1-0 lead, their fans did shout for more;
But the Yankee Lefty Tommy Byrne, quickly closed the door.
Two Innings later, in the Sixth, the Dodgers scored another Run.
A Lead-off Single by Pee Wee Reese, was how it all begun.
A Yankee error on a Sacrifice Bunt, and things seemed to go awry;
Three Batters later, Gil Hodges had another RBI.
The Dodgers Manager made a change that had some people guessin’.
He put Sandy Amoros in Left-field and moved Jim Gilliam to Second.
Why Walter Alston made that move, nobody else could say;
Before the Inning was over, Amoros would save the day.
When the first two Yankees got on Base, the Dodger fans did whine.
Especially when Yogi Berra, sliced the ball, down the Left-field line.
The fans were standing and yelling, as Amoros raced toward the ball.
Some hoped that he would make the Catch, others hoped the ball would fall.
With Amoros running at top-speed, towards the Left-field line;
“Catching the ball”, was the only thought, he had on his mind.
With the right arm fully extended and his feet gliding over the ground;
He “snagged” the ball in his glove and the Catch became renowned.
When the Yankee Runners saw the catch; much to their dismay.
They tried to re-trace their steps, without further delay.
Amoros hit the “Cut-off” man, to start the “famed” relay,
And Reese threw the ball to First, for a Double-play.
In the Inning, next to last, before it was too late;
With one man out, the Yankees put two men on Base.
Johnny Podres, was fast becoming, the hero of the hour;
He quickly retired Yogi Berra and Struck-out, Hank Bauer.
The excitement continued throughout the game, the air was never still.
The Yankees couldn’t get a Run with Podres on the Hill.
The outcome of the seventh game was no longer in doubt.
The final Out was recorded when Elston Howard, grounded-out.
The Dodger fans were ecstatic as the walked along the street.
It was a great feeling that was very hard to beat.
They celebrated throughout the night, until the morning dawn.
The jinx the Yankees had over Brooklyn, now! Was surely gone.
The Flatbush fans wuz flying high, soarin’ like da boids.
Dey tawked all nite about de Bums, with complimentary woids.
Some people sez ‘der wuz no way, dat Brooklin’ wuz gonna win;
Now that the Series is over, all der fans is wearin’ a grin.
If you’d ever lived in Brooklyn and saw the Dodgers play;
You'd know the reason why, 4th October is a special day.
It only happened once, but to the Brooklyn fans, it’s serious;
That’s the day the Dodgers won their “Foist” World Series.
Source / Author: Jim Keats (2004)
