Call to the pen
Fansided

Are the Dodgers 2019 chances already history?

By Bill Felber

LOS ANGELES, CA - OCTOBER 28: Clayton Kershaw #22 of the Los Angeles Dodgers reacts after allowing a sixth inning home run to Mookie Betts (not pictured) #50 of the Boston Red Sox in Game Five of the 2018 World Series at Dodger Stadium on October 28, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - OCTOBER 28: Clayton Kershaw #22 of the Los Angeles Dodgers reacts after allowing a sixth inning home run to Mookie Betts (not pictured) #50 of the Boston Red Sox in Game Five of the 2018 World Series at Dodger Stadium on October 28, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images) /
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BROOKLYN, NY – JUNE 26: Jackie Robbinson #42 of the Brooklyn Dodgers is congratulated by manager Walter Allston #24 after hitting a homerun during an MLB game against the St. Louis Cardinals on June 26, 1954 at Ebbets Field in Brooklyn, New York. (Photo by Hy Peskin/Getty Images) (Set Number: X1434) /

1954 Brooklyn Dodgers

This was the height of the era when the Dodgers waged a pair of annual battles: first with the Giants for National League supremacy, then with the Yankees for the World Series title.

The Dodgers beat the Giants in both 1952 and 1953, winning the 1953 pennant by a decisive 13 games over the Milwaukee Braves with the Giants another nine games back. So it was no surprise when oddsmakers looked at the 1954 Dodger cast – replete with veterans of the stripe of Jackie Robinson, Gil Hodges, Duke Snider, Don Newcombe and Pee Wee Reese, and saw a third straight pennant.

What they failed to see was the arrival at the Polo Grounds of Willie Mays, who would spur New York past Brooklyn by five games, then to a World Series sweep of the favored Cleveland Indians.

When 1954 began, Mays was not yet an established star. As a rookie in 1951, he had performed well, with a .274 batting average and 20 home runs. But service in the Korean War limited him to just  144 plate appearances in 1952 and 1953. In 1954, though, he returned to lead the National League in batting at .345, hit 41 home runs and stun spectators with his defensive prowess. It was good enough to win the National League’s Most Valuable player Award.

In their 22 head-to-head meetings, New York beat Brooklyn 13 times, accounting for almost all of the five-game difference in the standings. In those 22 games, Mays went 29-for-92 (.354) with 10 home runs and 27 RBIs.

Brooklyn returned to the World Series in 1955..and for the first  time in the franchise’s eight appearances won it.

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