This Week in Figment Baseball: 1937 World Championship Series Game Three
THIS WEEK IN FIGMENT BASEBALL
OCTOBER 11, 1937: WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES GAME THREE
WONDER WHEEL FINALLY STARTS ROLLING
This year's version of the Brooklyn Kings accomplished something no Brooklyn team had ever done before: win two games in a single World Championship Series. The Kings had been to the October showcase 4 times before but lost 4 games to one the first three times before being swept by the Chicago Chiefs a year ago. This time around the Kings actually lead the Series- something else they have never done - as they took a 2 games to one lead on Pittsburgh with a thrilling 6-4 victory at Kings County Stadium last night.
Al Wheeler, who has won 4 Whitney Awards and made 4 All-Star Games, but had been a bitter disappointment in post-season play throughout his career, finally delivered a key hit with the game winning RBI in the bottom of the seventh inning after the visiting Pittsburgh Miners rallied to tie the contest with 3 runs in the top half of the inning. Wheeler entered the game with a .148 career post-season average including 0-for-8 so far this season, but he broke out a bit with a pair of singles and two rbi's. The big one came when it appeared the Kings might be fading as Pittsburgh finally got to Mike Murphy, who had been cruising and had retired 13 straight Miners before Ray Cochran drew a walk to start the 3-run seventh inning rally that tied the contest at 4. Wheeler's 7th inning single came with two on and none out and plated Joe Perret, who is have a very good post-season for himself after being primarily used as a pinch-hitter during the season. Harry Barrell, who seems to have regained his form after a poor season by his standards, also drove in a run to give Murphy a 6-4 lead. Murphy, who allowed just 4 Pittsburgh hits in the game, went 8 innings before turning the ball over to Del Lyons and Lyons, who tied for the FABL lead in saves this season with 20, had a 1-2-3 ninth to seal the win for the Kings.