NATIONAL LEAGUE RACE GOES DOWN TO THE WIRE
The Brooklyn Dodgers and New York Giants battled for National League supremacy all season but in the end the Dodgers won their league record 8th pennant by a two game margin. Veteran pitchers Charlie Eckert (19-11, 3.32) and Emil Yde (18-8, 3.42) along with outfielders Chuck Klien (.303,19,112) and Goose Goslin (.324,12,89) led a balanced Brooklyn squad. The Giants relied on a rotation featuring sensational sophomore Dizzy Dean (20-16, 3.97), Waite Hoyt (20-15, 3.73) and Larry Benton (17-14, 3.39). Al Simmons (.309,28,143), Jim Bottomley (.301,25,101) and Paul Waner (.313, 21sb) ignited the offense.
Cardinals third baseman Specs Toporcer (.369,4,90) won the National League batting crown and despite numerous injuries to the pitching staff, St Louis finished just 4 games back. Johnny Allen (19-10, 3.22) was a pleasant surprise winning the rookie of the year award.
Lou Gehrig (.351,34,130) almost singlehandedly carried the Reds offense. Gehrig was named National League MVP for the 4th time. The top pitcher was Ted Lyons of Pittsburgh. Lyons also won his award for the 4th time in his career.
American League W L PCT GB AVG ERA
Cleveland 93 61 .604 -- .284 3.80
Philadelphia (A) 91 63 .591 2 .281 3.73
New York 84 70 .545 9 .271 3.80
St Louis(A) 77 77 .500 16 .272 4.32
Boston (A) 75 79 .487 18 .271 4.15
Detroit 73 81 .474 20 .287 4.14
Chicago (A) 64 90 .416 29 .273 4.26
Washington 59 95 .383 34 .253 4.50
National League W L PCT GB AVG ERA
Brooklyn 88 66 .571 -- .277 3.88
New York (N) 86 68 .558 2 .276 3.81
St. Louis (N) 84 70 .545 4 .290 4.22
Cincinnati 80 74 .519 8 .274 4.62
Philadelphia (N) 74 80 .481 14 .282 3.94
Boston (N) 69 85 .448 19 .265 4.51
Pittsburgh 69 85 .448 19 .274 4.11
Chicago (N) 66 88 .429 22 .270 3.88
1932 ALL-STAR GAME
Babe Herman's 3 run double in the 7th inning led the National League to a 6-4 triumph in the 32nd allstar game. The Chicago Cubs first baseman entered the game in the 7th replacing Cincinnati's Lou Gehrig, who had gone 3-for-3 with a home run. Gehrig, who drove in the other 3 National League runs, was named the game's MVP for his efforts. It was Gehrig's second allstar game MVP award of his career.
Jimmie Foxx of the White Sox had 3 hits in a losing cause, while Boston's Tony Lazzeri homered for the AL. Ted Blankenship of Cincinnati got the win despite allowing 2 runs in his 2 innings work. Charlie Eckert of Brooklyn pitched the final two innings to earn the save. The losing pitcher was the Browns Wilcy Moore, who surrendered Herman's big blow.
The National League leads the series alltime 18-14. The NL stars have won 7 of the last 10 games.
1932 NEWS AND NOTES
Art Shires of the Philadelphia Phillies became the first player ever to get 7 hits in a game. In the most lopsided game in history, the Phillies pounded the Cardinals 29-1 on June 13th. Shires had 6 singles and a double off of 3 St Louis pitchers. Teammate Luke Sewell had 6 hits in the game and Spencer Adams added 5.
1932 WORLD SERIES - CLEVELAND INDIANS vs BROOKLYN DODGERS
The Indians are making their 6th World Series appearance, having won 3 times - 1908, 1915 and 1916. The Dodgers have been in the World Series 7 times before, winning just twice - 1914 and 1924. Cleveland and Brooklyn met in both the 1914 and 1915 series, with each team winning once. The Dodgers are back in the series for the first time in 8 years. It has been 11 years since Cleveland last played a meaningful game in October.
The Indians enter the series with everyone healthy and ready to go. The Dodgers, on the other hand, will be forced to play without Goose Goslin who dislocated his shoulder in mid September.
GAME 1 - Freddie Fitzsimmons and Lon Warneke hook up in a duel in Brooklyn. Each club scores once in the fifth inning but that is all the offense thru 8, as the two clubs have combined for just 9 hits. In the top of the ninth Tribe leadoff man Kiki Cuyler reaches on a throwing error by Brooklyn SS Lyn Lary. It would prove costly as Charlie Gehringer draws a walk and then the bases are loaded on an error by 1B Chick Tolson. Pinch hitter Billy Sullivan singles in Cuyler but Gehringer is nailed at the plate on a strong throw from Chuck Klein. The inning ends without further damage but the 2-1 lead is good enough for Fitzsimmons as he holds off the Dodgers in the bottom of the ninth.
GAME 2 - Bob Meusel's first inning double scores Joe Hauser to give the Indians a quick lead. Cleveland would score again in the fifth inning and that is more than enough for Johnny Bogart, who blanks the Dodgers on 6 hits. Wes Ferrell takes the loss despite allowing just 6 hits himself. The 2-0 victory in the game equals the series score as we head west to Cleveland for game 3.
GAME 3 - Brooklyn scores twice in the first capitalizing on some rookie nerves from Tribe hurler Tony Freitas. Freitas settles down and the Indians fight back to knot the game at 2 in the 7th inning. In the top of the 8th Dick Porter hits a one-out triple off of Freitas and scores on a Johnny Vergaz flyball giving the Dodgers their first lead of the series. With little confidence in their bullpen the Dodgers leave starter Wally Hebert on the mound in the bottom of the ninth. Hebert is trying to protect a 3-2 lead but is in trouble early as Bob Meusel leads off with a double. Joe Hauser is given a free pass but the move backfires when Kiki Cuyler follows with a signle to score Meusel and move Hauser into scoring position. The next batter, catcher Pat Collins ends the game with a single to left that scores pinch runner Adam Comorosky easily. The Indians take game 3 by a 4-3 score and take a commanding 3-0 series lead.
GAME 4 - Cleveland fans get out the brooms early as Charlie Gehringer drives in two runs with a first inning single. The Indians add 3 more in the 5th and win 5-0 on a 3-hitter from Freddie Fitzsimmons. Warneke takes his second loss of the series.
Fitzsimmons, who surrendered just 9 hits and 1 run in 18 innings work, is named the series MVP.
Here is World Series MVP Freddie Fitzsimmons