The 1937 World Series featured the defending champion

New York Yankees The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. They are one of ...

and the New York Giants in a rematch of the 1936 Series. The Yankees won in five games, for their second championship in a row and their sixth in 15 years (1923, 1927–28, 1932, 1936). This was the Yankees' third Series win over the Giants (1923, 1936), finally giving them an overall edge in Series wins over the Giants with three Fall Classic wins to the Giants' two (after they lost the and 1922 Series to the Giants). Currently (), the

St. Louis Cardinals The St. Louis Cardinals are an American professional baseball team based in St. Louis. The Cardinals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) Central division. Since the 2006 season, the Cardinals ha ...

are the only "Classic Eight"

National League The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League (NL), is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada, and the world's oldest extant professional team ...

(1900–1961) team to hold a Series edge over the Bronx Bombers, with three wins to the Yankees' two. The 1937 victory by the Yankees also broke a three-way tie among themselves, the Philadelphia Athletics and the

Boston Red Sox The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston. The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight ...

for the most World Series wins all-time (five each). By the time the Athletics and Red Sox each won their sixth World Series (in 1972 and 2004, respectively), the Yankees had far outpaced them in world championships with 20 in 1972 and 26 in 2004. The 1937 Series was the first in which a team (in this case, the Yankees) did not commit a single

error An error (from the Latin ''error'', meaning "wandering") is an action which is inaccurate or incorrect. In some usages, an error is synonymous with a mistake. The etymology derives from the Latin term 'errare', meaning 'to stray'. In statistics ...

, handling 179

total chances In baseball statistics, total chances (TC), also called ''chances offered'', represents the number of plays in which a defensive player has participated. It is the sum of putouts plus assists plus errors. ''Chances accepted'' refers to the total ...

(132

putouts In baseball statistics, a putout (denoted by ''PO'' or '' fly out'' when appropriate) is awarded to a defensive player who (generally while in secure possession of the ball) records an out by one of the following methods: * Tagging a runner wit ...

, 47 assists) perfectly. Game 4 ended with the final World Series innings ever pitched by Hall of Famer Carl Hubbell who, during the ninth inning, gave up Hall of Famer

Lou Gehrig Henry Louis Gehrig (born Heinrich Ludwig Gehrig ; June 19, 1903June 2, 1941) was an American professional baseball first baseman who played 17 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the New York Yankees (1923–1939). Gehrig was renowned f ...

's final Series home run.

Summary

Matchups

Game 1

The Series opener was a battle of aces, as the Giants sent their "Mealticket",

screwball A screwball is a baseball and fastpitch softball pitch that is thrown so as to break in the opposite direction of a slider or curveball. Depending on the pitcher's arm angle, the ball may also have a sinking action. The pitch is sometimes known ...

er Carl Hubbell, who had won 22 games during the season, to the mound against the Bombers'

Lefty Gomez Vernon Louis "Lefty" Gomez (November 26, 1908 – February 17, 1989) was an American professional baseball player. A left-handed pitcher, Gomez played in Major League Baseball (MLB) between 1930 and 1943 for the New York Yankees and the Washingt ...

, who had won 21. Hubbell and Gomez matched zeroes until the top of the fifth inning, when

Jimmy Ripple James Albert Ripple (October 14, 1909 – July 16, 1959) was an American professional baseball player who played as an outfielder in Major League Baseball for seven seasons from 1936 to 1943. He played for the New York Giants (1936–1939), the ...

singled, moved to third on another single by

Johnny McCarthy John Joseph McCarthy (April 25, 1934 – May 9, 2020) was an American basketball player and coach. A point guard, he played college basketball and was an All-American at Canisius College. He was selected by the Rochester Royals in the 1956 N ...

, and scored the only Giant run of the game when

Gus Mancuso August Rodney Mancuso (December 5, 1905 – October 26, 1984), nicknamed "Blackie", was an American professional baseball player, coach, scout and radio sports commentator. He played as a catcher in Major League Baseball with the St. Louis Car ...

hit into a double play. Hubbell kept the Yankees at bay in the bottom half of the inning, but the wheels came off for him in the sixth. A walk and two singles loaded the bases with one out before

Joe DiMaggio Joseph Paul DiMaggio (November 25, 1914 – March 8, 1999), nicknamed "Joltin' Joe", "The Yankee Clipper" and "Joe D.", was an American baseball center fielder who played his entire 13-year career in Major League Baseball for the New York Yank ...

's two-run single put the Yankees up 2–1. An intentional walk reloaded the bases before

Bill Dickey William Malcolm Dickey (June 6, 1907 – November 12, 1993) was an American professional baseball catcher and manager. He played in Major League Baseball with the New York Yankees for 19 seasons. Dickey managed the Yankees as a player-manager in ...

's RBI single increased the lead to 3-1, then

George Selkirk George Alexander Selkirk (January 4, 1908 – January 19, 1987) was a Canadian outfielder and front office executive in Major League Baseball. In 1935, Selkirk succeeded Babe Ruth as the right fielder of the New York Yankees—and also inher ...

's two-run single following a force out at home chased King Carl. An error on

Tony Lazzeri Tony may refer to: People and fictional characters * Tony (given name), including a list of people and fictional characters * Gregory Tony (born 1978), American law enforcement officer * Motu Tony (born 1981), New Zealand international rugby leag ...

's ground ball made it 6–1 Yankees, then Giant pitcher

Dick Coffman Samuel Richard Coffman (December 18, 1906 – March 24, 1972) was an American Major League Baseball pitcher with the Washington Senators, St. Louis Browns, New York Giants, Boston Bees and Philadelphia Phillies between 1927 and 1945. Coffman b ...

issued two walks, including one to

Red Rolfe Robert Abial "Red" Rolfe (October 17, 1908 – July 8, 1969) was an American third baseman, manager and front-office executive in Major League Baseball. A graduate of Phillips Exeter Academy, Rolfe also was an Ivy Leaguer: a graduate, then long-t ...

that forced in a run before DiMaggio flew out to end the inning.

added a home run in the eighth inning off Al Smith, while Gomez stymied the Giants, holding them to one run and six hits in a complete game, 8–1 victory for a 1–0 Yankee lead in the Series.

Game 2

For Game 2, the Yankees started veteran

Red Ruffing Charles Herbert "Red" Ruffing (May 3, 1905 – February 17, 1986) was an American professional baseball player. A pitcher, he played in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1924 through 1947. He played for the Boston Red Sox, New York Yankees, ...

against Giant rookie

Cliff Melton Clifford George Melton (January 3, 1912 – July 28, 1986) was an American professional baseball left-handed pitcher, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the New York Giants over parts of eight seasons spanning 1937–44. Listed at , ...

. Ruffing would give Melton a rude welcome to postseason play with both his arm and his bat. The Giants touched Ruffing for a run in the first, as

Dick Bartell __NOTOC__ Richard William Bartell (November 22, 1907 – August 4, 1995), nicknamed "Rowdy Richard", was an American professional baseball player, coach, and manager. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a shortstop from to . One of the ...

doubled and

Mel Ott Melvin Thomas Ott (March 2, 1909 – November 21, 1958), nicknamed "Master Melvin", was an American professional baseball right fielder, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the New York Giants, from through . He batted left-handed an ...

drove him in with a single with one out. This did not faze Ruffing, who whiffed the next three batters to end the inning. As in Game 1, this would be the only Giant run of the day. Melton was able to neutralize the potent Bombers for the next four innings, giving up only two hits and striking out two. In the fifth, however, the Yankees chased the youngster from the game when they took a 2–1 lead on a leadoff double by Myril Hoag, then RBI singles by

and Ruffing. Just as in Game 1, the pinstripers opened up the game in the sixth, when Selkirk and Ruffing came through again, this time with two-run doubles after two leadoff singles off of Harry Gumbert. In the seventh, the Yankees tacked on two more runs off of

with leadoff single and walk, followed by a

single that scored

and a fly ball by Myril Hoag that plated

. Ruffing held the fort the rest of the way, scattering seven hits with one run and eight strikeouts. For the second straight game the Yankees won 8–1, for a 2–0 Series lead as the teams moved a few miles south to the Polo Grounds.

Game 3

The Yankees struck first in Game 3 on

's RBI single with two on in the second off of

Hal Schumacher Harold Henry Schumacher (November 23, 1910 – April 21, 1993), nicknamed "Prince Hal", was an American professional baseball player and right-handed pitcher who appeared in 391 games pitched (and 450 games in all) in Major League Baseball for ...

. Next inning,

hit a one out single, and scored on a triple by

, who then scored on a single by

. Gehrig added a sacrifice fly next inning with runners on first and third. The Yankees got one more run in the fifth when Selkirk reached second on an error and scored on Myril Hoag's single. The Giants scored their only run in the seventh when

singled with one out and scored on

's double. Monte Pearson needed last-out help from Johnny Murphy after loading the bases in the bottom of the ninth, inducing

Harry Danning Harry Danning (nicknamed Harry the Horse; September 6, 1911 – November 29, 2004) was an American professional baseball player. He played his entire Major League Baseball career as a catcher for the New York Giants, and was considered to be both ...

, the tying run at the plate, to fly out to centerfield. The Yankees now had a 3–0 lead in the series.

Game 4

This is the second time in World Series history that a team that has lost the first three games has won a World Series game. This was Carl Hubbell's last World Series appearance. Hubbell allowed only six hits and walked one. Everyone in the NY Giants lineup except Hubbell hit safely. The Yankees scored the game's first run in the first when

hit a leadoff triple and scored on

's sacrifice fly, but in the bottom of the second, three consecutive leadoff singles tied the game. Carl Hubbell's fielder's choice and

Jo-Jo Moore Joe Gregg Moore, Sr. (December 25, 1908 – April 1, 2001) was a left fielder in Major League Baseball who played his entire career with the New York Giants from 1930 through 1941. Moore batted left-handed and threw right-handed. He was born in ...

's single scored a run each.

Ivy Andrews Ivy Paul "Poison" Andrews (May 6, 1907 – November 24, 1970) was an American Major League Baseball pitcher with the New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox, St. Louis Browns and the Cleveland Indians between 1931 and 1938. Andrews batted and threw righ ...

relieved

Bump Hadley Irving Darius Hadley (July 5, 1904 – February 15, 1963) was an American Major League Baseball pitcher. Born in Lynn, Massachusetts, he played in the major leagues for the Washington Senators (1926–31 and 1935), Chicago White Sox (1932), St. ...

and allowed an RBI single to

. A two-out walk loaded the bases before

Hank Leiber Henry Edward Leiber (January 17, 1911 – November 8, 1993) was an American professional baseball player. He played as an outfielder in Major League Baseball from 1933 to 1942 with the New York Giants and Chicago Cubs. Early life Leiber was ...

's two-run single capped the inning's scoring. The Yankees scored a run in the third without a hit aided by three errors. The Giants added a run in the seventh on

's RBI double with two on.

homered in the ninth for the Yankees, who could get nothing else as the Giants' 7–3 win forced a Game 5.

Game 5

Myril Hoag's home run leading off the second inning and a

blast in the third gave

a 2–0 lead.

's two-run home run in the bottom of the third tied it. The Yankees got the game-winning (and Series-winning) runs they needed in the fifth on a

triple, an RBI single by Gomez and an RBI double by

Composite line score

1937 World Series (4–1):

(A.L.) over New York Giants (N.L.)

Notes

References

External links

{{Subway Series World Series

World Series The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada, contested since 1903 between the champion teams of the American League (AL) and the National League (NL). The winner of the World ...

New York Yankees postseason New York Giants (NL) postseason

Sports competitions in New York City 1930s in the Bronx 1930s in Manhattan Washington Heights, Manhattan Yankee Stadium (1923)