Of Dice and Men
I recently bought a new edition of the APBA Baseball game which I played (a lot) as a teenager, and will be replaying the 1953 World Series just for fun over the next few days. In real life, the Yankees beat the Dodgers in six games – what will happen in the replay? Watch this space for game stories and stats. First up, the series opener.
YANKS BOMB DODGERS 10-1, TAKE GAME 1
NEW YORK (Sept. 30, 1953) – Helped by three fielding miscues by the Brooklyn Dodgers, the New York Yankees took the first game of the 1953 World Series this afternoon at Yankee Stadium, 10-1.
After Brooklyn tied the game at 1 on Duke Snider‘s fourth-inning home run, the Yankees exploded in the bottom of the frame as the Dodgers imploded. After leadoff hitter Billy Martin struck out, Phil Rizzuto hit a fly ball to left that Jackie Robinson misplayed for an error. A passed ball on normally-sharp catcher Roy Campanella moved Rizzuto to second, and firstbaseman Gil Hodges bobbled Allie Reynolds‘ bunt attempt, putting runners on first and second with one out. After the Dodgers intentionally walked Gil McDougald to load the bases, Joe Collins singled over Hodges’ head to plate Rizzuto and put the Yankees up to stay. Hank Bauer followed with a three-run double to right to make it 5-1. Yogi Berra and Mickey Mantle then hit back-to-back 
home runs, knocking 20-game winner Carl Erskine out of the game and capping the seven-run inning.
The 36-year-old Reynolds (pictured, right) scattered six hits in recording the complete game victory, and Rizzuto finished the scoring with a two-run home run in the seventh off reliever Bobo Milliken.
Game two is tomorrow at Yankee Stadium, with Eddie Lopat (16-4 in the regular season) scheduled to face Brooklyn’s Preacher Roe (11-3).
| Brooklyn | 000 | 100 | 000 | - | 1 | 6 | 2 | 6 |
| New York | 001 | 700 | 20X | - | 10 | 10 | 0 | 5 |
| BROOKLYN | Pos. | AB | R | H | BI | BB | K |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gilliam | 2B | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Reese | SS | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Snider | CF | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Robinson | LF | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Campanella | C | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Hodges | 1B | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Furillo | RF | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Cox | 3B | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Erskine | P | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Milliken | P | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Williams | PH | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Black | P | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 33 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 1 | ||
| NEW YORK | Pos. | AB | R | H | BI | BB | K |
| McDougald | 3B | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| Collins | 1B | 5 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| Bauer | RF | 5 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Berra | C | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Mantle | CF | 4 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Woodling | LF | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Martin | 2B | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Rizzuto | SS | 4 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| Reynolds | P | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 35 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 3 | 9 | ||
| BROOKYLN | IP | H | R | ER | BB | K | HR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Erskine (L 0-1) | 3.1 | 8 | 8 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 2 |
| Milliken | 3.2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 |
| Black | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 8.0 | 10 | 9 | 2 | 3 | 9 | 3 | |
| NEW YORK | IP | H | R | ER | BB | K | HR |
| Reynolds (W 1-0) | 9.0 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
E-Robinson
PB-Campanella
2B-Gilliam, Mantle, Bauer
HR-Hodges (1), Berra (1), Mantle (1), Rizzuto (1)
U: Bill Grieve (AL), Bill Stewart (NL), Eddie Hurley (AL), Artie Gore (NL), Frank Dascoli (NL), Hank Soar (AL).
T: 3:10
A: 69,734
December 27th, 2007 at 10:32 am
If you do the ’78 (’77?) Series, what do you have to roll to get Reggie Jackson to throw out his hips to thwart a double play?
December 27th, 2007 at 1:30 pm
APBA is a lot of fun. Played it a lot growing up and still play the computer game, although I miss rolling the dice…I might do a replay someday again.
December 27th, 2007 at 7:59 pm
I have the old football game in storage, too. That takes a bit longer, but it’s fun as well.
Madden obviously has a better overall experience, but APBA is good for its retro qualities and realism. Every time I play Madden, my quarterback throws 7 interceptions.