Dodger Blues

Dodgers at Reds, May 22, 1949, Game 1

Dodger Blues

Before we begin, I should make it clear that I know that the 1949 Brooklyn Dodgers were a great team.

You could make an argument that they were one of the greatest teams in National League history, in fact.

They’re just not playing well in this replay, that’s all.

Brooklyn started the first game of this doubleheader well, scoring two runs and seeming to be in control. Ralph Branca has been almost untouchable this season, and he seemed destined to win.

But Cincinnati scored one in the bottom of the 7th. Jimmy Bloodworth then came up with a runner on second:

That tied the ballgame — and now we’ll go straight to the bottom of the 9th.

Johnny Wyrostek, who scored the tying run, came up with nobody on base:

You could make a really good argument that Branca should have stayed in the game. He had only thrown 109 pitches to that point, going 8 innings and giving up only 5 hits.

But, well, that’s the way it goes in Brooklyn.