On This Date in Sports October 7, 1933: Mel Ott Swats Senators
In collaboration with the Sportsecyclopedia.com
In their first full season since the retirement of John McGraw, the New York Giants win it all. The Giants beat the Washington Senators in five games, winning the finale at Griffith Stadium 4-3 on a home run by Mel Ott in the tenth inning. It would be the final time that a team from Washington made the World Series as the Senators were rarely in contention.
It had been a dream season for the Washington Senators, as they had their best season to date, finishing 99-53 to finish seven games ahead of the New York Yankees for the American League Pennant. It was just the third time that Washington went to the World Series, having previously gone in 1924 and 1925. Leading the way was Joe Cronin, the first-year player-manager who also drove in a team-best 118 RBI.
The New York Giants were making their first trip to the World Series, since their heartbreaking loss to the Senators in 1924. It was a new era for the Giants, as health problems caused longtime manager John McGraw to step down in 1932. His hand-chosen successor was one of the team’s top players Bill Terry who was the last National Leaguer to hit .400 in 1930. In his first full season as player-manager Terry led New York to a 91-61 record, beating the Pittsburgh Pirates by five games.
Carl Hubbell, the Giants ace was on the mound in Game 1 at the Polo Grounds, while Lefty Stewart started for the Senators. In the first inning, Mel Ott gave the Giants an early 2-0 lead with a home run. Ott added a third run batted in, during the third inning singling home Hughie Critz. Travis Jackson would knock in the fourth run when Bill Terry scored on a groundout. The four runs were more than enough for Hubbell who allowed two unearned runs on five hits, with ten strikeouts as the Giants won the opener 4-2.
Looking to get a split, Washington turned to General Crowder to get the start, while Hal Schumacher was on the mound for the Giants. Goose Goslin gave the Senators its first lead of the series with a home run in the third inning. However, General wishes he could have sounded the retreat in the sixth inning, as the Giants scored six runs on eight hits, all but one of which was a single. The six-run outburst would decide the game as the Giants left the Polo Grounds leading 2-0, winning 6-1.
Hoping a return home to Griffith Stadium could reverse their fortunes, the Senators had Earl Whitehill on the mound against Freddie Fitzsimmons. Washington set the tone early, scoring a pair of runs in the first inning as Buddy Myer scored on a groundout by Joe Cronin, while Fred Schulte plated Goslin with a two-out double. Myer added RBI hits in the second and seventh to make it 4-0 as the Senators blanked the Giants 4-0, with Whitehill allowing just five hits.
Carl Hubbell returned to the mound for the Giants in Game 4, as Monte Weaver was on the bump for the Senators. In the fourth, the Giants got on the board with a home run off the bat of Bill Terry, while Washington scored an unearned run in the seventh. The game would go to extra innings, tied 1-1, with Giants winning 2-1 in 11 innings on an RBI single by Blondy Ryan plating Travis Jackson. Hubbell got the win and pitched all 11 innings, allowing eight hits, with five strikeouts.
Looking to close out a World Championship the Giants had Hal Schumacher against General Crowder in a rematch of Game 2. In the second, Schumacher helped his own cause with a two-run single. In the sixth Gus Mancuso made it 3-0 in favor of New York with an RBI double. With their season slipping away, Fred Schulte hit a three-run homer in the bottom of the sixth to tie the game for Washington. Dolf Luque came on in relief for the Giants, while Jack Russell was on the mound for the Senators. The game went into extra innings again, this time it was Mel Ott with a two-out home run in the tenth to give the Giants a 4-3 lead. Luque retired the first two batters, but the Senators fought back again win Cronin getting a single, while Schulte walked. With tying and winning runs on base Luque ended the game and the World Series by striking out Joe Kuhel.
It was the fourth World Series won by the New York Giants, joining championships in 1905, 1921 and 1922. They would not win again until 1954. The Senators would not play in another World Series and spent most of the next three decades in the second division. The original Senators would move to Minnesota, with an expansion team taking its place in 1961. That team did not fare any better before moving to Texas in 1972. Baseball returned to Washington in 2005, but the Nationals have never won a playoff series, making the 1933 World Series the last time the Fall Classic was in D.C.