On This Date in Sports October 2, 1932: Called Shots
In collaboration with the Sportsecyclopedia.com
The New York Yankees complete a four-game sweep of the Chicago Cubs in the World Series with a 13-6 win at Wrigley Field in Game 4. The Yankees dominate the Cubs, outscoring them 37-19. The series is best remembered for Babe Ruth's called shot in Game 3. Ruth hit .333 with two home runs in the series, while Lou Gehrig batted .529 and had three long balls, as the Yankees won their fourth World Championship in 11 years. The Yankees also set a record with 12 consecutive wins in the World Series, as they swept in the 1927 and 1928 World Series.
After three years of finishing behind the Philadelphia Athletics, the New York Yankees were back in the World Series. The Yankees posted a record of 107-47, the dethrone the three-time American League Champions by 13 games. Prior to managing the Yankees, McCarthy led the Cubs to the 1929 World Series, where they were beaten by Connie Mack's A's in five games. Joe McCarthy was fired and replaced by Rogers Hornsby the following season, becoming manager of the Yankees in 1931. Hornsby, a player-manager, clashed with management and players in 1932 and was fired, as Charlie Grimm helped lead Chicago to the pennant with a 90-64 record.
The 1932 World Series was the first with both teams wearing uniform numbers. There was tension throughout the series, as the players on both sides did not like each other. Both teams were also laden with Hall of Famers, as a record 13 played in the Fall Classic, nine on the Yankees (Earle Combs, Bill Dickey, Lou Gehrig, Lefty Gomez, Tony Lazzeri, Herb Pennock, Red Ruffing, Babe Ruth, and Joe Sewell). Four Hall of Famers were also on the Cubs (Kiki Cuyler, Billy Herman, Burleigh Grimes, and Gabby Hartnett).
In Game 1 at Yankee Stadium, the Cubs got two runs in the first against Red Ruffing, as an error by Babe Ruth helped the Cubs get their first run. The Yankees answered with three runs in the third, as Babe Ruth singled home Earle Combs and scored on a two-run home run by Lou Gehrig. The Yankees blew the game open with five runs in the fifth. They would win the game 12-6, as Ruth and Gehrig each scored three runs.
The Cubs got an unearned run against Left Gomez in the first inning of Game 2, but the Yankees quickly answered with two runs against Lon Warneke. Lou Gehrig played a vital role in the rally, singling home Earle Combs after Babe Ruth had struck out. The Yankees would take the lead when Bill Dickey drove in Joe Sewell. The Cubs tied the game in the third, but Ben Champman had a two-run single, scoring Ruth and Gehrig as the two legends continued to torment the Cubs. Dickey drove in a run in the fifth as the Yankees won 5-2 as the series shifted to Chicago.
Game 3 at Wrigley Field started poorly for the Cubs, as Babe Ruth hit a three-run home run off Charlie Root to give New York an early 3-0 lead. The Cubs answered with one run as Kiki Cuyler had an RBI against George Pipgras. In the third inning, Lou Gehrig homered to make it 4-1 in favor of the Yankees. The Cubs would fight back with two runs in the bottom of the inning as Cuyler homered and Charlie Grimm had an RBI double. The Cubs would tie the game 4-4 in the fourth on an error by Tony Lazzeri.
The fifth inning would feature the most dramatic moment of the series as Babe Ruth stood at home plate. Gesturing toward center field, Babe Ruth hit a home run calling his shot. It was the second home run of the game and perhaps the most famous of his career. With Charlie Root shellshocked, Lou Gehrig followed with his second home run of the game. Ben Chapman had an RBI double in the ninth, while Gabby Harnett hit a home run for the Cubs, as the Yankees won 7-5 and had a commanding 3-0 series lead.
In Game 4, the Yankees got an early run on a sac-fly by Lou Gehrig, while the Cubs scored four runs against Johnny Allen, with Frank Demaree providing the big blow with a three-run bomb. Reliever Wilcy Moore took over and stabilized the game for the Yankees. In the third inning, Tony Lazzeri homered with Gehrig on base to make it a one-run game. The Yankees took the lead in the sixth on a two-run single by Lou Gehrig.
The Cubs would tie the game 5-5 on an unearned run, but after the Yankees scored four runs in the sixth against Jakie May, the Cubs were done. With home runs from Combs and Lazzeri, the Yankees added four runs in the ninth, winning the finale 13-6.