Atlanta Braves Franchise History: 1957 World Series
By Fred Owens
Back to the Bronx
This was the first year that there was an off day between games two and three and again between game five and six. The off day after game five probably saved the series for the Braves.
In Game six Buhl was on the bump again for the Braves but last just 2 2/3 innings before Ernie Johnson stepped in the shut the Yankees down throwing 4 1/3 innings and allowing a run. Don McMahon (Braves closer at the time) pitched the eighth. The Yankees scored only three runs but Bob Turley went nine innings for the Yanks allowing only two.
The stage was set for Spahn to pitch the seventh and deciding game just the way Haney wanted it but Spahn came down with the flu and was unable to pitch. That left Haney with a choice of going to one of the starters who hadn’t pitched at all in the series or Burdette. On two days rest Burdette ask for the ball and got it.
No Repeat for Larsen
Don Larsen was on the mound for New York. He lasted 2 1/3 innings then gave up a pair of runs in the third and went for a shower in favor of Shantz. Shantz allowed another of Shantz’ runners to score along with one of his own. The Brave were up 4-0 and though they added one in the eighth, four was more than enough for Burdette.
Two men reached (double and intentional walk) in the first but the Yankees didn’t convert. Burdette retired the next eleven batters before Coleman singled in the fifth.
Two Yankees reached on a single and a two out single and error in the sixth but Burdette closed the door.
The Kubek singled to lead off the seventh but was standing at second when the inning ended.
Burdette retired Bauer, Slaughter and Mantle in order as the Yankees went quietly in the eighth.
In the ninth McDougal singled with one out and after Kubek lifted a fly ball to center for the second out Coleman and Tommy Byrne singled to load the bases for Moose Skowron.
Skowron was a mountain of a man for the time and a hard man to retire witnessed by his .304/.347/.470/.818 line. Hsi 88 RBI were second only to Mantle’s 94. It was a classic match up that Burdette won when Moose grounded out to Mathews.
On the day Burdette faced 36 batters and gave up seven hits, striking out three and walking one intentionally. His total World Series line is pretty amazing.
| Playoff Series Stats | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name | G | GS | ERA | W | L | CG | IP | H | R | BB | SO | WHIP |
| Lew Burdette | 3 | 3 | 0.67 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 27.0 | 21 | 2 | 4 | 13 | 0.926 |
| Totals | 16 | 7 | 3.48 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 62.0 | 57 | 25 | 22 | 34 | 1.274 |
He was obviously named series MVP
The video is 30 minutes long and created originally to be shown in theaters. If you have time its’ fun to watch.
That’s A Wrap
When you hear people talk about great Braves pitching duos of the time they fall back on Spahn and Johnny Sain. Together they won 197 games for Boston from 1946 through the first half of 1951.
Spahn and Burdette were the Braves one-two punch from the second half of 1951 through the first half of 1963. During that time Spahn won 252 games and lost 154 while Burdette won 179 games and lost 120. Together that’s 431 wins back when winning a game meant something.
Burdette was durable and dependable; from 1953 through 1960 he never made less than 32 starts. In 1959 he made 39 starts throwing 289 innings with 20 complete games including four shutouts.
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In his 13 seasons in Milwaukee he appeared in 468 games starting 338 times, faced 10931 batters in 2638 innings striking out 923 while walking 557 and posting a 3.53 ERA (3.70 FIP) and 1.234 WHIP.
On the mound Burdette was in perpetual motion – my dad called him fidgety Phil – tugging at his sleeve, his cap twitching and fidgeting with the ball. Always in Spahn’s shadow and without the kind of press and media coverage that we have today, his work was often overlooked by fans outside of Milwaukee. But in 1957 the Yankees found out that – like trading him for Sain in 1951 – was a mistake.