This year marks the sixth time since the end of World War II in 1945 that two teams from the Midwest have met in the World Series. On each of the first five occasions, the series went the full seven games.
In 1945, the Detroit Tigers beat the Chicago Cubs, marking the last time the Cubs won the National League pennant. This was the series where Chicago tavern owner William Sianis brought his pet goat to Game 4 and was denied entry. The Cubs were up, two games to one, and had the next four games at Wrigley Field. Sianis took his goat and went home in anger, placing a hex on the home team that some insist lingers to this day. On the field, Hal Newhouser pitched the Tigers to a 9-3 victory in Game 7. Cubs manager Charlie Grimm elected to pitch Hank Borowy for the third straight game (what, no pitch counts back then?) and the tired Borowy was shelled for five runs in the first inning. Hank Greenberg had returned from the war to get the Tigers into the series with a ninth-inning grand slam on the last day of the season.
In 1968, the Tigers rallied from a 3-1 series deficit to beat the St. Louis Cardinals, four games to three. Denny McLain won 31 games for the Tigers in the regular season, but Mickey Lolich was their pitching star in the series, winning three games, including Game 7 over Bob Gibson. Game 1 of this series featured an electrifying, 17-strikeout performance by Gibson. It's still a World Series record.
Jose Feliciano created a controversy with his rendition of "The Star-Spangled Banner" before Game 5 in Detroit. Cardinals fans will point to two plays that contributed to this series slipping away. Lou Brock was out at the plate in Game 5 when he tried to score standing up. Then, in the seventh inning of a scoreless Game 7, Curt Flood misjudged a Jim Northrup fly ball and then slipped, allowing two runs to score. The Tigers won, 4-1, in the deciding game in St. Louis. Back in Detroit, the victory caused bedlam in the streets.
In 1982, Milwaukee fans know all too well that the Cardinals beat the Brewers in seven games.
The Brewers took Game 1 in St. Louis, 10-0, behind five hits from Paul Molitor and four from regular-season MVP Robin Yount. Pete Ladd (filling in as closer with Rollie Fingers hurt) walked in the winning run in Game 2. Willie McGee hit two home runs and made a pair of incredible catches as the Caridnals took Game 3 at County Stadium. The Brewers rallied from a 5-1 deficit to win Game 4, 7-5.
The Brewers scored six unearned runs in the seventh inning after Dave LaPoint dropped a throw from Keith Hernandez at first. Yount ripped four hits in the Brewers 6-4 victory in Game 5, sending the Brewers back to St. Louis with a 3-2 lead in the series. Rookie John Stuper had the game of his life against Don Sutton as the Cardinals routed the Brewers 13-1 in Game 6. The Brewers led Game 7 by a score of 3-1 until the bottom of the sixth. St. Louis moved ahead to stay with three runs in that frame and Bruce Sutter struck out Gorman Thomas to end a 6-3 St. Louis clincher.
In 1985, the Kansas City Royals beat the Cardinals. St. Louis won the first two games of the series in Kansas City and it looked like they would roll to victory. Bret Saberhagen stemmed the tide with a Game 3 victory for the Royals. John Tudor pitched a 3-0 shutout in Game 4 to put the Cardinals ahead three games to one. Danny Jackson prevented a St. Louis celebration with a Game 5 victory, sending the series back to Kansas City. Game 6 is what most fans remember. The Cardinals led by 1-0 in the bottom of the ninth. Jorge Orta led off with a roller to Jack Clark, who flipped to pitcher Todd Worrell covering first. Umpire Don Denkinger called Orta safe even though replays showed he was out. The Cardinals came unraveled and the Royals eventually won the game 2-1 on a Dane Iorg single. The Royals blasted John Tudor and St. Louis, 11-0, in Game 7. Saberhagen pitched a five-hit shutout. Still angry about the call in Game 6, the Cardinals embarrassed themselves with an electric fan punch by Tudor and ugly ejections of pitcher Joaquin Andujar and manager Whitey Herzog.
In 1987, the Cardinals again lost in seven games, this time to the Minnesota Twins. The home team won every game and the Metrodome proved decisive, with the Homer Hankies gaining fame. Minnesota won the first two games behind Frank Viola and Bert Blyleven. The Cardinals took the next three games in St. Louis. Back in Minnesota for Game 6, the Cardinals squandered a 5-2 lead.
Kirby Puckett helped ignite the Twins with four singles and Kent Hrbek iced a 11-5 Minnesota victory with a grand slam, setting the stage for Game 7. The Cardinals got two runs off Viola in the second inning, but he settled down after that to claim series MVP. St. Louis starter Danny Cox gave up single runs in the second, fifth and sixth innings. He was ejected in the sixth for arguing a call. The Twins captured Minnesota's first professional sports title since the George Mikan Lakers with a 4-2 victory.
If the trend continues, this year's Cardinals and Tigers will go the distance.
In 1945, the Detroit Tigers beat the Chicago Cubs, marking the last time the Cubs won the National League pennant. This was the series where Chicago tavern owner William Sianis brought his pet goat to Game 4 and was denied entry. The Cubs were up, two games to one, and had the next four games at Wrigley Field. Sianis took his goat and went home in anger, placing a hex on the home team that some insist lingers to this day. On the field, Hal Newhouser pitched the Tigers to a 9-3 victory in Game 7. Cubs manager Charlie Grimm elected to pitch Hank Borowy for the third straight game (what, no pitch counts back then?) and the tired Borowy was shelled for five runs in the first inning. Hank Greenberg had returned from the war to get the Tigers into the series with a ninth-inning grand slam on the last day of the season.
In 1968, the Tigers rallied from a 3-1 series deficit to beat the St. Louis Cardinals, four games to three. Denny McLain won 31 games for the Tigers in the regular season, but Mickey Lolich was their pitching star in the series, winning three games, including Game 7 over Bob Gibson. Game 1 of this series featured an electrifying, 17-strikeout performance by Gibson. It's still a World Series record.
Jose Feliciano created a controversy with his rendition of "The Star-Spangled Banner" before Game 5 in Detroit. Cardinals fans will point to two plays that contributed to this series slipping away. Lou Brock was out at the plate in Game 5 when he tried to score standing up. Then, in the seventh inning of a scoreless Game 7, Curt Flood misjudged a Jim Northrup fly ball and then slipped, allowing two runs to score. The Tigers won, 4-1, in the deciding game in St. Louis. Back in Detroit, the victory caused bedlam in the streets.
In 1982, Milwaukee fans know all too well that the Cardinals beat the Brewers in seven games.
The Brewers took Game 1 in St. Louis, 10-0, behind five hits from Paul Molitor and four from regular-season MVP Robin Yount. Pete Ladd (filling in as closer with Rollie Fingers hurt) walked in the winning run in Game 2. Willie McGee hit two home runs and made a pair of incredible catches as the Caridnals took Game 3 at County Stadium. The Brewers rallied from a 5-1 deficit to win Game 4, 7-5.
The Brewers scored six unearned runs in the seventh inning after Dave LaPoint dropped a throw from Keith Hernandez at first. Yount ripped four hits in the Brewers 6-4 victory in Game 5, sending the Brewers back to St. Louis with a 3-2 lead in the series. Rookie John Stuper had the game of his life against Don Sutton as the Cardinals routed the Brewers 13-1 in Game 6. The Brewers led Game 7 by a score of 3-1 until the bottom of the sixth. St. Louis moved ahead to stay with three runs in that frame and Bruce Sutter struck out Gorman Thomas to end a 6-3 St. Louis clincher.
In 1985, the Kansas City Royals beat the Cardinals. St. Louis won the first two games of the series in Kansas City and it looked like they would roll to victory. Bret Saberhagen stemmed the tide with a Game 3 victory for the Royals. John Tudor pitched a 3-0 shutout in Game 4 to put the Cardinals ahead three games to one. Danny Jackson prevented a St. Louis celebration with a Game 5 victory, sending the series back to Kansas City. Game 6 is what most fans remember. The Cardinals led by 1-0 in the bottom of the ninth. Jorge Orta led off with a roller to Jack Clark, who flipped to pitcher Todd Worrell covering first. Umpire Don Denkinger called Orta safe even though replays showed he was out. The Cardinals came unraveled and the Royals eventually won the game 2-1 on a Dane Iorg single. The Royals blasted John Tudor and St. Louis, 11-0, in Game 7. Saberhagen pitched a five-hit shutout. Still angry about the call in Game 6, the Cardinals embarrassed themselves with an electric fan punch by Tudor and ugly ejections of pitcher Joaquin Andujar and manager Whitey Herzog.
In 1987, the Cardinals again lost in seven games, this time to the Minnesota Twins. The home team won every game and the Metrodome proved decisive, with the Homer Hankies gaining fame. Minnesota won the first two games behind Frank Viola and Bert Blyleven. The Cardinals took the next three games in St. Louis. Back in Minnesota for Game 6, the Cardinals squandered a 5-2 lead.
Kirby Puckett helped ignite the Twins with four singles and Kent Hrbek iced a 11-5 Minnesota victory with a grand slam, setting the stage for Game 7. The Cardinals got two runs off Viola in the second inning, but he settled down after that to claim series MVP. St. Louis starter Danny Cox gave up single runs in the second, fifth and sixth innings. He was ejected in the sixth for arguing a call. The Twins captured Minnesota's first professional sports title since the George Mikan Lakers with a 4-2 victory.
If the trend continues, this year's Cardinals and Tigers will go the distance.
Dennis Krause joined OnMilwaukee.com as a contributor on June 16, 2006. He is a two-time Wisconsin Sportscaster of the Year and a regional Emmy-award winner. Dennis has been the color analyst on home games for the Milwaukee Bucks Radio Network for the last 10 years. He has also been involved with the Green Bay Packers Radio Network for 16 years and is currently the host of the "Packers Game Day" pre-game show.
Dennis started his broadcasting career as a radio air personality in the Fox Valley and Milwaukee.
He spent three years as a sportscaster at WMBD radio and television in Peoria, Illinois before joining WTMJ-TV in Milwaukee in 1987 as a weekend sports anchor. Dennis spent 16 years at Channel 4, serving as its Sports Director and 5 and 6 pm sports anchor from 1994-2003.
Dennis grew up in Hartford, Wisconsin and attended UW-Oshkosh. He lives in Thiensville with his wife and two children. He serves as the Community Resource Director for the Mequon-Thiensville School District.
