IN THE NEWS: In the National League's first best-of-three play-off since 1946, Ralph Branca of the Dodgers loses to Jim Hearn and the Giants 3–1. Branca serves up home runs to Bobby Thomson and Monte Irvin. It is the first game ever to be broadcast live coast-to-coast. With both the Dodgers and Giants tied 96–58 at the end of regulation, Brooklyn wins the coin toss and elects to play the first game of the playoffs at home. The next two games will be played at the Polo Grounds.
IN THE NEWS: The Giants' Bobby Thomson hits the most famous home run in history, off Ralph Branca. His "shot heard round the world" with two runners on and trailing 4–2 in the bottom of the 9th defeats Brooklyn 5–4 and sends the jubilant Giants into the World Series. For Branca, it is his 6th loss of the season against the Giants, who have now hit 11 home runs off him this year. Whitey Lockman sets up Thomson's blast by hitting a double off Don Newcombe with Al Dark on 3B and Don Mueller on 1B. Mueller breaks his ankle sliding into 3B and is carried off the field.
IN THE NEWS: The Yanks and Eddie Lopat even up the World Series by winning 3–1 over Larry Jansen. Lopat scatters five hits, three by Monte Irvin. Irvin has now hit safely seven straight times in two games. Mickey Mantle is injured in the 5th inning when he steps on an exposed water sprinkler while chasing a Willie Mays fly ball. Mantle is taken off the field on a stretcher and the injury to his knee will plague him throughout his career. He will undergo the first of six knee operations.
S. Iijima of the Daiei Stars (later the Lotte Orions) gets 11 RBI in a single game for a Japanese record. The U.S. major-league record is 12, set by Jim Bottomley of St. Louis in 1924; Iijima ties Tony Lazzeri of the NY Yankees who knocked in 11 in 1936.
IN THE NEWS: Back at the Polo Grounds, the Giants win 6–2, as Whitey Lockman homers with two on in the 5th. The Giants score five in the inning after Eddie Stanky kicks the ball out of Phil Rizzuto's glove on a tag play at 2B.
IN THE NEWS: The Yankees even up the World Series with a 6–2 win, with Allie Reynolds going the distance. Hitless in 11 at bats, DiMaggio collects a homer and single.
IN THE NEWS: Gil McDougald becomes the first rookie to hit a grand slam in the World Series, as the Yankees win in a romp, 13–1. Ed Lopat wins his 2nd game.
In New York, Browns owner Bill Veeck, Jr. hires Rogers Hornsby to a three-year contract to manage the Browns. The Rajah, who last managed in the majors in 1937 as skipper of the Browns, was fired by Bill Veeck, Sr. in 1932 when Hornsby managed the Cubs. Hornsby chooses the Browns offer over a similar one by the Cardinals, who just let Marty Marion go as manager.
IN THE NEWS: Hank Bauer's bases-loaded triple propels the Yankees to a 4–3 win and their 3rd straight championship. Just before the game, Leo Durocher turns over a letter he received to Ford Frick that offers the Giants manager a $15,000 bribe "if the Giants manage to lose the next three games."
IN THE NEWS: Minor league executive Leslie O'Connor testifies before the Celler committee that ML control over the farm system is harmful to players and the minor leagues. He adds that the majors-minors council plans a pact to speed a West Coast bid for higher status.
IN THE NEWS: In a letter written to ML officials, the St. Louis Browns P Ned Garver offers a pay plan that would ameliorate the ill effects of the reserve system he supports. He would have the salaries of players on consistent tail-enders be determined by a rating system by the owners. If the club does not match the "average" salary, then that player should be traded to some other club that can afford his services. Garver adds that he "doesn't care where I play, as long as I get a ‘fair' salary."
IN THE NEWS: The Yomiuri Giants win the Japan Series over the Nankai Hawks. Incredibly, they will win the pennant 19 times in the next 23 years, including nine in succession (1965-73).
IN THE NEWS: Branch Rickey contends that the farm system saved baseball during the Depression. He asks Congress for legislation that will protect it from monopoly suits.
The AP picks Giant manager Leo Durocher as Manager of the Year.