SAHARA - As has been their standard all Series, the Mississippi Misfits hammered the Sahara Jihad 10-0 in the sixth game of the
1928 World Series to become the first World Champion of the Dead BallPlayers Society.
Mississippi, who outscored Sahara 35-7 in the Series, used 11 hits and the pitching of Ted Lyons to clinch the Series. Mississippi
was also aided by the clutch hitting of Frankie Frisch, who drove in four runs as well as two very untimely Sahara errors.
Lyons, meanwhile, continued the Misfits pitching dominance by tossing a six hitter at thoroughly frustrated Jihad batsmen.
The clincher was held before a sold out crowd at Sahara's Ebbets Field. In the pregame festivities, Rudy Vallee performed the
national anthem. Vallee's rendition of the Star Spangled Banner was the second instrumental performance of the Series.
Republican nominee for President Herbert Hoover threw out the ceremonial first pitch.
Also shortly before game time, it was announced by William S. Paley the advertising manager of Columbia Broadcasting System,
that the new radio company would obtain exclusive rights to the DBS World Series in 1929. The contract would last 3 more
seasons.
Mississippi began the scoring in the top of the third inning Red Kress and Ted Lyons began the inning with singles, and an
error by Otis Brannan loaded the bases. However, a 6-2-5 double play prevented any runs from coming across the plate, and
Sahara appeared poised to end the inning without any damage. A Goose Goslin single, coupled with a Babe Herman throwing error
allowed the first run to score. A bases- loaded walk to Gabby Hartnett, followed by a hit by Frankie Frisch allowed three
runs to score and when the inning was over, Mississippi led 4-0.
The Sahara ballclub, which has been long on heart all season, was not about to go down in front of their home fans without a
fight. A walk, single and error in the bottom of the third loaded the bases for Sahara, and Babe Herman strode to the plate.
Herman had been one of the Jihad's clutch hitters all season and a hit here would put Sahara right back in the ballgame.
However, a magnificent effort by George Sisler behind the bag at first turned into the third out of the inning, and led the
way towards a world championship.
Again, Mississippi had good fortune in the middle frames. The Misfits scored 5 runs in the 5th, paced by a bases loaded double
by shortstop Red Kress. Mississippi was also the recipient of two walks in the inning and had four safeties of their own.
At this point, it became quite apparent who the first champion of the DBS would be.
If the outcome was obvious, no one bothered to tell Mississippi starter Ted Lyons. Lyons pitched the game of his life in his
most important assignment of the season. Lyons, like his fellow staff members Burleigh Grimes and Carmen Hill mowed down the
Jihad hitters, at one point retiring 12 out of 14 batters. Lyons only allowed three runners to get into scoring position,
and was never in any real difficulty for the entire ballgame.
Gabby Hartnett ended the scoring in the top of the seventh when he hit reliever Bill Sherdel's first pitch into the right-center
stands for a home run. Hartnett's mammoth blast concluded a excellent Series for Hartnett, who scored two runs and drove in two
in Game 6.
Mississippi picher Burleigh Grimes was unanimously voted the most valuable player of the Series. His two dominating,
complete game victories in Games 2 and 5 proved to be the difference for the Misfits in the inaugural Series.
MISSISSIPPI AB R H RBI SAHARA AB R H RBI
Sisler, 1B 5 1 0 0 Kamm, 3B 3 0 1 0
Lindstrom, 3b 6 3 1 0 S.Rice, rf 4 0 1 0
Goslin, rf 4 0 0 0 Hafey, lf 3 0 1 0
H.Wilson, cf 4 2 2 0 Bottomley, 1b 4 0 1 0
Hartnett, c 3 2 1 2 Herman, cf 4 0 1 0
Frisch, 2B 2 1 1 4 Brannan, 2b 4 0 0 0
Stephenson, lf 5 1 2 1 Boley, ss 3 0 0 0
Kress, ss 5 0 3 0 Taitt, ph 1 0 0 0
Lyons, p 4 0 1 1 Sand, ss 0 0 0 0
Ruel, c 4 0 1 0
Hoyt, p 1 0 0 0
Bluege, ph 1 0 0 0
Sherdel, p 0 0 0 0
McGowman, ph 1 0 0 0
Earnshaw, p 0 0 0 0
Berg, ph 1 0 0 0
TOTAL 37 10 11 8 TOTAL 34 0 6 0
MISSISSIPPI 000 405 100 - 10 11 2
SAHARA 000 000 000 - 0 6 2
E: Brannan, Herman.
DP: Sahara 1 LOB: Mississippi 9, Sahara 9.
2B: Rice. HR: Hartnett (1). CS: Stephenson, Ruel.
BB: Kamm, Hafey, Sisler, Goslin, Wilson 2, Hartnett 2, Frisch 3.
SO: Boley, Lindstrom 2, Kress, Hartnett
MISSISSIPPI IP H R ER BB SO
Lyons (W 1-1) 9 6 0 0 2 1
SAHARA IP H R ER BB SO
Hoyt (L 0-2) 5 8 9 5 5 3
Sherdel 2 3 1 1 0 0
Earnshaw 2 0 0 0 4 1
Umpires: Home, Wilson; 1b, Nallin; 2b, McGowan; 3b, Owens; lf, McCormick; rf, Klem;
T: 2:45 A: 60,382