Eddie Stanky's two-run double in the seventh inning broke a 1-1 tie as the North Dallas Forty defeated the Harlem Knights in the first game of the 1943 World Series, 3-1.
After opening ceremonies that were very subdued due to the War, the first six innings of the game belonged to Harlem's Cliff Melton and North Dallas' Jim Tobin. Tobin, a 19-game winner during the season, allowed the first run of the game as Swish Nicholson drove home Arky Vaughan with a single.
The Forty tied it up in the fourth when Elbie Fletcher scored from third on an infield ground-out off the bat of Lou Klein. The score remained tied at 1 until the bottom of the seventh when Lou Klein lead off the inning with a single. The next batter, Buddy Rosar, also singled, and both runners advanced on Ken Keltner's sacrifice. Eddie Stanky then doubled off the left field wall just over the glove of Charlie Keller, permitting both runners to score and giving the Forty a 3-1 lead, which they never relinquished.
Game two will be tomorrow afternoon.
10/2/1943, HAR43-NDA43, Polo Grounds
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E LOB DP
1943 Knights 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 7 0 7 1
1943 Forty 0 0 0 1 0 0 2 0 x 3 7 1 4 0
Knights AB R H BI AVG Forty AB R H BI AVG
Spence cf 4 0 0 0 .000 Galan cf 4 0 0 0 .000
Vaughan ss 3 1 1 0 .333 Cullenbine rf 4 0 1 0 .250
Nicholson rf 4 0 1 1 .250 Fletcher 1b 4 1 1 0 .250
York 1b 4 0 2 0 .500 Estalella lf 4 0 1 0 .250
Keller lf 4 0 2 0 .500 Klein ss 2 1 1 1 .500
Wood 2b 4 0 0 0 .000 Rosar c 3 1 1 0 .333
Hodgin 3b 4 0 1 0 .250 Keltner 3b 2 0 0 0 .000
Livingston c 4 0 0 0 .000 Stanky 2b 3 0 1 2 .333
MeltonC p 3 0 0 0 .000 Tobin p 3 0 1 0 .333
34 1 7 1 29 3 7 3
Knights INN H R ER BB K PCH STR ERA
MeltonC L 0-1 8.0 7 3 3 1 4 103 71 3.38
8.0 7 3 3 1 4 103 71
Forty INN H R ER BB K PCH STR ERA
Tobin W 1-0 9.0 7 1 1 0 5 113 77 1.00
9.0 7 1 1 0 5 113 77
E-Cullenbine. 2B-Vaughan, Estalella, Stanky. K-York 2, Wood, Livingston,
MeltonC, Galan, Cullenbine, Fletcher, Tobin. BB-Klein. SH-Vaughan, Keltner.
GWRBI: Stanky
Temperature: 48, Sky: clear, Wind: in from right at 8 MPH.