Bob Kuzava--1952
He Was a World Series Hero???
It took Casey Stengel until Game 7 of the
1952 World Series between the Yankees
and Dodgers before he would summon
Bob Kuzava to the mound.
And when he did, the pride of
Wyandotte, MI stepped up and
dominated future Hall of Famers in
bringing home a winner for the Bronx
Bombers.
Brought in to face lefty swinger Duke
Snider with the bases jammed and just
one out to protect a 4-2 lead, Kuzava
induced Snider to infield fly pop up to
third sacker Gil McDougald. Stengel then
stuck with the southpaw who retired
Jackie Robinson on a weak pop up to the
mound that Billy Martin dramatically
raced in to snare to end the threat.
Kuzava would then retire six of the next
seven Dodgers, which included the likes
of Gil Hodges, Pee Wee Reese and Roy
Campenella, to nail down the World
Championship.
I bring this up since I recently watched
the final game of the '52 Series online
and I had never heard of the lefty who
hurled 2-2/3 innings of no-hit relief to
finish off the Dodgers.
However, this wasn't a totally unfamiliar
role for Kuzava, as the southpaw came in
to relieve a distressed Johnny Sain in the
9th inning of the 1951 World Series.
Kuzava proceeded to induce three Giant
fly balls to preserve a 4-3 Yankee victory
where he would be mobbed at the
mound in celebration.
At the end of his 10-year major league
career that saw Kuzava bounce between
eight clubs; the lefty would post a 49-44,
4.50 record--- with two very impressive
saves to wrap up World Series titles.
That's Bob Kuzava.
Editor's Note: Kuzava would collect three
World Series rings with the Yankees
from 1951-53.
(10/27/10)
It took Casey Stengel until Game 7 of the
1952 World Series between the Yankees
and Dodgers before he would summon
Bob Kuzava to the mound.
And when he did, the pride of
Wyandotte, MI stepped up and
dominated future Hall of Famers in
bringing home a winner for the Bronx
Bombers.
Brought in to face lefty swinger Duke
Snider with the bases jammed and just
one out to protect a 4-2 lead, Kuzava
induced Snider to infield fly pop up to
third sacker Gil McDougald. Stengel then
stuck with the southpaw who retired
Jackie Robinson on a weak pop up to the
mound that Billy Martin dramatically
raced in to snare to end the threat.
Kuzava would then retire six of the next
seven Dodgers, which included the likes
of Gil Hodges, Pee Wee Reese and Roy
Campenella, to nail down the World
Championship.
I bring this up since I recently watched
the final game of the '52 Series online
and I had never heard of the lefty who
hurled 2-2/3 innings of no-hit relief to
finish off the Dodgers.
However, this wasn't a totally unfamiliar
role for Kuzava, as the southpaw came in
to relieve a distressed Johnny Sain in the
9th inning of the 1951 World Series.
Kuzava proceeded to induce three Giant
fly balls to preserve a 4-3 Yankee victory
where he would be mobbed at the
mound in celebration.
At the end of his 10-year major league
career that saw Kuzava bounce between
eight clubs; the lefty would post a 49-44,
4.50 record--- with two very impressive
saves to wrap up World Series titles.
That's Bob Kuzava.
Editor's Note: Kuzava would collect three
World Series rings with the Yankees
from 1951-53.
(10/27/10)
