Dixie bracket: 1961 Cardinals defeat 1924 Browns in six games

Game One: Browns 8, Cardinals 7
WP: Shocker (1-0)
LP: Sadecki (0-1)
Save: Vangilder (1)
HR: Sawatski (1)

Game Two: Cardinals 5, Browns 3 (11 innings)
WP: McDaniel (1-0)
LP: Vangilder (0-1)
HR: Boyer (1)

Game Three: Cardinals 9, Browns 2
WP: Jackson (1-0)
LP: Wingard (0-1)

Game Four: Browns 7, Cardinals 5
WP: Pruett (1-0)
LP: McDermott (0-1)
HR: Sisler (1), White (1), K Williams (1)

Game Five: Cardinals 8, Browns 6
WP: Sadecki (1-1)
LP: Lyons (0-1)
Save: McDaniel (1)
HR: White (2), K Williams (2)

Game Six: Cardinals 7, Browns 1
WP: Gibson (1-0)
LP: Danforth (0-1)
HR: White (3)

There were injuries and unearned runs aplenty in this St. Louis series, with all games played in the same park, albeit under different names.

The Browns won the opener in 1961's Busch Stadium. The Cardinals scored two runs in the first, but the Browns replied with three runs in the top of the second, with two of them scoring on Julian Javier's two-base error. The Cards responded with three runs on their own, all unearned. The Browns replied with another three-spot in the top of the third, with two of them again unearned. The sloppiness abated after that. Urban Shocker allowed four earned runs in seven innings for the win. Browns stars Marty McManus and Ken Williams were both injured in this game, McManus for the duration of the series.

Ken Boyer's two-run homer in the bottom of the 11th in Game Two evened the series. Bob Gibson carried a 3-2 lead into the ninth but couldn't hold the lead; George Sisler walked to lead off the inning and went to third on a single by Baby Doll Jacobson. Herschel Bennett brought Sisler in with a ground ball. Lindy McDaniel held the Browns hitless in the 10th and 11th to give Boyer his opportunity.

The series shifted to 1924, when the park was called Sportsman's Park. The Cardinals roughed up Ernie Wingard for a run in the first, three in the second and another in the third and were never challenged. Alex Grammas drove in three runs for the Cards. Larry Jackson went seven innings for the win, allowing one earned run. Stan Musial was injured in the game for the Cardinals and did not again appear in the series.

Shocker took the hill on short rest in Game Four for the Browns, and the home team was trailing when he departed. But Syl Simon, playing because of McManus' injury, tripled home two runs off McDaniel in the eighth to cut the deficit to 5-4. In the ninth, the Cardinals brought in Mickey McDermott to face a string of left-handed hitters; he retired none of them. Harry Rice, pinch-hitting, walked; Jack Tobin singled; and Sisler homered to end the game. Hub Pruett picked up the W.

Game Five went to the Cardinals. Carl Warwick, filling in for Musial in left against the right-handed Dixie Davis, went 3-for-4 with a walk, and scored four times. Bill White homered and drove in four runs. Ken Williams returned from his injury to hit a two-run homer off Sadecki and set up McDaniel's save.

The series reverted to Busch Stadium for Game Six, and Bob Gibson never let the Browns in the game. Sisler singled in the first and Wally Gerber walked in the the fifth; those were the only baserunners Gibson allowed inthe first eight innings. Meanwhile, the Cards scored two runs in the third off Dave Danforth and another in the fourth on White's third homer of the series. The Cards broke it open in the sixth with four runs off Ray Kolp. Gibson left after allowing consecutive doubles to open the ninth, and Ernie Brogilo retired all three men he faced to end the game and the series.

Player availablity: Musial is available for the second round, and the Cardinal bullpen will be at full strength for Game One.

Projected rotation: Jackson-Simmons-Sadecki-Gibson-(Jackson)-(Simmons)-(Sadecki)