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The classic agony of defeat is plastered on the faces of Yankees pitcher Bill Bevens and Joe DiMaggio, but perhaps more so for Bevens who just lost Game 4 of the 1947 World Series in heartbreak fashion. Not only was the journeyman hurler one out from giving his club three games to one lead over their hated rivals the Brooklyn Dodgers, but Bevens was also one out from baseball immortality by being the first player in MLB history to throw a World Series no-hitter. But fate was not on the side of the burly right-handed native of Oregon.
Bevens day got off to a good start before he even took the mound as his teammates spotted him a 1-0 lead in the first inning on a DiMaggio single scoring Snuffy Stirnweiss. The Yanks added another run in the fourth inning as Bevens held Brooklyn hitless, but his wild side was showing issuing three walks in the first three frames, and in the fifth inning his lack of control would allow the Dodgers cut the lead to 2-1, even so they were still held hitless. Bevens walked the first two Dodgers (Spider Jorgensen and relief pitcher Hal Gregg) in the inning and after both runners were sacrificed over one base, Jorgensen would come home to score on a fielder’s choice by Pee Wee Reese for the Dodgers first run of the game.
From there Beven’s continued to hold the Dodgers without a hit, even as he continued to walk the park, when the last final frame appeared its terrible head. By now Beven’s had issued eight walks and even though he got the first Dodger to bat in the ninth to fly out, that wild arm of his issued a walk to Carl Furillo. However the Yankees Jorgensen would foul out and things were looking up for Bevens with a permanent spot in baseball history within hand’s reach. But Al Gionfriddo, now pinch running for Furillo, stole second and Pete Reiser had worked the count to 3-1 when Yanks skipper Bucky Harris had him intentionally walked. The Dodgers sent up Cookie Lavagetto to pinch hit for Eddie Stanky and on the second pitch Lavagetto sent a liner over right fielder Tommy Henrich’s head scoring both Gionfriddo and Reiser , giving the Dodgers an improbable 3-2 win and tying up the series at two games apiece and cruelly denying Beven’s a mark in history. One that Don Larsen would earn with a perfect game in 1956.
Despite the crushing setback the Yankees would still prevail in seven games to win the World Series, but the aftermath was not so kind to Beven’s as he would develop arm problems and never pitch another Major League season, bouncing around the minors until 1952 when he retired at the age of 35.
That hit by Cookie Lavagetto was the last of his long Major League career. He played in the PCL with the Oakland Oaks in 1948, when the Oaks won the PCL Championship. Casey Stengel managed the Oaks that season.
Reiser was hobbled and when he walked, I believe Eddie Miksis ran for him and scored the winning run.
Reiser was suffering from double vision. He could not see but his reputation was enough to cause the Yanks to walk him