Editor’s note: Tournament games are played with Strat-o-Matic cards and dice. Three-man pitching rotations will be used for starting pitchers. Injuries are in-game only during this single elimination event.
The 1951 season featured one of the most iconic moments in baseball history.
New York legend Bobby Thomson hit a walk-off homer that decided the National League pennant as the Giants beat the Brooklyn Dodgers 5-4 in the finale of a best of three playoff at the Polo Grounds.
What sometimes gets lost in the historic game is that the Giants eventually fell four games to two in the World Series to the New York Yankees.
This single elimination tournament will have many players who were in the process of Hall of Fame careers.
Joe DiMaggio was in his final season with the Yankees as his teammate Yogi Berra won the American League Most Valuable Player Award.
Brooklyn Dodgers catcher Roy Campanella was the NL MVP.
Willie Mays of the Giants was selected as the Rookie of the Year in the NL. Gil McDougald of the Yankees earned the rookie honor in the AL, but he would soon be overshadowed by another first year player in teammate Mickey Mantle.
Should be an interesting event to see which team can win it all.
1951 Tournament Schedule
First Round Pairings
(8) Chicago Cubs (62-92) at (1) New York Yankees (98-56)
(5) Detroit Tigers (73-81) at (4) Boston Braves (76-78)
(6) Cincinnati Reds (68-86) at (3) Boston Red Sox (87-67)
(7) Washington Senators (62-92) at (2) Brooklyn Dodgers (97-60)
(8) St. Louis Browns (52-102) at (1) New York Giants (98-59)
(5) Philadelphia Phillies (73-81) at (4) Chicago White Sox (81-73)
(6) Philadelphia Athletics (70-84) at (3) St. Louis Cardinals (81-73)
(7) Pittsburgh Pirates (64-90) at (2) Cleveland Indians (93-61)