Editor’s note: Tournament games are played with Strat-o-Matic cards and dice.
Brooklyn’s Don Newcombe set the tone for the Dodgers in the opener 1955 Tournament as he led his squad to a 4-0 victory over the Washington Senators at Ebbets Field.
Newcombe tossed a complete game surrendering just five hits with three strikeouts.
The Dodgers grabbed an early lead on a two-run double by Pee Wee Reese in the second inning off Senators starter Johnny Schmitz.
One frame later, Roy Campanella blasted a solo homer and the Dodgers had a 3-0 advantage.
Carl Furillo accounted for the final Brooklyn tally with a homer in the sixth.
Duke Snider topped the Dodgers with two hits against Schmitz, who also went the distance giving up seven hits with four strikeouts.
For the Senators, Carlos Paula and Clint Courtney both had two singles.
The Dodgers advance to the second round to face the winner of the (5) Cincinnati Reds at (4) Boston Red Sox affair.
1955 IN REAL LIFE: Newcombe finished the season at 20-5 giving him an .800 winning percentage, which led the National League. He also pitched a scoreless inning in the all-star game, which was his fourth and final appearance in the Mid-Summer Classic. In the World Series, Newcombe started the first game as the Dodgers lost to New York 6-5 at Yankee Stadium.
First Round Results and Schedule
Upper Bracket
(1) Brooklyn Dodgers 4, (8) Washington Senators 0
(5) Cincinnati Reds at (4) Boston Red Sox
(6) Kansas City Athletics at (3) New York Giants
(7) St. Louis Cardinals at (2) Cleveland Indians
Lower Bracket
(7) Baltimore Orioles at (2) Milwaukee Braves
(6) Chicago Cubs at (3) Chicago White Sox
(5) Detroit Tigers at (4) Philadelphia Phillies
(8) Pittsburgh Pirates at (1) New York Yankees