A pair of homers and a four-hit performance by Chicago’s Glen Hobbie gave the Cubs a 4-0 win over the New York Yankees in the first round of the Strat-O-Matic 1959 Tournament presented by Press Room Pass.
Hobbie gave up two singles to Bobby Richardson. The other two hits were a double to Elston Howard and a single by Tony Kubek. He fanned six and walked three as he blanked the Yankees.
Tony Taylor got the Cubs on the scoreboard with a two-run blast off New York starter Whitey Ford in the top of the third inning.
Al Dark ended Ford’s day with a two-run homer in the eighth.
Taylor and Ernie Banks led the Cubs with two hits apiece.
In addition to Richardson, Hank Bauer walked twice as they were the only two Yankees to reach base two times.
1959 TOURNAMENT RESULTS AND SCHEDULE
(Top Bracket Opening Round)
(A1) Chicago White Sox 7, (N8) Philadelphia Phillies 1
(N5) Cincinnati Reds 5, (A4) Detroit Tigers 3
(A6) Baltimore Orioles 2, (N3) San Francisco Giants 1
(N2) Milwaukee Braves 4, (A7) Kansas City A’s 1
(Top Bracket Second Round)
(N5) Cincinnati Reds at (A1) Chicago White Sox
(A6) Baltimore Orioles at (N2) Milwaukee Braves
(Bottom Bracket Opening Round)
(N1) Los Angeles Dodgers 4, (A8) Washington Senators 3
(A5) Boston Red Sox 16, (N4) Pittsburgh Pirates 3
(N6) Chicago Cubs 4, (A3) New York Yankees 0
(N7) St. Louis Cardinals at (A2) Cleveland Indians
(Bottom Bracket Second Round)
(A5) Boston Red Sox at (N1) Los Angeles Dodgers
(N6) Chicago Cubs vs. (N7) St. Louis Cardinals or (A2) Cleveland Indians
IN REAL LIFE:
Glen Hobbie had his best season of eight years in the big leagues in 1959.
That year, which was his third, Hobbie was 16-13 with a 3.69 ERA.
Hobbie did toss three shutouts at Wrigley Field in 1959 with two against St. Louis. He had a one-hitter in a 1-0 victory over the Cardinals with four strikeouts on April 21. The only blemish for Hobbie that day was a two-out double in the seventh by Stan Musial. Sammy Taylor drove in the lone run with a single in the second inning.
He also decked the Cards again in an 8-0 decision on Sept. 13. His other shutout was against Cincinnati in a 10-0 win on May 13.
In 1960, he led the National League in losses as 16-20 despite an ERA of 3.97.
Playing for the Cubs from 1957 to 1964, he finished his career with a 62-81 record. During his final season, he was traded to St. Louis two weeks before the Cardinals picked up Lou Brock.
In 1959, the Yankees were shutout 14 times and they scored just one run in 13 other contests. Ford lost twice in games where the Yankees were unable to score to the Chicago White and Detroit Tigers.