Gene Woodling‘s ninth-inning single proved to be the difference as the Baltimore Orioles beat the San Francisco Giants 2-1 to advance to the second round of the Strat-O-Matic 1959 Tournament presented by Press Room Pass.
With the score tied in the top of the ninth, Al Pilarcik singled off Giants starter Sam Jones. Walt Dropo moved him to move him to second with another single and Woodling followed with the third straight hit to put the Orioles on top.
Hoyt Wilhelm also went the distance for Baltimore allowing seven hits with six strikeouts. A Willie McCovey single in the bottom of the first scored Orlando Cepeda, who had doubled.
Dropo, who led the Orioles with a game-high three hits, provided the initial run of the contest with a homer in the top of the first.
Brooks Robinson and Chico Carrasquel had two hits each for Baltimore.
McCovey and Hobie Landrith both finished with a pair of singles to lead the Giants.
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
(A7) Kansas City A’s at (N2) Milwaukee Braves
(Top Bracket Second Round)
(N5) Cincinnati Reds at (A1) Chicago White Sox
(A6) Baltimore Orioles vs. winnner of
(A7) Kansas City A’s at (N2) Milwaukee Braves
(Bottom Bracket Opening Round)
(A8) Washington Senators at (N1) Los Angeles Dodgers
(A5) Boston Red Sox at (N4) Pittsburgh Pirates
(N6) Chicago Cubs at (A3) New York Yankees
(N7) St. Louis Cardinals at (A2) Cleveland Indians
IN REAL LIFE:
Gene Woodling was 37-years old and near the end of his career in 1959 with Baltimore. Despite his age, it was also the only time he made an all-star appearance. He ended the season with 14 homers, 77 RBI and a .300 batting average.
Woodling began his career with the Cleveland Indians in 1943. After two seasons away with military duty, Woodling returned to the Indians in 1946.
After being traded to Pittsburgh prior to the 1947 season, the Pirates sent him to San Francisco of the Pacific Coast League in September of that year.
In 1948, Woodling spent the entire season with Seals in the PCL where he hit 22 homers with 107 RBI and a .385 batting average.
With his success in San Francisco, Woodling earned a spot as the primary left fielder for the New York Yankees.
From 1949 to 1953, the Yankees won all five world championships during the run. Over 26 post-season contests, Woodling batted .318 with three homers and six RBI. He also walked 19 times for an on-base percentage of .442.
After the 1954 season, Woodling was involved in a complicated 17-player trade between the Yankees, Orioles and Indians. Woodling ended up with the Orioles with Don Larsen going to the Yankees.
Midway through 1955, Woodling was on the move again as he was sent to Cleveland. The Indians returned him to Baltimore before the 1958 season.
Left unprotected in the December 1960 expansion draft, Woodling was selected by the new Washington Senators.
He finished his career back in New York after the Mets purchased his contest in the middle of 1962. Over 17 seasons, he hit 147 home runs and drove in 830, while batting .284.