Bill Bevens
One swing determined everything.
In one moment, New York Yankees pitcher Bill Bevens lost a no-hitter and a game on baseball’s biggest stage in 1947.
Bevens was one out away from winning the fourth contest of the World Series against the Brooklyn Dodgers, but one pitch to Cookie Lavagetto resulted in a reversal of fortune.
Despite walking 10 Dodgers and nursing a 2-1 lead, Bevens still had not surrendered a hit.
The Yankees had a 2-0 when the Dodgers scored in the fifth on a pair of walks and a fielder’s choice.
The scored remained the same until the bottom of the ninth. Bevens walked Carl Furillo with one out. After he retired another batter, Al Gionfriddo entered the game as a pinch-runner.
Gionfriddo stole second and pinch-hitter Pete Reiser was intentionally walked. Eddie Miksis was sent into run for Reiser.
Two pitches later Lavagetto was being carried off the diamond at Ebbets Field by his teammates after hitting a two-run double to right.
The Rest of the Series
The 1947 series was tied 2-2 after Lavagetto’s walk off hit.
The Yankees won game five and the Dodgers would bounce back to take the sixth.
One of the most enduring images in baseball history occurred in the sixth contest at Yankee Stadium.
Gionfriddo’s catch of a Joe DiMaggio blast was a critical moment in Brooklyn’s victory.
Bevens also had a comeback moment in the final game as the Yankees won the title with a 5-2 win. He entered the game in the second inning in relief of starter Spec Shea. After giving up a two-run double to Spider Jorgensen, Bevens held the Dodgers scoreless until the fourth when he was removed for a pinch-hitter.
The Yankees took a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the fourth. Joe Page tossed the last five innings to get credit for the win. It might be by today’s standards that Bevens likely would have been awarded the victory, but he didn’t get it.
The End
Bevens along with Lavagetto and Gionfriddo played their final big league games in the 1947 World Series.
Spending just four years with the Yankees from 1944 to 1947, Bevens was 40-36 with a 3.08 ERA. The Oregon native’s best season was in 1946 as he was 16-13 with an ERA of 2.23. His only losing season was in 1947 with a 7-13 mark.
Bevens started his professional career in 1937 and actually had a post-season no-hitter for Wenatchee in 1939. After his time with the Yankees, he was in the minor leagues battling a sore arm until 1952.
Lavagetto played 10 seasons in the majors. He was with the Pittsburgh Pirates from 1934 to 1936 before joining the Dodgers the following year. He was a National League All-Star from 1938 to 1941.
Missing time from 1942 to 1945 due to military service during World War II, Lavagetto returned to Brooklyn for the 1946 and 1947 seasons.
He finished his career with the Oakland Oaks in the Pacific Coast League from 1948 to 1950.
Like Lavagetto, Gionfriddo began his career with the Pirates. His debut was in 1944 and he was traded to the Dodgers in May of 1947.
Staying with the Brooklyn organization in 1948, Gionfriddo spent four seasons with Montreal and eventually finished playing at Visalia in 1956.