Sunday, May 7, 2023

New York City World Series attendance in 1951 and 1952.

New York 3 team attendance 1920-1957 ... and comparison to California. Friday, June 20, 2014

The Giants were last in NL attendance in 1956 and 1957, despite having won the World Series in 1954.  Even Willie Mays couldn't save them...

1920-1957: Yankees led in NY attendance every year except:

Giants: 1925, 1935
Dodgers: 1939,  1941, 1942,  1943, 1945...

At least one New York team had to move and it wasn’t going to be the Yankees...

__________________________

There's a lot more detail in that 2014 post. This post uses the 1951 and 1952 World Series for anecdotal evidence. Besides, it's cool to look at the three New York teams back then.

Attendance fluctuated even in these big World Series games then but neither the Dodgers nor the Giants filled their smaller parks even in the World Series. Neither did the Yankees but they drew way more people. I think the regular season numbers in my 2014 post accurately reflect that.

Maximum regular season attendance 1951:

Giants:

Wednesday, May 30, 1951
Attendance: 46,499
Venue: Polo Grounds V
Boston Braves 6, Giants 3 (game 2)

Dodgers:

Wednesday, July 4, 1951
Attendance: 34,620
Venue: Ebbets Field
Dodgers 4, Giants 2 (game 2)

Yankees:

Sunday, July 29, 1951
Attendance: 70,972
Venue: Yankee Stadium I
Yankees 2, White Sox 0 (game 2)

In 1951 the Brooklyn Dodgers and New York Giants tied for first place in the National League. They then played extra regular season games to break the tie: best of three. The first team to win two games, won the pennant. The wins went: Giants, Dodgers, Giants. Attendance in those three extra games:

Monday, October 1, 1951
Attendance: 30,707
Venue: Ebbets Field
Giants 3, Dodgers 1

Tuesday, October 2, 1951
Attendance: 38,609
Venue: Polo Grounds V
Dodgers 10, Giants 0

Wednesday, October 3, 1951
Attendance: 34,320
Venue: Polo Grounds V
Giants 5, Dodgers 4
HR: Bobby Thomson (32, off Ralph Branca, 9th inn, 2 on, 1 out to Deep LF).

The New York Yankees were waiting to play the winner in the World Series.

1951 World Series
New York Yankees over New York Giants (4-2)


Thursday, October 4, 1951
Attendance: 65,673
Venue: Yankee Stadium I
Giants 5, Yankees 1

Friday, October 5, 1951
Attendance: 66,018
Venue: Yankee Stadium I
Yankees 3, Giants 1

Saturday, October 6, 1951
Attendance: 52,035
Venue: Polo Grounds V
Giants 6, Yankees 2

No game Sunday. Maybe rained out. Yankees won the remaining games.
Monday, October 8, 1951
Attendance: 49,010
Venue: Polo Grounds V
Yankees 6, Giants 2

Tuesday, October 9, 1951
Attendance: 47,530
Venue: Polo Grounds V
Yankees 13, Giants 1

Wednesday, October 10, 1951
Attendance: 61,711
Venue: Yankee Stadium I
Yankees 4, Giants 3

Willie Mays turned 92 yesterday.
_____________________________

Maximum regular season attendance 1952:

Dodgers:
Saturday, August 30, 1952
Attendance: 32,154
Venue: Ebbets Field
Giants 4, Dodgers 3

Yankees:

Saturday, August 23, 1952
Attendance: 52,747
Venue: Yankee Stadium I
Yankees 1, Indians 0

1952 World Series
New York Yankees over Brooklyn Dodgers (4-3)

Wednesday, October 1, 1952
Attendance: 34,861
Venue: Ebbets Field
Dodgers 4, Yankees 2

Thursday, October 2, 1952
Attendance: 33,792
Venue: Ebbets Field
Yankees 7, Dodgers 1

Friday, October 3, 1952
Attendance: 66,698
Venue: Yankee Stadium I
Dodgers 5, Yankees 3

Saturday, October 4, 1952
Attendance: 71,787
Venue: Yankee Stadium I
Yankees 2, Dodgers 0

Sunday, October 5, 1952
Attendance: 70,536
Venue: Yankee Stadium I
Dodgers 6, Yankees 5 (11 innings)

Dodgers up 3-2; can win WS at home but look at their attendance:

Monday, October 6, 1952
Attendance: 30,037
Venue: Ebbets Field
Yankees 3, Dodgers 2

Tuesday, October 7, 1952
Attendance: 33,195
Venue: Ebbets Field
Yankees 4, Dodgers 2

Yanks won games 6 & 7 in Ebbets Field. Home runs in those last two games:

Game 6:

HR: Yogi Berra (2, off Billy Loes, 7th inn, 0 on, 0 outs to Deep RF); Mickey Mantle (1, off Billy Loes, 8th inn, 0 on, 0 outs to Deep LF-CF).

HR: Duke Snider 2 (4, 2 off Vic Raschi, 6th inn, 0 on, 0 outs to Deep RF; 8th inn, 0 on, 1 out to Deep RF).

Game 7:

HR: Gene Woodling (1, off Joe Black, 5th inn, 0 on, 0 outs to Deep RF); Mickey Mantle (2, off Joe Black, 6th inn, 0 on, 1 out to Deep CF-RF).

Twenty year old Mickey Mantle homered in both games 6 & 7.

No comments: