1976 World Series
The
1976 World Series matched the defending champion
Cincinnati Reds of the
National League against the
New York Yankees of the
American League, with the Reds sweeping the Series to repeat.
Managers: Billy Martin (New York),
Sparky Anderson (Cincinnati)
Umpires: Lee Weyer (NL),
Lou DiMuro (AL),
Billy Williams (NL),
Bill Deegan (AL),
Bruce Froemming (NL),
Dave Phillips (AL)
Series MVP: Johnny Bench (Cincinnati), who batted .533 with 2 home runs.
Television: NBC (
Joe Garagiola,
Tony Kubek,
Phil Rizzuto and
Marty Brennaman announcing). This was the last of 30 consecutive World Series telecasts by NBC, who had aired the game since
1947; under
Major League Baseball's new television contract, Series coverage would now alternate between NBC and
ABC each year. It was also the last time that local announcers for the participating teams (Rizzuto and Brennaman) would be regularly featured on the network telecast.
NL Cincinnati Reds (4) vs. NL New York Yankees (0) Game Score Date Location Attendance --
(1) Yankees - 1, Reds - 5 October 16 Riverfront Stadium 54,826
(2) Yankees - 3, Reds - 4 October 17 Riverfront Stadium 54,816
(3) Reds - 6, Yankees - 2 October 19 Yankee Stadium 56,667
(4) Reds - 7, Yankees - 2 October 21 Yankee Stadium 56,700
Game 1
October 16, 1976 at Riverfront Stadium (Cincinnati Reds) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
- - - - - - - - - - - -
New York Yankees 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 5 1
Cincinnati Reds 1 0 1 0 0 1 2 0 X 5 10 1
PITCHERS: NYY - Alexander, Lyle (7) CIN - Gullett, Borbon (8)
WP - Gullett LP - Alexander
SAVE - none
HOME RUNS: NYY - none CIN - Morgan
ATTENDANCE: 54,826
Game 2
October 17, 1976 at Riverfront Stadium (Cincinnati Reds) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
- - - - - - - - - - - -
New York Yankees 0 0 0 1 0 0 2 0 0 3 9 1
Cincinnati Reds 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 4 10 0
PITCHERS: NYY - Hunter CIN - Norman, Billingham (7)
WP - Billingham LP - Hunter
SAVE - none
HOME RUNS: NYY - none CIN - none
ATTENDANCE: 54,816
Game 3
October 19, 1976 at Yankee Stadium (New York Yankees) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
- - - - - - - - - - - -
Cincinnati Reds 0 3 0 1 0 0 0 2 0 6 13 2
New York Yankees 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 2 8 0
PITCHERS: CIN - Zachry, McEnaney (7) NYY - Ellis, Jackson (4), Tidrow (8)
WP - Zachry LP - Ellis
SAVE - McEnaney
HOME RUNS: CIN - Driessen NYY - Mason
ATTENDANCE: 56,667
Game 4
October 21, 1976 at Yankee Stadium (New York Yankees) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
- - - - - - - - - - - -
Cincinnati Reds 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 4 7 9 2
New York Yankees 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 2 8 0
PITCHERS: CIN - Nolan, McEnaney (7) NYY - Figueroa, Tidrow (9), Lyle (9)
WP - Nolan LP - Figueroa
SAVE - McEnaney
HOME RUNS: CIN - Bench (2) NYY - none
ATTENDANCE: 56,700
"This could be it, George Foster, Geromino, Foster makes the catch, that's it the Cincinnati Reds win the World Series in 4 straight, it was a sweep, the final score Cincinnati 7, the New York Yankees 2" NBC's Joe Garagiola calling the final out of the 1976 World Series.
"I got news for ya! We are going to be World Champions again, Sugerbath. We are now going to be World Champions again!"-Johnny Bench after his Game 4 homer.
* The
Cincinnati Reds became the only team to sweep an entire multi-tier postseason.
* This
World Series was the first in which the
designated hitter rule was in effect which wound up benefitting the Reds who were able to get utility infielder
Dan Driessen's bat in the lineup. Driessen hit .357 with one home run.
Elliott Maddox,
Carlos May, and
Lou Piniella shared the role for the
New York Yankees.
* The
Cincinnati Reds were the first
National League team to win back-to-back World Championships since the
New York Giants in 1921 & 1922!
* Yankee's backup shortstop
Jim Mason entered the third game as a defensive replacement in the 5th inning and homered in his turn at bat in the 7th. It was the only homer of the series for the Yankees and the only WS at bat of Mason's career thus making him the first, and still only man to hit a home run in his lone career Series at-bat.
* The 1975-76 Reds were the first (and through 2006, the only)
National League team to repeat since the 1921-22 New York Giants.
* Reds manager
Sparky Anderson, using crafty psychology, maintained a cautious stance throughout the Series, praising the Yankees and expressing fears about their strengths, even as his "Big Red Machine" was stifling the Yanks in every game.
* The Red's total dominance was not only reflected by the sweep, but by the combined scores of the games, 22-8, and the fact that the Yankees only led once the entire series, and that lead lasted from the bottom of the first inning of Game 4 until the Reds scored three in the top of the fourth of that game: a total of 2 2/3 innings over 36 combined innings.
* This World Series marked the first time that
Robert Merrill sang the National Anthem prior to a World Series game. His rendition of the anthem prior to Game 3 was followed by
Joe DiMaggio's tossing of the ceremonial first pitch.
*
1976 World Series at Baseball-Reference.com*
1976 World Series at WorldSeries.com (MLB.com)*
1976 World Series at Baseball-Almanac.com*
1976 World Series box scores and play-by-play at Retrosheet.org*
1976 ALCS | Game 5*
Sporting News' Baseball's 25 Greatest Moments: The Chris Chambliss Walk-Off Home Run*
History of the World Series - 1976*
Reds History
