1947 Hall of Fame Game

The fans that made the trip to Doubleday Field to watch the sixth Hall of Fame game were able to see some free baseball on July 21, 1947.

The game featured the Boston Braves and New York Yankees in the first-ever contest in series history to go into extra innings. It was a hotly contested battle featuring some late-inning heroics as the Braves took down the Yankees 4-3.

Boston started the scoring early in the game with a two-run second inning off of Yankees starting pitcher Don Johnson. The damage came on an RBI single by Braves second baseman Connie Ryan, followed by a ground rule double off the bat of shortstop Nanny Fernandez to score Ryan.

The Braves and Yankees would each add a run later in the game. The Yankees run came in the bottom of the fourth on a solo home run to right-center field by outfielder Johnny Lindell. Boston got a run back in the fifth on a long homer from center fielder Johnny Hopp.

Game action between the Boston Braves and New York Yankees. (National Baseball Hall of Fame Library)

  • "Joe
    Joe DiMaggio standing near home plate at the 1947 Hall of Fame Game. (National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum)
  • "New
    New York Yankees sitting in the dugout at Doubleday Field. BL-3526.2000 (National Baseball Hall of Fame Library)
  • "Aaron
    Aaron Robinson, Tommy Holmes, and future Hall of Famer Phil Rizzuto are all smiles at the Hall of Fame Game. BL-1318.2002 (National Baseball Hall of Fame Library)

The game was a pitcher’s duel as the score remained 3-1 with Boston leading heading into the bottom of the ninth.

With one out in the inning, Lindell and future Hall of Famer Yogi Berra lined back-to-back singles off Braves reliever Ed Wright. The Yankees then scored a run as Braves first baseman Frank McCormick mishandled a hot ground ball down the first base line, allowing Lindell to score.

Joe DiMaggio added a sacrifice fly to center to knot the game up at 3-3 before Wright retired the side.

The Braves then scored the game-winning run in the top of the 10th inning off Johnson and Wright retired the Yankees in the bottom half of the frame, securing the victory.

The 20-year-old Johnson acquitted himself well during the outing. He tossed all 10 innings for the Bronx Bombers, giving up only nine hits and four runs while striking out seven.

Wright and Braves starter Ernie White combined to give up only three runs on seven hits over the 10 innings.

The Boston win would mark the fifth win in six years of the series for the Senior Circuit.

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Generations of the game's greats have played in Cooperstown.
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Mentioned Hall of Famers

Yogi Berra

Catcher

Class of 1972

Joe DiMaggio

Center Fielder

Class of 1955

Phil Rizzuto

Shortstop

Class of 1994