It was 69 years ago today that Jackie Robinson stole home for the Brooklyn Dodgers against the New York Yankees in game one of the 1955 World Series. It is a play that is this talked about and argued about to this day. And it is one of the moments in baseball history that explains Why We Love Baseball as told by Joe Posnanski in his great book of the same name. I’ll set the stage here and then let Posnanski take over with an excerpt from his fabulous book. Most baseball fans are familiar with the accounts of the event but read to the end to see and feel the true poignancy of the moment.
Jackie Robinson was on third base in the eighth inning of game one. There was one out and the Dodgers were down by two runs. The Dodgers had never beaten the Yankees in a World Series having lost 5 previous times. Whitey Ford was on the mound for New York and of course Yogi Berra was behind the plate. Robinson took off for home and as he slid into home Berra applied the tag. Umpire Bill Summers called Robinson safe. Berra did not agree. There is a huge picture of this moment in the Yogi Berra Museum in Montclair, New Jersey. According to Posnanski and Yogi’s family whenever Berra passes the photo, no matter what he is talking about, he points to the photo and declares “safe”.
According to Posnanski there are three reasons why people still talk about this play. First, it involved two of the games’ most iconic players, Robinson and Berra. Second, it involved one of baseball’s greatest rivalries, the Dodgers and the Yankees. Third, we still don’t know whether Robinson was safe or out.
I’ll let Posnanski take over from here.
Oh, you might think you know whether Robinson was safe or out. Lots of people think they know. Robinson was on third, a nice-sized lead and he was watching Ford closely. He then took small hops and took off for the plate while Ford was in his windup. Ford’s pitch beat him there, Yogi caught it with his left foot on home plate, he reached down with both his glove and right hand and tried to tag Robinson’s right foot just before it touched home.
Out? Safe? Home plate umpire Bill Summers did not hesitate. He ruled safe. Berra was sure he’d blown the call, so sure that he stood up and tore off his mask and began screaming at Summers like he never had at an umpire and never would again. Summers just kept stretching his arms, again and again, a repeat of his safe call, and then turned his back on Berra.
People have been arguing ever since.
There is one surviving film of the play. The replay shows everything… and nothing at all. It is a Rorschach replay. You will see in it exactly what you want. If you want to see Robinson out, he’s out. If you want to see him safe, he’s safe.
“It was bush stuff,” Berra shouted to reporters after the game. “It was showboat strategy, stealing home when you’re two runs behind like that. It was a bad play.”
Reporters raced over to Robinson for a response.
“The only thing bush about it,” Robinson replied, “was Berra’s tag.
Reporters raced back to Berra for his response to the response.
“He was out,” Berra said. “The call was blown. It was the wrong play, and he was out.”
Back to Robinson.
“Tell him to worry about himself,” Robinson said. “He didn’t tag me until after I crossed.”
Back and forth. The Yankees, as you know, won the game. But the Dodgers ended up winning that World Series—they finally beat the Yankees—and Jackie Robinson’s stolen base became a symbol of that victory.
And here’s the best part of the story. I’ll let Posnanski continue.
Jackie Robinson died in 1972. And for the next 40-plus years, Yogi Berra would often find himself at a banquet or celebration or gathering with Jackie’s widow Rachel Robinson.
They always greeted each other the same way.
“Safe,” Rachel would say.
“Out,” Yogi would say.
And then the two would laugh and hug.
References: Why We Love Baseball A History in 50 Moments by Joe Posnanski
The Baseball Almanac
Yogi Berra Museum & Learning Center 8 Yogi Berra Drive Little Falls, NJ
Back Home With Baseball and Beyond 