Game 1

Lew Burdette vs. Chris Fletcher

At Chicago, October 4^th, 1953

Washington	0	Boxscore
Chicago	6

Win	Lew Burdette
Loss	Chris Fletcher
Save

The 1953 ALCS was a rematch of the same two teams from the year before. Washington, despite being under new management, brought back virtually the same club from 1952. But having finished even further behind Chicago than the year before, and having lost their first fifteen match-ups against Chicago, the Senators were an even greater underdog than before.

Things started looking bad for Washington right away. After Burdette set the Senators down in order, Chicago came up against Chris Fletcher and promptly toasted him. Mike Gonzalez opened the game with a double. Gomez then singled, scoring Gonzalez and putting Chicago ahead. Cuke Jackson then doubled, and Gomez scored on a sac fly by Tim Laudner. After Aaron popped out, Larue delivered an RBI single, and then Amos Cooper hit a two-run blast to put Chicago ahead 5-0.

The Claymores’ added another run in the third, and the Senators did absolutely nothing with Burdette, who allowed only four hits over nine innings—with no walks—for a complete game shutout win.

Game 2

Arnie Ross vs. Deacon Phillipe

At Chicago, October 5^th, 1953

Chicago Leads 1 game to 0

Washington	8	Boxscore
Chicago	5

Win	Deacon Phillipe
Loss	John Viox
Save	Ted Abernathy

Down one game, Washington wanted to make a statement early, and did, as Al Pick took surprise starter Arnie Ross deep to open the game. The lead evaporated quickly as Deacon Phillipe allowed three consecutive hits—the last a two-run single by Cuke Jackson—to put Chicago ahead 2-1 in the bottom of the first. But after that, Phillipe regained his composure and shut Chicago down for the next four innings. In the fifth, against reliever John Viox, Joe Adcock singled for Washington with one out. Tony Jimenez then doubled, and two batters later, Fred Clarke delivered a three-run blast to put Washington up 4-2. Washington struck again in the sixth with three more runs, two scoring on an Adcock double and the last on a Sam Adams single. Chicago threatened in the sixth and seventh, but Washington still had an 8-4 lead going into the ninth.

Jimmy Rosenthal doubled to open the ninth for Chicago. With one out, Gomez singled him home. Ted Abernathy came on for the save and promptly walked Cuke Jackson, bringing up slugger Tim Laudner as the tying run. Abernathy got Laudner to fly out, and then induced a pop up from Hank Aaron to end the game and tie the series at one.

Game 3

Tom Seaver vs. Bill Hopkins

At Washington, October 7^th, 1953

Series tied at 1

Chicago	10	Boxscore
Washington	0

Win	Bill Hopkins
Loss	Tom Seaver
Save

Game 3 featured a match up of two veteran aces, Tom Seaver and Bill Hopkins. Yet the aging Seaver wasn’t up to the task of the Claymores’, who burnt him for five runs on eight hits in only four innings. An RBI single by Aaron got it started in the first, and then Chicago blew the game open in the fourth. With two down and Aaron at first, Seaver allowed singles to Joe Delahanty and, embarrassingly, Bill Hopkins, who drove home Aaron. Mike Gonzalez followed with an RBI single, and then Juan Gomez cleared the bases with a triple to make it 5-0. After that, Chicago never looked back, tacking on five more runs before it was over. Hopkins scattered eight hits and a walk for Chicago’s second shutout of the series.

Game 4

Rip Rowe vs Toots Wilson

At Washington, October 8^th, 1953

Chicago Leads 2 games to 1

Chicago	8	Boxscore
Washington	0

Win	Toots Wilson
Loss	Rip Rowe
Save

One thing you can’t do against the Claymores’ is make defensive mistakes. In Game 4, Ed Mack made a very costly one for Washington. Scoreless in the top of the third, Mike Gonzalez reached on a two-base error. Three consecutive walks then brought him home. With the bases loaded and nobody out, Hank Aaron grounded to third. With one out, it might’ve been an inning-ending double play, but instead Rick Krause elected to throw home and cut off the run. That left the bases loaded for Luey Larue, who promptly blew the game open with a grand slam, putting Chicago up 5-0. Without the error, Rowe might well have kept Chicago off the board.

In the end, though, it may not have mattered, as Washington’s inability to score any of the ten base runners it got against Toots Wilson allowed for Chicago’s third complete-game shutout of the series.

Game 5

Chris Fletcher vs. Babe Adams

At Washington, October 9^th, 1952

Chicago Leads 3 games to 1

Chicago	4	Boxscore
Washington	8

Win	Chris Fletcher
Loss	Babe Adams
Save

Fans looking for a pitchers duel in this series were disappointed once again, as Washington stunned everyone and took 24 game winner Babe Adams apart piece by piece. A Hank Aaron RBI single actually gave Chicago a lead in the first, but Washington then scored twice in the second, twice again in the fourth, once in the fifth and sixth, and twice again in the seventh to take an 8-2 lead. A two-run blast by Cuke Jackson pulled Chicago within four, but Blondie Devine and Buddy Rogers easily sealed a sixth game for Washington. Ed Mack led the way with three RBIs and a homer for Washington, while Samuel Adams chipped in two.

Game 6

Lew Burdette vs. Deacon Phillipe

At Chicago, October 11^th, 1953

Chicago Leads 3 games to 2

Washington	2	Boxscore
Chicago	7

Win	Lew Burdette
Loss	Deacon Phillipe
Save

Having narrowly avoided an upset defeat the year before, Chicago had no intention of giving Washington another Game 7. With that in mind, they burned Deacon Phillipe for five runs in the first three innings. A solo shot by Cuke Jackson got it going in the first. A two-run double by Burdette make it 3-0 in the second, and RBI singles from Aaron and Larue make it 5-0 in the third. Burdette allowed just two runs over nine innings, striking out eleven and sending Chicago to their third straight World Series.