1955 - The Boys of Summer Have a Curfew

EBBETS FIELD - May 3, 1955

Last night’s game between the Brooklyn Dodgers and the Milwaukee Braves started at 8pm. When the schedule was set, the Dodgers and Braves agreed that the game would be played at night under the stipulation there would be an 11:15pm curfew. This would ensure that the Braves could catch their 12:30am train to Pittsburgh where they’re scheduled to play tonight.

Sportswriters and fans only found out about the curfew as the game was about to get underway last night. Jack Lang wrote in the Staten Island Advance today, “The first knowledge the fans had of this was just before the game. It was announced over the P.A. system that no inning would start after 11:15. But they had already paid to get in. It was news to them - and to the press, who were also uninformed - that a curfew had been set.”

Dick Young shared his frustration with Dodgers’ management over the secret curfew agreement in his article in the New York Daily News, “By mutual agreement of whom? … the fans? They had been told only after they had bought their tickets and were in the park.

It really shouldn’t have been a problem, however. In the entire 1954 season, only 3 Dodgers’ home games lasted more than 3 hours and 15 minutes.

Well, wouldn’t you know it. Last night’s game went into extra innings with the score nothing-to-nothing.

Carl Erskine of the Dodgers had allowed no runs and just 4 hits.

Gene Conley of the Braves was even better. In fact he was sensational. Conley had allowed no runs and only 2 ground ball hits by the pitcher, Erskine. Conley had no-hit the Dodgers’ position players through 9 innings.

In the 10th inning, both starters remained in the game and had easy innings. Conley didn’t give up a hit. Erskine let up a single, just the 5th Braves hit of the game, but stranded the runner on 1st.

The game continued on to the 11th.

After getting the first two batters out, Erskine gave up a double to Henry Aaron. The Dodgers elected to walk Eddie Mathews to enable a force out at 3rd base.

Next up was a batter that must strike fear into the hearts of all Dodgers’ fans. It was Bobby Thomson, the man who won the 1951 pennant for the Giants with his famous shot heard round the world. Erskine walked Thomson to load the bases.

Next up was the dangerous Joe Adcock. Adcock hit a fly ball to deep right center. But Sandy Amoros was able to get to the ball to retire the side.

Conley got the Dodgers out quietly again in the bottom of the 11th. Roy Campanella did get a single with 2 outs, making that the 1st hit off Conley by a Dodger’s position player. But Conley got the next batter, Sandy Amoros, to pop up to the catcher, and the game continued to the 12th.

The 12th Inning

Carl Erskine again came out to pitch the top of the 12th. He walked the first 2 batters. And they advanced to 2nd and 3rd base on a sacrifice bunt. Incredibly, the Braves elected to send Conley to bat with 1 in the 12th. Conley was just a .156 batter last year. Conley grounded out, and the runners had to hold.

Now, Erskine had to face the leadoff batter, Bill Bruton. Bruton already had 2 of the Braves’ 6 hits in the game. But Erskine got Bruton to hit a fly to left that was caught by Sandy Amoros, who had been moved to left field.

11:06 pm

Going into the bottom of the 12th there was a problem. It was now 11:06pm. If the Dodgers did not score, then the game was going to be called on account of the curfew and would go in the books as a tie.

Gene Conley came back out to the mound.

First up was Gil Hodges. He struck out swinging.

Next was Jackie Robinson. He walked.

11:09 pm

Now, Carl Furillo came to the plate. Furillo, who was leading the major leagues in home runs with 7, was 0 for 3 with a walk.

The first pitch to Furillo was a ball.

The second pitch was a hanging curve ball. Furillo swung. Dick Young described what happened as he referred to Furillo by his nickname, “Skoonj drove deep into the lower deck.”

Carl Furillo had hit a 2-run homer over the left field wall.

The Dodgers had won the game, 2 - 0 at 11:13pm.

Not only had Furillo won the game for the Dodgers just prior to the curfew, he had saved Ebbets Field according to Dick Young, “If Furillo hadn’t homered, and the dramatic duel between Carl Erskine and Gene Conley had ended in empty nothingness, the few paying fans the Dodgers have left would have been justified in burning down Ebbets Field.”

Jack Lang similarly reported on the magnitude of Furillo’s game-winning blast, “What might have happened if the 19,976 fans had been robbed of seeing this brilliant game played to a conclusion is hard to say. Suffice to say the Brooklyn club is deeply indebted to Furillo for ending it and saving them the embarrassment of explaining to fans why a curfew was set in the first place.”

While the Braves left quickly for their train to Pittsburgh, Jack Lang was able to interview the other hero of the game, pitcher Carl Erskine. Erskine had just pitched a 12 inning, 6-hit shutout. He told Lang that he ranked this game as the 3rd or 4th best of his career. His #1 was his record 14-strikeout game in the 1953 World Series. And his #2 was his no-hitter against the Cubs in 1952. This game he considered on par with his 1 - 0 victory in 10 innings over Warren Spahn in 1951.

Another interesting footnote about the game is that there were no substitutions by either time in the entire 12 inning game.

The 1955 Brooklyn Dodgers now have a record of 16 - 2.

The Sports Time Traveler will continue to follow the 1955 Brooklyn Dodgers and share stories when there is something so exciting I have to write about it.