The dramatic decline of the Reps was matched by the dramatic improvement of
the Chips in Season 4. That set up a classic Chips/Stickpins World Series.
The teams had effectively swaped left fielders entering the season, with charter
Chip Joe Jackson going to the Stickpins in exchange for Stan Musial. Musial
did as well in his new digs as his old ones-he is the only player in history
to finish in the top two in batting average in consecutive seasons. And he
did it on two different teams.
Musial outplayed Jackson in both the regular season and the Series, and that
was a key in the Chips' win. The Chips took 4 of 6 from the Stickpins during
the regular season, despite being outscored, 28-20. In the Series, the Chips
took 4 of 6, and were outscored, 28-20. That eerie fact was compounded by
the most bizarre ending ever to a World Series. The Chips seemed to have things
locked up, leading the Series 3 games to 2 and leading 4-1 over the Stickpins
in Game 6. But the Stickpins rallied in the top of the 9th to tie the game
at 4-4, then Willie Mays' bases loaded walk gave the Stickpins a 5-4 lead.
Now the Series seem destined for a decisive 7th game.
But with Whitey Ford pitching and a man on first, Joe Jackson dropped Musial's
routine fly ball. It rolled to the wall and carrommed, Jackson slipped, and
by the time Stickpins centerfielder Mickey Mantle had retrieved it, Musial
had a 4-base, 2-run error, giving the Chips the game, 6-5, and the Series,
4-2. It was the only World Series ever to end on an error, and was only too
reminiscent of Jackson's antics on the 1919 Chicago Blacksox. The Commissioner
investigated, but Jackson was never charged. The bizarre ending put an exclamation
point on the Chips' only championship during the league's first 15 years.
