The 1951 World Series matched the two-time defending champion New York Yankees against the New York Giants, who had won the National League pennant in a thrilling three-game playoff with the Brooklyn Dodgers on the legendary home run by Bobby Thomson (the Shot Heard 'Round the World).

In the Series, the Yankees showed some power of their own, including Gil McDougald's grand slam home run in Game 5, at the Polo Grounds. The Yankees won the Series in six games, for their third straight title and 14th overall. This would be the last World Series for Joe DiMaggio, who retired afterward, and the first for rookies Willie Mays and Mickey Mantle.

This was the last Subway Series the Giants played in. Both teams would meet again eleven years later after the Giants relocated to San Francisco. They have not played a World Series against each other since. This was the first World Series announced by Bob Sheppard, who was in his first year as Yankee Stadium's public address announcer. It was also the first World Series to be televised exclusively by one network (NBC) as well as the first to be televised nationwide, as coaxial cable had recently linked both coasts.

 Rare highlights of game one, five, and six of the 1951 World Series broadcast on the Mutual Broadcasting System radio network.
 
Game One - The opening with commentator Al Helfer who for the first seven minutes mentions multiple times yesterday's historic Bobby Thomson winning home run against the Brooklyn Dodgers.
Helfer states the opening line-up for both teams. 

Mel Allen is heard doing the play-by-play during an historic first inning which includes Monte Irvin's steal of home, only the fourth time successfully executed in World Series history, last done by Bob Meusel thirty years ago in 1921. This game is notable for rookie Yankee Mickey Mantle who is lead-off hitter for the New York Yankees. 
We hear highlights during the bottom of the Yankee second inning which  includes Gil McDougald's first World Series hit (double).
Al Helfer does the play-by-play in the top of the Giant sixth inning which includes a home run by Alvin Dark and Monte Irvin's fourth consecutive hit in the game. 

Highlights of game five. Al Helfer states the opening line-ups for both teams. Mel Allen does the play-by-play for the top of the Yankees' first inning, and top of the Yankees' third inning which includes Gil McDougald hitting only the third Grand Slam in World Series history. Also heard is Phil Rizzuto hitting a home run in the top of the fourth inning and Joe DiMaggio doubling in the top of the seventh inning, playing the next to last game in his career (1936-1951). 
Mel Allen recaps game five's 13 to 1 Yankee massacre of the 1951 World Series.

Game six opening with Mel Allen stating the line-ups for both teams. 
Al Helfer does the play-by-play for the bottom of the Yankee first inning. Brief play-by-play in the Giant top of the fifth inning with Willie Mays singling. Mel Allen calls the ninth inning which is a nail bitter as the New York Giants load the bases with no outs, trailing 4 to 1. After the Giants close within one run with the potential tying run on second base, a racing Hank Bauer makes a sensational sliding catch by pinch hitter Sal Yvars to end the game giving the New York Yankees their fourteenth World Championship.

The 1951 season has been referred to as "The Season of Change" as it witnessed the departure of several of the games veteran superstars and the introduction of a new generation of talent. Several new rookies on the scene including a young 19-year-old switch hitter named Mickey Mantle and a phenomenal 20-year-old outfielder named Willie Mays begin their historic careers.

NOTE: These rare sound tracks were discovered at WOR radio station in the 1960's. They were on multiple 16" Electronic Transmission discs. Each side of one disc contained 15 minutes of audio. This 95-minute compilation of broadcast audio highlights of the 1951 World Series is all that exists of this classic World Series broadcast. 
                                                                                                                                                                       

 
Announcer Hal Simms introduces the opening of the broadcast which includes guest panelist Phil Rizzuto who was the very first 'Mystery Guest" of this long running series premiering Feb. 2, 1950.
On the eve of Game Five of the 1956 World Series between the Brooklyn Dodgers and New York Yankees Rizzuto predicts the Yankees will win  which occurred when New York Yankee Don Larsen would pitch the only World Series Perfect game in history.     

NOTE: 
Archival Television Audio, Inc. has archived only the opening 95 seconds of this broadcast. 
The complete program can be viewed (video - 25:50) on you tube                                                                        

February 14th, 1949-October 26th, 1956

A fifteen-minute nightly newscast hosted by John Cameron Swayze. It was replaced on October 29th, 1956 by the Huntley-Brinkley Report. 

Sportscaster reporter Phil Rizzuto reports on game 5 of the 1956 World Series in which the Yankees Don Larsen pitched a perfect game. 

                  Broadcasting career
Phil Rizzuto had options following his release by the Yankees, on Old Timer's Day, August 25, 1956 including a player contract from the Cardinals and a minor league offer from the Dodgers. But Rizzuto, who had filled in for the New York Giants' wraparound fifteen minute post game show hosted by Frankie Frisch beginning on September 22, 1956 following Frisch's heart attack (August 9th right after NY Giant win over the Philadelphia Phillies), received a favorable response. With his eye on a post-playing career, Rizzuto submitted an audition tape to the Baltimore Orioles. The Yankees' sponsor, Ballantine Beer, took notice, and insisted that the team hire Rizzuto as an announcer for the 1957 season. General manager George Weiss was obliged to fire Jim Woods, who had only been with the Yankees for four years, to make room for Rizzuto in the booth.   Yankees shortstop Phil Rizzuto was so popular with the fans that they couldn't let him go after his retirement in 1956. After announcing his retirement, he signed on as the Yankees announcer on December 18th, 1956, a position he held for 40 years.                                           

Walter Winchell news and commentary. 

Winchell mentions that former Yankee Phil Rizzuto has been signed by the Yankee organization to do play by play announcing of New York Yankee games beginning in April of 1957.                                     

Radio broadcast of an exhibition game between the New York Yankees and Minnesota Twins. The top of the fifth inning is heard with the Twins leading 1-0. Batters include Mickey Mantle, who singles, Yogi Berra grounds out, Elston Howard fouls out, and Moose Skowron grounds out. Phil Rizzuto calls the play by play. 

5 minute excerpt

          

Roger Maris breaks Babe Ruth's home run record. Phil Rizzuto, Red Barber and Mel Allen call the play-by-play of the four Maris at bats. Rizzuto (1st inning), Barber (4th inning, announcing Maris' 61st home run), Allen (6th and 8th inning).
 
Mel Allen, in the WPIX TV booth, interviews Sal Durante, the 19 year old truck driver who caught Roger Maris' historic home run ball. 

Also, Bob Sheppard's poem about Maris and his record breaking 61 home runs is read by Mel Allen. 

Following the conclusion of the game we hear THE RED BARBER SHOW post-game show. Maris guests and reviews, via video tape replay, his historic home run, with Red Barber. 
NY Yankee Manager Ralph Houk and NY Yankee pitching coach, Johnny Sain also comment. 

NOTE: This television audio air check was audio tape recorded, direct line, off the air at the time of the broadcast, by Phil Gries, founder and owner of Archival Television Audio, Inc. It is the only known recording of Roger Maris' four at bats as aired on this WPIX Channel 11 television broadcast. 

A recording of this air check was given to Andy Strasberg who contacted me, while researching material for a book he was writing. He mentioned that for over fifty years searching for his holy grail broadcast of Roger Maris appearing on Red Barber's NY Yankee Post Game Show had alluded him. In his finished book "MY 1961," published by August Publications in 2021, the transcript of this peerless audio is greatly quoted verbatim by author Andy Strasberg on pages 257 through 270.  

                                                   

The Milwaukee Brewers defeat the New York Yankees 1-0 at Yankee Stadium on this final day of the regular season. Jim Lonborg scatters three hits in winning his 14th game of the season. Larry Gowell is the losing pitcher for the Yankees. Announcers are Phil Rizzuto, Bill White, and Frank Messer. Aired on WGY Radio.

NOTE: New York Yankee pitcher, Larry Gowell was the last AL pitcher to record a hit in a regular-season game before the DH was instituted.

On October 4th, 1972, Gowell made his mark in baseball history when the rookie right-hander faced Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Jim Lonborg, and slugged a 3-2 fastball down the left-field line for a double.

Interestingly enough, it was Larry Gowell's first and last MLB hit, as well as the final regular-season hit by an American League pitcher until interleague play and the designated hitter was implemented for the 1973 American League season.                         

New York Yankees at California Angels. Last three innings only.