Odds makers made the Yankees 2–5 favorites to win the Series. Curt Simmons, a 17-game winner for the Phillies in 1950, had been called to military duty in September and was unavailable for this Series. Simmons was stationed at Camp Atterbury and requested and was granted a leave on October 4 to attend the Series. The Phillies chose not to request that Commissioner Chandler rule Simmons eligible for the Series but Simmons chose to attend to support the team. Simmons' place on the Series roster was taken by pitcher Jocko Thompson. Phillies ace Robin Roberts didn't start Game 1 because he had had three starts in five days including the pennant winner on the final day of the regular season—played October 1, 1950 (three days before Game 1). New York Yankees The AL champion Yankees finished the regular season with a record of 98–56, three games ahead of the Detroit Tigers. Offensive team leaders were Phil Rizzuto (.324 batting average), Joe DiMaggio (32 home runs, .585 slugging percentage, and .979 OPS), and Yogi Berra (124 RBIs). Pitcher Vic Raschi led the team in wins, with a 21–8 record, and innings pitched. Rizzuto was voted the American League MVP, while Berra finished third, Raschi seventh, and DiMaggio ninth. Summary Matchups Game 1 Because his #1 starter, Robin Roberts, had just pitched in three of the last five games of the frantic 1950 pennant race, Phils manager Eddie Sawyer surprised the world by naming his bullpen ace, Jim Konstanty, to open on the mound for Philadelphia, opposing 21-game winner Vic Raschi of the Yankees. Konstanty was outstanding, allowing just four hits and a run in eight innings, but Raschi was tougher, shutting out the Phils on only two hits en route to a 1–0 victory in the opener. The game's only run came in the fourth when Bobby Brown hit a leadoff double and scored on two fly-outs, the last one a sacrifice fly by Jerry Coleman. This marked the third consecutive year that the World Series opened with a 1–0 game, and the third consecutive year a two-hitter was thrown in the opening game of the World Series. Game 2 In what would be the last postseason game ever played in Shibe Park, 20-game winner Robin Roberts and Allie Reynolds both pitched outstanding baseball for nine innings, as strong pitching and stout defense again prevailed in the Series. Gene Woodling drove