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Mickey
Owen's Dropped Third Strike Event Ball
On October 5, 1941, the Yankees battled the Brooklyn
Dodgers in Game Four of the World Series. This was
the first Subway Series between the cities of The
Bronx and Brooklyn. With the Yankees already leading
the series two games to one, Hugh Casey struck out
Tommy Henrich for what should have been the final
out of the game (and a tie of the Series at two
games apiece). But the Dodgers' usually highly reliable
catcher, Mickey Owen, dropped the third strike which
allowed Henrich to reach first base safely. With
new life, the Yankees then exploded for four runs
to beat the Dodgers 7-4 -- a stunning turn-around
in the Series, which the Yanks went on to win.
Mickey Owen recollects the infamous "dropped
third strike" this way:
"9th inning, Yankees vs Dodgers, 2 out Dodgers
leading 4 to 3. Henrich at bat. No-one on base.
2 strikes on the batter. Casey pitches a curve ball
I signaled for. Henrich struck out. I missed the
ball. Henrich reached first base on my error. Yankees
then scored 4 runs. Dodgers lose to yanks 7 to 4."
Tommy Henrich wrote his memory of the play on this
panel:
"Curve ball, 3 & 2, guard the plate. Ball
-- high -- starts to break. I start swinging - Ball
doesn't stop -- keeps curving -- I try now to hold
up -- too late -- ump calls me out -- but as I realize
what the ball is doing (believe me) I say to myself,
maybe Mickey is having trouble, and I look back
and there goes the ball. I reach first easily &
our power hitters take over. Final 7-4, series 3-1
instead of 2-2. We win WS next day 3-2." 
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