Don Newcombe's 27 Wins, Cy Young and MVP Awards Didn't Faze Yogi Berra

In 1956, Don Newcombe became the first pitcher to win both the Most Valuable Player and Cy Young Award. It was the first year of the Cy Young Award. Only one was given until 1967, when one was given for each league.

Don Newcombe finished 1956 at 27-7 with a 3.06 ERA, a 132 ERA+ and a 0.989 WHIP.

Yogi Berra didn't care.

The New York Yankees faced Newcombe's defending world champion Brooklyn Dodgers in the World Series. To this day, Berra's performance still haunts Newcombe.

The big right-hander started the second game of the World Series after Sal Maglie had shut down the Yankees in the first game, winning 6-3. In the first inning, Berra drew a key two-out walk that moved Enos Slaughter to second. Joe Collins singled Slaughter home. In the second inning, Berra blasted Newcombe for a grand slam home run to give the Yankees a 6-0 lead. That was it for Newcombe, but not for Brooklyn. They rallied against Don Larsen for an eventual 13-8 win.

The Yankees won the next three games when the World Series moved to Yankee Stadium, but Brooklyn, behind relief pitcher Clem Labine's 10-inning shutout, forced a seventh game.

Newcombe would be Brooklyn's starter.

In the top of the first inning, Hank Bauer led off with a single and promptly stole second. Newcombe struck out Billy Martin and his good buddy Mickey Mantle, but Berra hit a two-run home run.

In the top of the third inning, Bauer was retired attempting to bunt for a hit, Martin singled and Mantle struck out. Berra hit a two-run home run.

Yogi Berra faced Don Newcombe four times in the 1956 World Series. He hit three home runs, drew a walk and batted in eight runs.

For the Series, Berra batted .360/.448/.800 with three home runs, 10 RBI, four walks and only one strikeout, but he didn't win the World Series MVP Award, which was presented by Sport Magazine.

Don Larsen, whom the Dodgers had belted around in the second game, was the Series MVP.

In the fifth game, Larsen faced only 27 Brooklyn Dodgers and retired them all, which explains why he was the MVP.

Newcombe first faced the Yankees and Berra in his rookie season of 1949. He started the opening game of that World Series against Allie Reynolds.

Berra went hitless in three at-bats, but Tommy Henrich led off the bottom of the ninth inning with a home run for a 1-0 Yankees win. Trailing the Yankees two games to one, Brooklyn started Newcombe in the fourth game on two days' rest. Berra was hitless in two at-bats against Newcombe in a 6-4 Yankees win.

Newcombe, like so many others, defended the freedoms of his fellow Americans in 1952-53. The next time he faced Berra was in the 1955 World Series, which Brooklyn won.

Whitey Ford beat Newcombe in the opener as Berra singled in three at-bats. It was Newcombe's only start due to a tender arm.

Berra played in 14 World Series, batting .274/.359/.452 with 12 home runs and 39 RBI. The Yankees won 10 of those World Series.

Newcombe played in three World Series. He was 0-4 with an 8.59 ERA. The Dodgers won one of those World Series.

One final note: Don Newcombe never "choked." A pitcher who won 20 games in 1955 and followed that with 27 wins the next season doesn't choke.

It's no disgrace to lose to Tommy Henrich and Yogi Berra.