1976 World Series

The 1976 World Series matched the defending champion Cincinnati Reds of the National League against the New York Yankees of the American League, with the Reds sweeping the Series to repeat.

Managers: Billy Martin (New York), Sparky Anderson (Cincinnati)

Umpires: Lee Weyer (NL), Lou DiMuro (AL), Billy Williams (NL), Bill Deegan (AL), Bruce Froemming (NL), Dave Phillips (AL)

Series MVP: Johnny Bench (Cincinnati), who batted .533 with 2 home runs.

Television: NBC (Joe Garagiola, Tony Kubek, Phil Rizzuto and Marty Brennaman announcing). This was the last of 30 consecutive World Series telecasts by NBC, who had aired the game since 1947; under Major League Baseball's new television contract, Series coverage would now alternate between NBC and ABC each year. It was also the last time that local announcers for the participating teams (Rizzuto and Brennaman, respectively) would be regularly featured on the network telecast.

Game 1
October 16, 1976 at Riverfront Stadium (Cincinnati Reds) 1 2  3    4  5  6    7  8  9     R  H  E                                 -  -  -    -  -  -    -  -  -     -  -  - New York Yankees            0  1  0    0  0  0    0  0  0     1  5  1 Cincinnati Reds             1  0  1    0  0  1    2  0  X     5 10  1

PITCHERS: NYY - Alexander, Lyle (7) CIN - Gullett, Borbon (8)

WP - Gullett LP - Alexander SAVE - none

HOME RUNS: NYY - none CIN - Morgan

ATTENDANCE: 54,826

Game 2
October 17, 1976 at Riverfront Stadium (Cincinnati Reds) 1 2  3    4  5  6    7  8  9     R  H  E                                 -  -  -    -  -  -    -  -  -     -  -  - New York Yankees            0  0  0    1  0  0    2  0  0     3  9  1 Cincinnati Reds             0  3  0    0  0  0    0  0  1     4 10  0

PITCHERS: NYY - Hunter CIN - Norman, Billingham (7)

WP - Billingham LP - Hunter SAVE - none

HOME RUNS: NYY - none CIN - none

ATTENDANCE: 54,816

Game 3
October 19, 1976 at Yankee Stadium (New York Yankees) 1 2  3    4  5  6    7  8  9     R  H  E                                 -  -  -    -  -  -    -  -  -     -  -  - Cincinnati Reds             0  3  0    1  0  0    0  2  0     6 13  2 New York Yankees            0  0  0    1  0  0    1  0  0     2  8  0

PITCHERS: CIN - Zachry, McEnaney (7) NYY - Ellis, Jackson (4), Tidrow (8)

WP - Zachry LP - Ellis SAVE - McEnaney

HOME RUNS: CIN - Driessen NYY - Mason

ATTENDANCE: 56,667

Game 4
October 21, 1976 at Yankee Stadium (New York Yankees) 1 2  3    4  5  6    7  8  9     R  H  E                                 -  -  -    -  -  -    -  -  -     -  -  - Cincinnati Reds             0  0  0    3  0  0    0  0  4     7  9  2 New York Yankees            1  0  0    0  1  0    0  0  0     2  8  0

PITCHERS: CIN - Nolan, McEnaney (7) NYY - Figueroa, Tidrow (9), Lyle (9)

WP - Nolan LP - Figueroa SAVE - McEnaney

HOME RUNS: CIN - Bench (2) NYY - none

ATTENDANCE: 56,700

Trivia

 * The Reds became the only team to sweep an entire multi-tier postseason.
 * This World Series was the first in which the designated hitter rule was in effect which wound up benefitting the Reds who were able to get utility infielder Dan Driessen's bat in the lineup. Driessen hit .357 with one home run.
 * Yankees backup shortstop Jim Mason entered the third game as a defensive replacement in the 5th inning and homered in his turn at bat in the 7th. It was the only homer of the series for the Yankees and the only WS at bat of Mason's career thus making him the first, and still only man to hit a home run in his lone career Series at-bat.
 * The 1975-76 Reds were the first (and through 2005, the only) National League team to repeat since the 1921-22 New York Giants.
 * Reds manager Sparky Anderson, using crafty psychology, maintained a cautious stance throughout the Series, praising the Yankees and expressing fears about their strengths, even as his "Big Red Machine" was stifling the Yanks in every game.


 * The Red's total dominance was not only reflected by the sweep, but by the combined scores of the games, 22-8, and the fact that the Yankees only led once the entire series, and that lead lasted from the bottom of the first inning of Game 4 until the Reds scored three in the top of the fourth of that game: a total of 2 2/3 innings over 36 combined innings.
 * This World Series marked the first time that Robert Merrill sang the National Anthem prior to a World Series game. His rendition of the anthem prior to Game 3 was followed by Joe DiMaggio's tossing of the ceremonial first pitch.