Who else but Branca was there for manager Charlie Dressen to call upon to pitch to Bobby Thomson, and why didn't he choose somebody else?

Why Branca? Assessing Dressen's Options
Ralph Branca passed away at the age of 90 on the day before Thanksgiving. It was a singular moment in time — he was called in by Brooklyn manager Charlie Dressen to protect a two-run lead in the bottom of the ninth in the third and deciding game of a playof...

Part two on the 1945 Chicago Cubs

A Big Deal for the 1945 Cubs
Just before the trade deadline this year, on July 25, the Cubs traded with the Yankees for fireballing relief ace Aroldis Chapman. Their lead in the NL Central standings at the time was 7 games. The deal was forward-looking to the post-season. Nearly exactl...

First of two articles on the 1945 Cubs

First of two articles on the 1945 Chicago Cubs--the last time they were in the World Series.

The 1945 Cubs' Road to the World Series
The Chicago Cubs are one flight of dugout steps to the playing field of their first World Series in 71 years. The last time they were there, in 1945, the Second World War had ended less than two months before the October 3 start of the World Series. And maj...