1999 World Series

1999 World Series Logo.

The 1999 World Series matched the defending champion New York Yankees against the Atlanta Braves, with the Yankees sweeping the series in four games for their second title in a row and 25th overall. It is remembered for Chad Curtis' home run in Game 3, which gave the Yankees a 6–5 victory and Game 2, featuring Jim Gray of NBC's infamous interview with Pete Rose.

Summary

AL New York Yankees (4) vs NL Atlanta Braves (0)

Game	Score	Date	Location	Attendance
1	New York Yankees - 4, Atlanta Braves - 1	October 23	Turner Field	51,342
2	New York Yankees - 7, Atlanta Braves - 2	October 24	Turner Field	51,226
3	Atlanta Braves - 5, New York Yankees - 6 (10 innings)	October 26	Yankee Stadium	56,794
4	Atlanta Braves - 1, New York Yankees - 4	October 27	Yankee Stadium	56,752

Matchups

Game 1

Saturday, October 23, 1999 at Turner Field in Atlanta, Georgia

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
New York	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	4	0	4	6	0
Atlanta	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	2	2

WP: Orlando Hernández (1-0)  LP: Greg Maddux (0-1)  SV: Mariano Rivera (1)  
HRs:  ATL – Chipper Jones (1)

The 1999 series opened with Greg Maddux facing Orlando Hernández in Game 1. The Braves got on the board first in the series when Chipper Jones launched a home run down the right field line in the 4th. That would be the only hit that El Duque would allow through 7 innings while striking out 10 Atlanta batters. Maddux pitched scoreless into the 8th before running into major trouble. It began when Scott Brosius singled for the third time in the game. Pinch hitter Darryl Strawberry walked and Chuck Knoblauch reached when Braves first baseman Brian Hunter mishandled his sacrifice bunt attempt. Derek Jeter stroked a single into left with the bases loaded driving in a run. With still none out and the bases juiced, Atlanta reliever John Rocker gave up a two run single to Paul O'Neill through the right side making it 3–1 Yankees. Rocker then walked Jim Leyritz later in the inning with the bases loaded to force home another run. Mariano Rivera picked up the save to wrap up the 4–1 victory.

Game 2

Sunday, October 24, 1999 at Turner Field in Atlanta, Georgia

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
New York	3	0	2	1	1	0	0	0	0	7	14	1
Atlanta	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	2	5	1

WP: David Cone (1-0)  LP: Kevin Millwood (0-1)  

Game 2 featured the presentation of the All Century team as well as a Yankee explosion of early runs off Atlanta starter Kevin Millwood. In the first, Knoblauch, Jeter, and O'Neill opened the game with singles. After a double play groundout, both Tino Martinez and Scott Brosius drove in a run each to gave the Yankees a 3–0 in the first. From there the Yankees and David Cone coasted to a 7-2 win.

Golfer Payne Stewart, a good friend of Braves third baseman Chipper Jones, died between Games 2 and 3. Yankee right fielder Paul O'Neil's father died a few hours before Game 4.

Game 3

Tuesday, October 26, 1999 at Yankee Stadium in New York, New York

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	R	H	E
Atlanta	1	0	3	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	5	14	1
New York	1	0	0	0	1	0	1	2	0	1	6	9	0

WP: Mariano Rivera (1-0)  LP: Mike Remlinger (0-1)  
HRs:  NYY – Chuck Knoblauch (1), Tino Martinez (1), Chad Curtis 2 (2)

Game 3 in New York matched up Andy Pettite and Tom Glavine. Pettite got rocked early. Bret Boone drove in Gerald Williams with a RBI double in the 1st. In the 3rd, Brian Jordan had an RBI single scoring Boone and Jose Hernandez doubled in Jordan and Andruw Jones. Bret Boone doubled in Gerald Williams for a second time in the game in the 4th to make the score 5–1. Glavine was sharp but gave up solo homers to Martinez and Chad Curtis in the middle innings trimming the Braves lead to 5–3. Then in the 8th, Glavine surrendered a 2-run homer just over the short porch in right to Knoblauch to tie up the game at 5–5. The score remain knotted until the bottom of the 10th when Chad Curtis blasted a walk-off home run (his second HR of the game) off Mike Remlinger, giving the Yankees a commanding 3–0 lead in the series.

Game 4

Wednesday, October 27, 1999 at Yankee Stadium in New York, New York

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Atlanta	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	1	5	0
New York	0	0	3	0	0	0	0	1	X	4	8	0

WP: Roger Clemens (1-0)  LP: John Smoltz (0-1)  SV: Mariano Rivera (2)  
HRs:  NYY – Jim Leyritz (1)

Game 4 featured a battle of hard throwing Cy Young award winners; Roger Clemens and John Smoltz. In the 3rd, the Yanks broke through when Tino Martinez singled off Ryan Klesko's foot driving in 2 runs with the bases loaded. Jorge Posada followed with another RBI single making the score 3–0. Clemens was outstanding until the 7th when Boone singled in Walt Weiss. Jim Leyritz added another run with a solo shot in the 8th adding to his legacy as a great postseason performer. Rivera got Keith Lockhart to fly out to LF for the final out of the series. Rivera was named MVP.

The 1999 New York Yankees became the first team to win the World Series in consecutive sweeps since the 1938-1939 Yankees. It was also the first sweep by a team without home-field advantage since 1966 when Baltimore swept the Dodgers. The Yankees' 11-1 postseason record was the best ever. That record was tied by the Chicago White Sox in 2005. The Yankees players were each paid $326,000 for this World Championship.

Composite Box

1999 World Series (4-0): New York Yankees (A.L.) over Atlanta Braves (N.L.)

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	R	H	E
New York Yankees	4	0	5	1	2	0	1	7	0	1	21	37	1
Atlanta Braves	1	0	3	2	0	0	0	1	2	0	9	26	4
Total Attendance: 216,114   Average Attendance: 54,029
Winning Player’s Share: – $307,809   Losing Player’s Share – $203,542

Series quotes

Swing and a drive to left. It's deep! It's very deep! It's 3-0 New York in the Series!

—Bob Costas' call of Chad Curtis' walkoff home run in Game 3.

A pop in to left...the New York Yankees...World Champions. Team of the decade. Most successful franchise...of the century.

—Bob Costas of NBC calling the last out in Game 4 when Keith Lockhart flied out to Chad Curtis in left field.

The crowd standing, cameras flashing, and Rivera as cool as a cucumber. The 1-0. Swung on. Hit in the air to left center. Bernie trots over, Curtis is there. Curtis makes the catch! Ballgame over! World Series over! Yankees win! The Yankees win!

—John Sterling calls the last out

And the Yankees are one win away from baseball nirvana!

—Michael Kay, following Chad Curtis' walk off home run in Game 3.

I can't. After what happened with Pete we decided not to say anything.

—Chad Curtis turning down Jim Gray's request for an interview after his walk off home run in Game Three. Gray did a controversial interview with Pete Rose in Game Two in which he pressured him to admit he bet on baseball. George Steinbrenner was reportedly outraged at Curtis, as was Joe Torre. Torre was prominently used in an interview with Gray before Game Three to remove any speculation the Yankee clubhouse shared his sentiments. Curtis was traded to the Texas Rangers after the World Series on December 13, 1999.

Television coverage

This was NBC's 39th and, through 2013, final World Series telecast. The following year, FOX acquired the exclusive broadcast rights of Major League Baseball.

References

• Forman, Sean L.. 1999 World Series. Baseball-Reference.com - Major League Statistics and Information.. Retrieved on 2007-12-09.

External links

• 1999 World Series Coverage
• 1999 World Series by Baseball Almanac
• History of the World Series - 1999
• 1999 NLCS | Game 5