The year 1953 consisted of Sports Championship winners Minneapolis Lakers (NBA), Montreal Canadiens (NHL), New York Yankees (MLB)
HIGHLIGHTS
The
1953 NBA Championship Final series between the
Minneapolis Lakers and the
New York Knickerbockers was a hard fought, five game series. The Lakers, led by Hall of Fame center George Mikan, took the first two games in
Minneapolis to take a 2-0 lead. The Knickerbockers fought back, winning the next two games at Madison Square Garden to even the series at 2-2. The decisive Game 5 was held at
Minneapolis, and the Lakers took control early, leading by as much as 17 points in the fourth quarter. The Knickerbockers mounted a late rally, but the Lakers held on for a 79-75 victory to take the championship. The series was the first of five consecutive championships for the Lakers, and was the first of three consecutive Finals appearances for the Knickerbockers.
The
1953 Stanley Cup Championship Series featured the
Montreal Canadiens and the
Boston Bruins. The Canadiens, who had won the Stanley Cup the previous year, were the heavy favorites to win the series. The series went the full seven games, with the Canadiens ultimately emerging as the victors. The Canadiens won the first two games at home, and the Bruins took the next two games in
Boston. The fifth game was a back-and-forth affair, with the Canadiens eventually prevailing in double overtime. The sixth game was won by the Bruins, and the deciding seventh game was won by the Canadiens 3-1. The Canadiens' Jean Beliveau scored the Cup-winning goal, and goaltender Gerry McNeil was named the MVP of the series. The Canadiens won their fourth consecutive Stanley Cup, and their fifth in six years.
The
1953 World Series pitted the
New York Yankees against the
Brooklyn Dodgers. The Yankees were the defending champions and had won the American League pennant for the fifth consecutive season. The Dodgers had won the National League pennant for the third straight year. The Yankees won the series in six games, with the decisive Game 6 victory coming at Yankee Stadium. The Yankees were led by Mickey Mantle, who hit .345 with three home runs, and Whitey Ford, who had a 2.10 ERA in the series. The Dodgers were led by Roy Campanella, who hit .250 with one home run, and Carl Erskine, who had a 2.08 ERA. The Yankees won the series despite the Dodgers' strong pitching and the heroics of Jackie Robinson, who hit a home run in the deciding game. The Yankees' victory marked the fifth consecutive season in which they had won the World Series.