No Yankees? After winning four straight World Series, the Bronx Bombers finished third in 1940, allowing the Detroit Tigers to represent the American League in October. The Tigers' competition was the Cincinnati Reds, who had lost the Series to New York a year earlier.

The Series opened in Cincinnati, but the Tigers cruised to a 7-2 victory behind the complete-game pitching of colorful Bobo Newsom. Tragedy struck the next day, however, when Newsom's father, in town for the Series, suffered a fatal heart attack.

The Reds turned the tables in Game 2 as their ace, Bucky Walters, went the distance for a three-hitter and a 5-3 victory.

Play shifted to Detroit for Game 3, and the Tigers took advantage with a 7-4 triumph, thanks to a four-run seventh highlighted by two-run homers struck by Rudy York and Pinky Higgins. Tommy Bridges pitched a complete-game to earn the decision.

Reds right-hander Paul Derringer, who didn't escape the first inning in Game 1, limited the Tigers to five hits and two runs in Game 4, thus capturing a 5-2 victory and evening the Series at two games apiece.

Bobo Newsom, who was effective in the opener, was brilliant in Game 5, tossing a three-hit shutout to beat the Reds, 8-0. Tiger first baseman Hank Greenberg paced the attack with a monumental three-run clout in the third inning.

Back in Cincinnati, Bucky Walters matched Newsom with a five-hit shutout in Game 6, as the Reds evened the Series, 4-0.

With no travel days scheduled for the Series, Newsom came back to start Game 7 on just one day's rest, and after six innings, he owned a 1-0 lead over Derringer thanks to an unearned run in the third. The Reds scored twice in the seventh, though, on back-to-back doubles and a sacrifice fly, and Derringer closed out the Series with a perfect ninth inning.

Managers: Bill McKechnie, CIN; Del Baker, DET