Reds' manager Bill McKechnie became the first manager to win World Series with two different teams in 1925 he had won the Series as manager of the Pittsburgh Pirates. 353 and was credited with the only stolen base. One of the Reds' coaches, forty-year-old Jimmie Wilson, took over as Lombardi's backup. Willard Hershberger, who had been the backup catcher for Ernie Lombardi in the 1939 Series, committed suicide during the season. The Reds' win in Game 2 snapped a ten-game losing streak for the National League in the Series, tying the ten-game streak by the NL from 1927–1929. Newsom also pitched well in Game 7, but his one day of rest caught up to him in the seventh inning, when the Reds scored two runs to take the lead and eventually the game and the Series.

Newsom pitched a shutout 'for dad' in his next start, Game 5.

It was a closely contested Series, especially the final game, which was a heartbreaker for the Tigers, as losing pitcher Bobo Newsom had lost his father, who died in a Cincinnati hotel room the day after watching his son win Game 1. Bill Klem worked the last of his record eighteen World Series as an umpire. The 1940 World Series matched the Cincinnati Reds against the Detroit Tigers, with the Reds winning the Series in seven games for their second championship, their first since the scandal-tainted victory in 1919. Tigers: Earl Averill, Charlie Gehringer, Hank Greenberg Reds: Bill McKechnie (mgr.), Ernie Lombardi Reds' manager Bill McKechnie became the first manager to win a World Series with two different teams (at the helm of the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1925, after trailing three games to one against Walter Johnson and the Washington Senators.Bill Klem (NL), Red Ormsby (AL), Lee Ballanfant (NL), Steve Basil (AL) 353 for the Series and recorded the team's only stolen base. With Lombardi hurting, Wilson did the bulk of the catching against Detroit and hit. Wilson had been one of the Reds' coaches before Hershberger's suicide forced him back onto the playing field as Lombardi's backup. The Reds dedicated the rest of the season to 'Hershie.' Ironically, one of the stars in the World Series was 40-year-old Jimmy Wilson. And on August 3, Lombardi's backup, Willard Hershberger, committed suicide in Boston a day after a defensive lapse cost the Reds a game against the Bees.

The victory culminated a somewhat turbulent season for the Reds, who played large stretches of the season without injured All-Star catcher Ernie Lombardi. The Reds' win in Game 2 against Detroit snapped a 10-game losing streak for the National League in the Series going back to Game 6 in 1937. It was redemption of sorts for the Reds, who returned to the World Series after being swept by the Yankees squad in 1939. He also hit a home run in Game 6 in the midst of his 4–0 shutout, which sent the Series to a Game 7. Walters hurled two complete games, allowing only eight hits and three runs combined. The Reds' star pitchers Paul Derringer and Bucky Walters won two games apiece, with Derringer winning the decisive seventh game. Called on to start a third time after a single day of rest by Tiger manager Del Baker, he pitched well in Game 7 until the seventh inning, when the Reds scored two runs to take the lead and eventually the game and the Series. Newsom came back to hurl a shutout in Game 5 in his memory. Henry Quillen Buffkin Newsom, the father of Detroit's star pitcher Bobo Newsom, died in a Cincinnati hotel room the day after watching him win Game 1. Bill Klem worked the last of his record 18 World Series as an umpire. This would be the Reds last World Series championship for 35 years despite appearances in 1961, 1970, and 1972. The 1940 World Series matched the Cincinnati Reds against the Detroit Tigers, the Reds winning a closely contested seven-game series for their second championship 21 years after their scandal-tainted victory in 1919. 1940 Cincinnati Reds World Series Baseball Championship Ring

1940 world series play by play