As the first ball club to call Fenway Park home, the 1912 Red Sox produced a magical season with 105 victories. And, that was accomplished over a 154-game schedule. Then, to top it off, they defeated John McGraw’s New York Giants in the World Series. They were the 1912 Red Sox, one of the great teams in the history of Boston’s American League franchise. As workers scrambled to finish building Fenway Park in the spring, the team headed for spring training in Hot Springs, Arkansas. The only player absent was Tris Speaker who remained in Texas, holding out for a better contract. When Speaker came to terms the lineup was set. The Sox believed they were capable of challenging Connie Mack's Philadelphia Athletics who were the world champions. In spite of their record, throughout the season the Red Sox team had two cliques. One was Catholic, led by Duffy Lewis, Bill Carrigan, Buck O'Brien and Harry Hooper. The other was Protestant, led by Tris Speaker and Joe Wood. Such division was not new for the city of Boston. Issues of class, religion and race were a part of the city since before the Civil War. The Red Sox internal problems, not surprisingly reflected those of the city.
The Sox opened the season in New York against the Highlanders at Hilltop Park. After trailing the Highlanders for eight innings on April 11th, in the ninth inning, down 3-1, the Sox came back and scored four runs. to win 5 to 3. Joe Wood got the win and knocked out a two run single in the ninth inning come back. The Sox won the next game 5-2. On April 12th, superior pitching and good hitting led the Red Sox to their second victory, 5 to 2, over the Highlanders. Jake Stahl got four hits and Tris Speaker homered in the first inning, scoring Harry Hooper in front of him and the "Speed Boys" never looked back.
Making the most out of the bats in timely places, the Red Sox took another game from the Highlanders on April 13th, by a score of 8 to 4, giving them a sweep of the series. A six run fifth inning brought the Sox back after being down 4-2. Larry Gardner knocked in Speaker and Stahl for two runs and after Heinie Wagner walked, Les Nunamaker scored Gardner and Wagner with a triple. Tris Speaker got two more singles in the game and Nunamaker got another one. The Sox then went to Philadelphia and split with the World Champion Athletics. On April 16th, the Sox gave the Athletics their first defeat of the season by a 9 to 2 score. Joe Wood was knocked around hard and often, but he kept his hits well scattered and helped himself by striking out 11 batters and making two fine catches. The Sox took four out their first five games and came back to Boston to play in their new ball park. They were scheduled to open and inaugurate Fenway Park on April 17th, but that game and the next three, including the Patriots' Day doubleheader were rained out, costing the club thousands of dollars in admissions. When the field finally dried out, the Sox christened Fenway Park on April 20th against the Highlanders. But Fenway Park opening saw little fanfare because the tragic sinking of the Titanic happened just days before. Buck O’Brien was far from sharp but the Sox won it in the eleventh, on an error that set up Tris Speaker to deliver the game winning walkoff single. Steve Yerkes was 5 for 7 at the plate. They only took 1 of 3 from Washington, including losing to the great Walter Johnson on April 24th. Johnson was masterful, while Eddie Cicotte and Buck O'Brien were unsteady, having trouble finding the plate. The Nats won 5 to 2. The final game of the series, on April 25th, the Sox won because of the splendid pitching by Charley Hall, who allowed but four scattered hits, winning by a score of 4 to 1. Harry Hooper got into the limelight with a triple, scoring two men in the sixth inning and seemingly putting the game on ice. The Sox then hosted the World Champion Philadelphia Athletics and took three of four from them. On April 26th, Hugh Bradley stroked the first ball ever hit over the left field wall. At the time it was considered quite the accomplishment. Hugh Bedient began his rookie season in the major leagues as a reliever. Relieving Eddie Cicotte in the sixth inning with the Red Sox trailing, Bedient held the Athletics scoreless the rest of the game getting his first major league win, 4 to 1. On April 27th, they came from behind with three runs in the 8th inning to win it. The Athletics got a lead, but Joe Wood got stronger, while the Sox got began hammering the A's pitcher. After five innings, the Red Sox were down 5 to 1 and then in the sixth inning, things began to happen. Hooper singled and Speaker doubled. Hugh Bradley came up and smashed the ball to left for two bases, scoring two runs. The Athletics were now only two runs to the good. Then came the eighth-inning. Steve Yerkes was passed and Speaker singled. Bradley laid down a clever bunt, moving the runners over. Larry Gardner smashed the first pitch he saw, for three bases and the "Speed Boys" had tied it up. Duffy Lewis sent the first ball to right-field for a double, scoring Gardner with, what would be, the winning run. Wood pitched a perfect ninth-inning sending everyone home with a great come-from-behind victory. The final game on April 30th, with the A's was the best game of the series. The Sox won by a score of 6 to 1 and they clearly outhit and played better in the field than the A's. The Red Sox got the lead in the first inning, scoring three runs on a walk to Steve Yerkes, Speaker's single, a double by Hugh Bradley and another by Larry Gardner. Tris Speaker was the hitting star of the day with three base hits in four times up. The Sox finished the month 9-4, but in second place to the White Sox.
The Red Sox traveled to Washington as May started, and lost three games. The bats had gone silent, as only Speaker was still wielding the hot bat. The only win against the Nationals was on May 2nd. Charley Hall was wild but effective, and the three passes he issued, developed into runs. Then the Sox scored the two runs, necessary to win the game, in the seventh. Les Nunamaker tripled and Harry Hooper got a scratch infield single that scored Nunamaker with the tying run. Then Speaker lined a single to left that scored Hall with the winning tally, 6 to 5. The "Speed Boys" looked like a bunch of Little Leaguers on May 3rd before Walter Johnson. Johnson had no trouble in keeping the Red Sox to just one run, while Washington scored four runs off Buck O’Brien in seven innings The Sox returned home and took two of three from Detroit. On May 7th, the Tigers were nosed out by the Red Sox 5 to 4. Joe Wood was hit rather easily, but a four run seventh brought the Sox from behind. Down 2 to 1, with Larry Gardner on second, Heinie Wagner doubled and Bill Carrigan singled to put the Sox out to stay. On May 9th, the Sox continued with the defeat of the Tigers, 7-4. Ty Cobb was hot, hitting a two run homer, a double and a single for the Tigers, but the Sox came back. In the sixth inning, with two outs, the Sox cracked out five hard base hits for four runs and the lead. Cobb and Hooper led their respective teams at the plate, each turning in three hits. Hugh Bedient had the Tigers eating out of his hand for four innings. But that was not all, he came across with a timely hit in the sixth, that gave the Sox the lead again Next the St. Louis Browns came to Boston to visit the new ball park. Joe Wood threw a three hitter and the Red Sox won from the by a score of 8 to 1 on May 11th. On May 13th, the Sox put the finishing touches on the Browns, winning the game 14 to 9. Larry Gardner and Hooper got in a pair of hits, while Speaker and Bill Carrigan led the hitting attack with three hits each. On May 14th, the Sox knocked out five runs in the 8th inning to beat the Browns, 6 to 5, then the next day on May 15th, Heinie Wagner knocked in Bradley for a 9th inning walk-off win, 2-1. Up until then, it had been a fine pitcher's duel between Wood and Barney Pelty. After the sweep of St. Louis, the White Sox next came to Fenway and took two of three. Fenway Park was finally dedicated among much pomp and ceremony on May 17th. In the final game of the series on May 20th, Joe Wood had the rare pleasure of out pitching Big Ed Walsh and seeing the Red Sox win out by a score of 2 to 0. Tris Speaker (.377 BA) again led the team with his productive offense, but the White Sox held a 5 1/2 game lead over the Red Sox when they left town. Cleveland next came into Fenway and lost all three games. The Red Sox continued winning by defeating the Naps, 3 to 1, on May 21st. The Naps' great left-handed pitcher, Vean Gregg, and Buck O’Brien engaged in one of the finest pitching duels of the season, with O’Brien practically duplicating the grant performance of Wood the day before. It was Charley Hall (5-0) pitching a shut-out on May 22nd, that led the way for the Sox. Hall was not satisfied with just pitching a shutout, he joined in the hitting with two singles and a double, that drove in three runs. The Sox made it three straight from Cleveland by taking the final game of the series 6 to 5, on May 23rd, but having to go to the 10th inning before becoming the winner. In the bottom of the tenth Tris Speaker was the first man up. He led off with a single and Duffy Lewis bunted him along with a sacrifice. Speaker noticed that thirdbaseman Ivy Olson was not on the bag so he took off for third. The throw went high, and Speaker never stopped running, heading for home with the winning run. The Sox closed out the homestand by splitting with the Athletics. In a brilliant all around game, that was highlighted by brilliant fielding of both the Athletics and the Red Sox, the "Speed Boys" took the first game of the series by a 4 to 3 score on May 24th. Hugh Bedient pitched his first complete-game victory, leading the Sox to another come-from-behind, Speaker spanked out a timely drive that sent in, what proved to be, the winning run. Charley Hall (6-0) stayed undefeated with another fine performance on May 28th, winning 7 to 2. Washington came to Fenway and were swept in a doubleheader on May 29th. The first game went to the Red Sox by a score of 21 to 8. Joe Wood was the only pitcher to go through the whole game. Heinie Wagner was the headliner in the first game, clearing the bases with a home run to centerfield as well as putting up a great defensive game at shortstop. The second game was a cleverly won uphill battle for the Red Sox. Both teams knocked out 31 hits in total. In the bottom of the eighth-inning, with Speaker at the plate and the Sox up by one run, 12 to 11, the umpire called the game on account of darkness. The Red Sox split the Memorial Day doubleheader, May 30th, capturing the morning game 3-2, but losing the afternoon battle 5-0, to Walter Johnson. The Sox finished the homestand winning 14 of the 20 games they played but only gained one game in the standings, on the White Sox.
Against Cleveland, the Sox lost three of the four games to start the month of June. In the June 2nd game, the Naps jumped out to a 3-1 lead off Joe Wood and held on until the sixth inning. Six errors undid the Cleveland from that point on. In the tenth inning, Les Nunamaker singled and Wood reached on a ball that rolled through Peckinpaugh’s legs. Hooper singled and went to second on Birmingham’s wild throw, allowing Nunamaker to score what would be the winning run. They next lost two of four games in Detroit, but were able to close in to within a game of the White Sox in the battle for first place. On June 6th, the Red Sox got one or more base hits in every inning up to the eighth and won 5 to 2. It wasn’t easy and the Sox had to scrap every inch of the way. The Sox scored enough runs in the first inning to win the game by a score of 8 to 3 on June 8th. They bunched six hits in the first two innings, including a double by Harry Hooper and a triple by Tris Speaker. In St. Louis on June 9th, Tris Speaker hit for the cycle as the team swept the last place Browns and were able to capture first place. On June 10th, the "Speed Boys" moved into first place on a wild throw in the ninth inning, to give the Sox a 3-2 win over the Browns. Steve Yerkes popped a bloop hit into centerfield and Duffy Lewis hit a slow grounder that Jimmy Austin ran in for, but he shot the ball by George Stovall at first, while Yerkes tore around the bases and scored on a close play at the plate, to give the Sox the winning run. The Sox increased their league lead to one game, 4 to 0, in the next game, on June 11th. Charley Hall pitched a superb game, allowing only nine Browns to reach first via five scattered hits, four walks and an error. On June 12th, Joe Wood (12-3) scattered six hits and knocked out a homer in the final game of the series. They Sox moved on to Chicago for a critical showdown in the middle of June. In the first game, the White Sox rallied in the bottom of the ninth to give them the game and a tie for first place. The Red Sox and Buck O’Brien were able to hold off Chicago's rally to take the second game, 4 to 3, on June 15th. The Sox got the winning run the seventh inning. With the core tied, Heinie Wagner reached first on a fumble by Buck Weaver, going over to third on Buck O'Brien's single to right and scoring on Harry Hooper's base hit. In the third game, on June 16th, the Red Sox gave the White Sox three runs in the first inning, and came back and ended up beating them by a score of 6 to 4. They tied the game and went ahead in the seventh inning. A single by Duffy Lewis, a hit by Jake Stahl that scored Lewis, and double by Wagner to score Stahl, were good for the go-ahead runs. Tris Speaker knocked out four hits on June 17th, as the "Speed Boys" made it three of four in Chicago and enjoyed a two game lead as they headed back east to New York.
Paced by Speaker's all-around play and good pitching, the Red Sox were never again seriously challenged for the rest of the season. Manager Jake Stahl had little more to do, than write out the lineup card each day. The Sox were on their way to the greatest season of any American League team to date. The Red Sox swept the Highlanders in New York. On June 19th, the "Speed Boys" beat the Highlanders by a score of 5 to 2. Lewis and Gardner led the Sox with two hits apiece. Bedient pitched a good game, holding the Highlanders to six base hits The next day, the Sox beat the Highlanders from the start to the finish, by a score of 15 to 8. The Sox scored in the first seven innings. Heinie Wagner (.309 BA) went 4 for 5 with two doubles and a homer on June 20th. On the third day, June 21st, Duffy Lewis (.290 BA) had three hits, including a home run, as the Sox made it three straight in New York, by taking the final game of the series with the Highlanders, by a score of 11 to 3. Joe Wood had an easy time against New York's batters. Without exerting themselves to any great extent, the Red Sox beat the New York Highlanders two times at Hilltop Park on June 22nd. They grabbed the opening game, 13 to 2, and took the nightcap by 10 to 3. Thus, they made a clean sweep of the series in New York. In Washington, on June 24th, Hugh Bedient (9-2) pitched a three hit masterpiece, winning 3 to 1. On June 26th, Joe Wood went up against Walter Johnson in the second game of a doubleheader and won his 15th game and shutout the Nationals, 3-0. Only one Washington base runner reaching third base and only two baserunners finding their way to second. The Sox came back to Fenway Park, five games ahead of the White Sox, having won 15 of their last 18 games. Manager Jake Stahl (.302 BA), Bill Carrigan (.315 BA) and Hick Cady (.378 BA) pushed their way into the .300 club for the first time. The Highlanders came into Fenway and left losing 5 of 6 games. Tris Speaker knocked out two doubles and homered in the first game of a doubleheader on June 28th, bringing his batting average up to .380 in a 5 to 4 win. In the second game the Sox jumped out to a quick three run lead in the first on singles by Heinie Wagner, Bill Carrigan, Steve Yerkes and Speaker. Ray Collins held New York in check and won 6 to 4. The Red Sox galloped away with two more wins in a doubleheader on June 29th, hammering bunches of runs across the plate for a 13 to 6 win in the opening game, and then Joe Wood (16-3) shutout the New Yorkers, 6 to 0, in the second game. Larry Gardner (.316 BA) was a perfect 5 for 5 in both games.
On July 1st, Charley Hall was on the mound for the Sox and the Highlanders were only able to score once, in a 4 to 1 Sox win. Hooper's bunt and Speaker's double in the fourth inning provided the Red Sox with the run they needed. Leading the rest of the American League by six games, the Sox then took the train down Philadelphia for six games, playing their fifth doubleheader in ten days, and won four. The veteran Ray Collins picked up two wins in the series. The first came on July 3rd. The Sox were able to get 15 men to first, ten reached second, eight went to third and seven scored, in a 7 to 2 win. In a July 4th doubleheader, the Athletics managed to pull out the morning game by a score of 4 to 3, on a wild pitch that allowed the home team to score. Wood came up short against Eddie Plank and took the loss. It would be the last game he would lose until the end of September. The afternoon game went to the "Speed Boys" by a 6 to 5 score. With the score tied in the seventh, Speaker hit a ball to the fence in right-center for three bases and scored on a long sacrifice fly by Lewis. In a second doubleheader on July 5th, the first game went to the A's by a score of 3 to 2 and the second game went the Red Sox way with a 5 to 3 final. Ray Collins won the second game with only two days rest. In the finale, on July 6th, the champion Philadelphia Athletics went down before a severe onslaught inflicted on them by the Sox, 11 to 5. The win made it four out of the series of six games played in Philly, and the Sox returned home with a 6 1/2 game lead over Washington, as the White Sox fell to 3rd place. The Browns came to Fenway Park and were beaten by Joe Wood (17-4) on July 8th. The Sox were forced to fight right up to the very finish to win in the ninth-inning by a score of 3 to 2 on July 9th. Tris Speaker drove the ball to centerfield and sent Buck O'Brien in from second with the walkoff winning run. On July 12th, Wood (18-4) and Collins beat the Tigers in a thrilling doubleheader. Collins held the Tigers to just four hits for his 5th consecutive win and Wood pitched an 11 inning, 1-0, shutout in a game that Duffy Lewis won with a walk-off base hit that brought in Tris Speaker. On July 13th it was Buck O’Brien who shutout Ty Cobb and the Tigers, 4-0. The White Sox came in next and won the first game of a doubleheader before losing the next four. Wood won his 19th game on July 17th. On July 19th, Ray Collins (7-2) allowed only six scattered hits in an 8-0 shutout. Hugh Bedient (12-4) won the second game, dueling former Sox pitcher Eddie Cicotte, for 11 innings to a 1-1 tie. Then in the 12th with Bedient on first, Harry Hooper pounded out a triple for a thrilling walk-off win. The Sox concluded the series on July 20th. The Red Sox and White Sox put up a battle that was a real thriller. Bill Carrigan connected with one of Ed Walsh's fastballs, sent it spinning to centerfield and sent Duffy Lewis home with the winning run in the ninth-inning, making the score 3 to 2 in favor of the "Speed Boys". The Cleveland Naps came to town on July 22nd. The hard playing Sox kept up their pace, getting a victory by a score of 8 to 3. The Sox jumped off into a good lead in the first inning, and were running on a smooth keel with the pitching of Buck O’Brien. Joe Wood won #20 against Cleveland on July 23rd. Cleveland made one run in the first inning before the Sox tied the score in the second on Larry Gardner's single, his steal of second, a wild throw by Steve O'Neill and a fumble by Terry Turner. The Sox then took the lead in the third inning, with Wood scoring on a triple and Steve Yerkes' sacrifice fly to left-field, to make it 2 to 1. The Sox took 12 of 17 on the homestand and took off for a series in Chicago, leading the league by seven games. On July 27th, Tris Speaker broke up a 3-3 tie with the White Sox in the 10th inning with a home run into the bleachers. On July 28th, Jake Stahl knocked out a home run and a triple, to give the Sox a 5-3 victory and Wood his 21st win. On July 29th, the Sox made it three straight, winning by a score of 7 to 5. The Red Sox had beaten Chicago in 10 of their last 11 games. Against the Browns, the Sox were forced to play a perfect fielding game at Sportsman Park in St. Louis, in order to win from by a score of 4 to 1, on July 31st. A wild throw and a muffed fly allowed the Sox to get their four runs. Hugh Bedient passed two men and was hit safely only five times, yet it was the superb all around work of the other Red Sox players that saved the day.
The Sox split the series in St. Louis, but Joe Wood (22-4) spun a 9-0 gem, holding the Browns to three hits on August 2nd. In Cleveland, a back and forth tussle of a game, on August 4th, as the Red Sox beat the Naps by an 8 to 6 score. There were five doubleplays in the game, three by the Red Sox and all saved runs. Wood barely won his 23rd game and 7th in a row on August 6th, as the Sox pounded out 11 hits, to Cleveland's 13, but scored one more run, winning 5-4. In Detroit it was all about the pitching, as the Sox took 3 of 4. Ray Collins made two starts and pitched a 9-0 shutout, winning his eighth game in his last nine starts on August 8th. The next day, August 9th, Hugh Bedient held the Tigers to five scattered hits with a 5-1 win, and Wood won his 24th on August 10th, 4-1. They ended their western trip going 10-5 and maintaining an 8 1/2 game lead over Washington. At Fenway Park, Wood (25-4) won his 9th straight by shutting out the Browns on August 14th in the second game of a doubleheader. His fielding and hitting also headlined the contest. The opener went to the Red Sox by a score of 8 to 2. Buck O’Brien started for the Sox and gave way to Charley Hall after the second inning. No Browns reached third base in the seven innings that Hall worked. The Red Sox won 13 to 6 on August 15th, in a game that was a walk over. Hugh Bedient did not have to extend himself and he pitched for the win easily. Fenway Park was packed to overflowing by a crowd that saw the Red Sox beat the Detroit Tigers by a score of 6 to 4 on August 17th. The Red Sox were under a full head of steam in a 4 to 3 victory on August 19th. Nothing but remarkable fielding saved a loss. With the game tied up, it was great fielding by Larry Gardner that blocked the Tigers. The Sox finally pushed the winning run across in the seventh inning. Tris Speaker got three bases on a wild throw. Then Duffy Lewis lifted a fly to Sam Crawford and Speaker beat his throw to the plate. Speaker (.394 BA) had a 4 for 4 day at the plate. With Joe Wood (26-4) on the mound, the Red Sox steamrolled the Tigers to the tune of a 6 to 2 score on August 20th. Wood threw a rare assortment of curves and drops to mystify that heavy hitters of the Tigers. He had Ty Cobb eating out of the palm of his hand. It was his 10th straight win. On August 22nd, Ray Collins (11-4) limited the Cleveland Naps to just two hits with a sharp 9-0 win, in a game where Speaker went 3 for 3, bringing his average up to .401, second to Cobb's .416 BA. The Sox got the jump on Cleveland the next day, August 23rd, and tucked it away in the first two innings, when they scored five runs. Hugh Bedient's control was almost perfect as he gave up only two base on balls and struck out six batters. The "Speed Boys" won the final game, on August 24th, by an 8 to 4 score. One of the best things in the game was the fielding of Steve Yerkes at second. Yerkes accepted six chances, three of which were on sharp drives that he had to gather in on the run. On August 28th, Joe Wood tied down his 12th straight win, bringing him to within four of Walter Johnson's record of 16. He threw a 3 to 0 shutout in the second game of a doubleheader, this time against the White Sox. The first game was a thriller, with the Red Sox completing a doubleplay in the ninth-inning, with men on first and third and only one out to maintain a 5 to 3 score. The Philadelphia Athletics came to Fenway Park on August 29th. In the fourth inning, every man came to bat and four runs came over the plate as a result of two passes, a single by Larry Gardner (.313 BA), Heinie Wagner's double that sent in two runs, and singles by Bill Carrigan and Harry Hooper. The game which went to the "Speed Boys" by a count of 8 to 1. On August 30th, the Red Sox had an uphill battle, which they won, 7 to 4. Down by four runs, they pulled out four runs in the third and fourth innings to tie the score. The Sox clinched the game in the seventh inning. With runners on second and third, Jake Stahl popped one over second base to short center and both runners scored. The month ended with a superb pitchers' duel between Buck O’Brien and the Philadelphia ace, Jack Coombs, in a game the Sox won 2-1 on August 31st. With the sweep of the champion A's, the Sox now enjoyed and 11 game lead in the American League, having gone 14-3 in the homestand.
Hugh Bedient (18-6) worked a 2-1, two hitter against the Highlanders at the Polo Grounds on September 2nd. Bedient pitched one of his best games of the year and held the Highlanders to one hit. The second game went to Boston by a score of 1 to 0 with Joe Wood notching his 29th win. The Red Sox scored their one run in the first inning on a single by Harry Hooper, a throwing error, a sacrifice by Steve Yerkes, and a sac fly by Tris Speaker. Nursing the slim one run lead, Wood was forced to pitch and used all his ability to keep New York from tying the game. Back at Fenway, with a 12 1/2 game lead, the Washington Nationals came in for four games. The Red Sox landed the opener by a 6 to 2 score on September 4th. The next day, September 5th, the Nats were forced to the mat by a 4 to 3 score. The game was intensely interesting right up to the last man, who sent a long fly out to Harry Hooper with a man at third in the ninth inning. With the Red Sox bearing down on the pennant, the stage was set for one of the most storied moments of the Deadball Era. On September 6th a circus-like crowd estimated at 35,000 packed every crevice of Fenway Park and cheered wildly with every strike Joe Wood burned across. Wood's spot in the rotation had been moved up to put his 13 game winning streak on the line against Walter Johnson. An overflow crowd filled the stands and the extreme reaches of the outfield, including "Duffy's Cliff". And for the first and only time in the history of Fenway Park, fans were allowed to stand along the perimeter of the infield. They pressed to within inches of both foul lines and surrounded home plate and the ground in front of each dugout. Both pitchers warmed up surrounded on all sides by the fans. Both were on top of their game. For five innings the game a scoreless stalemate. As the game grew on, the tension increased, but in the sixth inning with two outs, the Red Sox broke through for one run. Joe blazed through the Washington line-up for the final nine outs for his 14th consecutive win and 30th of the season. In Chicago, the Red Sox swept the White Sox. It was a close call in the first game on September 10th, but the Red Sox held on to win 5 to 4. The win gave Wood his 15th straight victory, but he needed help in the ninth-inning from Charley Hall, to preserve the win. The final score was 6 to 0 on September 11th, and Ray Collins pitched outstanding for the first six innings, holding Chicago to only one base hit. Heinie Wagner had probably never put up a finer game at shortstop, making seven assists. The Red Sox made it three straight from Chicago, winning the last game 3 to 1 on September 12th. Manager Jake Stahl made good when he came to the plate in the eighth-inning with the bases loaded, banging a double off the wall that scored two runs.
On September 13th, the Sox played the Browns in St. Louis, putting the first game of the series away for safekeeping, by a 6 to 2 score. Hugh Bedient was picked to do the pitching, and though a bit wild at times, he managed to go the distance and collected two hits at the plate. After a rain out, they played two games on September 15th. It was an even break as the opener was won by the Browns, in a close game, by a score of 5 to 4. The second game went to the Red Sox by a score of 2 to 1, with darkness putting a stop to the game after the eighth-inning, and Joe Wood getting his 16th straight win to tie Walter Johnson's record. In Cleveland, the Red Sox lost four straight games, something they had not done all season. They lost their fifth in a row to the Tigers in Detroit. But on September 18th, the Sox had clinched the pennant in the midst of the losing streak. Joe Wood ended his consecutive win streak by taking the loss on September 20th. He finished the season with a club record 34 wins. At season's end, the Red Sox established a new won-loss record for the American League with a mark of 105-47.
Winning the pennant gave the Red Sox a chance to settle an old score with the New York Giants. Few in Boston had forgotten that in 1904, Giants president John Brush had refused to play Boston and branded them a bunch of "bush leaguers". The Red Sox were quietly confident and the press hoped it would be a dream World Series. The Giants were a well-balanced team. Pitcher Rube Marquard and trumped both Wood and Johnson by winning 19 in a row. The Giants won 103 to finish 10 games in front of the Pittsburgh Pirates. They had a consistent hitting attack and aggressive baserunning. As usual, the gamblers held sway early. In excess of $1 million was wagered on the World Series. Not surprisingly, the Red Sox game one starter would be Joe Wood, who received several death threats. As the crowd packed the Polo Grounds for Game #1 on October 8th, a similar crowd formed in Boston on Washington Street as during the game, men on scaffolds moved wooden figures and numbers on a billboard, re-creating the action in New York. A man with a megaphone shouted out the play-by-play, as he waited for news of the next pitch relayed by telegraph.
The Red Sox won 4 to 3, coming from behind after being down 2 to 0. Harry Hooper rapped a game-tying double in the seventh inning to secure the Sox victory. The Royal Rooters celebrated the victory with a raucous party on the field at Fenway Park. Both teams immediately embarked by train for Boston to play Game #2. On the morning of October 9th, the streets around Fenway Park began to fill at first light. By noon the stands were well filled by a huge crowd and field stands that were erected for the Series down the left-field line and in right-center, fully enclosing Fenway Park for the first time. Ray Collins started Game #2 of the World Series against Christy Mathewson. As darkness enveloped Fenway Park, the game ended in a tie. More importantly for Bedient, he had received his baptism in postseason play. The Red Sox took an early lead, but the Giants tied up the game the eighth inning when Duffy Lewis dropped an easy fly ball. Hugh Bedient made his World Series debut. As the game entered the 11th inning, he came in the game in relief. But in the 11th inning, umpire Silk O'Loughlin told both managers that it was too dark to continue. The deflated crowd stood by as the players trudged off the field to a 6-6 tie game. Action continued the following day of October 10th on and off the field. The governing body of baseball called the National Commission had to choose what to do with the money that would be earned as a result of playing an extra game. All the players were supposed to receive a share of the gate receipts for the first four games but an extra game was unaccounted for. The Commission ultimately gave the extra game receipts to the owners, a decision that did not make the players happy. Both teams remained in Boston to play the makeup gain rather than return to New York. Buck O’Brien took the mound at Fenway Park against Rube Marquard in Game #3 of the World Series. In another hotly-fought pitchers’ duel, O’Brien threw well but was nicked for two runs as the Giants walked off the field with a victory. The game was every bit as nerve-racking as the previous day. With New York leading 2-1 in the ninth-inning, and two runners on base, Hick Cady smashed one to the deepest part of right-center field. Josh Devore caught the ball running full stride on the dead run and saved the victory for the Giants and tied the Series.
Returning to the Polo Grounds for Game #4, it was Joe Wood pitted against Jeff Tesreau for the second time. Despite giving up nine hits, Joe gave up only one run and helped his cause by smacking two of the eight hits in the 3 to 1 Red Sox win. It was back to Boston for Game #5. Hugh Bedient started the game at Fenway Park, against Christy Mathewson. Showing uncommon coolness for a rookie, he allowed no Giant to reach base via a walk after the third inning. Bedient went on to a complete-game victory, allowing only three hits. In the third inning Steve Yerkes scored Harry Hooper with a triple. Tris Speaker followed with a ground ball that Larry Doyle dropped, as he attempted to make the throw to the pl ate, giving the Sox their second run. That run was the game-winner, 2-1, as Bedient pitched a gem, allowing just three hits, striking out four and just one run. Delirious Red Sox fans stormed the field as the game ended and he had to be escorted to safety. With a commanding three-game to one advantage, the Red Sox were confident that the next game at Fenway Park would wrap it up. Joe Wood was scheduled to pitch the next game and with him on the mound, the Sox felt that they were invincible. As Sunday baseball was banned in both cities, the teams traveled to New York on the day off. Owner James McAleer had a late-night meeting with manager Jake Stahl and persuaded him not to pitch Joe Wood, but to pitch Buck O'Brien instead. McAleer, being a shrewd businessman, knew the value of the gate receipts he and his partners would collect if Wood pitched an additional game at Fenway Park. McAleer's interference angered Stahl, yet pleased many of the gamblers who circled the World Series like vultures. The possibility of one more game meant one more chance for a big payday. It wouldn't be the first time a Series game would be manipulated to extend the life of the World Series. Stahl angrily resisted McAleer's suggestion and made the counter argument that the Red Sox should win it now. But McAleer was adamant and ordered that Buck O'Brien pitch the sixth game.
Word of the change spread fast among the players the next morning, and at breakfast the are mood turned ugly. Joe Wood was primed for battle and the letdown was dramatic. By the time they reached the Polo Grounds, the Red Sox were not in the mood to play. The fans were also visibly disappointed, as many had bet money on the Red Sox to win the game. It was also rumored that O'Brien had been out late, oblivious to the fact that he was going to pitch. When it was his turn to pitch again in Game #6, Jake Stahl's worst fears came to life at the top of the first inning. Two scratch hits, a stolen base and a balk, gave the Giants a run. O'Brien then completely came unglued and the Sox were down 5 to 0 before they even came to bat. Rube Marquard held down the Red Sox for an easy 5 to 2 Giants' victory. On the train ride to Boston, tensions erupted. Joe Wood's brother Paul, angered by losing a $100 bet, picked a fight with O'Brien.
Originally, the best of the seven series included only three games in Boston. But the tie game gave Boston an extra contest and the Royal Rooters, who had given an allotment of several hundred seats, had not been accounted for in the extra game. The influential group of fans assumed they would receive their usual seats, but the team mistakenly sold those tickets to the general public by accident. As was their custom, before Game #7, the Rooters and your entourage marched onto the field and then went to take their seats, which already had ticketed customers sitting in them. Outraged by the situation, mounted police had to be brought onto the field quiet the Rooters, who were given another spot. As a confusion reigned, the Red Sox players tried to get ready for the game. But the events of the previous day were still simmering and Joe Wood was still angry. He verbally abused O'Brien in the runway leading from the clubhouse to the field and teammates had to pull the two players apart, as their season hung in the balance. From Wood's first warm-up toss it was obvious that he was not the same man who took the mound throughout the 1912 season. The Giants scored six runs in the first five minutes of the game. Wood was finished and Charley Hall mopped up a game that the Giants easily won. The Red Sox turned in such a bad performance, it is not inconceivable that they threw the game in order to recoup the money not given to them for the extra game, by laying bets on the Giants to win. In the days to follow the Boston newspapers suggested just that. The Boston fans had never before experienced such a singularly depressing series of events in one afternoon. The previous 108 victories faded, when compared to the team turning on itself and its fans. The World Series was now tied after the Sox had led 3 games to 1. After the debacle a coin was tossed to see where Game #8 would be played. The coin toss put the final game of the World Series at Fenway Park. Wood had only thrown 12 pitches in the seventh game, but manager Stahl didn't trust him and elected to start Hugh Bedient. On October 16th, Fenway Park was barely half full for the final game of the 1912 World Series. The Red Sox players, realizing how important this game was, had a clubhouse meeting to settle their differences and call an uneasy truce. The Giants held a slim 1-0 lead in the seventh inning of the deciding Game #8, which would have been greater if not for Hooper’s catch of Larry Doyle’s drive to the right-field fence, robbing him of a home run. The game went back and forth. Stahl finally brought back Wood to pitch the eighth and ninth innings. Realizing he had a chance to make up for what happened the previous day, Wood retired the Giants easily, showing the flash he had all season.
The Giants went ahead 2-1 on a missed shoestring catch by Tris Speaker in the 10th inning. Wood knew he was in trouble, but he bore down and got out of the inning. However Mathewson was now only three outs away from winning the World Series. Clyde Engle started off the inning for the Sox by reaching on a dropped fly ball by Fred Snodgrass centerfield. Steve Yerkes worked Mathewson for a walk, bringing up Speaker with men on first and second. Speaker hit a pop foul that dropped between catcher Chief Myers and Fred Merkle, with each man thinking the other would catch it. Given a new life, Speaker slapped the next pitch into right field to tie up the game. Duffy Lewis was then walked by an angry Mathewson to load the bases. Larry Gardner came up and proceeded to lift a long fly ball that scored Yerkes with the winning run of the Series. The Sox won the World Series, and as a result, Fred Snodgrass became forever etched as the scapegoat, for dropping the fly ball that started the rally. The 1912 Red Sox were a team aptly suited for Fenway Park’s first season, and one well worth remembering. But in the minds of most observers, the Red Sox didn't win the World Series but the Giants lost it. With three pennants and two World Series championships, even in 1912, winning wasn't quite enough. They of the great teams in the history of Boston’s American League franchise. The Red Sox were especially consistent during the heart of the campaign, going 21-8 in June, 21-9 in July and 20-7 in August. That killing pace (.721) left the rest of the American League far behind. The Red Sox of 1912 cruised home, finishing 14 up on the second-place Washington Nationals and 55 ahead of the last-place New York Highlanders. They had an excellent road record (48-27), and an even better one in their new home (57-20).
In the greatest single-season performance by a Red Sox pitcher, Joe Wood (34-5) worked 344 innings, struck out 258 and issued only 82 walks while posting an ERA of 1.91 and career-bests in innings (344), and strikeouts (258). He got off to a modest 3-2 start, but by the close of June his 16-3 mark placed him second in the AL to Philadelphia's Eddie Plank. He completed 35 of his 38 starts, and had 10 shutouts. Since the dawn of the 20th century, only five pitchers have exceeded his 34-victory total (Jack Chesbro with 41 in 1904; Ed Walsh with 40 in 1908; Christy Mathewson with 37 in 1908; Walter Johnson with 36 in 1913; and Joe McGinnity with 35 in 1904). Ray Collins missed the first two months of the season and did not start a game until early June, nor win one for two more weeks, but from that point on he was nearly invincible. Collins finished fifth in the American League in shutouts, but all four of them came in the second half of the season. The team’s only left-hander, Collins was considered the second best pitcher on the staff. Buck O’Brien quietly amassed a series of impressive outings, notching seven wins in eight starts. O’Brien posted a 2.58 ERA and it wasn’t until Memorial Day that he finally began to find his groove. He won five of his next six through the end of June, and made several outstanding relief appearances to raise his record to 12-9 by the first week of August. Rookie pitcher, Hugh Bedient was hailed as one of the main reasons for the club’s stunning success. He was classified as one off the most dependable pitchers on the club. He beat every AL team at least once, doing the most damage against Philadelphia (five wins) and St. Louis (four wins). Charley Hall flourished appearing in 34 games, 20 as the starting pitcher and 14 in relief. During the first 35 games of the season, he appeared nine times and pitched four complete-game victories. He was a consistently positive presence during the pennant drive, voluntarily manning the Sox third-base coaching box, often yelling directions and encouragement to his teammates. In the clubhouse, he was gregarious and friendly, often exchanging friendly banter with other veteran players. He appeared twice in the World Series. So steady was that rotation, the Sox used only six other pitchers for just 121 innings. One of them was Eddie Cicotte, who went 1-3 over five starts. Seven years later, he would be the ace of the Chicago White Sox, and one of the “Black Sox” accused of conspiring to throw the World Series. Along with their dominant rotation, the 1912 Red Sox had one of the great outfields in franchise history. Duffy Lewis in left, Tris Speaker in center, Harry Hooper in right. Hooper became the only Red Sox player to be a starter on four championship teams, also winning in 1915, 1916 and 1918. Tris Speaker had 222 hits and scored 136 runs on his way to a .383 season, third in the league behind Ty Cobb and Joe Jackson. He led the league in doubles, home runs (tied), and on-base percentage. Playing in every game in but one, he won the Chalmers Award as the League's Most Valuable Player. Duffy Lewis’ .284 batting average was solid, but it was his 109 RBIs, tied for second in the league, that contributed the most to his first championship team. Although the Sox won the World Series, Lewis hit just .188 and made a costly error in the second game. Despite his .242 batting average, Harry Hooper was an integral piece of the pennant-winners, ranking second on the team with 98 runs scored, 66 walks, 29 stolen bases, and 12 triples. In the World Series Hooper elevated his play, batting .290 for the Series and making several crucial plays at bat and in the field. Heinie Wagner was their shortstop, a New York native, and was regarded as the team’s clubhouse leader. It was a breakthrough year for Larry Gardner. He hit .315 with a team-leading 18 triples and was named the first-team third baseman on Baseball Magazine's All-America team, the first of four such selections he earned over the course of his career. Gardner, who came to the Red Sox from the University of Vermont, also played on the Sox championship clubs in 1915 and ‘16.
The
only unsettled spot on the 1912 team was behind the plate.
Stahl
used three catchers, Hick Cady, Les Nunamaker and
Bill Carrigan.
Carrigan caught the most games, 87, but Cady got the call in the World
Series, starting six of the eight.
Carrigan, a native of Lewiston, Maine, became the Sox playing manager
in 1913.
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