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THE SUMMER OF .406 AND "THE STREAK" ...
Ted Sparks the Sox to a 7-6 walk-off win
April
15, 1941 ... Ted Williams limped off the bench
in the twilight at Fenway Park and delivered the pinch-hit single
that suddenly fired the Red Sox into a three run last of the ninth
inning rally and a 7 to 6 triumph over the Washington Nationals in
the opener of another Red Sox baseball season. And assorted 17,500
fans had resigned themselves to a 6 to 4 defeat for the home team and
was starting to file toward the exits a few minutes before 6 PM when
Williams sauntered out of the Red Sox dugout and took his place in
the batter circle behind Frankie Pytlak, who was to open the last
chance for the Sox. The customers stopped in their tracks for the
opportunity at least to see the glamour boy of the Red Sox, chipped ankle bone
and all, take his cut. The Nationals were leading 6 to 4 because they had pounded
Jack Wilson, the starting Red Sox pitcher, fiercely for the first six innings.
Leading many assault was none other then the ex-Red Sox players, Rick Ferrell
and Doc Cramer. All of which would have made an inaugural setback the more
painful to take.
But manager Bucky Harris' punch to turn the trick with a third former Red Sox
player failed to work. It was Danny MacFayden, who was destined to walk the
winning Sox run across as the climax to a typical Fenway Park finish.
Sid Hudson, the freshman phenom of last year, with 17 wins, including three
over the Sox, was the Washington pitcher when the hectic last of the ninth
began. He was the Washington starter and loomed as a courageous manager.
Although staggering all the way, the only previous runs he had yielded, came
when the Sox guns boomed spasmodically.
Manager Joe Cronin hit a home run in the second inning and Bobby Doerr
followed with a home run in the fourth, after Cronin and drawn Hudson's first
base on balls. Then in the sixth inning, Jimmie Foxx and bombed a 420 foot
triple off the centerfield wall, scoring on a long fly ball from Cronin.
It was another extra base hit that started Hudson's demise in the ninth.
Pytlak slapped a double off the left centerfield wall that landed inches above
Cramer's reach and caromed freely. Up came Williams as a pinch-hitter. The first
pitch to him went into the dirt allowing Pytlak to scamper over to third-base.
The next one was down the middle and Ted rifled it safely into right field on a
line drive to score the runner. Tommy Carey came in to run for the limping
Williams as the crowd and the Sox sensed a kill.
Dom DiMaggio moved Carey over to second with a perfect sacrifice and Lou
Finney came up next. After working a 3-2 count, Lou slammed a liner that nearly
took off Hudson's glove as it caromed into centerfield to bring in Carey with
the tying score.
That was the end for Hudson and in came MacFayden, who had been warming up on
and off since the seventh inning. Pete Fox was the first batter to face him and
after working the count full he punched a perfect hit behind the runner into
right field as Finney raced over to third standing up.
With only a fly ball necessary to score the winning run, manager Harris
ordered Jimmie Foxx to be intentionally walked to load the bases. Now, MacFayden
couldn't find the plate and five pitchers later Cronin was strolling down to
first where he met Earl Johnson and embraced him. Johnson had pitched shutout
ball over the last two innings to get credit for the opening day victory. |
