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THE SUMMER OF .406 AND "THE STREAK" ...
Jimmie Foxx's
walk-off 9th inning HR wins it
August
4, 1941 ... Jimmie Foxx returned to the Red
Sox lineup after a weeks layoff, and found himself dropped to sixth
in the batting order. That's the lowest slot from which the slugger
has operated in years and during his first four times at bat, he
couldn't by a hit. So when the Sox and Athletics entered the last of
the ninth-inning, tied at six apiece, Foxx was the first batter and
lined a pitch from Bump Hadley over the left-field speakers for his
16th home run of the season, clinching a much-needed uphill 7 to 6
victory for the Red Sox. That the Red Sox remained in the running
until the ninth-inning, was due mainly to those players like Pete Fox, and Dom
DiMaggio who accounted for seven of the eleven Red Sox hits between them.
Single-X made it a great day by hammering out four hits, including a double and
a triple, to score two runs himself and drive in a couple more, including the
tying run in the eighth.
Neither of the starting pitchers were around long. Mickey Harris of the Red
Sox bowed during a five-run second inning staged by Philly. Luman Harris was the
starter for the A's and he retired after two rounds, when his arm stiffened. He
was replaced by Hadley and Harris was replaced by Mike Ryba. Ryba was removed
for a pinch-hitter in the eighth and Tex Hughson, who hurled a perfect
ninth-inning, got credit for the win.
DiMaggio and Fox combined for two runs in the first inning when the Little
Professor singled and Pete tripled into the right-field corner to score him,
coming across himself on a wild pitch and giving the Sox a 2 to 0 lead.
Those two runs were quickly wiped out in the second inning by Philly. Two
singles and Hal Wagner's double into right, two walks and a dribbler spelled the
end for Harris. Ryba came in for his 28th appearance of the year and yielded a
two run single before settling down and getting Bob Johnson to hit into a
doubleplay. When the dust settled Philly had a 5 to 2 lead.
The Sox tied it up with three runs in the third. Dom started it off with a
single and Fox doubled. Cronin then got two bases when Sam Chapman lost sight of
his long fly ball in the sun. Walks to Williams in Tabor set the stage for the
fifth run to come across on a sacrifice fly by Bobby Doerr, 5 to 5.
The A's retook the lead in the sixth on a single and Hadley's long double to
right-center, which made him look like the all around hero until the the last
two innings. With the Sox down 6 to 5 and one out in the eighth, Stan Spence
came up to pinch-hit and clubbed a double. DiMaggio was walked and Single-X
knocked one through the box to produce the tying run. Dom tried to score the
game-winner himself on a short passed ball, but was rubbed out at the plate by
Hadley, taking the throw from catcher Hal Wagner. Then Joe Cronin walked and it
put runners on first and third. The A's refused to take any chances with Ted,
who was ordered to be intentionally walked and load the bases. Jim Tabor flew
out to end the inning, but it proved to be only a temporary reprieve for
Philadelphia.
Up until Double-X's clutch hit, it was anybody's ballgame, which has been the
case with most of the engagements in which the amazing A's at figures lately.
Foxx's last inning heroics provided the first time a game had been won in the
ninth-inning by the Back Bay Bombers, since the opening game of the season
against Washington. |
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