TED WILLIAMS

THE CURSE OF THE BAMBINO, PART 2 ...
A POWERFUL RED SOX TEAM FAILS
IN THE WORLD SERIES ...
Ted's grand slam homer paces the Sox

May 18, 1946 ... The Red Sox batting famine expired today. The Sox blasted six St. Louis Browns pitchers for 17 hits and coasted to an 18 to 8 triumph before 11,000 hit happy customers at Sportsman's Park. Today's game found the Red Sox threatening to rewrite the entire record book as Mickey Harris won his seventh straight victory and Ted Williams walloped his seventh homer of the year. The Kid's circuit smash was a tremendous drive that bounced off the roof of a grand Avenue home across the street behind the right-center field fence. What made it sweeter was the fact that it came with the bases loaded for Ted's first grand slam of the year. It must have sailed almost 450 feet before hitting the house.

Five Red Sox batters went to bat five times apiece in the opening innings. Williams as well as George Metkovich reached safely each time during that period. The Kid had walked four times, before he smashed four bagger. The Cat reached three times on passes, once on a double, and a fifth time on an error. During the day the Sox received 15 passes. The all-time mark for walks is 18 held by the Tigers and established way back in 1916. The Sox collected nine doubles, two shy of the record, also 17 hits. The only Red Sox player held hitless was Bobby Doerr, the league's leading RBI man, fell below the .200 mark as he went over six.

Rip Russell made his debut at third base today and got two hits and drove in five runs. Russell celebrated his move to third base with a home run in the third inning with one aboard, on a line drive into the left-field bleachers.

Tex Shirley the Browns starter, didn't make it out of the first inning. He walked Metkovich to start the disaster, and Pesky promptly doubled the Cat to third base. Williams received his first intentional walk and then Shirley walked DiMaggio and Russell. That was it, Luke Sewell, the Browns manager Dave Shirley and early exit. From then on it was a parade of St. Louis pitchers, as the Sox enjoyed batting practice for the first time since Friday.

The Browns didn't exactly find Mickey Harris baffling. Check Laabs clipped Mickey for two long home runs in practically the same spot in the right-center field stands. In all, the Brownies gathered twelve hits, but Mickey only walked a couple of batters.

Leon Culberson rejoin the club today but it is probable that he will still not be able to play for at least a week. Don DiMaggio's single ended his hitless streak which had lasted through five games. No matter how much they ride Ted Williams the customers like to see him hit. So when the Browns handed Ted a fourth pass in as many innings, three of them intentional, the crowd really got on the Brownie pitcher. But then in the fifth inning, the Kid delighted the clients with his huge home run.

All the Red Sox regulars, except Rudy York and Rip Russell flew off to Detroit tonight by plane in the 2 1/2 hour trip. York and Russell will arrive tomorrow having taken the train.