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BOB FELLER |
THE CURSE OF THE BAMBINO, PART 2 ...
A POWERFUL RED SOX TEAM FAILS
IN THE WORLD SERIES ...
Bob Feller slows down the Red Sox express
June 12, 1946 ... Bob Feller stopped the surging Red Sox with a 7 to 2 setback at Fenway Park, ending their latest winning streak at an even dozen. The talented Red Sox produced one bright spot for the season's
largest crowd. Ted Williams not only won his individual duel with Feller, by collecting three hits of the nine the Red Sox registered, but one of them was his 14th home run into the Boston bullpen to spoil Rapid Robert's bid for his fifth shutout in the sixth inning. Mike Higgins' second single and Hal Wagner's double to the
bullpen produced a consolation run after two were out in the ninth inning.
But Bob Feller was the number one guy on the premises, as he joined Dave Ferriss and Hal Newhowser among baseball's 10 game winners. Feller has lost four, but this was his fourth straight in a new winning streak and he really put on a show. Feller didn't walk a man and struck out 10,
including the Sox going 1-2-3 twice. The crowd taunted him but he only took notice once. In the sixth he took a long time to emerge from the dugout to take his turn at bat, stopped and doffed his cap to the crowd majestically.
As might be expected from the game's greatest pitcher, Feller worked deliberately on Ted. A nice running catch by Pat Seerey provided Ted's only out. In the first he stroked a low liner to right for a base hit. In the third he singled through Dutch Meyer, who was playing halfway between
first and second, back on the grass. In the six be propelled one of Feller's serves into the Boston bullpen. In his fourth straight appearance with nobody on base, Ted again singled through the packed Cleveland defense.
Pat Seerey and Kenny Keltner ripped Sox starter Jim Bagby for home runs in the first two innings to give Feller a 3-0 lead. The top of the Cleveland order routed Bagby with none out in the fifth, to make the score 5-0.
The Sox embark on their second Western road trip with a night game in Chicago. The Sox had a very successful homestand with 14 wins, 2 losses, and a tie against seven opponents. |
