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BILL ZUBER |
THE CURSE OF THE BAMBINO, PART 2 ...
A POWERFUL RED SOX TEAM FAILS
IN THE WORLD SERIES ...
The Sox sweep the Indians,
behind Harris and Zuber
June 23, 1946 ... The Red Sox are hitting and running and winning again, at least for today. They resurrected their collective batting
eyes in the ninth inning of the first game of today's twin-bill at Lakefront Stadium. Joe Cronin's boys tomahawked the Indians, 5 to 1 and 6-0, widening their lead over the Yankees to seven games.
Mickey Harris got out of more trouble while winning his 10th against only two setbacks in the opener. 32-year-old Bill Zuber, the Yankee castoff, tossed a three single shutout in the second game. In his first competitive game since May 20th, Zuber allowed only two of his one-time Indian
teammates to reach second base.
Mickey Harris had to be good in the first game, because he held only a 2 to 1 lead going into the ninth inning. Here, the Sox cut loose for three runs, the first time since last Sunday Chicago that they scored more than once inning inning. Ted Williams plunked a two run double and registered
a charge that saw the Sox get five runs the second game's first six innings, with his 16th home run of the year. His five RBI boosted him to 54, only two behind Bobby Doerr, who registered one in the opener.
After dropping below the .300 mark for the first time this season, Johnny Pesky bounced back by singling in his last two times at bat during the first game, and his first two times at bat in the second game. Dom DiMaggio smashed a 435 foot triple, before retiring to give his gimpy leg a
rest. Rudy York banged nice double, his fourth hit in 30 trips, during the second game and George Metkovich culminated some splendid base running, by stealing home.
The one Cleveland run of the day, came in the third inning of the first game. The Sox tied it in the sixth inning on singles by Ted and Bobby Doerr, followed by Rudy York's sacrifice fly. They went ahead in the seventh when Roy Partee punched a pretty hit and run single into right, with Mike
Higgins aboard. Metkovich scored Higgins on a long line drive to Hank Edwards.
Harris allowed the first Indian batter to get aboard in four different innings.
In the second game, Johnny Pesky's single and Dom
DiMaggio's triple, followed by
Glenn Russell's single put the Sox on the scoreboard in the second game. In the third inning Pesky's single, preceded Ted Williams first pitch loft into lower right field seats, a good 375 feet from home, gave the
Red Sox a 4-0 lead.
Bill Zuber saved his shutout in his first inning. With Gene Woodling on first, Zuber struck out Les Fleming, and on the pitch Woodling stole second base. Hal Wagner's wild throw into center field allowed Woodling to scamper to third, where he was stranded. It was Zuber's first starting
assignment in 1946. Although his win loss record in the majors is not impressive, he has always been near the top in earned run average. Last year's 3.19 mark was third-best in the American League. He was dropped by the Yankees in order to get their squad down to the prescribed maximum
players, and the Red Sox immediately signed him up.
All but seven of the Red Sox caravan will fly to Detroit tonight, the rest will travel by train.
Bill Veeck had quite a time on his first day being the Indians owner. He gave Lou Boudreau the okay to remain the Indians manager through the rest of the season. He then mingled in line with the customers to discuss how they felt about the team. When he entered the stadium, he saw how busy
the understaffed ushers were, that he upped their salaries, $.50 apiece. He also decided that the tradition of "ladies days" would be renewed. |
