THE CURSE OF THE BAMBINO, PART 2 ...
A POWERFUL RED SOX TEAM FAILS
IN THE WORLD SERIES ...
Ted smashes his way in to the All Star
record book, as the AL slams the NL

July 9, 1946 ... Shattering or equaling a dozen All-Star slugging records, grim and determined Ted Williams led the American League All-Stars to the most lopsided triumph in All-Star game history. The final score was 12-0, as had belted two home runs and two singles along with drawing a walk for a perfect day at bat.

In widening the American League margin to nine wins and four losses in the series, Bob Feller, Hal Newhowser and Jack Kramer pitched a three-hit masterpiece. Feller allowed two hits and Newhowser gave up the other. The trio fanned 10 batters and issued only one walk in pitching the shutout.

Charlie Keller of the Yankees set up the batting barrage. Following a walk to Ted Williams in the first inning, Keller propelled and ill fated Claude Passeau pitch into the National League bullpen. It was his first All-Star home run and set the stage for two that were later hit by Ted. Joe Gordon almost made it four home runs, as he missed clearing the left centerfield fence with his two run double in the seventh inning.

Rounding out the American League hitters was Vern Stephens of the Browns, whose bloop double with the bases loaded in the fifth inning, made sure that the contest was going to be a runaway.

Williams scored the first of his four runs, one All-Star record, in front of Keller's smash in the first inning. Up for the second time, starting the fourth inning, he lashed a Kirby Higbe curveball half a dozen rows into the centerfield seats to make the score 3-0. Following Stephens' double in the fifth inning, the Kid hit Higbe's knuckleball into right field for a run producing single to make it 6-0. With two outs and nobody on in the seventh inning, Williams ignited and other two run outburst by singling off Phil Cavaretta's glove.

In the eighth-inning, with Pittsburgh's Rip Sewell now doing the twirling, the American Leaguers got one run by Snuffy Stirnweiss' single and Jack Kramer's line drive off the wall, followed by Sam Chapman's sacrifice fly. Sewell then introduced his "eephus: blooper pitch to the American Leaguers for the first time. Stephens looped it into left for a single. Williams came up next and fouled off one into the third base seats. The next pitch was a fastball for strike two and another "eephus" pitch outside for a ball. Sewell threw one "eephus" too many, as the Kid stepped up in the batter's box and smashed the next one into the waiting hands of Mickey Harris in the American League bullpen.

Then Ted crashed the record books a few more times. He took the lead in All-Star home runs with three, his five RBI gave him a total of nine, and his four hits, which tied Joe Medwick's four in 1937, also gave the Kid a .500 All Star Game batting average.

The only thing the National Leaguers could cheer about was the defensive play of Cardinals shortstop Marty Marion. Marty accepted 10 chances and was involved in the game's only two doubleplays.

The National League was only in the game for half an inning. Bob Feller really struggled in the first round with 28 pitches. After ten pitches, Red Schoendinst reached on an error by Johnny Pesky. Johnny Hopp then hit a high bounder over the third base bag to beat out an infield hit. Both runners advanced when Dixie Walker sent a routine ground ball to Bobby Doerr at second, but Feller then struck out Whitey Kurowski to end the threat.

After the game newspaperman and neighbors rushed to tell Ted Williams' mom, in San Diego, about his achievements. Mrs Williams just smiled and told everyone "He's a wonderful boy!"