DICK WAKEFIELD

THE CURSE OF THE BAMBINO, PART 2 ...
A POWERFUL RED SOX TEAM FAILS
IN THE WORLD SERIES ...
Williams, Wakefield and Greenberg smash huge
HRs in Detroit, as the Sox get swamped

September 10, 1946 ... Another home run by Ted Williams only prevented the Red Sox from being shut out at Briggs Stadium this afternoon, as clinching of the American League title was again delayed. The Red Sox suffered their fourth straight setback.

Freddie Hutchinson's blazing fastball baffled the Sox in the clutches, as the Tigers took the opening game of a two-game series, by a score of 9 to 1. With Dick Wakefield and Hank Greenberg propelling terrific home runs, the Tigers moved into second place, as the New York Yankees were mathematically eliminated from a chance to tie for the pennant, dropping their game to Cleveland, 4 to 2.

The game here was settled in the first inning. The Sox fill the bases with one out, but Hutchinson slipped third strikes past both Bobby Doerr and Rudy York to keep the Sox away from home plate.

But it was a different story in the opening inning for Detroit. Eddie Lake opened up with the first of his three singles, in a 14 hit Tiger attack. He was sacrificed to second by George Kell. Manager Cronin ordered Mickey Harris to walk Greenberg and pitch to Wakefield. Wakefield sailed the first serve for a three run homer, that carried 415 feet. It struck the steel front of the top deck of the right-center field bleachers for his 11th home run of the season. That gave the Tigers a 3 to 0 lead that they never relinquished. It was said to be the longest home run hit here this year.

In the fourth inning Hutchinson drove in Detroit's fourth run with the first of his two hits. Then in the fifth Greenberg teed off on Earl Johnson into the upper deck of the left-field. Greenberg's homer was his 32nd of the year as he moved up within three of Ted Williams pace setting mark.

Not to be outdone, Hutchinson had Williams down in the count and tried to fire a third strike past him in the sixth inning, but Ted was set. The ball went into the press box extension in right-center field. It was the first time that any major league player had dumped a home run into this area of the ballpark. It was Ted's 36th of the year as he maintained is for home run margin over Greenberg. Ted's ball hit only 15 feet from the roof. Only Ted has hit one over the roof, but they were down closer toward the foul line.

The Tigers scored for more runs off Clem Dreisewerd, the third of for Boston pitchers Joe Cronin used in the afternoon. The best scoring chance the Red Sox had was in the eighth inning. Pesky and DiMaggio started with walks. Williams was again walked to load the bases. At this stage Hutchinson received his best break of the game. Bobby Doerr lined a terrific drive to deep center field. Hoot Evers slipped in starting for the ball, but picked himself up and went a few feet back to pull down the drive.

At third base it was all confusion. Pesky had tagged up originally, but when he saw Evers slip, he broke for the plate. He held up halfway down and then had to return to third when he saw him make the catch. So Johnny couldn't score and when Rudy York whiffed and and Glenn Russell flied out, the Red Sox came up empty.

There is one grain of comfort for the Sox baseball fans whose applications for grandstand seats came too late to Jersey Street. At 7 o'clock on the morning of the games, approximately 8500 bleacher seats will go on sale. And one hour before each game 2000 standing room seats will be available.