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DAVE FERRISS |
THE CURSE OF THE BAMBINO, PART 2 ...
A POWERFUL RED SOX TEAM FAILS
IN THE WORLD SERIES ...
Dave Ferriss' wins his 25th game,
while Johnny Pesky gets his 200th hit
September 15, 1946 ... Dave Ferriss won his 25th game, as the American League Champion Boston Red Sox split a doubleheader with the
Chicago White Sox. Ferriss allowed eight hits in winning the opener 4 to 1, but Chicago, behind Johnny Rigney, won the nightcap 6 to 0.
Ferriss thus tied the American League record of Wes Ferrell, who won 46 games in his first two complete seasons for the Cleveland Indians. The modern National League mark is 47 held by Grover Cleveland Alexander of the Phillies. The all time record of 57 was set by Kid Nichols of the Boston
National League club in 1890–1891.
In his third shot at number 25, Ferriss overcame early game unsteadiness to pitch eight scoreless innings. After slapping out two hits in the first game, Johnny Pesky raced out a topped roller toward second base, for his 200th hit of the season in the sixth inning of the second game. It was
one of only three hits made against Rigney. Pesky now joins a flock of all time greats who have made 200 or more hits in their first two major league seasons.
As the game progressed, Ferriss grew stronger until he gave up the Chicago's only run of the game in the bottom of the ninth-inning. The Red Sox were held hitless and scoreless by White Sox starter Edgar Smith during the first four innings. Bobby Doerr got the Red Sox first hit on a twisting
bouncer that eluded Don Kolloway at third base. Rudy York then teed off on the first Smith pitched to him. It was good for his 16th home run of the year that went almost 400 feet over the scoreboard in left centerfield.
The Red Sox added another run in the sixth on the first of Pesky's three hits, a Ted Williams single and a double that Doerr dropped down the right-field line. Roy Partee scored the final run in the seventh inning by opening with a double, being sacrificed to third and coming home on Tom
McBride's single.
Johnny Rigney was very stingy in the final game. Only Pesky reached third against him, as he made his first start in almost a month. After Johnny beat out his 200th hit, Dom DiMaggio walked. Doerr then lofted one in short right that popped out of Whitey Platt's glove. Platt grabbed the ball
and then fired it to Luke Appling forced DiMaggio, letting Johnny get the third. Leon Culberson grounded out to end.
Only one of the Red Sox home bound players was able to leave here tonight. Hal Wagner caught a train from Philadelphia this afternoon and will rejoin the team in Washington on Saturday. Joe Cronin, Pesky, Williams, Doerr, DiMaggio, Harris, Hughson and Harris will fly to Boston sometime in
the morning. In the afternoon, acting manager Larry Woodall will take the rest of the team to St. Louis for two games. |
