1969 BOSTON RED SOX ...

In 1969, to offset 1968's "Year of the Pitcher", major league baseball initiated some drastic changes. The pitcher's mound was lowered from 15 inches to 10 inches and the upper and lower dimensions of the strike zone changed from between the shoulders and the needs, to between the armpits and the top of the knees.

Baseball expanded into the cities Seattle, Kansas City, Montréal and San Diego, and each league was now split into an Eastern and Western division. Winners of each division would play a best of five League Championship Series, to decide the pennant, prior to play in the World Series. And so each team's chances of reaching the World Series doubled.

Marvin Miller got the owners to negotiate a new pension plan over the winter. He was stonewalled by the owners and informed them that the players would not sign any contracts until a pension plan was worked out. Realizing that the players union was serious and not wanting to disrupt the schedule, commisioner Bowie Kuhn stepped in and got the owers to work out an agreement.

In December, the Cardinals sent veteran infielder, Dick Schofield to the Red Sox for pitcher Gary Waslewski.

Tony Conigliaro wanted badly to play baseball again. He spent a good amount of time in the late summer of 1968 trying to learn to become a pitcher, and started several games in the Winter Instructional League for the Sarasota Red Sox. On November 4th, he got a start against the Phillies. He gave up two hits and three walks in three innings and lost. Ultimately, he rolled up a record of 0-3, giving up 15 runs in one game, and developed a sore arm as well.

He played in the outfield on the days he wasn’t pitching and he began to connect for a few solid hits.  Against the Tigers, both Dick O'Connell and Dick Williams were in the stands. Tony doubled off the wall and cracked a sharp single up the middle. He could see the spin on the ball again, clearly now. His confidence grew each day, and he gave up the idea of pitching when O'Connell and Williams said there would be a spot waiting for him in the outfield, at spring training.

With both Jerry Adair and Joe Foy having been taken by Kansas City in the expansion draft, seeming to open up infield possibilities for Syd O’Brien. In the wake of Foy’s departure, Dick Williams announced that George Scott would be his third baseman, and Ken Harrelson would move to first. Scott had another excellent spring, batting well above .300.

George Thomas was not selected in the expansion draft by either of that year’s two new teams, and it was a surprise to some that he made the Red Sox’ opening day roster.

Rookie pitcher Ray Jarvis, received his first invitation to spring training. There were openings on the Red Sox pitching staff. Jose Santiago looked to be lost for the season due to elbow surgery, and only Ray Culp and Jim Lonborg were back and truly contributing.

In spring training Mike Nagy got to pitch because of assorted injuries to others, and made it to the last cut. But before Nagy appeared in a minor-league game, the Sox recalled him, as they optioned Fred Wenz and Ken Brett to Louisville and Jim Lonborg’s shoulder was also ailing.

One of the great surprises in camp was 21 year old catcher, Carlton Fisk. Not only did he have the size and power, but his demeanor commanded respect, especially from the pitchers. He was not given a place on the big league club however, but was sent to Pittsfield to start the season. While in Pittsfield, he became friends with another prospect named Rick Miller. They became instant friends and Fisk decided to fix him up with his sister, Janet. The two would be married three years later.

On March 25th, mired in a slump, Tony C. struck out twice and misplayed a fly ball. On March 27th against the Reds, he finally connected for a tremendous home run, his first of the spring. He hit three more the next week, to lead the team in the preseason.

Tony C's 21-year-old brother Billy Conigliaro, joined him on the roster. There was a three year difference between the two brothers, but with all he had been through, Tony felt a lot older than that.

Competing with Billy C for the fourth outfield spot was Joe Lahoud. There wasn’t a lot of love lost between Billy and Lahoud.  They had a few fights, drag-outs where they had to be pulled apart.

In Baltimore, on opening day, April 8th, Tony C. started the game in right field and provided one of the most stirring moments in Red Sox history. In the 10th inning, he launched a home run off Pete Richert to put the Sox out front and floated around the bases. Ken Harrelson, who was on base, was the first to greet him and threw his arms around Tony's neck. Dick Williams kissed him on the cheek when he got to the dugout.

Frank Robinson homered in the bottom half of the 10th to tie the game back up. Then Tony C. walked to lead off the 12th inning. George Scott singled and Rico Petrocelli walked to load the bases for Dalton Jones, who lofted a fly ball to right. Tony C. danced home with the eventual winning run. Juan Pizarro got three quick outs in the bottom of the 12th, to sew up the game for the Sox, 5 to 4. Yaz was choked up and just said "Fabulous". Tony C was back.

TONY CONIGLIARO

The Red Sox beat the Indians in Cleveland, in a 16 inning affair on April 11th. With Rico Petrocelli on third and Russ Gibson on first, George Thomas sent a dribbler to second base that was hit so slow, that the Indians had no chance of making a play, as Rico came across with the go-ahead run, 2 to 1. Tony C. faced Jack Hamilton again for the first time in the 13th inning and stepped in as close as he could to show him that he wasn't scared. When he got the bunt sign from Eddie Popowski at third, he dutifully advanced the runner.

The next day, on April 12th, the Sox won again 5-3. Young Bill Landis took his third straight win, having been the winning pitcher in all three Sox victories. Ken Harrelson did most of the damage with a double and a three run homer.

Behind home runs from the bats of Rico Petrocelli and Reggie Smith and the pitching of Lee Stange, the Sox swept the Indians in the third game on April 13th, 3 to 1.

When the Sox opened at Fenway Park, on April 14th, the fans gave Tony C. a two-minute ovation when the teams were introduced before the game. When he came to bat, as an airplane soared overhead trailing a large banner that read simply "Welcome Back". He delivered the game-winning hit in the fourth inning of a 5-1, Sox victory, though admittedly it wasn’t much of a hit. He came up with the bases loaded and wanted to break the game open. Instead, he sent a slow dribbler toward Brooks Robinson at third, and beat it out, as Ray Culp scored from third. 

In the seventh inning, a young shaggy haired hippie college kid, jumped out of the stands just to run over and shake Tony Conigliaro's hand and told him that he was glad to see him back, and that he was the only reason he had come to the game. The stadium cops quickly took him away, but he smiled as he waved back to Tony.

Rookie Syd O’Brien's debut with the Red Sox came on April 15th. He pinch-hit in the eighth inning and struck out. Pitcher, Ray Jarvis’ major-league debut also was in the game. He entered to pitch the fifth inning with the Red Sox behind, 4-2. The first batter he faced was Frank Robinson, who tripled to right field, but Jarvis buckled down and got three ground outs, stranding Robinson on third. The Sox lost to Baltimore, 10-5, however.

In the next game on April 16th, the Baltimore Orioles had a 6-4 lead when Billy Conigliaro came up to bat in the bottom of the fourth. He hit a leadoff home run into the net and also led off the sixth inning and homered again. It was a high-scoring game, 11-8 in the Orioles’ favor, but the rain brought the game to an end after one out in the bottom of the eighth. Tony C. had not taken part in the game. He was suffering from a sore knee, so brother Billy C. was in effect filling in for him in right field. 

As for Billy Conigliaro, it was either a K or a HR through his first three games, and the pattern continued when future Hall of Famer Jim Palmer struck him out his first two times up the day after his two-homer game on April 17th. But Billy C. hit a home run into the Red Sox bullpen when he led off the fifth. In the seventh, he finally did something else. He singled off Palmer, and he doubled in the bottom of the ninth, a 3-for-5 day. But unfortunately the Sox lost 9 to 5, losing three games of their four game series with the Orioles.

Against the Indians at Fenway on April 18th, the Sox hit five homers off Luis Tiant in a 10 to 7 win. Two homers were hit by Ken Harrelson, and one each by Rico Petrocelli, Yaz, and Tony C. It had been Tony Conigliaro's first Fenway homer since July 27, 1967.

Tony C.'s apparent return made 1968 MVP, Ken Harrelson expendable in the eyes of the Sox front office. He was therefore surprisingly traded, along with pitchers Dick Ellsworth and Juan Pizarro, to the Cleveland Indians for pitchers Sonny Siebert and Vicente Romo, and catcher Joe Azcue the next day, on April 19th.

KEN HARRELSON

Harrelson was upset at the trade and didn't want to leave. He had many endorsements that made him a lot of money in Boston, which he felt could disappear if he left, including a television production company, a record publishing firm, a book deal, a sub shop, and part interest in a nightclub called "Ken Harrelson's 1800 House". So he wouldn't accept the trade and decided to quit baseball instead. His agent Bob Woolf called a press conference and announced the Hawk's decision to retire.

The situation left the other traded players in limbo, not knowing where to go. Harrelson and Woolf finally met in New York with Bowie Kuhn and Indian's GM, Gabe Paul. There, they ironed out a new contract and a salary increase.

The whole incident resulted in a rule change for MLB. Instead of the team trading a player, being responsible for his reporting to his traded team under the terms of their contract, the rule was reversed. The team a player was traded to, had to have a new negotiated contract in place with the traded player, before the deal could be finalized.

On April 20th, against the Indians, Ray Jarvis pitched two-hit ball for 8 2/3 innings, giving up just one run.  Amidst chants of "We Want the "Hawk", Jerry Moses hit his first big league grand slam home run and the Sox won, 9 to 4.

Against the Yankees at Fenway on April 22nd, the Sox knocked out four homers off Stan Bahnsen and grabbed an 8 to 3 victory. A three run shot by Tony C. and solo homers by Mike Andrews, Rico Petrocelli and Yaz were the tally.

TED WILLIAMS

On April 23rd, Ted Williams returned to Fenway as the manager of the Washington Senators. Tony C. had three hits including a home run, but the Sox fell to Washington, 9 to 3.

Jim Lonborg, who hadn't pitched since opening day, took the mound in Detroit on April 25th.  He went 7 1/3 innings and threw 109 pitches in a 5 to 4 Sox win.

The next night, April 26th, Ray Culp picked up his fourth win, defeating the Tigers, 7 to 4. Since last June, Culp had won 16 of his 18 starts with a 2.47 ERA. Yaz socked out two homers, one a grand slam, his first in five years.

On April 29th, rookie Mike Nagy, defeated Mel Stottlemyre, 2 to 1, at Yankee Stadium. The Yankees had a 1-0 lead after six innings. Syd O’Brien had come in to play third base in the fifth inning after Dalton Jones had hurt his left elbow taking a throw. In the top of the seventh, Tony C. doubled to left field to lead off. O’Brien then singled to left and drove him in, tying the game. He took third on a wild pitch, then scored the go-ahead (and winning) run two batters later.

Billy Conigliaro played in 15 April games but after the May 1st game, batting .313 with two more homers and a total of six RBIs, he was sent to Louisville to play Triple-A ball for the Colonels. Dick Williams said he wanted to see him get more playing time than he otherwise would have gotten with the Red Sox. Billy C. was so upset, though, that he said he didn’t care to be brought back up to the Red Sox as long as Williams was managing the team.

Yaz knocked in all the runs with two homers in a game at Fenway on May 2nd.  Sonny Siebert picked up his first win in a Red Sox uniform, beating the Tigers, 3 to 2.

On May 3rd, pitcher Fred Wenz picked up his first major-league win, working three innings. He gave up a solo home run to Al Kaline, but otherwise held them scoreless while his teammates racked up five runs. In fact, Wenz scored the go-ahead run. First up in the bottom of the eighth in a 5-5 game, in the only plate appearance he had had in the majors, he drew a walk. With one out, he took second on a Mike Andrews' single, and then took third when Yaz forced Andrews at second base on a ground ball to first. With Tony C. at the plate, the Red Sox surprised everyone. While the Tigers brought in a new relief pitcher, Tony C. discreetly sent the Red Sox bat boy down to third base and had him tell Wenz to look out for the bunt. On the first pitch, he laid down a perfect squeeze bunt to the left of the mound, and Wenz came pounding home, putting the Sox ahead, 6-5. Another run came clattering across a moment later on Reggie Smith's double and the Sox beat the Tigers by a 7 to 5 score.

Next day, May 4th, Rico Petrocelli hit a two run homer in the 11th inning to give the Red Sox a 4 to 2 walk-off victory over the Tigers, and a three-game sweep from the World Champions.

Outfielder Don Lock was traded on May 5th, to the Red Sox from the Phillies, for Bill Schlesinger.

In their first meeting with the Seattle Pilots at Sicks Stadium in Seattle, on May 6th, the Red Sox found the Pilots perfect hosts, handing a 12-2 thrashing to the expansion team. Yaz had two singles, knocking in three runs, and George Thomas had two hits and three RBIs. The win gave Ray Culp his fifth victory.

George Thomas' double in the seventh inning, the next night, May 7th, broke a 4-4 deadlock, sending home the winning run, and a 5 to 4 win over the Pilots.

In Anaheim, on May 9th, the Sox broke a 2-2 tie by scoring five runs in the ninth inning. With the bases loaded, Mike Andrews slammed a triple ti deep right-center. That was followed by a homer from Yaz and a 7 to 2 win.

In the next game, after Reggie Smith tied the game in the seventh inning with a two-run homer, Tony C.'s bases loaded triple in the 10th inning, powered the Sox to a 6 to 3 win on May 10th.

In the series finale, on May 11th, Rico Petrocelli pounded a pair of two-run homers to give the Angels a 7 to 3 headache and a Sox sweep. Yaz hit .500 in the series, going 6 for 12. It was the Sox 8th straight win. The Sox bullpen in the last 23 2/3 innings, had just given up one run and 12 hits.

RAY CULP

After losing the opening game in Oakland, in the next game on May 14th, Ray Culp won his sixth, 2 to 1, throwing 11 strikeouts. Tony C. drove in both Sox runs with a pair of singles. The Sox were 20-11, right on the heels of the red-hot Baltimore Orioles, were only one game behind, as they returned home.

Back at Fenway, the Sox had decided to help Tony C. be able to see the balls more clearly during day games. The section of the centerfield bleachers right behind the pitcher that the batter had to look into, was designated as "Conig's Corner". Fans could not sit there wearing white shirts.

The Seattle Pilots visited Fenway on May 17th and were defeated by rookie pitcher, Mike Nagy, 6-1.  Yaz, Mike Andrews and Dalton Jones made his job easier with home runs. But the Pilots took 2-of-3 at Fenway. Tony C. had slumped, just getting a scratch single. He admitted that he was getting headaches again.

In a doubleheader on May 21st, the Sox took two games from the California Angels. In the first game, Jim Lonborg beat the Angels, 5 to 2. He left the game leading 3-1, and needed an outstanding relief job from Sparky Lyle.  Rico Petrocelli knocked in two runs with his 13th homer, and both Mike Andrews and Joe Azcue had three hits each, including clutch blows to put the game away.  In the second game Sonny Siebert came away with an 8 to 3 win, with relief help from Vicente Romo. Reggie Smith knocked in three runs, while Tony C. and Dalton Jones knocked in two runs apiece.

In the next game, on May 22nd, Reggie Smith singled home Syd O’Brien, with the winning run, in the bottom of the ninth inning against Hoyt Wilhelm, to give the Sox a 4 to 3 win, earning rookie Ray Jarvis, his second win.

Vicente Romo came into the game in the ninth inning to save a win for Ray Culp on May 23rd in Chicago. Tony C. homered, and the Sox scored two more on sac flies in the 4 to 2 win.

On May 25th, Jim Lonborg threw 106 pitches en route to a 1-0 shutout of the White Sox. George Scott's home run provided the difference, as the Red Sox won 2-of-3.

Rico Petrocelli broke Vern Stephens' record for of 46 consecutive games without an error on May 28th in Kansas City.  Rico also hit his 14th homer giving Ray Culp his eighth win beating the Royals, 4 to 3. Since last July, Culp was 20-4 with 14 complete games.

The next game, on May 29th, saw Tony C. smash a home run and Reggie knock out two homers, with four hits. in an 8 to 6 win over the Royals.  The Sox won 2-of-3 in K.C. and Reggie had eight hits for 18 bases and seven RBIs in the three game series. In addition, Yaz had three outfield assists.

On May 30th, the Twins stranded 14 runners at Fenway Park, but the most important one came in the ninth inning. The Sox were up 3-2 and there was the tying on third with one out. Vicente Romo was brought in to get the last two men. He finished by getting an easy grounder and striking out Rich Reese to sew up the win for Jim Lonborg (4-0).

At the end of May, George Scott  was hitting .193 with only four home runs. The Sox had gone 18-7 for the month, but were stuck in second place, only three games out of first.

The Sox started June with Ray Culp winning his ninth game, 5 to 2 over the Twins at Fenway on June 1st. The Sox bats stayed hot with Tony C. rapping out four hits, two doubles, a single and his 10th homer.

On June 3rd, Jim Lonborg (5-0) pitched his first complete game of the season, defeating the White Sox, 8 to 2, throwing 142 pitches. Yaz (3 for 4) knocked out his 13th homer, while Rico Petrocelli took the league home run lead when he hit his 17th of the year. The Sox bats slammed a season high 17 hits in the game.

On June 6th, it was raining heavily, and in the 10th inning the fans started to head for the exits because it looked like the Red Sox had lost to the Kansas City Royals, 2 to 1. And then, all of a sudden the fans stopped in their tracks as George Scott, with two outs, sent a wicked liner toward the bleachers in center field. The ball struck halfway up the wall behind the seats and the fans turned around and went back to their seats, cheering. An inning later, Dalton Jones slammed his second home run of the year, with Dick Schofield on base, and the Red Sox were winners, 4 to 2.

Mike Nagy pitched the first shutout of the year at Fenway, the next game on June 7th, beating the Royals, 4 to 0. George Scott's hot bat produced another home run.

Jim Lonborg (6-0) followed that game up with another complete game, 8-2 victory on June 8th.  Rico Petrocelli continued the homer barrage with two dingers.

In Minnesota, on June 9th, Rico became the first player in the majors to reach 20 homers, while Vicente Romo pitched out of two late inning jams to preserve a 5 to 3 victory over the Twins.

Two nights later, on June 11th, Joe Lahoud smashed three homers. All three homers were hit into the right-field bleachers, and each was off a different pitcher. Dick Schofield knocked out three doubles and three singles apiece, from the bats of George Scott and Reggie Smith, as the Sox pounded the Twins, 13 to 5. The Sox were in second place, only three games behind the Orioles.

But in the next series with Oakland at Fenway, the Athletics batters pounded Sox pitchers for 38 runs and the Sox lost all three games.

Backup Red Sox catcher Joe Azcue, unhappy with his lack of play, bolted the team, returning home to Kansas. He went over Dick Williams’ head to complain to the higher-ups, which didn’t sit well, either. Azcue was suspended, and Williams let it be known that the Red Sox had already started the process of trying to trade him. He declared he would quit the game if they did not. Wasting little time searching for an alternate, the Red Sox found one on the Angels. On June 15th, the trading deadline, catcher Tom Satriano was sent to the Red Sox for Azcue. Moved immediately into a platoon with incumbent Red Sox catchers Russ Gibson and Jerry Moses, throughout the remainder of the season Satriano made only a handful of appearances behind the plate.

The Sox temporarily stopped their losing streak in Cleveland. Ken Harrelson had a home run and a double sending the Indians into a 5 to 4 lead. But Reggie Smith's three run homer trumped him in an 8 to 5 comeback victory on June 16th.

In his fourth try, on June 19th, Ray Culp finally collected his 10th win, shutting out the Indians, 3-0, with a two hit performance. Yaz's 19th homer was the big blow for the Sox.

A June doubleheader against the Yankees at Fenway Park epitomized the up and down nature of the season. On June 21st, George Thomas' bloop single in the 11th inning, finished off a 6-5 four run explosion. Down 5-2, and with Dalton Jones, George Scott and Tom Satriano on base, Joe Lahoud brought in two runs with a double. Thomas' looper scored both Satriano and Lahoud with the walk-off winning runs. In the second game of the doubleheader, the Sox were one strike away from a sweep but Roy White hit a go-ahead, three run triple, leading the Yanks to a 6-3 victory. Jim Lonborg injured himself by trying to lay down a bunt that banged off his big toe. With Bill Landis and Sparky Lyle doing their time in the Army reserves, the Red Sox brought up rookie left-hander, Bill Lee to take his place.

Gary Roggenburk pitched in seven games for the Sox (8.38 ERA in 9 2/3 innings) before being sold to the expansion Seattle Pilots on June 23rd.

Against the Indians on June 24th, in the second half of a doubleheader, Lee Stange recorded his third win of the season, setting down Cleveland 6 to 1. Syd O’Brien and Yaz each had three hits. But the Sox had lost the first game, 6-3 to Luis Tiant. George Scott had four hits in the game, including a double and two homers in the loss.

In the first game of another doubleheader with the Indians, the next day, June 25th, Sonny Siebert, after giving up a run in the first inning, retired 10 men in a row. He walked a man in the fourth and then retired 12 straight. He fanned eight in his first complete game of the season. To help his cause, he doubled and homered in his 3 to 1 win.

Bill Lee’s Red Sox pitching debut came in a relief appearance in the second game. The Indians led 6-3 after three full innings. Lee pitched the fourth through the seventh innings, giving up just one run on two hits before being lifted for a pinch-hitter in the bottom of the seventh. The Sox lost the second game, 7 to 3.

In the final game of the Indians' series, the Sox beat the Tribe, 4 to 3 in 10 innings on June 26th. Ken Harrelson, who went only 1 for 18 in the in the five games, contributed to the Sox win.  In the 5th inning, with the Indians up 3-0 and the bases loaded, Dalton Jones lifted a fly ball to right. The "Hawk" thought the ball was gone and just turned to watch it.  But he was wrong and the ball bounced off the bullpen wall, while Jones scampered to third and the game was tied.  In the 10th inning, with Dick Schofield on second base, Reggie Smith's single drove him in, and the Sox had a 4 to 3 walk-off win.

George Thomas was made a player-coach. In late June, he tore ligaments in his knee and did not play again until the last game of the season. He had hit .353 in his 51 at-bats, but stuck with the team as a bullpen coach through the end of the season.

On June 27th Dick Williams trotted out Bill Landis to start against the Nationals in Washington. Reggie Smith helped him by belting his 13th homer. After six innings and having given up just a lone run, Sparky Lyle came in to finish for Landis. Lyle gave up a run but struck out the last four men he faced, winning 4 to 2 and recording a save for Bill Landis.

But the Sox ended June playing games marred by their own mistakes, losing the next three games they played against Ted Williams' Senators. They were still in second place having won 14 and losing 15 in June, but they were now 11 games behind the red hot Baltimore Orioles.

In Detroit, the Sox pitchers gave up 23 runs and lost another three games to start off July.

After losing seven straight games, the Sox finally won a game, the second game of a doubleheader with Washington, at Fenway, on July 4th. Tony C. had slumped and struck out three times and hit into two doubleplays. The fans booed him when he came up again in the seventh inning. This time he doubled home two runs, to give the Sox a 7-2 lead. He realized that the fans would only support him if he played well and that reality hit him hard. The final score was 7 to 4. Yaz slammed his 23rd homer and Reggie hit his 16th.

The Sox split another doubleheader with the Nats the next day, July 5th. After losing the first game, 6 to 2, the Sox coasted to an 11 to 4 victory in the second game. Reggie had three hits including a triple and a home run, knocking in four runs.

Next, veteran pitcher Ron Kline was sold to the Red Sox for the $25,000 waiver price by the San Francisco Giants.

The Tigers followed to Fenway and were handcuffed by Ray Culp, 7-2 on July 7th.  He allowed six hits, walked two and struck out five. George Scott had two triples and a single to pace the Sox.

The next night, on July 8th, rookie Mike Nagy beat the Tigers, 4 to 1. He helped himself with a bases loaded single.

The Red Sox would play Baltimore eight times in the final week and a half before the All-Star break. In Baltimore, in the first game of their series, on July 10th, the score was tied 4-4 in the bottom ninth, but Vicente Romo surrendered a walk, a stolen base and an opposite field single by Frank Robinson that ended the game, 5 to 4.

In Friday's doubleheader, on July 11th, however, the opener was tied 3 to 3 in the seventh inning, when Yaz homered to get the lead and Reggie Smith drilled a three run shot in the eighth, to put the game away, 7 to 4. Mike Andrews was the hero of the nightcap, going 5-for-5 as the Sox coasted to a 12 to 3 rout. Reggie (.344 BA) had four more hits while Dalton Jones, Joe Lahoud and Yaz each had three. One of Yaz's was his 27th homer.

On Saturday, July 12th against Mike Cuellar, Tony C. got three hits, but Cuellar shutout the rest of the team, 4 to 0. In the virtual must win game on Sunday, July 13th, Jim Lonborg couldn't get out of the second inning. And so, the Red Sox had lost three of five in a series they needed to win. They were now 13 1/2 games behind.

Next, in a doubleheader at Yankee Stadium on July 15th, Reggie Smith (.354 BA) went 5-for-5 with three singles and two doubles, helping the Sox beat the Yankees, 7 to 6. On the 16th, the next game, Yaz ended a 0-16 drought with four straight hits, including his 28th home run into the third deck in a 6 to 2 win.

The Sox turned things around against the Orioles in a three-game set at Fenway, to close the first half. It went better, as Mike Andrews hit a first inning home run that led to a 6-1 win on July 18th.

The next day, July 19th, Yaz hit a game-tying home run in the sixth to make the score 3 to 3 and then Dalton Jones hit a two-out, two-run double, in the seventh, that stood up to win the game 5 to 3.

In the Sunday finale, on July 20th, the Sox were leading 3 to 2 when Syd O’Brien ripped a two run triple. Jim Lonborg came in and hit a sacrifice fly. That run was important because Lonnie almost gave it all back in the ninth, being charged with three runs. Sparky Lyle had to come out of the bullpen to get Brooks Robinson and close out a 6 to 5 Red Sox win. The Red Sox had won five of the eight games with Baltimore, but because their margin was 12 1/2, it was too little too late.

Rico Petrocelli was the overwhelming choice as the starting American League shortstop in the All-Star Game. It was his second such selection in three years. At the time he was hitting .309 with a remarkable 25 home runs. In the last year before the All-Star vote was returned to the fans, he earned more votes from his fellow players, managers, and coaches than any other

In the All Star Game at RFK Stadium in Washington, on July 22nd, the National League beat the American League, 9 to 3.  Yaz's spectacular catch took a home run away from Johnny Bench. Reggie got in as a pinch runner and replaced Frank Howard in the outfield, but didn't get a hit in two at bats. Ray Culp pitched the ninth inning and struck out Tony Perez and Randy Hundley.

The Sox then traveled up to Seattle for three games.  On July 25th, Tony C. wrenched his back, swinging at a pitch that he hit for a home run. He circled the bases hunched over and then left the game. Russ Gibson's pinch-hit, three run homer brought the Sox from behind with a 7 to 6 win over the Pilots.

Two days later, on July 27th, Joe Lahoud, filling in for Tony C., belted a two run homer in the 20th inning that was a winner for the Sox against the Pilots, 5 to 3.

After losing the next two in Anaheim, Ray Culp picked up his 15th win against the Angels, 9 to 1 on July 31st. Joe Lahoud, Rico Petrocelli and Mike Andrews all homered in his support. But they lost 2 of 3 and were now 15 games back, but still in second place.

On August 1st, in a game against in Oakland, Carl Yastrzemski got thrown out at home because he was playing with a bad ankle and found it hard to run. That resulted in a confrontation with Dick Williams, who benched him in favor of Joe Lahoud, for not hustling. Williams pulled him out of the game and yelled at him in front of his teammates and fined him $500.

Yaz was Tom Yawkey's boy. The two were very close to the point that Yawkey would go to Yaz and ask him what the team needed to get. Yawkey had money to spend, liked to spend it on his players, and after the "Impossible Dream" year, he couldn't spend it fast enough to repeat the experience. The growing tense relationship between Yaz and Dick Williams, meant that Williams' days in Boston were numbered.

The Sox and A's split a doubleheader on August 3rd. The A's won the opener, 10 to 7, but the Sox bounced back in the late game, winning 3 to 2. Sonny Siebert had an easy time for eight innings, leading 3-0. Jim Lonborg and Sparky Lyle then teamed up to save the win.

They Red Sox then returned home and lost 2 of 3 to the Pilots. In the game they won on August 7th, they were losing again going into the ninth inning, but scored three runs and walked-off with a 5 to 4 decision.

Ray Culp won his 16th game on August 9th, highlighted by his third-inning home run off California’s Pedro Borbon, the only home run he would hit in his career. Culp had a 7-0 lead in the sixth inning, then fell apart on the mound, but the Sox held on to win, 9 to 4.

In a newspaper article on August 10th, Billy Conigliaro, who was sent down to Louisville, was quoted as saying that he thought Dick Williams was dishonest and didn't want to play for him anymore. Tony C. confided to his dad that with all the tension on the team, he dreaded going to the ballpark each day.

On August 11th, while the Sox were in Chicago, Vicente Romo said that he was going out for dinner with a male friend. He was not seen until 11 A.M. two days later. Romo said that he had a few drinks, became ill, and “forgot” to inform the team of his condition. Meanwhile, the Chicago police had been looking in hospitals, jails, and morgues. At Comiskey Park, the Red Sox beat the White Sox, 5 to 2, however they lost the next two games.

The Sox finally took a series against the Royals, winning 2 of 3. In Kansas City, George Scott hit his 12th home run and drove in four runs in the first game of a doubleheader which the Sox won, 10-1 on August 16th. 

On August 17th, Vicente Romo shutout the Royals, 1 to 0. It was the first time they won a series since before the All Star break, but the deficit was 21 games and the Orioles were off and running to a 109 win season.

The next day on August 18th against the Twins, two years to the day after he was beaned, Tony C. hit a three-run home run in the last of the eighth inning to tie the game, 6-6. George Scott lined a drive off the centerfield wall with Reggie Smith on second base, that won the game for the Red Sox, 7 to 6.

Two days later, back home at Fenway on August 20th, with Mike Andrews on second and Dalton Jones on first, and the score tied at 6 to 6, with two outs in the ninth inning, Minnesota's Dean Chance faced Tony C., who smashed a liner to left center, bringing home Andrews with the winning run, 7-6.

Ray Culp won a career high 17th game, a 2-0 shutout of the White Sox on five scattered hits, on August 23rd.

On August 26th, Yaz had three hits, including his 33rd home run as the Sox beat the Royals, 4 to 1. The next night, August 27th, with the score tied in the bottom of the ninth inning, Syd O’Brien hit a walk-off bases loaded single, giving Vicente Romo his first complete game victory, a 4-3 decision over the Royals.

In the final game of the series, on August 28th, Tony C.'s big bat boomed once again. His three run eighth inning homer meant the difference in a 9 to 8 Sox win and a series sweep of Kansas City. It was the first time the Red Sox had swept a series since they swept the Orioles, just before the All Star break. But Ray Culp had hurt his arm and had to shut it down for the season. The Red Sox were a distant 19 games behind, in third place.

The Sox lost the final series of the month to the Twins, winning only once. On August 30th, Mike Nagy chalked up his fifth straight decision, 7 to 5. He had a 7-0 lead until the seventh inning, but needed help from Sparky Lyle to finish. Tony C., Syd O’Brien and Mike Andrews all connected for home runs.

Billy Conigliaro hit .298 with 13 homers and drove in 81 runs for Louisville, and was recalled in September, playing in another 16 games. Both Dick Williams and Billy C. steered clear of each other.

The Sox started the final month, 19 1/2 games out, but beat the Oakland A's, 6 to 2 on September 1st. Rico Petrocelli blasted a grand slam homer, his 34th of the season. It tied him with Yaz for the team lead in long balls.

Mike Nagy (11-2) pitched his seventh complete game, beating the A's, 5-1, for his sixth straight win, in the second game of a doubleheader on September 3rd. Yaz had three singles and Syd O’Brien doubled and homered. The Sox lost the opening game, 7 to 4.

Rico's bat again helped the Sox win on September 5th. He drove in three runs with a homer, his 35th, in the seventh inning and got a bases loaded walk in the ninth. It scored Syd O’Brien, who walked home with the game winner, as the Red Sox came back, from being down 7-0, to beat the Senators, 9-8.

In the next game, on September 6th, Yaz slugged his 35th homer and had a double and a single, moving his RBI total to 100, beating Washington 9 to 5. Syd O’Brien also tripled, homered and singled.

Pitcher Gary Wagner was acquired from the Phillies, on September 7th, in a trade for left-hander and then minor-leaguer Mike Jackson on September 6th.

Rico Petrocelli slammed his 36th homer in Cleveland on September 8th, to tie Yaz again in their battle for the team's home run lead. It helped the Sox beat the Indians, 5 to 4, behind Sonny Siebert.

On September 9th, Vicente Romo defeated the his former team, 3 to 1, in his best game of the season. He struck out Ken Harrelson, who he was traded for, three times.

Pitcher Ken Brett fell just a triple short of batting for the cycle in a September 12th game against the Yankees, while garnering his first big-league victory, 4 to 3, in the second game of a doubleheader at Yankee Stadium.

Rico homered against the Yankees on September 13th. Gary Wagner got credit for his first win as a member of the Sox, when he threw 5 2/3 innings in relief, earning a 5-2 win. It was almost, but not quite a start. Vicente Romo was the starter but only threw two pitches and had to leave due to a pulled muscle in his lower left back. Wagner came in and took over in the sixth inning.

Back home on September 16th, Rico hit his 39th homer, in a game the Sox lost 5-2.

The Red Sox called up catcher, Carlton Fisk from Double-A Pittsfield. He made his major-league debut in the first game of a doubleheader against the Baltimore Orioles on September 18th at Fenway and went 0-for-4 against Mike Cuellar. The Sox lost the first game, 6-4, but won the second game 5-0, behind Vicente Romo.

Ken Brett took on Denny McLain and beat him and the Tigers, 3 to 1, on September 19th. He gave way to Sonny Siebert who finished. Siebert had pitched 11 2/3 straight scoreless innings and given up just two hits in seven relief appearances.

On September 20th, Bill Lee won his first major league game, beating the Tigers in Detroit, 6 to 3. Lee pitched 6 2/3 innings. He came in during the third inning and pitched well until the ninth inning, when he needed some help, after walking the first two batters.

Another rookie, Mike Garman’s pitching debut was on September 22nd, against the Yankees. The game did not start well for Garman. He walked the first two batters, struck out one, threw a wild pitch that allowed both baserunners to advance, then walked the bases loaded. He was fortunate to induce two groundouts; only one run to have scored. In the top of the third, the Yankees took a 3-0 lead, but in the bottom of the fourth, Red Sox batters bailed out Garman, scoring four runs to take the lead. The game ended well; Garman won the game, 4 to 3.

The problems in the clubhouse were a distraction. Players started the tune out Dick Williams and his constant harping and ripping them apart in front of their teammates. On September 23rd, after Williams had a confrontation with Tom Yawkey, Yawkey instructed general manager Dick O'Connell to fire him. O'Connell announced there was a communication breakdown between the manager and the players. And so, the Sox played out the season under caretaker manager Eddie Popowski.

That night, it was all Yaz. During an 8 to 3 win over the Yankees, he slugged two homers, his 38th and 39th, including his 200th career HR, an RBI single and several diving stops at first base. Tony C. also reached a personal milestone when he hit his 20th home run.

In the next game, on September 24th Mike Andrews' double off the left field wall in the 14th inning, scored George Scott, for a 1 to 0 walk-off win. Ken Brett carried a shutout into the 10th inning before being relieved by Sonny Siebert, who got credit for the victory.

In the finale, on September 25th, George Scott's 15th homer of the year led to Sox in a series sweep of New York, 4 to 3.

RICO PETROCELLI

Rico Petrocelli's quest to break the American League record for home runs by a shortstop became the biggest story in September. The record-breaker came on September 29th against the Washington Senators at RFK Stadium. Rico slugged a home run his 40th, tops among any shortstop in American League history.  The record had been 39, by the Red Sox’ own Vern Stephens in 1949.

Bill Lee made his first start on September 30th. Interim manager, Eddie Popowski let him know by leaving a note for him in his room. Unfortunately, Lee decided to take himself on a walking tour of Washington, including hiking up the Washington Monument. He was exhausted when he got back to the hotel, only to see Pop's note. He pitched well that night for six innings, before the roof caved in on him, losing 7 to 2.

And in the Sox final game, on October 1st, Yaz tied Rico and hit his 40th homer.

In spite of the fact that the Sox led the league with 197 home runs, the ineffectiveness of Jim Lonborg and the other pitchers, led the club to an 87-75 third-place finish.

Although he had to leave the season opener after 2 2/3 innings due to shoulder pain, Lonborg returned to the rotation three weeks later and by early June was 6-0 with a 2.33 ERA. But he missed three more weeks after breaking his toe, and then encountered more shoulder woes when he came back. He lost his last eight decisions to finish 7-11 with a 4.59 ERA.

Ray Culp was reliable. He finished 17-8, with a 3.81 ERA, consistently taking his turn on the mound. Culp started by logging a 9-2 record by June 1st. But he wasn't cut out to be the ace.

Mike Nagy started 28 times in 33 games, though military service and a severe blister on his right index finger limited his action somewhat. He also had a bad back late in the season. He was 12-2 with a respectable 3.11 ERA, the best of all Sox starters. Although he walked 106 and struck out just 84, in 196 2/3 innings pitched, he allowed only ten homers. The Red Sox won 22 of the games he started. He had jumped up from Class A, and was named the American League "Rookie Pitcher of the Year".

Sonny Siebert, despite having a sore right elbow due to a calcium deposit the size of a quarter in his right elbow, won 14 games for the Red Sox after the trade from Cleveland, and had a 3.80 ERA. He suffered through many injuries, from back spasms to a sore right shoulder to a peculiar dust allergy to an inner ear infection to constant dizzy spells. But he pitched through the ailments when he was able, although the effects were apparent throughout his career. He was moved to the pen in the latter stages of the season, and he picked up five saves.

Sparky Lyle pitched 102 2/3 innings, chalked up 17 saves and had 93 strikeouts, along with his 8-3 record. This season made him one of the best relief pitchers in baseball.

Lee Stange was called on to start 15 times among his 41 appearances. He was 4-8, 4.45 ERA as a starter, but 2-1, 2.34 ERA out of the bullpen.

After joining the Red Sox, Vicente Romo had eight scoreless outings in a row. When Mike Nagy missed a couple of turns with a severe blister in August, Romo got put in the rotation. His last 10 outings of the year included four complete games. He finished with a 7-9 record to go along with a 3.18 ERA and 11 saves.

Rookie Bill Lee finished the campaign with a 1-3 record, and a 4.50 ERA. Early on, Lee started feeding zingers to the press. The team could have used a little color, and before too long Lee became the darling of the dailies. Reporters came to know that regardless of the on-field prospects of the Red Sox, Bill Lee could provide them with lots of colorful copy. He always seemed good for an original quote, not just a canned cliché. Just after the season, he found out that he had been reclassified as 1A by his draft board. He, like many others, enlisted in the Army Reserve instead.

Carl Yastrzemski was still the cornerstone, and anchored left-field while playing injured with a bad ankle. He played in all 162 games, getting 40 home runs, with 111 RBIs, but batting only .255. This was a time when Yaz had all sorts of commercial endorsements, There was a car dealership he bought called "Yaz Ford" and a bread he endorsed called "Yaz Bread". One teammate once joked, after taking a bite of the bread and spitting it out, that they should feed it to the Baltimore Orioles because it would make them all sick.

Reggie Smith had a breakout year, finishing with an on-base percentage of .368 along with a slugging percentage of .527 and a .309 batting average.

Tony Conigliaro, although his numbers weren't spectacular, a .321 on-base percentage and a .427 slugging percentage, played to a respectable level and was an amazing testament to courage and persistence. He had lost his swagger after all he had been through and no longer took, what he could do, for granted as he had done before. Being fed a constant diet of curveballs by opposing pitchers, to test his eyesight, he played in 141 games, hit 20 home runs, and drove in 82 runs. He won the "Comeback Player of the Year" award.

Rico Petrocelli added to his production with a breakout year. He felt stronger than at any time before, and the results were very evident. He began hitting home runs in bunches while hitting well over .300 for most of the season, dipping to .297 after the final two games. He hit a career-high 40 home runs, finished with a .403 on-base percentage, had 97 RBIs and scored 92 runs. He excelled in the field as well, threatening the record for consecutive games without an error by a shortstop, by going 44 straight without a miscue. He finished the season with a .981 fielding percentage. He played in a career-high 157 games, showing that his injury problems were a thing of the past and finished seventh in the MVP voting.

Mike Andrews, continued to be a solid presence. He firmly established himself as one of the most productive second basemen in the majors when healthy. He had a .293 average (tenth in the league), 15 homers, and 59 RBIs despite missing nearly 40 games in midseason after being hit in the hand and suffering a blood clot that required extensive treatment.

George Scott had a comeback year and continued to grow into an offense of threat, hitting 16 home runs at third-base. But he was hot and cold throughout the year, finishing the season with a .253 batting average, 16 home runs, and 52 RBIs. He played 109 games at third base. By the end of the season, he was mainly back at first ,when Dalton Jones was not getting the job done.

Dalton Jones had more time at first base this season, but his batting average dropped to .220. While he cut back on the strikeouts, he had not provided the offensive power major-league teams expect from a corner infielder.

Russ Gibson had his best year statistically. He lifted his batting average to .251, with three homers and 27 RBIs. Appearing in only 85 games, he was backed up behind the plate by rookie Jerry Moses (.304 and four homers in 53 games) and Tom Satriano, who was acquired in midseason.

Syd O’Brien appeared in an even 100 games, with 283 plate appearances. He hit .243 with a .287 on-base percentage. He homered nine times, scored 47 runs, and drove in 29.

Dick Schofield started 44 times but appeared in a total of 94, his most since 1965. He was the first pinch-hitter off of the bench after the seventh inning, because Dick Williams liked that he was a switch-hitter and could use him in double switches because he played several positions. Schofield responded by hitting .333 (11-for-33) in a pinch-hitting role. His average was third best in the American League among players with at least 30 pinch at-bats, and his nine pinch RBIs were fourth best in the league.

In 58 games, Don Lock accumulated 70 plate appearances but only drove in two runs. He hit one homer and for a .224 batting average. Lock stayed in the Red Sox system, but never made it back to the big leagues.

Luis Alvarado was brought up in September. He appeared in seven games, but only once for the full game, and went hitless in five at-bats while handling 10 chances in the field without an error. While with the Red Sox, he learned he had been named International League "Rookie of the Year". A little over a week after the season ended, he learned he had also been named the league's MVP.

On October 2nd, Eddie Kasko was named the new Red Sox manager.