1973 BOSTON RED SOX ...

On January 11, 1973, the American League agreed to a three-year trial run of the designated-hitter rule, allowing a batter to hit in place of the pitcher throughout the game. With the designated hitter rule, general manager Dick O'Connell signed former Cardinals star Orlando Cepeda on January 18th, as a free agent to fill the role. The 35-year-old slugger brought 358 career home runs to Fenway Park.

Carlton Fisk was one of the last players to sign his contract. On February 28th, he inked a deal for $50K.

In spring training, Eddie Kasko decided to keep Carl Yastrzemski at first base. With a crop of young outfielders that included Dwight Evans, Rick Miller and Ben Oglivie, to go along with Tommy Harper and Reggie Smith, all competing for an outfield spot, it was an obvious move. Oglivie again joined the Sox for spring training. He had batted .362 in Winter Haven (highest average for the Sox in spring training that year), but Dwight Evans won the job as the starter in right field.

Harper received detailed instructions from Yaz on how to play the "Green Monster" and was moved from right to the left field position. Harper's reputation and ability for stealing bases made him one of the best in baseball. He stole 73 bases in 1969, and by season's end, he would break the Red Sox record for stolen bases.

But there were clubhouse troubles for a team that was described as "twenty five players who take twenty five different cabs" from a baseball game would hurt the club. Reggie Smith was at the center of the trouble, as he battled with teammates all throughout the season. Reggie was the best athlete on the Red Sox. He could hit for power and average from both sides of the plate and had the speed of a world class sprinter. He also possessed one of the strongest throwing arms in baseball, but his accuracy was a different story.

The Sox added pitcher Craig Skok, Mario Guerrero, and Rick Burleson to the major-league roster. Mario Guerrero didn’t show up for spring training until the second week of March. He said he’d never received a telegram inviting him. Once he arrived, he had a good spring. He was the backup for Luis Aparicio.

Bill Lee was one of the players that were in Eddie Kasko's purgatory. Kasko was a Richard Nixon-conservative who chafed at Lee's long-haired hippie view of the world. In '72 only Luis Tiant was better and yet Lee had to battle Rogelio Moret for a spot as one of the team's pitchers, but he had the best camp and won his job.

The season started at Fenway Park on April 6th. On a windy cold day, Luis Tiant stuck it out for the whole nine innings, beating the Yankees, 15-5. Yaz hit one homer and Carlton Fisk hit two homers, including a grandslam. Tommy Harper had two singles and a double while Rico Petrocelli knocked out three singles.

ORLANDO CEPEDA

The next day, on April 7th, the score was 10-5 in favor of the Sox. It was another good game for Yaz. He had four hits, two singles, a double and another homer.

In the final game, on April 8th, Orlando Cepeda hit a vicious line drive through a north wind in the ninth inning, to give the Sox a 4 to 3 win and a sweep of the Yankees. Mario Guerrero enjoyed his major-league debut in this game. He entered the game after the third inning, replacing Aparicio, who had gotten some dirt in his eye. Guerrero grounded out to the pitcher his first time up, but hit an infield single and later scored his second time up. He hit yet another infield single in the eighth, leaving him 2-for-3 in his first game. But he also committed two errors in the game.

After getting snowed out for three games in Milwaukee, the Sox finally played baseball in Yankee Stadium on April 14th. Tiant labored for eight innings, giving way to Bob Veale, in the 9th inning, who saved him 3 to 1. The Sox had 14 hits, including a homer by Doug Griffin.

The Red Sox took a turn for the worse, when they lost five straight, including four at home to the Detroit Tigers. Red Sox pitching gave up 33 runs in the four games with Detroit. Bill Lee finally got a chance to pitch on April 16th, giving up two hits and one run in 4 2/3 innings, but the Sox lost 9 to 7.

The Sox then lost one in Cleveland before they knew what winning would feel like again. By then they had fallen out of first place and were in 4th place, three games out. Orlando Cepeda stopped the skid. He crashed two tremendous homers and a single in an 11-5 Sox recovery on April 21st. Tommy Harper also joined in with three base hits.

The Sox split a doubleheader before leaving Cleveland on April 22nd. A grandslam homer off Sonny Siebert in the ninth inning, won the opener for the Indians. Rogelio Moret got the win in the second game, 5 to 2. He hadsn't allowed an earned run in 14 2/3 innings. Cepeda banged out five more hits, and was then 13-for-26 over the last six games.

Bill Lee came into a game against the Twins on April 25th, in relief of Lynn McGlothen, losing 3 to 1. Lee kept the Twins in check while the Sox came back, winning 4 to 3. The Twins had loaded the bases in the ninth, and Bob Bolin was brought in. He threw three pitches past Harmon Killebrew, striking him out to earn the save.

On April 28th, Luis Tiant struck out 11 members of the White Sox, but lost 2 to 1. Tiant mesmerized the batters, including Dick Allen, who he struck out three times. Unfortunately, the Red Sox batters stranded 16 runners. The Sox (7-10) finished April in last place.

After losing 4-of-5 games at home, Orlando Cepeda put the team on his back again on May 2nd. His grandslam beat the Texas Rangers, 6 to 2. He was hitting .347 with a league leading six homers and 17 RBIs.

On May 4th, Sonny Siebert was sent to the Texas Rangers.  Siebert had hurt himself the year before and wouldn't pitch unless he felt he was at 100% physically. That put him in Kasko's doghouse from which he never emerged.

In Minnesota on May 5th, Bill Lee beat the Twins again, 5 to 1, after quite a struggle. He allowed only the one run, but had to be rescued this time, by Bob Veale. The Sox won only two of the five games on the short road trip.

John Curtis pitched a five-hit, 4-1 victory in Chicago on May 7th. John Kennedy, being used to replace the ailing, Rico Petrocelli broke up a scoreless game in the 5th inning with a two-run triple.

On May 10th, Dick Tidrow had a perfect game and a 3-0 lead, when the fog rolled into Fenway. With the help of Rick Miller, Yaz and an Indians' error, the Sox beat him and the Indians, 4 to 3. The win gave Bill Lee (3-0, 2.95 ERA) his first complete game of the season.

The Sox won the next game on May 11th, 4 to 2. Luis Tiant pitched his fourth complete game and John Kennedy helped with a homer. But they lost the one after, and on the final game of the series on May 13th, Tommy Harper hit his first career grandslam homer. Marty Pattin, after losing six straight, won 8 to 3 over the Indians, and Yaz slugged two home runs.

Against Baltimore, on May 14th, the Sox captured first place. In the 11th inning, The game was scoreless. Mario Guerrero singled to lead off. Yaz sacrificed to send him to second, and Guerrero scored the winning run when Orlando Cepeda singled to center field.

LUIS TIANT

However, the Sox lost the next three in Detroit and the opening game of a series in Baltimore. And just that quickly, the Sox fell to 5th place, 3 1/2 games out of first. But finally, Luis Tiant gave the Sox their only victory of the road trip. On May 21st, Luis outpitched Jim Palmer on a four-hitter, for a 4 to 1 win. Dwight Evans had two hits in three times up.

At home, against the Brewers, on May 23rd, Yaz led the Sox to a 5 to 3 win, by going 3 for 4. But Rico Petrocelli did the damage. He had a two-run single in the four-run fourth and figured in two of the other runs.

The next night, on May 24th, Bill Lee beat the Brewers, 10 to 1, and Rico was the offensive star again. He had three singles and his seventh home run. Luis Aparicio also slapped out four hits, but lost was Doug Griffin. He fractured his left hand and would be out for over a month. Worse, the fracture may have been intentional. In the game, three Red Sox players were hit by pitches, Carlton Fisk (helmet), Orlando Cepeda (shoulder), and then Griffin. It nearly led to a brawl on the field.

But there was a fight that day and it happened in the Sox dugout between Bill Lee and Reggie Smith. Reggie wanted Lee to take revenge on the Brewers for breaking Doug Griffin's arm. But when Lee nailed Ellie Rodgriguez, Reggie thought it was racially mnotivated that Lee had picked out Rodriguez. Words were exchanged and Reggie landed several punches to Lee's head and threw him to the ground. It would only be a matter of time before the Sox got rid of Reggie Smith.

The Sox optioned pitcher Lynn McGlothen to the PawSox, calling up Don Newhauser on May 25th.

Luis Tiant and Rogelio Moret got KO'd by the Royals in Kansas City in the first game of a May 27th twin bill. But John Curtis earned a split by beating them 7 to 2 in the second game.

On May 29th, Bill Lee (5-1) beat Nolan Ryan at Fenway Park. Orlando Cepeda's two-run homer in the second inning made the difference.

The next day, on May 30th, Luis Tiant struck out nine and beat the Angels, 2 to 1. The game's highlight was a bench-clearing brawl. In the 5th inning with Al Galagher at third and Ken Berry on first, Rudy Meoli tapped a ball back to Tiant. With a fake to home, Luis caught Galagher in a rundown, as he tried to scamper back to third. Galagher took his frustration out on Carlton Fisk, who he knocked on his butt. His next time up, Tiant buzzed Galagher high and tight, which put Fisk in his face. In the bottom of the inning, Clyde Wright sailed a pitch over Danny Cater's head and the fight was on.

May finished with the Sox in 4th place, 3 1/2 games out of first.

Carlton Fisk came up big as May turned into June. Fisk and Rico both homered on July 1st to give the Sox a 6-2 victory over the A's at Fenway. On June 2nd, in a 3-1 loss to Oakland, Mario Guerrero tied a major-league record for shortstops by participating in five double plays.

John Curtis continued his domination over the Royals on July 4th. He upped his lifetime record over K.C. to 5-0, by beating them 9 to 3. Fisk homered again and Rick Miller reached safely four times.

On June 5th, Fisk drilled a three run homer into the net against the Royals. He finished the game off with a double and a single, for a total of 4 RBIs. He had two homers and 8 RBIs in the last two games, batting .312, with 11 HRs and 30 RBIs in the young season.

The Sox swept the Royals 5 to 4, when Bob Montgomery blasted his second homer of the game in the 10th inning, on June 6th.

On June 9th, homers sparked the Sox in a 12 to 1 romp over the Rangers in Texas. Fisk, Tommy Harper and Orlando Cepeda supplied the power. Yaz lined a base hit to center field, off Steve Foucault, for the 2000th of his career.

The next night, June 10th, Bill Lee coasted to a 10-1 victory, while Fisk knocked out another homer. Fisk had hit four homers in the last five games, knocking in 14 runs while doing it.

CEPEDA HOMERS

In Anaheim on June 12th, the Sox whipped Nolan Ryan, 6 to 5. Orlando Cepeda slammed a home run off him, that broke a 3-3 tie in the sixth inning, then drove in the eventual game winner with a long sacrifice fly in the eighth inning.  Cepeda shared honors with Yaz, who walloped a three-run homer in the first inning.

The win put the Sox only 1 1/2 games out of first, but losing the next four games dropped them back to 5th place, four games behind. Luis Tiant finally rescued the Sox in Oakland with a four-hitter, striking out ten, and beating the Athletics, 4 to 2, on June 17th. Danny Cater's four hits supplied the punch for the win.

The league leading, Milwaukee Brewers ended a 10 game winning streak, losing both games of a doubleheader to the Sox at County Stadium, on June 19th, 8 to 4 and 4 to 1. Cater, at one point, had a streak of seven consecutive hits and had four hits for the day. In the doubleheader, Mario Guerrero was 6-for-11 and started the tying rallies in both games and the winning one in the opener.

The Sox knocked the Brewers out of first place with a 3 to 2 win on June 20th, the next night. Rick Miller and Reggie Smith led off the game with back-to-back homers.

Back at Fenway on June 23rd, the Sox split a doubleheader with the Orioles.  In the first game, Rico Petrocelli, who was batting .237 broke out, going 4-for-4 with three singles and a double and driving in two runs. Yaz added a single and a triple, as the Sox won 5 to 1. Rico sent a homer into the net in the second game, sending it into extra innings. But the Sox lost, 2 to 1.

In the final game with the Orioles on June 24th, Orlando Cepeda lined a ball of the "Pesky Pole" for a cheap homer that gave John Curtis a 1 to 0 win. Curtis threw his first shutout of the season, allowing seven scattered hits and walking only one batter. Only three runners were able to reach second base.

Against the Tigers, on June 25th, Carlton Fisk lined his 16th home run into the net in the eighth inning, to aid Bill Lee in a 2 to 1 victory. Lee picked up his ninth win and owned a 1.94 ERA. In his last seven starts at Fenway Park he was 6-1 with a 1.44 ERA.

The Sox split a doubleheader with the Indians on June 28th, losing 4 to 2 in the first game, but running away with the second game, 16-7. Reggie Smith had four hits, three in the first game, and a homer in the second game. The Red Sox were in fourth place, four games out.

The Sox started July by splitting another doubleheader on July 1st. Bill Lee, who led the American League in ERA, lost the first game, 9 to 5. Luis Tiant led the Sox to 4 to 2 split in the second game. Orlando Cepeda knocked in a run in the first inning and doubled home two more in the seventh.

At Yankee Stadium, they appeared poised to make a move, after beating Yankees four out of five. On July 2nd, John Curtis shutout New York, 1 to 0. With the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth inning, Curtis got Felipe Alou to pop up to end the game. Dwight Evans produced the one run the Sox needed with a home run.

After losing the next game, the Sox swept a doubleheader on July 4th, scoring only one earned run. Ray Culp, Bob Veale and Rogelio Moret beat the Yankees, 2 to 1 and then 1 to 0. In the first game, the Sox were down 1-0 in the ninth inning. Reggie Smith led off with a base hit off Mel Stottlemyre. Sparky Lyle then came in and Yaz lined a pitch to right.  With runners on first and second, Orlando Cepeda laid down a bunt that Thurman Munson booted to load the bases. With Tommy Harper running for Cepeda, Carlton Fisk hit a one hopper to Graig Nettles at third. Nettles threw to second trying to get Harper, who crashed into secondbaseman, Bernie Allen, making his throw to first wild and wide. Reggie scored and Yaz rounded third, heading for home, beating the throw and scoring the winning run, 2 to 1. In the second game, Moret threw his first shutout in two years, pitching better as the game wore on.

The Sox took their fourth win against the Yankees in the final game, on July 5th. They exploded for seven runs in the 4th inning, winning 9 to 4. Yaz blasted his 11th homer, Reggie Smith got his 1000th career hit and Rick Miller stroked a clutch bases-loaded single.

The Sox continued on to Chicago as Luis Tiant notched his 10th win, 5 to 2 on July 6th. Carlton Fisk knocked out his 17th homer.

The Sox made it five straight by winning the next game, 7 to 3 on July 7th. John Curtis got his fourth straight win, while Rico Petrocelli slapped out three hits for three RBIs.

The final act in Chicago was the split of a doubleheader on July 8th. After a 6 to 1 loss in the opener, the Red Sox took the second game into the 10th inning, tied 2 to 2. Dwight Evans led off with a double and rookie Buddy Hunter scored him with a single to right, breaking the tie. After six more hits, including a grandslam homer by Bob Montgomery, the Red Sox paraded home nine runs and won, 11 to 2. They were now two games out of first.

BILL LEE

The Sox moved to one game of first place the next night in Minnesota. Bill Lee pitched a 2-0 shutout for his 10th win, and the Sox had won eight of their last ten games. Rico Petrocelli accounted for both runs with a two run homer.

The Sox briefly moved into first place on July 10th on Luis Tiant's 2 to 1 victory over the Twins. Until Rod Carew's single in the ninth, "El Tiante" had allowed just one hit. In the 11 games of this road trip, the staff had allowed just 18 runs (1.63 ERA). In the last 22 innings, Tiant, Lee and Moret had allowed just one run.

When the Sox lost the final game of the road trip to the Twins, 3 to 0 on July 11th, they fell back into second place and would never sit on top of the AL East again.

Back at Fenway, Marty Pattin beat the Rangers, 5 to 2, on July 12th. Tommy Harper and Yaz supplied the punch with homers. Two days later, on July 14th, the Sox hung on in the ninth inning for a 6 to 5 win. In the final game of the series, on July 15th, after 5 1/2 rain soaked innings, the Sox and Luis Tiant won a 3-1, shortened game.

The White Sox came to town on July 16th, and Reggie Smith homered twice. The first one went into the left field net in the first inning, but the second one was a for a 9 to 8, 11 inning walk-off. Bill Lee said goodbye to the White Sox on July 18th by beating them 6 to 1 for his 12th win, with home run help from Tommy Harper and Reggie Smith.

John Curtis pitched a  five hit shutout over Bert Blyleven and the Minnesota Twins on July 20th, 5 to 0. The power was again supplied by Harper and also Carlton Fisk, who had a homer and two singles. They split the series with the Twins and reached the midpoint with a 52-44 record, 2 1/2 games behind the Yankees. The Baltimore Orioles were a game and a half out, while the Tigers had slipped to fourth and were six back.

For the first time, Carlton Fisk was named the starting catcher for the American League All Stars, finishing second to Dick Allen in the All Star voting. AL Manager Dick Williams then put Yaz and Bill Lee on the team.

Johnny Bench, Bobby Bonds and Willie Davis generated the home run power to embarrass the American League, 7 to 1, at the All Star game in Kansas City on July 24th. Fisk was 0-for-2 and was the only Sox player to see action.

The Sox started the second half by losing two in Detroit and slipping to 4 1/2 games back. But the Sox bats came alive in Cleveland for a day, on July 28th, with a 7 to 4 win. Dwight Evans had three hits and Luis Aparicio knocked in the winning run. They lost the next two games however to finish the road trip in third place, slipping to 3 1/2 games behind.

After blowing a lead to the Yankees at Fenway on July 30th, the Sox were able to beat Sparky Lyle, 4 to 3 in when Rick Miller singled home Rico Petrocelli in the bottom of the ninth.

The next day, on July 31st, the Yanks stunned the Sox by scoring three runs in the ninth inning, 5-4. Matty Alou crossed the plate with the final run, and mysteriously tripped over Carlton Fisk's leg, who was alledgedly blocking the plate as he waited for the ball to be thrown to him. The Yankees felt the Fisk's trip was done on purpose.

Then on August 1st, Lyle blew another game as Bob Montgomery slid home in the bottom of the ninth inning on a walk-off single by Mario Guerrero, to give the Sox a walk-off 3 to 2 win. But there was a brawl that became a moment in the Red Sox-Yankees rivalry that nobody has ever forgotten.

John Curtis had been pitching a gutsy game, and the score was tied at 2-2 in the top of the ninth. Thurman Munson was on third, Felipe Alou was on first and Gene Michael was the batter. It started when the Red Sox felt very strongly that Michael got in Carlton Fisk’s way as he missed bunting the ball on a failed squeeze play.

Fisk tried to get ready for Thurman Munson, who was charging home on the squeeze play and braced for the collision that carried the Yankee catcher on top of him.  Fisk still had the ball securely in his hand, had Michael in a headlock, while he and Munson started going at it. By now, both benches were emptied and it was an all-out brawl. Fisk kept slugging both Munson and Michael.

The brawl lasted about 10 minutes. Michael blew the squeeze play, grounded out, and the Red Sox went on to win on Guerrero's walk-off single. The fight, however, was something that neither team forgot. As each team rose to prominence in the following years, it became one of the cornerstones of the Red Sox-Yankees rivalry, and it made Carlton Fisk, a sports hero in Boston.

The Sox finished their series with the Yankees by thrashing them 10-0 on August 2nd. Rogelio Moret coasted to a shutout in his second start, and Yaz went four-for-four.

On August 3rd, in the first game of a doubleheader in Baltimore, Luis Tiant struck out 10 batters to notch his 14th win, 8 to 5.

Tommy Harper sizzled against he Orioles on August 5th. In the seventh, he had a three-run double, stole third and scored on the next pitch when Andy Etchebarren dropped the pitch. In the first, he stole second and scored on Yaz's double in a 7 to 4 victory.

In the final game of the series on August 6th, Moret pitched another great game, beating the O's 5 to 3. Carlton Fisk almost got into another fight with Frank Robinson, when Robby was brushed back in retaliation for pitches thrown at Harper. When Robinson threatened to charge the mound, he was met by Fisk and the two nearly came to blows, with the benches emptying.

The Sox took three of five in the series at Baltimore and got to within one game of first, but in third place. But again they followed that up, by sliding back, losing six of the next nine.

But in Kansas City on August 8th, Orlando Cepeda equaled a major league record by knocking out four doubles in nine innings, good for six RBIs. The Sox won the game, 9 to 4, giving Luis Tiant his 15th win.

On August 10th, Reggie Smith walked off the field in the second inning of a game against the Angels. He showered and dressed and left without permission. He was fined $750, but claimed his knees prevented him from playing. By the end of the month he was demanding to be traded, tired of the racism he faced in Boston.

On August 11th, the undefeated Rogelio Moret won his 6th game, beating Nolan Ryan, 2 to 1.

The next day, August 12th, the Sox trounced the Angels, 14-8. Both Cepeda and Danny Cater had five hits and a homer. Tommy Harper collected three hits.

Then the Sox were swept at home by the Oakland A’s, the defending Series champs (and who would repeat in 1973). Luis Tiant struck out nine batters on August 13th, but got no offensive support, losing 3 to 1. In the next game on August 14th, Bill Lee pitched his heart out, but lost 1-0.

The Sox then played Kansas City and swept the Royals in three games. In the first game on August 17th, Rogelio Moret (7-0) had to be helped by Marty Pattin but won 6 to 4.

The next day on August 18th, rookie pitcher Dick Pole let the leadoff man of the Royals get on base in each of the eight innings he worked. Then he watched his infielders turn five doubleplays and hold on for an 8-5 win.

Bill Lee beat the Royals in the final game on August 19th for his 13th victory. Bob Bolin had to come and get the save in the ninth to complete the 4-3 decision.

On August 20th the Sox went to Texas and beat the Rangers, 5 to 4. Carlton Fisk's two run homer in the ninth was the decisive blast. It was his 24th and the second of the game.

ROGELIO MORET

Reggie Smith returned to the lineup on August 21st.  He had two home runs and two singles for 5 RBIs.  Dwight Evans also slammed a monster homer (the second longest in the history of Arlington Stadium) and a double. Luis Aparicio had four hits and Tommy Harper had three, as the Sox out-slugged the Rangers, 15-9.

Rico Petrocelli was sent back to Boston and put on the DL because of his ailing right elbow on August 21st. Cecil Cooper was recalled from Pawtucket. Danny Cater (.307 BA) played third and got three hits to lead the Sox to a 9 to 8 win over the Rangers on August 22nd..

In Anaheim, Bill Lee won his 14th game beating the Angels 3-2 on August 24th. Yaz had two hits and played third base in place of Petrocelli.

Then the next day, on August 25th, John Curtis shut out the Angels, 4 to 0, for the Sox eighth straight win. However they were stuck in neutral still four games back.

Luis Tiant allowed the Angels only three hits the next day on August 26th, But again got no support from the offense, losing 1-0. It was the sixth time Luis had gotten one run or no runs by the Red Sox hitters.

On August 27th, Rogelio Moret won his 9th straight game, beating the A's in Oakland, 5 to 2. Orlando Cepeda singled, doubled and homered to help him.

The Sox finished the west coast portion of their road trip, by beating the Athletics and Vida Blue, 6 to 4 on August 29th. For Bill Lee it was win number 15, accomplished with help from Yaz who had four hits, including a double and a triple. The problem was that the Orioles were heating up and had a 14 game winning streak going, and in that stretch, the Red Sox lost ground.

The Brewers handed the Sox a doubleheader loss on August 31st. Luis Tiant allowed Milwaukee only four hits in the first game, but lost 3 to 2. It was his third superbly pitched game in a row, in which he came away without the win. Sox batters had provided him with only 1.77 runs in that stretch.

On September 1st, Marty Pattin shut out the Brewers, 5 to 0, as Carlton Fisk hit his 25th home run.

In the final game of the series, Bill Lee notched his 16th win while Reggie Smith and Bob Montgomery blasted two-run homers on September 2nd for a 10-4 bombardment. Yaz continued a hit streak with three singles on the road trip, hitting .438 and in the last eight games, batting .552

On September 3rd, the Sox were set to host Baltimore in a doubleheader at Fenway, to start a four-game set and the Orioles were leading by six games. The Red Sox were ahead of the Yankees and Tigers, but they needed to win three of four in this series if their pennant hopes were to stay alive. In the first game, they trailed 8-1 in the fourth inning and lost 13-8. They trailed 8-2 in the eighth inning of the nightcap. Then a rally that’s arguably the most improbable in the long history of this franchise took place.

The Red Sox not only generated four singles, a double and an error to make a stunning seven-run rally in the bottom of the eighth, against an opponent renowned for its ability to pitch in September, but they did it with their unknown bats. It wasn’t Yaz or Fisk or even Cepeda coming up with the hits. It was Danny Cater, Mario Guerrero, Rick Miller and Cecil Cooper that delivered the biggest hits in the miraculous 9-8 win.

Another unknown was a hero the next day, September 4th. Luis Tiant and Jim Palmer staged an epic pitcher’s duel. Each was still pitching in the 12th inning of a 1-1 game. Then young Ben Oglivie homered off Palmer for a 2-1 walk-off victory. It gave Tiant his 20th complete game.

21-year-old Dwight Evans homered in the final game, on September 5th, the next day, to key a six-run second inning and a 7-5 win. Rogelio Moret got credit for the win and was still undefeated at 10-0.

On September 7th the Sox hosted the Tigers, a team they had lost 10 of the 11 games they played. Cecil Cooper hit his first big league homer and Cepeda collected three hits in an 11-3 rout. The Sox had won six of their last seven against the iron of the AL East, were four games out in second place and still alive.

But the destiny storyline couldn’t hold. The Red Sox lost the next two to Detroit and slipped to 5 1/2 games out when it was time to play two more games with the Orioles, this time in Baltimore.

Again, the Sox would not go quietly. On September 10th, Yaz, Orlando Cepeda, Rick Miller and Carlton Fisk all had two hits in the opener. Luis Tiant left with the lead and reliever Bob Bolin got that last seven outs in a 4 to 3 win. Marty Pattin gave up seven runs in the first four innings of an 8 to 3 loss the next day on September 11th.

In New York, on September 12th, Rogelio Moret won his 11th consecutive game thanks to two home runs from Yaz good for five RBIs. The score was 7 to 1.

On September 14th, Luis Tiant chalked up his 18th win, beating the Indians 6 to 4. Yaz drove in four of the runs including a three-run homer. Rogelio Moret (11-1) finally lost his first decision, 7 to 1, to Cleveland on September 16th.

Bill Lee got his 17th win on September 18th against the Yankees at Fenway, 4 to 2. Cecil Cooper and Reggie Smith backed his effort with home runs.

Luis Tiant allowed just four hits to the Yankees the next game, on September 19th and lost what would have been his first shutout of the season on Graig Nettles' homer.

The Tigers then buried the Sox winning three straight in Detroit. Joe Coleman threw a one-hitter at the Sox, winning 3-0 on September 23rd. Luis Tiant was going for his 20th win but suffered his first loss in his last five games.

Reggie Smith, Yaz and Tommy Harper led the Sox to a 14-0 win in Detroit on September 24th. Orlando Cepeda's 20th homer helped Rogelio Moret win his 12th on September 25th in Cleveland, 3 to 2.

TOMMY HARPER

The Sox finished the season by beating the Brewers four straight at Fenway. On September 28th, Luis Tiant finally won his 20th game in an 11 to 2 win in the first game of a twin bill. Tommy Harper also established a Sox record with 53 stolen bases, in a 5 to 3 win in the second game of the doubleheader.

The base was then presented to him in a brief ceremony. Said Harper, "I should have stolen home so I could watch them dig it up".

Yaz contributed a grandslam homer. Harper stole his 54th base when the Sox beat the Brewers the next day, on September 29th. Bob Bolin got the save in the final appearance of his career, a 3-2 home win against his old Brewers club on September 30th. The Sox won eight of nine at the end.

Even though they had enjoyed their best win-loss record season since the "Impossible Dream" year of 1967, the Sox simply couldn't catch the Orioles. After spending the previous seasons in the lower echelons of the American League in staff ERA, the Red Sox (3.65 ERA) ranked fifth in pitching for the season. Improved pitching was the reason the Red Sox (89-73) won a few more games than their immediate predecessors. Luis Tiant and Bill Lee became rotation regulars for the first time.

After four quality long-relief stints in April and after several Sox starters struggled, Bill Lee got his first start on May 1st, and never left the rotation. He started 33 games, and won 17 while losing 11. Only Luis Tiant (20-13) won more games, but Lee led the team’s starters in ERA with a stellar 2.75.

It was also the first time in the Eddie Kasko regime that the Sox had four regular starters pitching over 200 innings. John Curtis and Marty Pattin combined for 28 more wins and consistently took their turn. Pattin split 30 decisions and had an 4.31 ERA, a run higher than in 1972, though his 11 complete games matched the second highest total of his career. But other than Tiant, the Sox pitching staff were injured or feuding with Kasko.

The bullpen didn’t have depth, but versatile Rogelio Moret was dazzling throughout the season, winning 11 in a row. He made 15 relief appearances, 15 starts and had a 3.17 ERA. Starting the season in the bullpen, he had good success on the way to a team-leading winning percentage of .867 during a 13-2 season. He beat the Yankees three times, including a fourth of July 1-0 shutout at the tail end of a Red Sox doubleheader sweep at Yankee Stadium.

Bob Veale had a comeback season for the Red Sox, making 32 relief appearances and earning 11 saves. He had the habit of calling everyone "Johnson" because he couldn't remember anyone's name.

Another reliever named Don Newhauser had a good arm. He worked 12 innings without giving up a single earned run, and only four base hits. Except for his habit of hanging himself upside down, he was a good pitcher. He once fell on his head in the Kansas City bullpen, hurt his back. In July, he was seen at Hahnemann Hospital for what was thought to be a possible disc problem. Surgery was initially contemplated, but rehabilitation was ordered instead. He was reactivated and added to the 40-man roster when rosters expanded in September, but did not pitch again. It was deemed that surgery was required and he had spinal surgery in mid-October and it ruined his career

Lynn McGlothen’s success in the Grapefruit League prompted Eddie Kasko to boldly predict 15 wins from his young righty. But when the season began, McGlothen looked like anything but a 15-game winner, surrendering 14 runs in 13 innings over his first three appearances. Moved to the bullpen, McGlothen showed modest improvement, but his challenges were compounded by a seemingly minor injury sustained while running pregame sprints in the outfield. Optioned to Pawtucket, McGlothen made two unremarkable appearances before the team doctor discovered torn cartilage in his right knee.

Ray Culp began the season with Triple-A Pawtucket, and in his first outing gave up 15 hits and eight earned runs in seven innings. After posting a 6-5 record in 11 starts, Culp returned to Boston and spent a few weeks in the rotation. In ten games, he posted a 2-6 record and 4.47 ERA in his final big-league innings.

Ken Tatum started 11 games for the Pawtucket Red Sox and relieved in 21. His ERA was the worst of his career at any level — 4.81, and his record was 8-12. He was called up to Boston in September and appeared in one game, working four innings and giving up four runs.

Offensively, the Red Sox slipped a bit, but still were the fourth-best in the AL at scoring runs. Reggie Smith finished with a .303 batting average with 21 homers. His .398 on-base percentage and a .515 slugging percentage were both in the top four of the league. Reggie was the object of a lot of racial hatred that was prevalant in Boston at the time. He also thought there was a double standard in the way black and white players were treated by Sox management and by the Boston media. Reggie’s closest friend and fishing buddy was Carl Yastrzemski, and  his teammates found it easy to get under his thin skin by calling him "Carl Reginald Smith"

Yaz was now 33-years-old and found a power stroke that had been missing for a couple years. He batted .296 and led the team driving in 95 runs.

Tommy Harper set the team record for stolen bases with an American League best 54, breaking Tris Spealer's 1912 Red Sox record of 52. The record total would stand until Jacoby Ellsbury arrived at Fenway. Harper slumped during the first half of the season, but starting in the middle of July, he batted .324, hit 14 homers and collected 48 of his 71 RBIs.

Dwight Evans was the regular right fielder most of the season, playing 119 games, 94 of them in right. He was still finding himself in his first full season of major-league ball, batting just .223 and with only 32 RBIs, but he showed some power with 10 home runs, and made only one error all year long.

Ben Oglivie played in only 58 games, with sporadic starts. In May, he hit at a .441 pace and started in place of the slumping Evans. In spite of this performance, Sox management felt he was, at best, a platoon player.

Rick Miller played almost a full season, filling in for Reggie Smith after an injury and for Dwight Evans, who was in a slump. He batted .261 with career highs of six home runs and 43 RBIs in 143 games. He stole 12 bases, second on the team to Harper.

Carlton Fisk didn’t match the production of his great rookie year. The dreaded sophomore jinx caught up to him in the second half. Batting .303 on June 23rd, he hit only .228 in July, .198 in August, and .186 in September. His average sunk while the season progressed as he nursed some sore ribs, but still hit 26 home runs and was a leader behind the plate. He caught in 51 of the first 54 games and played in 135 games, batting only only .245.

Many players didn't like his fiery attitude but he didn't mind, feeling he was paid to play the hardest he could. As far as he was concerned, he and his pitcher owned the inside of the plate and as a result he was the target of opposing pitchers. He was hit by a pitch 10 times.

Fisk became the team’s player representative, with Bill Lee as the alternate. This was remarkable for such young players, but both men arrived on the scene immediately willing to speak out for themselves and their teammates. This marked the start of a strong relationship between Fisk and Lee. He also didn't mind getting his own pitchers mad at him. The young take-charge catcher would often come out to the mound and get in a pitcher’s face to get him to focus, or throw the right pitch.

Bob Montgomery saw a little more action in 34 games, 128 at-bats, and again a significantly improved batting average. He hit .320 catching primarily for Bill Lee.

Doug Griffin (.255 BA) again appeared on the AL All-Star ballot, but back problems that cropped up during spring training plagued him throughout the year. In May, he was hit by pitcher Billy Champion of the Milwaukee Brewers and suffered another fractured hand, serving a stint on the disabled list from May 25th to July 13th. It was a very unfortunate injury for Griffin, at a time when he was playing his best ball, batting .289 and only recently installed in the leadoff spot.

At the age of 39, Luis Aparicio batted .271 in 132 games and stole 13 bases in 14 attempts.

Mario Guerrero appeared in 66 games and accumulating 233 plate appearances. He hit for a .233 batting average (.272 on-base percentage), with 11 RBIs and 19 runs scored.

After only two appearances in April, and a few in May, Danny Cater began to play more regularly in June and responded well at the plate. For the season, he hit a career high .313 in 63 games.

The injury problems that plagued third baseman Rico Petrocelli early in his career returned with a vengeance. He missed the last 47 games of the season with chronic elbow problems, and his loss was keenly felt. He batted only .244 with 13 homers.

A decline in production from Rico was made up for by a good year from Orlando Cepeda, the first Red Sox player to take advantage of the designated hitter rule. Cepeda played 142 games, never once playing in the field. He hit .289 with 20 home runs and 86 RBIs, and was the first recipient of the Designated Hitter of the Year award (later named the Edgar Martinez Award).

Eddie Kasko continued to have a great career in Boston. He was released on the final day of the season and moved into the scouting department. He spent the next twenty years there, eventually becoming the VP of Scouting & Development. His managerial tenure was a success, having had winning teams every year and his best team in this his final season.