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“DIARY OF A WINNER”
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WORLD CHAMPS AGAIN July 5, 1915 ... The Red Sox conquered the Washington Senators in the morning and again in the afternoon, winning the first game 4 to 0 in a rain shortened game, and taking the afternoon edition by a score of 6 to 0. Heavy showers put the grounds in wretched condition and prevented the large holiday crowd from seeing a complete doubleheader. Considering the weather, the attendance was very complimentary being close to 6000 and then 7000 at the two games. In addition 1000 newspaper boys attended the morning game as guests of President Joe Lannin. All the fans displayed real Fourth of July enthusiasm from beginning to end. It wasn't sure whether the morning game would even be started, but liberal use of saw dust and hard work by Jerry Kelly, the head groundskeeper, along with his merry band of workers, allowed the game to be started on time. But before the end of the sixth inning, a fierce rain storm struck the park and it lasted for more than an hour. Again, it was doubtful that the afternoon game might be played at all, but once more, the hard work by the ground crew put the playing field into condition and long before they were finished, the sun broke out making it a delightful afternoon. Rube Foster worked in the morning game and pitched very well. The game was won as the result of some good hits by Hal Janvrin and Pinch Thomas in particular, helped out by Jack Barry and Foster himself. Doc Ayers was on the mound for Washington and was touched up rather easily, and did not have as good infield support as did Foster. Manager Griffith changed his lineup considerably in the afternoon game, sending Jim Shaw in to try and get an even split. But again the home team got in some fine base hits, especially by Dick Hoblitzell, Babe Ruth, Larry Gardner and Hal Janvrin. The Washington hitters were unable to figure out the fine left-handed deliveries of the Babe, who although wild, passing six men and hitting one, always got out of trouble. Jack Barry was back at second base again and did a fine job. But it was Hal Janvrin who both in the field and at bat was the most valuable player for the Red Sox. In the first inning of the morning game, Janvrin got a single and went to second on an error, but was followed by Tris Speaker popping out and Dick Hoblitzell striking out. The Red Sox came back and did score their first run in the third inning. Thomas drew a pass and with two outs, a triple to right-center by Janvrin put the first run on the board. In the bottom of the fourth the Red Sox put the game on ice. With one out, Duffy Lewis drew a pass and went to third on Jack Barry's sharp single to right. Both men scored on a line drive to the bank by Thomas and scored when Foster slammed the ball to left-center, making it 4 to 0. In the sixth inning with Duffy Lewis on first, the rains came and both teams retired to their respective dugouts. After an hour the umpires called the game. Then after a delightful lunch was furnished by President Lannin, the Red Sox were back out on the field for warm-ups. Although the ground was very wet and slippery, the game was able to be played. Babe Ruth took the mound and did not look good during the first part of the game, but as soon as his teammates gave him some runs, he settled down and seemed more at ease. In the second inning Tom Connolly led off for Washington, with a line drive hit to left that bounced off the fence in front of the bleachers right to Duffy Lewis. Duffy made a perfect throw to Hal Janvrin to nail Connolly sliding in the second. In the Red Sox half of the inning Dick Hoblitzell slammed a double down the left-field line, went to third on a sacrifice by Lewis and scored on a sacrifice fly by Larry Gardner. In the third inning with one out, Ruth and Hooper drew passes. Speaker set up a fly close to the bleachers in right that Howie Shanks made a great play on, taking the ball well over the fence on the dead run. He turned and threw the ball home, but catcher John Henry dropped the ball and Ruth, who had tagged up, scored. Hobby then dropped a Texas Leaguer in short center, to send in two more runs. In the fifth inning the Babe slammed a three bagger to right and scored on a single by Hooper, making it 5 to 0. The Sox scored the last run in the eighth on a single by Speaker, a sacrifice by Hobby, and a line drive single to center by Gardner. Babe Ruth went the distance and finished strong, striking out eight batters. Not a run has been scored against the Red Sox in the last three games at Fenway, quite a feat considering the treacherous ground and the imperfect fielding. |
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