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“DIARY OF A WINNER”
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THE LAST ONE FOR 86 YEARS June 15, 1918 ... Babe Ruth hammered the Browns into submission at Sportsman's Park this afternoon. The slugger drove over five of the eight runs made by the Red Sox, as the Browns could only chase around four runs on the eleven hits made off Sam Jones. Ruth had four chances to drive in runs and made good on three occasions, with the climax coming in the seventh inning with the score tied. With two on base and two out, all the Babe did was to lift one into the right field bleachers and trot around the bases behind his two teammates. Ruth's smash put the game on ice. 7000 enthusiastic fans saw the contest, and gave the Red Sox slugger a grand reception. It was a funeral after the applause has passed, as the followers of the Browns, and the players themselves, seemed to realize the game belonged to the Sox. The occasion could not have been more perfectly arranged for hero to make good, then when the Babe walked to the plate in the seventh inning. The fans seem to have an idea that he was going to make good, and many pleaded with the Browns to pass him and not take a chance. But as Ruth had not made a hit before, manager Jimmy Austin decided to have Tom Rogers pitch to the slugger. Harry Hooper started the scoring by singling to right, and Dave Shean bounced a hit over first that George Sisler managed to touch, but could not field cleanly. Ruth was up next. On the first pitch, he took a mighty swing but missed the ball and the fans howled with delight. Their pleasure was short-lived though, as on the next pitch, one a little low and down the alley, Ruth connected and the ball shot like a bullet into the bleachers in right center field. Then in the ninth, with Dave Shean on second and two out, the Babe shot one off the right field fence to score Shean. The other scoring happened in the third inning. With Hooper on third and Amos Strunk on first Shean hit a slow grounder toward first and was out. Hooper scored on the play and Strunk took second. Stuffy McInnis then lined a single to left and Strunk scored. Sam Jones apparently had but little in the opening inning, and but for some foolish base running by the Browns, manager Ed Barrow would have probably changed pitchers. After the fifth inning, however, Jones was almost invincible and the Browns could only get two men to first base. Although not as prominent as Ruth, Dave Shean was a big factor in Boston's victory. He made three hits, scored two runs, and made several brilliant plays in the field. |
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