1955 BOSTON RED SOX ...

The 1955 Red Sox established the precedent that a team can fall from grace quickly and be corrected. On October 9, 1954, Lou Boudreau was fired as the Red Sox manager and Mike Higgins, a Yawkey favorite,  was hired to replace him.

The Sox picked up unknown shortstop Billy Klaus, in a December trade with the Giants for Del Wilber.

With Ted Williams in retirement, Faye Throneberry won the job in left field. The biggest battle at Red Sox camp was for the first base job. Harry Agganis had struggled during the end of the previous season.  Rookie, former Marine, Norm Zauchin after batting .318 average, took over at first base. Against the Phillies, Zauchin had three hits in one exhibition game and homered in the next.

Faye Throneberry led all the Red Sox batters in hits and RBIs at spring training, and a .285 BA. With Ted retired, Throneberry became the new left fielder when the season started.

At the end of spring training, shortstop Milt Bolling dislocated his elbow and the Sox signed the veteran, Eddie Joost. He batted .340 and made the squad the moved north. It would be his last major league season.

The Sox broke spring training with only four pitchers who had any major league experience.

The Sox opened in Baltimore on April 12th. On the back of two homers by Ted Lepcio, they beat the Orioles, 7 to 1. Jimmy Piersall had three hits and Jackie Jensen had two.

Opening at Fenway, the Sox split two games with then Yanks. In the home opener on April 14th, Sammy White and Piersall homered as Willard Nixon beat the Yankees for the fifth straight time, 8 to 4.

They then swept three games from the visiting Orioles. In the first game on April 16th, a triple by Billy Goodman, along with doubles by Agganis, Throneberry, White and Jensen powered the Sox to a 6 to 5 win.

Frank Sullivan tripled off the left field wall on April 17th in the first game of a doubleheader against the Orioles. He drove in two runs, while Jensen brought home four runners with a triple and a home run in the 14-5 victory. The second game was also won 12 to 9. Sammy White led the Sox in a 30 hit barrage over the Orioles. He knocked in seven runs, four in the second game, with five hits, including a homer and a double. Ted Lepcio also homered and doubled.

The Red Sox had slugged out 11 homers in their first six games.

Norm Zauchin after going 0-for-12, with five strikeouts was quickly benched. But in Washington on April 20th, Zauchin got his first big league hit a winning won, blooping a single into center field that scored White and giving Willard Nixon a 1-0 shutout victory.

The next day, April 21st, the Sox lost 1-0. It was a tight pitchers duel between Tom Brewer and Bob Portfield. Brewer only gave up just five hits, but lost the game in the ninth inning, walking a batter and then giving up two consecutive hits.

The Sox moved into Yankee Stadium and Willard Nixon shut the Yanks out, 1 to 0 on April 24th. Extending back to last season, it was 18 consecutive scoreless inning for Nixon and six straight wins over the Yankees. Norm Zauchin did it again, with a ninth inning single that scored Faye Throneberry with the game winning run.

But the road trip was a disaster for the Sox, losing 11 of the 15 games played. They returned to Fenway to face the Yankees, but couldn't get back on the winning track, getting swept in three games and falling behind by 8 1/2 games.

Faye Throneberry and his teammates could hit, drew a lot of walks for a high on-base percentage, but could not drive in the runs when it mattered the most. When Zauchin slumped, Harry Agganis won back his job at first base. Only Agganis remained consistent during the first part of the season.

On April 28th, Faye Throneberry was hitting .412 with four home runs and 17 RBIs. It would be the best stretch of his career.

On May 4th, Billy Klaus got his first major league hit, a seventh inning, two-out RBI single, that tied the game and helped the Sox beat the Tigers, 3 to 2, in 11 innings.

May 6th was Hall-of-Famer day at Fenway Park. Cy Young, Mickey Cochrane, Jimmie Foxx, Harry Hooper, Tris Speaker, Duffy Lewis, Lefty Grove, Gabby Hartnett, Charley Gehringer, Ed Walsh, Al Simmons, Carl Hubbell, Frank Baker, Dazzy Vance, Bill Dickey and Joe DiMaggio were among the stars who all enjoyed the festivities.

On May 7th, Faye Throneberry slipped in left field trying to catch a line drive hit by Gil McDougald of the Yankees. He injured his shoulder and would be out until mid-June.

Meanwhile, without Ted Williams, Red Sox attendance slipped and fans showed little interest. But behind the scenes something was going on that few knew about. Ted and his wife were going through a nasty divorce and it became evident that Ted had retired because he did not want to sign a lucrative contract and then have any of the money go to his wife. So after the divorce was finalized, Ted re-signed with the Sox for $60K.

Ted had never intended to retire. He was quite aware of where he stood in relation to the other greats of the game. He had 1930 career hits and was close to not only having 2000 hits, but also 1500 RBIs, 1500 runs scored and 400 homers. That was rarefied air and Ted knew that if he left the game, he would never reach those elite milestones.

The news seemed to rejuvenate the Sox. Ted took to the field the day after his contract was signed on May 11th and quickly swatted three home runs in batting practice. Then in the game, Billy Klaus smashed a two-run homer to help beat the White Sox, 4 to 3.

The next day, on May 12th, the Sox beat the Kansas City Athletics, 12 to 7 at Fenway. Gene Stephens led the Sox offense with four hits, including a home run.

Then on May 14th, Jackie Jensen wrecked a magnificent performance by Kansas City pitcher, Johnny Sain, when he walloped a tremendous two-run, 13th inning homer for a 3 to 1 Sox victory. The walk-off blast was Jensen's second homer of the game.

On May 15th, Harry Agganis (.307 BA) clipped Detroit Tiger pitchers for five hits in ten times up, as the Sox split a doubleheader. In the first game, he started a rally with a double and wound up the second game with a three-run triple. The Sox were in fifth place, 7 1/2 games out.

After the game, Agganis came to trainer Jack Fadden told him that he had been playing with a heavy cold and pain in his right side. After being examined by team physician, Timothy Lamphier, he was hospitalized the next day with pneumonia in his right lung.

The Sox finally beat the Indians on May 17th. Jackie Jensen knocked out a three-run homer and Norm Zauchin, who was filling in for Agganis, had two hits that brought in two runs. The win gave the six wins in their last seven games.

Ted Williams returned to the Sox lineup on May 23rd in an exhibition game with the New York Giants and belted a home run into the bleachers.

After spending ten days in the hospital, Harry Agganis returned to the team and watched as Norm Zauchin hit three home runs and a bases-loaded double in just five innings, during a May 27th game against Washington. He came within one of the record for RBIs in a game and each of his three homers was against a different pitcher. The Sox won the game 16-0, as Tom Brewer pitched a six hit shutout. Zauchin hit four more homers over the next nine games.

Ted's first official game came the next day, on May 28th. He singled in his first time up, but the Sox lost to Washington by a 5-3 score.

The next day, on May 29th, Jackie Jensen pumped out two home runs and drove in five runs to lead the Sox to a 12-7 victory over the Senators.

On May 30th the Sox split a doubleheader with Baltimore. Gene Stephens, who had replaced Throneberry, scored the Sox first run and drove in the next four with a double, a triple and a sacrifice fly in the second game, an 8-1 victory. Ike Delock limited the Orioles to four hits in the contest. The Sox ended May in 5th place, 12 games behind.

Harry Agganis finally got back on the field in Chicago, during Mel Parnell's first appearance of the season on June 2nd. Harry (.313 BA) banged out two hits and after he got his second hit, a double, he sat down on the second base bag, too fatigued to move. He hadn't shaken his illness and after coughing heavily and complaining of chest pains on the train to Kansas City, he was again sent back to Boston the next day.

On June 4th, in Kansas City, Ted Williams slugged a homer in the sixth inning to break-up a scoreless game and ignite a three-run rally that gave the Sox a 5-1 win over the A's.

The Sox and A's split a doubleheader the next day, on June 5th. Jackie Jensen saved Tom Brewer a 5 to 4 decision, when he threw out a runner at the plate in the ninth inning. Norm Zauchin homered and rookie Pete Daley drove home Jimmy Piersall with the go-ahead run in the fifth inning. It was the first of what would see the Sox win 13 of their next 15 games.

In Cleveland, on June 7th, Billy Klaus homered and had two singles to lead the Sox to a 9-5 win. George Susce pitched 7 1/3 scoreless innings and allowed one hit until the ninth inning. The next day it took 12 inning for the Sox to beat the Indians. Jimmy Piersall's double, his fourth hit of the game, got him on base. He scored when Sam Dente bobbled Klaus' grounder for the 5 to 4 game winner on June 8th. Ted's next homer came on June 9th, to help the Sox sweep the World Champion Indians.

Next, the Sox moved on to Detroit and on June 10th, Ted belted two home runs in support of Willard Nixon, who won his fifth game, 5 to 2.

On June 13th, Ellis Kinder was involved in a near-fatal car crash, when he swerved to avoid a dog at 2:30 in the morning, well after curfew. With only a few cuts and bruises, he was back without missing a beat in a few days.

The Sox shellacked the A's to start a homestand on June 14th, 12 to 4. Billy Klaus banged out four straight singles with homers of the bats of Ted, Zauchin and Piersall. Mel Parnell notched his first win on June 15th, beating Kansas City, 9 to 6.

At Fenway, on June 16th, Billy Klaus drilled a two-run homer in the ninth inning, to supply a dramatic finish to the Sox 7-6 victory and a sweep of the Kansas City Athletics. It was the fourth Sox homer of the game, and provided a storybook ending that found the Red Sox coming from behind with five runs in the last two innings to win the game.

Then in a doubleheader against the Indians the next day, June 17th, Klaus (.305 BA) banged out five consecutive hits. Sammy White had two hits, including his fifth homer to lead the Red Sox to a 4 to 2 win in the next game on June 18th. Four homers beat Cleveland, 11 to 7 in the next game on June 19th. Ted smacked two, including one in the fifth inning to bring the Sox back from a 5 to 3 deficit. Jimmy Piersall ended the comeback with a three run blast to put the Sox ahead for good.

The Sox took 3-of-4 from the Indians and then took three straight from the Tigers. Ted walloped a three run blast, with the Sox trailing 4-2 in the eighth inning, to give them a 8 to 4 win on June 21st. It was his ninth homer in the 19 games he had played.

In the second game on June 22nd, Ted (.378 BA) banged out three consecutive doubles in five trips, giving him sole possession of first place in the A.L. batting race. Frank Sullivan completed the sweep of Detroit by shutting them out 7-0 on June 23rd. He allowed just two meaningless doubles.

On June 23rd, the Red Sox signed bonus-baby Jim Pagliaroni and sold the veteran Sam Mele to Cincinnati, to make room for him on the roster.

Next were the White Sox and after losing the first two games, the Red Sox swept a June 26th doubleheader, 5 to 2 and 8 to 2. Willard Nixon pitched and batted the Sox to the first win and Tom Brewer went the distance in the second game. Nixon came to bat in the seventh inning with the bases loaded, and cracked a double off the wall to snap a 2-2 tie.

After splitting the four games with the White Sox, the Red Sox had won 11 of the 14 games in the homestand, but still were in fifth place, 11 games out, having not gained any ground on the first place Yankees.

Harry Agganis' condition deteriorated in June and he was put on the 60-day disabled list, so the Sox could bring up Milt Bolling. He was diagnosed with pneumonia and phlebitis in his left leg by a trio of doctors at Sancta Maria Hospital and had not been allowed any visitors except his family.

Then on June 27th, as he was being helped from his bed to a chair, he clutched at his chest. A blood clot had broken loose from his calf and lodged in his lung, blocking blood flow and resulting in a massive pulmonary embolism. The Boston University All-American football star, Marine veteran and promising Red Sox player, Harry Agganis, was pronounced dead at the age of twenty six.

His Red Sox teammates were in Pittsburgh to play an exhibition game with the Pirates when they were told. The news sent a shockwave throughout the Boston area.

Over 10,000 mourners passed by as Harry lay in his casket at his church in Lynn, to pay their final respects for a day and a half. His funeral took place on June 30th when the Red Sox were in Washington. Joe Cronin tried to get the game cancelled, so the players could attend, but since it was a fund raiser for the American Red Cross, the Senators insisted that it be played.

In a pre-game ceremony, the two teams stood along the base lines at Griffith Stadium. A pair of Greek Orthodox priests conducted a brief service at home plate and a Marine color guard dipped the American flag as a show of respect for the deceased serviceman. Both Sammy White and Red Sox announcer, Curt Gowdy delivered stirring eulogies, while his teammates openly wept on the field.

So it was Joe Cronin, Mike Higgins and Frank Sullivan who represented the players, along with the Red Sox front office staff, who  attended the funeral back home, while 20,000 people lined the route to the cemetery.

Wearing black arm bands, the grieving team went on and took 3-of-4 in Washington to end the month. They had won 20 and lost only 8 in June, but only gained 2 1/2 games in the standings, and were 11 games out.

July started with the red-hot Red Sox sweeping three straight from the Orioles in Baltimore. They won the first game on July 1st, 4 to 3 in 13 innngs. Norm Zauchin homered in the top of the inning and Ellis Kinder shut the door behind him. On July 2nd, rookie George Susce earned his first major league win, 5 to 1, giving up just four hits. In the third game, on July 3rd, Frank Sullivan won his seventh straight game, the 11th of the season, 7 to 2.

On July 4th, the Sox played a doubleheader at Yankee Stadium. In the first game, Ted Williams doubled and homered and Ike Delock pitched the final four innings to lock down a 4-2 victory. In the second game, the Sox tied the game at 5-5 in the third inning, thanks to Jackie Jensen's grandslam. Tom Hurd kept the Yankees in check for 6 1/3 innings, allowing only two hits, while his teammates blew the game open in the ninth inning, capped by Norm Zauchins two-run homer.

Having taken eight of the nine games played on the short road trip, the Sox returned to Fenway, now eight games behind, in fourth place and in the race.

The Sox took two from the Senators to start the homestand. Against Baltimore on July 9th, the Sox overcame a 4-0 deficit to win the game, 5 to 4. Tom Brewer and Ellis Kinder held the O's silent for seven innings in the process. They took 2-of-3 from the Orioles and headed into the All Star break.

They were the hottest team in the majors. Since the first week in June, they had won 26 games and lost only six. Billy Klaus had hit in 24 of the last 25 games; Billy Goodman batted .406 in the last 25 games; Zauchin hit 17 homers in the last 43 games and knocked in 51 runs; Jackie Jensen had 71 RBIs to lead the league; Ted Williams hit 12 homers in 27 games and batted .396; Frank Sullivan had seven consecutive wins and Tom Hurd allowed only one run in his last nine appearances.

FRANK SULLIVAN

Ted was picked to start in left field, and joined by Frank Sullivan and Jackie Jensen on the American League All Star team, played in Milwaukee on July 12th. In the eighth inning, Frank Sullivan was called upon to squelch a rally with the bases loaded. He gave up a single to Hank Aaron that tied the game and then pitched three scoreless innings, before Stan Musial homered off him for a walk-off win in the 12th inning, 6 to 5. Ted drew a walk that scored a run and singled in four times at bat. Jensen pinch hit and popped up.

In Kansas City on July 19th, home runs from Jensen and Norm Zauchin powered the Sox past the A's, 6 to 3. The next day, July 20th, George Susce hurled a brilliant one hit, 6-0 shutout over the A's. After surrendering a single in the first inning, he held Kansas City to four walks and no hits. In the series finale, Ellis Kinder came in, in the ninth inning to save he game for Frank Sullivan, 4 to 3, on July 21st.

Then in Chicago, on July 23rd, the Sox scored four runs in the ninth inning to beat the White Sox, 9 to 7. Ted, who slammed a three-run homer earlier in the game, singled in the tying run. Billy Klaus and Sammy White each had four hits, while Ted had four RBIS, to put the Sox only three games behind the first place Yankees.

When the White Sox touched George Susce for a run in the sixth inning of the first game in a doubleheader on July 24th, he had pitched 21 consecutive scoreless innings. The Sox lost that game but bounced back in the second game to win 2 to 1. Willard Nixon pitched brilliantly, but needed help from Mel Parnell in the ninth, to sew up the win.

Back in Fenway Park, the Sox faced the Indians. In the first game, Frank Sullivan held them to five scattered hits and issued only two walks in the 5-1 win on July 26th. Jimmy Piersall's three-run homer led the Sox to 6-3 verdict in the next game, on July 27th. Their hottest hitter was Billy Goodman (.292 BA), who hit safely in 10 of 13 plate appearances.

The Sox played their 100th game on July 29th, when Willard Nixon shutout the Tigers, 5 to 0 on four hits and didn't walk a man. In their first 50 games, the Sox had compiled a 20-30 record and were 14 1/2 games behind. In theses last 50 games, their record was 38-12. During this stretch, Sullivan won eight games, Brewer won seven and Nixon won six. Ted had knocked out 15 homers, Zauchin had 13 and Jensen had nine.

Jimmy Piersall's ninth inning homer off Billy Hoeft carried the Red Sox to a double victory over the Detroit Tigers, by scores of 8-3 and 3-2. Ted's mighty bat cracked a grandslam homer in the first game to give Frank Sullivan his 14th win of the season on July 31st.

August started with the Sox hosting the league leading Chicago White Sox. After the losing the first game, Jackie Jensen put the Red Sox back in the win column with an eighth inning two-run double that gave Boston a 6 to 4 win on August 3rd. In the deciding game, Jensen's triple off the centerfield wall brought in two of his four RBIs in a 7-3 victory on August 4th.

Next were the Kansas City Athletics, the same team the Sox had beaten the last seven consecutive games. The Sox lost the first two meetings, but so did all the teams in front of the Sox.

In the last game, the Sox and A's out-slugged each other with the Sox prevailing, 16-12. They gained 1/2 game on White Sox and Yankees, who were in a virtual tie for the top spot, and finished the 8-5 homestand, 1 1/2 games behind them in fourth place, with the Indians only 1/2 game out of first.

Next was a literal three game showdown in New York. The first game was 4-1 Sox victory on August 9th. Billy Klaus was the hero, driving in the game-deciding run in the first inning with a two-run homer over the right field fence, 325 ft from home. Willard Nixon had pitched a great game, and was winning 3-1, the result of another homer by Grady Hatton in the fourth inning. In the ninth a single by Sammy White and a double by Nixon, gave the Sox a 4-1 win. But the White Sox had also won, so the Sox remained 1 1/2 games behind.

That would be as close as the Sox would get, losing the next two games in New York and falling three games out.

Jim Pagliaroni made his major league debut as a late-inning replacement for Sammy White in a lopsided 18-9 loss to the Senators on August 13th. He got his first major league RBI with a sacrifice fly that scored Jackie Jensen in the ninth inning.

On August 14th, it was "State of Maine" Day at Fenway Park. The governor offered a bear cub to the first player to hit a home run. That player was Norm Zauchin and the cub landed in a zoo in Birmingham, Alabama where his father-in-law was raising funds for its construction. For good measure, Zauchin hit another homer in the game, having driven in five runs. It was the first game in a doubleheader and the Sox won it 9 to 6. The Sox won the afternoon game, 2 to 1 behind a masterful pitching performance by George Susce.

On August 15th, Leo Kiely gave up just one hit 6 1/3 innings, while Ted blasted a grandslam and Piersall knocked out a two-run homer to beat Washington 8 to 4.

After losing the opening game in a crucial series against the Yankees, the Red Sox bounced back in the next game, on August 17th. Behind Ike Delock, they crushed the Yanks. 7 to 1. Delock gave up just five hits while Grady Hatton and Jackie Jensen led the batters. Hatton banged out a double and a triple, while Jensen raised is league-leading RBI total to 94.

On the road, Frank Sullivan became the first American League pitcher to win 15 games on August 19th, when he blanked the Washington Senators, 8 to 0. It was his third shutout of the season. George Susce then held back Washington to win his seventh game, 4 to 1 on August 21st.

Superb relief pitching by Ellis Kinder with two on and nobody out in the eighth inning, along with a double and a homer by Ted beat the Indians in Cleveland, 8 to 3 on August 23rd.

On August 25th, Jackie Jensen homered and became the first American Leaguer to knock in 100 runs in the second game of a doubleheader that the Sox took from the Tigers, 6 to 4.

Ted Williams hit a dramatic grandslam homer in the ninth inning with two outs, on August 27th. The blast gave the Sox a 4-3 triumph over the Tigers in Detroit. It was Ted's 14th career bases-loaded homer.

In Kansas City, the next day, August 28th, Ted went 4-for-4, with another homer and two RBIs. Frank Sullivan recorded his 16th victory and this time, Grady Hatton unloaded a grandslam home run for a 14-2 demolition of the A's. As a result, the Sox gained ground on all three of the clubs ahead of them.

After losing two in Chicago, the Sox bounced back to start the final month of the season, by reeling off six straight wins and moved up to just three games behind the league-leading Yankees.

First on September 2nd, they beat the Orioles, 8 to 3, in Baltimore. Leo Kiely came to the rescue of Frank Sullivan in the sixth inning and the score tied, to pitch one-hit ball the rest of the way. Meanwhile, Sammy White scored Jackie Jensen with a base hit in the eighth inning, for a 8 to 3 win.

Next, on September 3rd, Ted homered in Baltimore to put the Sox ahead, 1-0 in the sixth inning. Ike Delock next gave up a homer to the O's in the seventh that tied the game back up. Finally, Ellis Kinder came in and not only pitched 4 2/3 shutout innings, but singled home Grady Hatton in the 12th inning, to earn a 2-1 win.

Sammy White had four hits the next day, September 4th, and Billy Goodman collected three more to sweep Baltimore, 5 to 4. Tom Hurd closed out the game by pitching three scoreless inning, in relief of Frank Baumann.

Back home, the Senators were double losers in an September 5th doubleheader on Labor Day. Tom Brewer and George Susce both went the distance, winning 10-2 and 7-2. Jimmy Piersall was on base nine straight times and made three defensive "web gems".

The Sox were still only three games out of first on September 7th, when Frank Sullivan won his 17th game, beating the Tigers, 7 to 4. Sammy White had a double and a triple. He and Piersall each had three hits and Grady Hatton drove in three runs.

Frank Malzone made his major league start on September 20th, playing in both games of a doubleheader against the Baltimore Orioles. He went 4-for-5 in the first game with a double. In the second game he had two more hits, but the Sox lost both games. Haywood Sullivan also made his major league debut in the second game, catching Ike Delock.

But still only three games behind, the pitching collapsed and the Sox lost 13 of their last 15 games. They finished in fourth place, 12 games behind the Yankees with an 84-70 record.

Up until the September nose-dive, the Red Sox had gone 63-33 after Ted Williams had returned. He hadn't lost his touch, batting .356 with 28 homers and 83 RBIs in only 96 games.

Jackie Jensen was in right field, led the league with 116 RBIs and knocked out 26 home runs with a .275 batting average.

Jimmy Piersall took over in center field. He started terribly, batting .211 at the end of May, before going on a tear and finishing with a .283 batting average. He hit 13 homers and 25 doubles, drawing 67 walks.

Sammy White caught in 143 of the Sox 154 games. His 544 at-bats ranked tenth in the league and first among the league's catchers. But catching every day took a toll on his offensive production. He average went down to .261 with 64 RBIs, but he set a career high with 65 runs scored and his 30 doubles ranked fourth in the American League.

ZAUCHIN, JENSEN, WILLIAMS

Norm Zauchin played almost every game after the death of Harry Agganis. With 27 homers and 93 RBIs, he produced a great rookie season, although he led the league with 105 strikeouts. He was named in The Sporting News All Star team as the best American League firstbaseman.

After Milt Bolling was injured in spring traing, Billy Klaus took over as the regular shortstop nine weeks into the season. He batted .283 with 26 doubles. Playing second base, Billy Goodman was second only to Ted with a .294 BA and led the team with 100 runs scored and 176 hits.

Whatever success the Red Sox had was due to their pitching. Frank Sullivan was tied as the league leader with 18 wins. He led the A.L. in games started and innings pitched, and 2.91 ERA ranked him fifth in the league.

Willard Nixon started hot and had won 12 games by the first week of August. But he then lost five straight, finishing with a 12-10 record and a 4.07 ERA, pitching a career high of 208 innings in 31 starts.

George Susce finished with a 9-7 record and had a 3.06 ERA, but away from Fenway Park, posted a 5-2 record with a 2.30 ERA.

The Sox bullpen of Leo Kiely (2.80 ERA), Ellis Kinder (2.84 ERA) and Tom Hurd (3.01 ERA) helped make the Sox a serious contender for most of the season. Kinder had 18 saves and Hurd's eight wins were the most by an American League reliever.

The Sox were second in the league in runs scored and Mike Higgins was named American League "Manager of the Year" and signed a three year contract extension.