1946 World Series

[NormanStewart]

The Evening Star (October 7, 1946)

Battle of lefthanders promised for second series game today

By Francis E. Stann, Star staff correspondent

BULLETIN

ST. LOUIS (Special) – There was no score in the first inning or in Boston’s half of the second.

ST. LOUIS – Southpaw Harry (The Cat) Brecheen of the St. Louis Cardinals and the equally left-handed Maurice (Mickey) Harris of the Red Sox are slated to oppose here today in the second game of the 1946 World Series.

The Red Sox, champions of the American League and quoted as 7-20 before winning yesterday’s series opener, 3 to 2, today were l-to-5 favorites to capture the classic. The Cards, losers in the 10th inning when Rudy York hit a home run, were 3½-to-1.

Today’s choice of pitching rivals, assures Boston fans of having a show featured by righthanders later this week, when Manager Eddie Dyer of the Cards will have run out of southpaws and Manager Joe Cronin of the Red Sox will look to such righthanders as Dave Ferriss, Jim Bagby and others.

Fair skies, warm weather and another capacity crowd were promised this morning. Perfect weather prevailed for the opener and the attendance (paid) was 36,218, with total receipts at $156,646. No less a crowd was expected today.

Both teams were to entrain for Boston almost immediately after today’s game. The third, fourth and – if necessary – fifth games of the series will be played Wednesday, Thursday and Friday in Boston.

[NormanStewart]

York’s clout revives Bosox hope of series sweep

375-foot home run in 10th caps star’s great comeback
By Jack Hand, Associated Press sports writer

ST. LOUIS (AP) – One explosive home-run blast off the bat of “the new” Rudy York has revived Boston talk of a four-straight sweep over the crafty St. Louis Cardinals in the 1946 World Series.

Not that Joe Cronin’s Sox looked like a runaway fire engine in easing out a 3-2 edge over Howie Pollet in a tough 10-inning struggle yesterday. The opener was a ball game the Cardinals easily could have won, but the last numbers on the scoreboard prove they didn’t.

Just like the New York Yankees in days of old the Sox might have been outplayed around the infield and might have taken second place in pitching. But when the final returns were in that one deadly smash into the bleachers made up for everything.

Pollet was pitching one of his best games of the year, actually outshining Tex Hughson, despite an aching side that required medical attention from Dr. Robert P. Hyland on the Cardinal bench between innings from the fourth frame on.

One strike from victory

Snaking his curve ball across an outside comer to Ted Williams, throwing low and inside to York and making him pop high in the air, handcuffing Johnny Pesky with sharp breaking stuff, Pollet had come from behind and actually held a 2-1 lead, one strike away from that coveted first World Series win.

Then it happened. Tom McBride, who had been unable to knock the ball out of the infield all during the long afternoon bounced a single between third and short, scoring Don Gutteridge with the tying run. Gutteridge was running for Pinky Higgins, whose easy grounder had squirted crazily through Marty Marion’s legs for a single.

Earl Johnson, a Battle of the Bulge veteran who earned the Bronze Star and Silver Star, set down the Redbirds in order in the ninth and Pollet got past Dom DiMaggio and the much-feared Williams in the tenth.

Two were gone and nobody on when York, enjoying a remarkable comeback, ruined a courageous pitching job by the Cards’ 21-game winning ace with a 375-foot home run smash into the last row of the leftfield bleacher seats.

“I saw a guy catch it with his back against the hot dog stand as I rounded second base,” said York who had driven in 10 runs in one day at Sportsman’s Park earlier in the season.

Johnson survives error

That was the ball game, for Johnson survived an error by Johnny Pesky to put down the Cards with the tying run on third base in the last of the tenth.

The capacity-plus crowd of 36,218 fans who set a new Sportsman’s Park record for the opener under perfect weather conditions had many choice tidbits for hot stove league discussion.

Probably the most talked about instance was Whitey Kurowski’s base-line traffic snarl with Pinky Higgins. Whitey was on first base, with the score tied and two out in the eighth, when Joe Garagiola drove a long fly to deep center that DiMaggio misjudged, lost in the autumn “haze” and finally let fall off his glove for a double.

Kurowski rounded second and steamed into third, only to find the baseline blocked by Higgins, an old hand who figured the umpires might be watching the DiMaggio play instead of him. He was wrong. Both third-base Umpire Charley Berry and plate Ump Lee Ballanfant ruled “obstruction” and waved Whitey home.

Red Sox storm umpire

The third baseman took his time going home, and Garagiola tore into third, trying for a triple. He was thrown out about the same time as Kurowski actually crossed the plate, and Cronin’s Sox stormed Ballanfant, insisting the run didn’t score before the third out was made. When it was finally clear that “obstruction” had been ruled there was no valid argument.

Hughson had grabbed an early lead in the second, when Higgins’ single drove home York, who had been hit by a pitched ball and moved to second on Bobby Doerr’s walk.

Stan Musial’s double to right in the sixth, following Red Schoendienst’s scratch hit off Hughson’s glove to Pesky, tied it up. Kurowski’s run in the eighth sent the Birds out in front once more, but the Sox tied it up in the ninth on McBride’s single and won in the first extra frame.

[NormanStewart]

Win, Lose or Draw…
Psychic Whitehill calls turn on Rudy York

By Francis E. Stann, Star staff correspondent

ST. LOUIS – Earl Whitehill, heretofore better known as a former pitcher, called the turn in the lobby of the Red Sox’s hotel in the morning. “The guy who could steal the show,” predicted Mr. Whitehill, “is the big Indian.”

Approximately four hours later the big Indian began to put ideas in Mr. Whitehill’s head. He would start a business and hang out a shingle – “Earl Whitehill, Palms Read, Hunches Supplied to Order.” For Earl’s boy, Preston Rudolph York, made a noted fortune teller of the ex-Nat pitcher.

That home run Rudy York hit in the 10th inning off Howie Pollet of the Cards was a masterpiece of finality almost before his bat touched the pitch that Pollet tried to sneak by him. Before it had gone 60 feet it was just a question of whether it would soar completely out of Sportsman’s Park.

It isn’t important that a fan in the last row of the left-field bleachers wound up with the ball. The important thing was that it gave the Red Sox a 3-2 victory in the first opening World Series game decided in extra innings since 1924, when the Nats were beaten by New York’s Giants in 12 innings in Washington. And it may have been the blow which slammed the door to triumph to the Cardinals.

Dyer chooses between Williams and the Indian

The percentage, as they call it in baseball, is with York in this series as, for instance it isn’t with Ted Williams. It is very possible this cosmic stuff called percentage inspired Mr. Whitehill and possibly others to put the finger on York.

Here’s the way the percentage works for York, more or less. The Red Sox have two home-run threats – York and Williams. The big Indian bats right-handed, the sullen slugger hits left-handed. In St. Louis either is capable of breaking up a game with a single blow.

Manager Eddie Dyer of the Cards had to make a choice. He either threw his crack southpaws – Pollet and Harry Brecheen – against Williams in St. Louis thereby giving York the advantage of hitting against left-handers, or he tossed his top right-handers – George Munger and Murry Dickson – against York and theoretically gave Williams an edge.

He chose to stifle Williams and he did. Pollet kept Theodore from becoming a key figure yesterday, but on his fifth trip to the plate York connected and it cost a ball game.

The large man hits a long ball

Even when the series is transferred to Boston, and when Dyer unveils his right-handers, York figures to break even with Williams on percentage. In Boston the right-field stand is a formidable distance even for Theodore, whereas York can half-miss a pitch and still hit a home run. Two drives that he hit yesterday were the proper distance for Boston homers, for instance, whereas Williams never was close to a round-tripper if he’d been hitting in any park.

There are few, if any, to condemn Dyer for choosing to bearing down on Williams and giving York the best of it. After all, Whitehill’s “Big Indian” was believed to have been washed up when this season started. He’s going on 34. He’s been lightly regarded by enemy pitchers almost all year. They all knew York swung a mighty bat, but so did Walter Johnson, for instance, in his old age.

In the words of Joe Judge, long-time teammate of old Barney, “Johnson always could hit a long ball. But how many guys pitched where he was swinging?”

When Cronin’s shortage was a first baseman

Rudy York may be one of the most underrated sluggers of present times. One of the most underrated players, too. He came up with the Tigers in 1937 and he was labeled as a misfit because he wasn’t good enough to be a regular catcher and he had no chance of dislodging Hank Greenberg at first base.

When a compromise finally was reached, and when Greenberg shifted to the outfield to make room for the clumsy Georgian, word was passed that York couldn’t be a winning player because he was so inept afield. So now he’s playing in his third World Series as a regular and, going on 34, he’s starting all right for “a bald-headed Injun,” as he occasionally calls himself.

York is the fellow who caused more concern last spring in the Red Sox’s training camp at Sarasota, Florida, than any other player. Rudy couldn’t field and he couldn’t hit and Tom Yawkey and Joe Cronin were getting pretty desperate for a first baseman.

“And desperate for a third baseman, too,” admitted Cronin. “If we could plug those two positions, we might be tough.”

That goes to show what form means in Florida in February and March. York and Third Baseman Pinky Higgins, acquired later, were Boston’s heroes yesterday. It was Higgins whose single gave the Sox a 1-0 lead and who scored, via a base runner, the tying run in the ninth. And it was York who scored Boston’s first run then broke up an epic struggle in the 10th.

[NormanStewart]

Red Sox assured a series record

BOSTON (NANA) – The Red Sox are certain to gain at least one new record in the World Series competition. This was learned during a phone conversation with one of their followers.

“You know that ‘Star-Spangled Banner’ record the Sox have been playing for so long at Fenway Park?” remarked the caller. “Well, it’s been used so much that I have come to dislike the sound of it very much. So another pal and myself have bought a new one and sent it to the park. We also sent along a new dollar needle.”

[NormanStewart]

Dyer, still hopeful, cites Cards’ previous first-game setbacks

ST. LOUIS (AP) – Eddie Dyer, freshman pilot of the Cardinals, was not as pessimistic as one might expect following the Redbirds 3-2 defeat by the Red Sox yesterday.

“Don’t forget,” Dyer philosophized, “the Cards have dropped the opening game in seven out of eight previous World Series and yet won five of them. We still have a good chance.”

The only year the Cards won an opener was in 1934 when Dizzy Dean bested Alvin Crowder of Detroit, 8-3, but the Redbirds still had to go the full seven games to win.

The Red Sox, who easily led the American League during the regular campaign in winning one-run games, once again proved they are just as tough in tight games in World Series competition. In their past five series triumphs, the Sox have won 21 games of which 11 were by one-run margins. Yesterday’s made it an even dozen.

Although Lefthander Earl Johnson, hero of the Battle of the Bulge, received credit for the victory, Tex Hughson was no slouch out there on the mound, either. He allowed only seven hits in eight innings, a far cry from the 1942 All-Star game when he was belted for five hits including a triple and home run in only three innings of pitching.

The day was not a total loss for the National League. It finally was able to get Ted Williams out. National Leaguers still remember the awesome summer day last July when Williams belted two homers and a pair of singles and drew a walk in five trips to the plate in the All-Star game. Ted was held yesterday to a single, but received two walks and was retired on his other trips to the plate.

Before the series, Dyer said he would not employ the famous Cleveland shift against Williams. He must have been thinking of the Cleveland Football Rams shift to Los Angeles and not Lou Boudreau’s highly publicized right-side switch Actually Dyer went Boudreau one better by switching Third Baseman Whitey Kurowski to Red Schoendienst’s normal second base position with Red playing a natural first base and Stan Musial hugging the right field foul line. At that, Kurowski almost caught Williams blazing liner over his head in the sixth inning. The question arises, would Kurowski have been credited with a putout as a second baseman or a third baseman, if he had made the catch?

Dizzy Dean, former Cardinal great staying over from his radio broadcasting duties here for the series, was taking bows today for picking the correct score. Before the game he told writers the score would be 3-2, but he picked the wrong team.

Steve O’Neil and George Trautman, field and general manager of the 1945 championship Detroit Tigers, respectively, took in the proceedings from a box along the first base side. “The Red Sox in six games,” predicted Steve. “Yes,” agreed Trautman, “We worked this out together, Pollet and Harry Brecheen will win one game apiece that’s all.”

Dom DiMaggio blamed the haze for losing the ball which put the Cards ahead in the eighth inning. He said he didn’t see the ball until it was about to soar past his head. “That’s true,” chimed in Williams. “I couldn’t see the bell either. Boy, imagine if that happened to me? They would have said ‘that good-for-nothing Williams. All he can do is hit. It’s a wonder he didn’t get hit in that swelled head of his.’”

Umpire Cal Hubbard, the first-base umpire, was careful to explain that the Cards’ eighth-inning run was allowed because of “obstruction” and not “interference.”

“On an interference play, the ball automatically becomes dead and play is halted at that point,” Hubbard said. “On an obstruction ruling the ball remains in play.” If the ruling had been “interference” Joe Garagiola, who eventually was tagged out trying to stretch his double into a triple, would have been ordered back to second.

[NormanStewart]

Williams hopeful York’s homer cut out return to St. Louis

By Ted Williams

ST. LOUIS – That terrific belt by Rudy York may have just about eliminated our second long train trip from Boston to St. Louis in this World Series with the Cardinals.

What a tremendous drive it was, not only for its importance in getting us off to a great start in the series, but in distance and in power. Rudy really got hold of it and gave it a ride.

I don’t know of a more important game to win than the first one in the series, unless it is the fourth victory and series finale. It’s given us a big edge. Now we might really begin to roll and pile up some runs.

You could have knocked the bat out of my hands with a straw when I saw the Cardinals break out into their tricky shift the first time I came up. I never expected it. The Cards had said they weren’t going to try any funny defense on me.

When I saw Third-Baseman Kurowski running out into right field I didn’t know what was coming off. The Cards’ defense wasn’t as radical as the one the Cleveland Indians use. It was more like the way the White Sox and Tigers have been playing against me. But I got a kick out of one thing. I got a single into right field, over the third baseman’s head. Brother, that’s one for the books.

There was one thing about the game that didn’t surprise me. It was Pollet’s pitching. That guy was great out there. He never gave me what you’d call a fat pitch. He was here, there and everywhere with his pitches. He was clipping corners like a stockbroker clipping coupons in a rising stock market. I didn’t think there were that many corners on the plate until I followed Pollet’s pitching.

I think Manager Eddie Dyer showed that he had plenty of confidence in Pollet, keeping him in there the way he did. A couple of times it looked like Howie was ready for the showers, but Dyer stayed with him all the way through. When you have a pitcher like that, it gives the whole team confidence. Just as we were confident in Tex Hughson’s pitching. He was just as great as Pollet and would have won the game if it wasn’t for a couple of tough breaks.

I want to go on record in defense of Dom DiMaggio. Our little professor lost a ball in the sun today. It’s a wonder the outfielders didn’t lose more. I never saw a worse hazard in the outfield than the one that hung over Sportsman’s Park. It was a bright sunshiny day, but as far as following flyballs out there, they might just as well have had one of those London fogs over the field.

They have been calling Earl Johnson the Earl of Emergency this year and he showed just why. It was a noble job he turned in to win the game. In fact, I think we ought to promote him to a duke or whatever they call the top nobleman in English society circles.

[NormanStewart]

Game 2

Monday, October 7, 1946, 1:30 p.m. CT
Sportsman’s Park, St. Louis

Final	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Boston Red Sox (1-1)	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	4	1
St. Louis Cardinals (1-1)	0	0	1	0	2	0	0	0	X	3	6	0

BOSTON RED SOX (AL):
Hitters	AB	R	H	PO	A	E	AVG
McBride, RF	4	0	1	3	0	0	.222
Pesky, SS	4	0	0	3	2	0	.000
DiMaggio, CF	4	0	1	3	0	0	.333
Williams, LF	4	0	0	1	0	0	.143
York, 1B	2	0	0	6	2	0	.167
Doerr, 2B	4	0	1	4	5	0	.250
Higgins, 3B	2	0	0	0	2	1	.333
Partee, C	2	0	0	1	0	0	.000
Wagner, C	1	0	0	2	0	0	.000
Harris, P	2	0	1	1	0	0	.500
Culberson, PH	1	0	0	0	0	0	.000
Dobson, P	0	0	0	0	0	0
Totals	30	0	4	24	11	1	.133

Batting
IBB	P. Higgins (1, by Brecheen)
TB	B. Doerr; M. Harris; T. McBride; D. DiMaggio
GIDP	D. DiMaggio (1)
With RISP	0 for 2
Team LOB	6
Fielding
E	P. Higgins (1)

ST. LOUIS CARDINALS (NL):
Hitters	AB	R	H	PO	A	E	AVG
Schoendienst, 2B	3	0	0	2	3	0	.250
Moore, CF	3	0	1	3	0	0	.143
Musial, 1B	4	0	0	11	0	0	.111
Kurowski, 3B	4	0	1	1	1	0	.286
Slaughter, RF	4	0	0	2	0	0	.125
Dusak, LF	2	0	1	1	0	0	.333
Sisler, PH	1	0	0	0	0	0	.000
Walker, LF	0	0	0	1	0	0	.500
Marion, SS	4	0	0	2	6	0	.000
Rice, C	2	2	2	04	0	0	1.000
Brecheen, P	3	1	1	0	0	0	.333
Totals	30	3	6	27	10	0	.200

Batting
2B	D. Rice (1, off Harris); E. Dusak (1, off Harris)
SH	R. Schoendienst (1, off Harris)
IBB	D. Rice (1, off Harris)
TB	D. Rice 3; E. Dusak 2; H. Brecheen; T. Moore; W. Kurowski
RBI	S. Musial (2); T. Moore (1); H. Brecheen (1)
2-Out RBI	S. Musial; J. Garagiola
With RISP	2 for 8
Team LOB	7
Fielding
DP	1. Marion-Musial

Boston Red Sox

Pitchers	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	HR	ERA
Harri, L (0-1)	7	6	3	1	3	3	0	1.29
Dobson	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0.00
Team Totals	8	6	3	1	3	3	0	1.12

St. Louis Cardinals

Pitchers	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	HR	ERA
Brecheen, W (1-0)	9	4	0	0	3	4	0	0.00
Team Totals	9	4	0	0	3	4	0	0.00

Balks: None
WP: None
HBP: None
IBB: M. Harris (1; D. Rice); H. Brecheen (1; P. Higgins)
Pickoffs: None
Umpires: HP - Hubbard, 1B - Barlick, 2B - Berry, 3B - Ballanfant
Time: 1:56
Attendance: 35,815

[NormanStewart]

The Pittsburgh Press (October 7, 1946)

CARDS WIN 3-0, EVEN SERIES
Brecheen sets Boston down without a run

Teams to be idle, traveling tomorrow

ST. LOUIS (UP) – The St. Louis Cardinals squared the 1946 World Series today by winning the second game with the Boston Red Sox.

The final score was St. Louis 3, Boston, 0.

The teams started for Boston immediately after the game and will resume play in the American League city on Thursday.

The game in detail:

FIRST INNING

RED SOX – McBride singled to right. Pesky was called out on strikes. DiMaggio hit into a double play. Marion to Musial. No runs, one hit, no errors, none left.

CARDS – Schoendienst flied to DiMaggio. Moore popped to Pesky. Musial grounded out. Doerr to York.

SECOND INNING

RED SOX – Williams grounded out, Musial unassisted. York walked. Doerr grounded out, Schoendienst to Musial. Higgins was walked intentionally. Partee grounded out. Schoendienst to Musial. No runs, no hits, no errors, two left.

CARDS – Kurowski singled to left-center. Slaughter popped to Pesky. Dusak struck out. Marion forced Kurowski. Higgins to Doerr. No runs, one hit, no errors, one left.

THIRD INNING

RED SOX – Harris was called out on strikes. McBride grounded out. Marion to Musial. Pesky grounded out. Schoendienst to Musial.

CARDS – Rice doubled to left. Brecheen singled to right, scoring Rice. Schoendienst sacrificed. York to Doer who covered first. Moore grounded out. Higgins to York. Brecheen going to third. Musial flied to DiMaggio. One run, two hits, no errors, one left.

FOURTH INNING

RED SOX – DiMaggio flied to Moore. Williams struck out but had to be tagged by Rice. York walked. Doerr singled to short right. York stopping at second. Higgins forced Doerr. Marion to Schoendienst. No runs, no hits, no errors, two left.

CARDS – Kurowski flied to DiMaggio. Slaughter fouled to Doerr. Dusak walked. Marion flied to McBride. No runs, no hits, no errors, one left.

FIFTH INNING

RED SOX – Partee popped to Kurowski. Harris singled to center. McBride flied to Moore. Pesky grounded out. Musial unassisted. No runs,

CARDS – Rice singled to left-center. Brecheen bunted and when Higgins threw wild to second. Rice went to third and Brecheen to second. Schoendienst grounded out. Doerr to York, both runners holding their bases. Moore singled over second. Rice scoring and Brecheen going to third. Musial forced Moore. Doerr to Pesky. Brecheen scoring. Kurowski forced Musial. Pesky to Doerr. Two runs, two hits, one error, one left.

SIXTH INNING

RED SOX – DiMaggio grounded out. Marion to Musial. Williams lined to Schoendienst who was playing near first. York out. Kurowski to Musial.

CARDS – Slaughter was out. York to Harris who covered first. Dusak doubled to right. Partee injured his right thumb catching one of Harris’ fast pitches and was replaced by Hal Wagner. Marion flied to McBride. Rice was walked intentionally. Brecheen struck out. No runs, one hit, no errors, two left.

SEVENTH INNING

RED SOX – Doerr flied to Dusak. Higgins grounded out. Marion to Musial. Wagner was called out on strikes.

CARDS – Schoendienst grounded out. Pesky to York. Moore walked. Musial was called out on strikes. Kurowski flied to Williams. No runs, no hits, no errors, one left.

EIGHTH INNING

RED SOX – Culberson, batting for Harris, flied to Slaughter. McBride flied to Moore. Pesky grounded out. Marion to Musial.

CARDS – Joe Dobson went to the mound for the Red Sox. Slaughter flied to McBride. Sisler, batting for Dusak, grounded out. Doerr to York. Marion also grounded out. Doerr to York.

NINTH INNING

RED SOX – Walker went to leftfield for the Cards. DiMaggio beat out a hit to third. Williams fouled to Marion. York flied to Slaughter. Doerr flied to Walker. No runs, one hit, no errors, one left.

[NormanStewart]

Cards send Brecheen against Harris

‘The Cat’ Dyer’s bet to even series after Red Sox win opener
By Leo H. Petersen, United Press sports editor

Series figures (Game 1)

Attendance	36,218
Total receipts	$156,646.00
Players’ share	$79,889.46
Leagues’ and clubs’ shares	$53,259.64
Commissioner’s share	$23,496.90

ST. LOUIS (UP) – The Boston Red Sox, off to a winning start in one of the most dramatic World Series games in history, called upon Maurice (Mickey) Harris today in an effort to make it two straight over the St. Louis Cardinals, who were banking on Harry (The Cat) Brecheen to pull even.

Manager Joe Cronin of the Bosox admittedly was gambling when he sent Harris out against the Red Birds. The left-handed ace of the American League pennant winners has been an in-and-outer all season.

As they say in the trade, when he is good, he is mighty good and when he is bad – well, even the Philadelphia Athletics can drive him out of the ball park.

Cronin in driver’s seat

But Cronin wasn’t worried. He was sitting in the driver’s seat and, if he should lose with Harris, he had Dave (Boo) Ferris, his winningest pitcher, ready to go when the series shifts to Boston Wednesday.

It was a different story with Cardinal Manager Eddie Dyer. He had to come back with his best, and his best was the cagey lefthander.

All season long Brecheen has been his clutch man behind Howie Pollet – the victim of a lot of bad breaks in the 10th-inning 3-2 loss favorite Red Sox.

One strike shy of victory

And all Dyer was hoping for was that Brecheen would be as “ready” today as Pollet was yesterday, even though he lost. For Howie was within one pitch of beating the favorite Red Sox.

Baseball’s World Series seldom has seen as game an exhibition as Pollet turned in until Rudy York caught one of his slow-up curve balls that didn’t break and send it into the leftfield bleachers for a home run.

That blow may have broken the backs of the Cardinals – only the future games will tell – but the Red Birds, downhearted as they were, felt they were the victims of bad breaks.

‘Breaks’ play big part

It depended upon how you looked at it, but either ball club with a bounce here or there could have won yesterday’s game.

There was the bounce in the ninth inning that Shortstop Marty Marion was waiting for when Pinky Higgins had hit a Pollet curve, But the ball didn’t bounce and went through Marion for a single. That set the stage for the Red Sox to tie when they looked Like dead ducks.

For when Roy Partee, pinch-hitting, struck out with men on third and first in that ninth with one out, it looked like Pollet was going to make it. But after getting over two curves on Tom McBride for strikes, Howie, trying to get a low one through, made a pitch too good and it was a single which brought in the tying run. It wasn’t until an inning later that York made sure that tying the game wasn’t in vain.

Decision nearly won for Cards

But it took one of the most disputed plays in World Series history to make that tying run important. Except for that one pitch to McBride, Pollet would have won the game on an umpire’s decision.

That decision came in the eighth inning. With two men out, George (Whitey) Kurowski drilled a single to left. Up to the plate went Joe Garagiola, the Cardinal catcher who, two innings earlier, had gone down swinging with the bases loaded. But this time he hit one.

Dom DiMaggio, as good a centerfielder as there is in baseball, lost it in the sun, and when he saw it again it was too late. It fell for a double but DiMaggio rifled a throw to Higgins who tagged out Garagiola with feet to spare.

Declares run counted

As that was going on, Kurowski was headed for home. The question was whether he made it before Garagiola was out. The Red Sox began a mass protest when Umpire-in-Chief lee Ballanfant signaled that the run counted.

Suddenly the protesting group broke up and then it developed that Ballanfant was not ruling on whether the run scored before the out was made but was calling “obstruction” on Higgins. The Red Sox third baseman, he ruled, had impeded Kurowski on his dash to the plate.

Once Ballanfant made it clear how he was ruling, Cronin and the Red Sox went back to the dugout. There was no argument after he explained his decision. Most of the people among the record throng of more than 36,000 who witnessed the game saw Higgins slow up the Cardinal baserunner by standing in his path.

Looked like winning run

That run looked like the big one then. It was getting bigger and bigger until McBride golfed that single when the Red Sox came up in the ninth.

As things turned out, Pollet couldn’t cut them down in the first extra-inning opening World Series game since 1924.

After he had an easy time retiring the dangerous Ted Williams and DiMaggio, he went to work on York. Twice his curve hit the corners and the big Cherokee Indian was behind. Then came the pitch that wound up in the left-field bleachers.

Ball didn’t break

York said he thought it was a fast ball. Pollet said it was a slow-up curve ball that didn’t break. Anyhow, it wound up in leftfield so the Cardinals were one down as they took the field today.

It may be as close as they will come – the Sox are 20-to-7 favorites – but they figured they could get even with Brecheen today and it will be Murry Dickson in the third game at Boston.

After that? Neither Cronin nor Dyer was looking that far ahead. But you can put it down in your book now that it will be Pollet and Tex Hughson in the fourth game.

Hughson pitched mighty game

Tex wasn’t around long enough to get the decision yesterday – he gave way to Partee in that ninth – but he had pitched a mighty ball game.

The records will show that Southpaw Earl Johnson was the winning pitcher, for he set the Cards down in the ninth and tenth.

[NormanStewart]

The Village Smithy

By Chester L. Smith, sports editor

ST. LOUIS – If the second game of the World Series is late starting today it will be because the deeper thinking among the countless students of the game gathering here will still be dancing cerebral cakewalks over assorted incidents in the first game yesterday.

There were two plays that had a definite bearing on the 3-2 victory of the Red Sox, the professors decided by unanimous vote.

The first was Cardinal Coach Mike Gonzales’ failure to give Enos Slaughter the green light at third base when the Cardinal right fielder tripled in the fourth.

The second was the weird skid taken by the ball Pinky Higgins drove at Marty Marion in the ninth,

Had Slaughter scored, the Cards would have tied the count and had a run which, as future events were to prove, they needed more than anything else.

If the smash to Marion had behaved as a baseball should, instead of imitating a football on a muddy field, the Red Sox might not have pulled up even in the ninth.

Slaughter flagged down

Slaughter lined his three-bagger to right-center with two out. As he raced toward third, Dom DiMaggio was relaying the ball to Johnny Pesky. It was a high throw and Pesky had to jump high for it, making it difficult for him to turn and shoot for the infield.

Instead of giving Slaughter what is technically known as the sign “to make the turn” which, in layman’s language, simply means that he is to round the bag and be ready to head for the plate without losing his stride, Gonzales waved the runner down.

Slaughter slacked his pace and dropped anchor. When he wheeled and saw Pesky’s predicament it was too late to try for home.

With two out, it is argued, Slaughter should have been pointed for the plate. The Cardinals played it slightly too safely in the opinion of neutral parties.

Higgins’ hit that started Howie Pollet on his way down was a partially topped bounder. First it bounded high. Then, as Marion waited for the second bounce, it suddenly lost all its upward oomph and whizzed mole-like through the legs of the startled Red Bird shortstop and continued on into left field.

It was a rugged break for Pollet, who might just as easily have had two out, for Rip Russell, a pinch-hitter, followed with a hit.

It WAS a home run

Don Gutteridge, who ran for Higgins, proved the soundness of Manager Joe Cronin’s judgment by slipping around to third and he was there to score when Tom McBride produced the third blow of the inning.

However, in the last analysis there was no need to mastermind on Rudy York’s home run that wrecked the Cards in the tenth. The only mystery concerning this performance by the king-sized first baseman was the nature of the pitch he hit.

York said it was a fast ball on the inside. Manager Cronin called it a low curve and, according to Pollet, it was a change of pace.

Everybody agreed, luckily, that it was a home run after Rudy got hold of it.

Conjecture today centered around what defense the Cardinals might devise to stop York. They used an unbalanced line with right formation and a safety man in left field as protection against Ted Willams, but York is another problem that may require a squad of carpenters to move the bleachers before it is solved.

The anti-Williams screen caught the onlookers by surprise.

It was first used this year by the Cleveland Indians, but Eddie Dyer added a few artistic touches by shifting Third-Baseman Whitey Kurowski to the right of second. placing Marion close to the bag at the left and buttressing the space between Kurowski and first with Red Schoendienst and Stan Musial.

Musial shades Williams

It was a success once when Williams hit directly to Schoendienst, who would not have been where he was under a normal setup, but there was no other test of the arrangement. Ted singled once, walked twice and fouled to Musial on his other trips to the plate.

If there was any decision in the first duel between Williams and Musial it probably would go to the latter by a shade. Musial also got one hit, but it was a two-bagger that drove in a run. And his fielding was exemplary.

Williams also handled everything that came to him, but he had nothing spectacular to do.

There were no astounding conclusions that could be drawn from the first brush between the teams. The Sox seemed to be less sure of themselves in the field, but they had the stronger pitching and – in the clutch – the lustier hitting.

Today should determine whether it is going to be a short or long series. If the Cardinals can win and go to Boson even-up they ought to take the Cronins a long way down the line. If they don’t win, they can hardly expect to stop the Sox in Boston.

Someone remarked, after spotting Dizzy Dean in a radio booth and Rogers Hornsby in the press box, that the Cards had their keymen in the stands instead of on the field.

It could be so, figuratively speaking, and it is certainly true that yesterday’s game was the big one for the American Leaguers.

[NormanStewart]

Public wants Red Sox to win

By George Gallup, director, American Institute of Public Opinion

The Boston Red Sox are first in the hearts of a majority of American people to win the World Series from the St. Louis Cardinals.

The question in the poll:

“Which team would you like to see win the World Series – the Red Sox or the Cardinals?”

Want to see the Cardinals win	38%
Want to see the Red Sox win	55%
Don’t care who wins	7%

[NormanStewart]

The Wilmington Morning Star (October 8, 1946)

CARDINALS WIN SECOND CONTEST
Harry Brecheen blanks Boston Red Sox, 3-0 as he allows but four well scattered hits

Calm and deliberate all the way, ‘The Cat’ completely handcuffs hitters of American League club; third game scheduled at Fenway Park Wednesday
By Oscar Fraley

ST. LOUIS, Oct. 7 (UP) – Harry (The Cat) Brecheen, a sad faced southpaw with a cunning curve, stilled the thundering bats of the Boston Red Sox with a four, hitter Monday as he pitched and batted the St. Louis Cardinals to a 3-0 triumph which squared the World Series at one game all.

Calm and deliberate all the way after losing a base hit off his first pitch, the little tiger of the Cardinal pitching corps got stronger as the game progressed.

And in the third he batted home the only run he was to need.

Sharing honors with the tiny tosser from Broken Bow, Oklahoma, was angular Del Rice, a young relief catcher who came up with two important hits and scored two runs in the first world series appearance.

They teamed up, on offense and defense, to shut off those husky Boston belters and provide the winning punch which thrilled a shirt-sleeved, roaring crowd of 35,815 tense fans who hung on every pitch as Brecheen worked his way to victory inning by inning.

Over a barrel

He had them over a barrel the little guy, and he never let them up. That sweeping curve bait had Ted Williams and his mates backing away from the plate, only to find with sheepish surprise that it had cut in through the heart of the dish. And his stunning screwball was whipping down the middle and ducking under their bats.

Never through the heated National League pennant chase in which he won 15 and lost 15 did The Cat have more stuff. His control was amazing as he blew them down, those Red Sox with the bats as big as violins, all through the warm, sunny afternoon. He stood there, peering into the sunlight at his young partner behind the mask, and then cut loose with pitches they couldn’t follow.

Three walks

Moving with the silken agility of a cat, Brecheen issued only three walks all day. Two of them went to Rudy York, the Cherokee clouter from Alabama, who broke up the first game of the series yesterday with a 10th inning homerun. The rest of them he handcuffed, fanning the mighty Williams once and forcing him to pop up three times as the Boston Kid swung once with such vehemence that his bat slipped from his hands and sailed 75 feet into the Boston dugout.

In the third inning, Harry the Cat laced out a run-scoring single which sent Rice scampering home from second and tagged Mickey Harris with the defeat.

Cards Tthreaten

The Cards had threatened in the second when husky Whitey Kurowski opened with a single. But Kurowski died there.

So despite Tom McBride’s swift single off Brecheen on the first pitch of the ball game, it still was scoreless when Rice stepped up to bat in the third inning for his first look at a world series ball game.

He didn’t look long. The 24-year-old receiver from Portsmouth, Ohio, had been looking at better pitches from behind his mask and he laced a double into right field.

Then came the Cat. He tried to lay down a sacrifice bunt and failed. So Harry, with two strikes on him, leveled on Harris’ next pitch and slammed it into right field as Rice came roaring home with the big one. Infield outs moved Brecheen to third and although he didn’t score it was going to be enough.

Careful

The Cat was plenty careful with that slim lead. And it almost got him into trouble in the fourth when, with two out, he walked York. Bobby Doerr came up then with a single which sent the big Indian to second and put him in scoring position. But the Cat stopped them there with a ground out pitch to Pinky Higgins.

That was the end of the line for the Bosox. They came up with another hit, as Harris belted an ease-up pitch for a single in the fifth inning and Dom DiMaggio led off in the ninth with another base knock. It was wasted energy. The Cat shut them out of scoring range.

But Brecheen and his mates weren’t satisfied with that one run lead even though Harry was breaking off about the finest curve ball ever seen in Sportsman’s Park, a pitch which seemed to come in from first base. So it was Rice again, as the young catcher led off in the fifth with a single to center.

Once more Harry the Cat came through this time with a slow rolling bunt down the third base line as he attempted to sacrifice. Pinky Higgins, the veteran Bosox third baseman, hurried his throw in trying to nail Rice at second and threw wild, Rice steaming on into third and Brecheen barreling into second.

Rice scores

The runners held as Red Schoendienst grounded out from Bobby Doerr to York, but Captain Terry Moore of the Cardinals, sizzled a hit off Doerr’s glove which sent Rice scampering home with the second Redbird run and Brecheen raced on to third. Stan Musial forced Moore at second, but Brecheen scored on the play.

Those Cardinals still were trying to pile it on in the sixth. With one out, Erv (Two-Sack) Dusak doubled off the right field screen. Slats Marion popped out to make it two away then and the Boston strategy department paid a splendid tribute to Rice – the kid in his first series.

They walked him intentionally because of those two hits in two times up. That brought up Brecheen with two aboard, and the Cat went down swinging.

It was all right with the little guy. He had all he needed. And he proceeded to blow them down in order in the seventh and the eighth. The crowd, roaring its approval of his every move, waited tensely in the ninth when DiMaggio singled to lead off and Williams stepped up to the plate.

He wasn’t there long. The Cat, his thin face hidden in the shadows of his cap, fed the Mighty Williams a pop-up ball; got past York, the awesome home run hitter, with a short pop fly to right field and then wound it up with a pitch that Doerr hit into the waiting hands of Harry Walker in left field.

That was the ball game and the Cardinal crowd went home happy.

Tomorrow is an open date with the teams traveling to Boston where the third game of the series will be played at Fenway Park on Wednesday.

Manager Eddie Dyer of the happy Cardinals said he would pitch another little guy, Murry Dickson, in the third game while Joe Cronin, pilot of the Red Sox, named Dave (Boo) Ferriss, his 25-game winner.

[NormanStewart]

Joy reigns high in Cardinal dressing room; Sox are sad

BOSOX

ST. LOUIS, Oct. 7 (AP) – There was simply too much Harry Brecheen for Boston’s defeated Red Sox in the second game of the World Series Monday.

Joe Cronin, the long-jawed manager of the Red Sox, unhesitatingly gave oceans of credit to Brecheen, “The Cat,” for beating the American League champions. Brecheen had held them to four scattered hits, with first baseman Rudy York the only Boston player to reach second base.

No smiles or grins were on Cronin’s face as he soberly reviewed the game. Stripping down to his underwear, Cronin dropped into a chair in front of his locker and sipped on a cold bottle of pop while reflecting on his defeat.

“Brecheen pitched a remarkable game,” he said, “and deserved to win it. He pitched a swell game.

“You can’t win without getting any runs. I’ve never seen it done. But we’re bound to get some runs sooner or later.

“Brecheen had fine control and mixed his pitches well with screwballs. He is a very business-like pitcher, believe me.”

Even gangling Ted Williams, the Boston strong boy, was generous in his phrase of Brecheen’s remarkable pitching performance.

“Got to give him credit, he sure is a good pitcher,” Williams said. “He certainly fooled me. Somebody had told me he never threw a screwball. All of a sudden Brecheen would rare back and toss one of them at me.

“The trouble is when you lose, you can find nine million excuses.”

The vanquished Red Sox looked and acted like pallbearers awaiting the burial of their dearest friend when they reached their dressing room. There was no yipping or chattering like Sunday. They planked themselves down on their stools in front of their lockers with their faces to the wall. None of them said a word, at first.

York, the home run hero of Sunday’s game, didn’t open his mouth except to draw on a bottle of pop. He had managed to get to second base twice, but that was not very satisfying to him.

Roy Partee, the Boston catcher, whose right hand was injured by one of Harris’ pitches in the fifth inning may be lost for the remaining games. The flesh in the area of his thumb was painfully bruised and he was forced to retire in favor of Hal Wagner. Ice packs were applied to the damaged hand in the dressing room to lessen the pain and reduce swelling.

CARDS

ST. LOUIS, Oct. 7 (UP) – Harry “The Cat” Brecheen skittered into a howling Cardinal dressing room Monday grinning like the cat who swallowed the canary.

“It was the fast ball that did it,” he yelled over the din of shouting players and trainer Doc Weaver’s “Cowboy Ramblers” phonograph music.

Catcher Del Rice, whose hitting paved the way for Brecheen’s victory, grabbed the southpaw’s hand.

“Sit down will yuh,” he said. “They want to take our picture.”

“I can’t, I’m excited,” The Cat said, shifting from one foot to another. “Let ‘em take us standing.”

“Tell um what you pitch um,” hollered the crack-voiced Coach Mike Gonzales.

“The screw ball, the fast ball, he screw ball, the fast ball,” sing-songed The Cat. “But it was the fast ball had the hop.”

Over in the Red Sox dressing room Manager Joe Cronin wasn’t talking about the screw ball. He thought The Cat’s greatest pitch was his fast one.

“Course we’ve seen better,” Cronin said, “there’s a lefty in our league known as Hal Newhouser.”

It was quiet in the dressing room but the players told you straight that they weren’t depressed. They had to tell you, because you’d never draw that conclusion on the face of it.

But the boys with the Red Birds on their shirts in the next room were making up for it.

Pitcher Ted Wilks and outfielder Dick Sisler started a duet chant in the corner of the hissing shower.

“Only three more to go boys, only three more to go boys.”

“Hey,” yelled a reporter, “that’s what Cronin sang Sunday.”

‘‘Only three more to go boys, only three more to so boys,” yelled Wilks. He stopped. “Hey, you know I had an idea I heard that some place before.”

Brecheen pussy-footed into the spray, arms waving as he explained his pitches.

“The fast ball kept those guys off balance,” he said earnestly. “But when I gave Teddy Williams a screwball, the fella didn’t like that either.”

He turned to third sacked Whitey Kurowski beside him. “You know I think I could have pitched nine more out there Monday. I was getting stronger all the time.”

[NormanStewart]

Play by play

First inning Red Sox: McBride hit Brecheen’s first pitch for a single to right. After missing two attempts to bunt Pesky looked at a third strike, DiMaggio grounded sharply straight to Marion who fielded the ball cleanly, raced over to second to force McBride and whipped to first to complete a double play. No runs, one hit, no errors, none left.

First inning Cardinals: Schoendienst flied to DiMaggio in center. Moore lifted a high to Pesky at short. Musial bounced to Doerr who threw to first for the out. No runs, no hits, no errors, none left.

Second inning Red Sox: Williams rapped one directly at Musial who easily beat Ted to the bag for the out. York walked. Doerr, went out on a high bounder to Schoendienst, York sliding in to second. Higgins was purposely passed. Partee hit one directly at Schoendienst who tossed him out. No runs, no hits, no errors, two left.

Second inning Cardinals: Kurowski singled over Short. Slaughter popped to Pesky. Dusak fanned. Higgins made a neat pickup of Marion’s solid rap near third and threw across to Doerr at second at force Kurowski. No runs, one hit, no errors, one left.

Third inning Red Sox: Harriss was called out in strikes. Marion threw out McBride. T. Pesky grounded to Schoendienst who flipped to Musial for the out. No runs, no hits, no errors, none left.

Third inning Cardinals: Rice fouled to left. Brecheen feigned a bunt, missed the next pitch, then rapped a drive into right field which McBride first attempted to make a shoestring catch of, then changed his mind and decided to play it safe, on one bounce. He bobbled the ball but was not charged with an error as Rice raced in to score. It was a jingle and a run batted in for Brecheen. Schoendienst sacrificed Brecheen to second, and York threw to Doerr at first for the out. Moore hit a high bounder to Higgins who threw him out at first as Brecheen moved to third. Musial lined to center field to DiMaggio. One run, two hits, no errors, one left.

Fourth inning Red Sox: Moore took DiMaggio’s fly. With the dyer-shift in position for Williams, Brecheen thrilled the crowd by striking out Ted with three pitches. York walked. Doerr singled into right field York ran to second on the hit. Marion fielded Higgins’ grounder and tossed to Schoendienst at second to force Doerr. No runs, one hit, no errors, two left.

Fourth inning Cardinals: DiMaggio took Kurowski’s hoist about 50 feet behind second base. Doerr raced into foul territory along right field to take care of slaughter’s foul fly. Harris walked Dusak. McBride backed up against the right field wall and gathered in Marion’s high drive. No runs, no hits, no errors, one left.

Fifth inning Red Sox: Partee popped to Kurowski. Harris poked a Texas leaguer over second base for a single. Moore caught McBride’s loft. Pesky grounded to Musial. No runs, one hit, no errors, one left.

Fifth inning Cardinals: Rice singled to left field. Brecheen bunted down the third base line where Higgins scooped up the ball but threw wide and high in an attempt to force Rice at second. Pesky, covering second, barely managed to touch the ball which glanced off his glove and rolled into center field. Rice raced around to third on the error, charged to Higgins, and Brecheen made second base before Pesky recovered the ball in short center. Brecheen was not credited with a sacrifice. Schoendienst grounded to Doerr who flipped to first for the out. Moore rapped another sharp grounder straight at Doerr, but this time the ball glanced off the second baseman’s glove and rolled into right center field. Moore was credited with a single, Rice came in easily from third to score and Brecheen galloped to third on the play. Musial became the third straight batter to hit to Doerr and Bobby fielded his grounder and threw to Pesky at second for the forced play on Moore but Pesky’s relay to first was not in time to double up the fast-moving Musial. Brecheen scored the second run of the inning to enlarge St. Louis’ lead to 3-0 with Musial receiving credit for a run bailed in. Kurowski grounded to Pesky who flipped to Doerr forcing Musial on second. Two runs, two hits, one error, one left.

Sixth inning Red Sox: DiMaggio hit a two and two pitch to Marion who tossed him out with plenty of spare. Williams sent a screaming line drive directly at Schoendienst who played well back of first base. Kurowski made a fancy gloved-hand pickup of York’s solid rap toward the hole between third and short, and with a nice underhand Toss got his man at first. No runs, no hits, no errors, none left.

Sixth inning Cardinals: York fielded Slaughter’s grounder neatly but almost missed getting his man at first when Slaughter almost beat his nonchalant Toss to Harris who coveted first. Dusak unloaded a double high against the right field wall. After catching Harris’ first pitch to Marion, Partee called for time apparently having hurt a finger. After receiving medical attention Partee was forced to retire from the game. Hal Wagner took Partee’s place behind the bat. Marion flied to McBride in Medium right field, but Dusak was forced to perfect throw to third. Rice whom the hold second when McBridge uncorked a Red Sox have yet to retire, was purposely passed. Brecheen went down swinging on three pitches. No runs, one hit, no errors, one left.

Seventh inning Red Sox: After complaining mildly over a second called strike Doerr hit a three and two pitch far into left field where Dusak camped under it. Marion scampered near second base to field Higgins’ grounder end threw him out. H. Wagner was called out on strikes completely fooled by a high pitch which appeared to break about six inches across the width of the plate. No runs, no hits, no errors, none left.

Seventh inning Cardinals: Schoendienst hit the first pitch to Pesky and was thrown out at first. Moore worked the count to three and two and then walked. Musial was called out on strikes. Kurowski backed Williams up against the left field wall to haul in his drive. No runs, no hits, no errors, one left.

Eighth inning Red Sox: Leon Culbertson, a righthand swinger, batted for Harris and Joe Dobson a righthander, began warming up in the Red Sox bullpen. Culbertson looked at a ball and raised a hit the second pitch and sent a fly ball soft fly to Slaughter in right. McBride to Moore in center. Pesky swung late on a sharp-braking curve and sent a bounder to Marion who tossed him out. It required Brecheen only five pitches to retire the side. No runs, no hits, no errors, none left.

Eighth inning Cardinals: Dobson, with a 13-7 won and lost record during the regular campaign, took over the pitching chores for the Red Sox. McBride had to buck a strong wind to catch Slaughter’s tricky high drive in short right. Dick Sisler, a lefthanded batter, hitting for Dusak, grounded out, Doerr to York. Marion also grounded to Doerr and was thrown out. No runs, no hits, no errors, none left.

Ninth inning Rec Sox: Kurowski came in fast to field DiMaggio’s slow bounder along the third base line but Dom beat the throw to first for a single Williams, after missing a half-hearted attempt to bunt raised a high foul play which Kurowski gathered in near the third base field boxes. Slaughter came in almost to the infield to gather in York’s wind-blown fly. Walker ran back close to the left field wall to catch Doerr’s long drive. No runs, one hit, no errors, one left.

[NormanStewart]

The Evening Star (October 8, 1946)

Ferriss faces Dickson in Boston when series resumes tomorrow

By Jack Hand, Associated Press sports writer

EN ROUTE TO BOSTON (AP) – Harry (The Cat) Breechen’s darting screwball, the best any lefthander has shown since Carl Hubbell quit, has restored the 1946 World Series to an even proposition.

As the teams took the day off for travel to Boston’s Fenway Park after splitting the first two in St. Louis, Manager Joe Cronin of the Red Sox still had an ace up his sleeve – Dave (Boo) Ferriss, who had reeled off 25 victories of the Sox’s total of 104. But he now will be able to see only limited action.

By holding out Ferriss to work the third game tomorrow against Murry Dickson at Fenway Park, Cronin probably will be unable to get more than two games out of his ace winner.

More than one baseball observer sensed in the Cardinals’ aggressive play during the first two games the hint of a tremendous upset of the pre-series dope – an upset comparable to the one the fleet 1942 Redbirds handed the mighty New York Yankees.

Pesky hitless so far

Billy Southworth was gone, but Eddie Dyer, a new type of inspiring leader, had come along with a blend of young players and such holdovers as Terry Moore, Enos Slaughter, Whitey Kurowski, Marty Marion and Stan Musial, then a rookie with the 1942 world champs.

While losing the opener in 10 innings, 3-2, and grabbing yesterday’s second game, 3-0, the Cardinals have turned back Johnny Pesky, a .335 hitter, without a hit in nine at-bats. They also have held the great Ted Williams to one hit in seven trips. Rudy York’s game-winning homer in the first game was the only Boston extra base hit.

Brecheen’s swerving screw ball came in for the most attention in the American League club. The talented southpaw from Broken Bow, Oklahoma, winner of 15 and loser of 15 in the regular season, counted five shutouts in his record before yesterday’s brilliant job that stopped Boston, 3-0.

The series now will continue at least through Friday at Boston, and is quite likely to be carried to a sixth game Sunday back at Sportsman’s Park.

The Cards’ hitting pitchers helped win, repaying Dyer for his insistence on the hurlers taking a regular turn in batting practice since way back in spring training days at St. Petersburg, Florida.

‘The Cat’ singles in a run

Brecheen came up in the third inning with Catcher Del Rice perched on second base as a result of his double to the left field wall. “The Cat" dumped a single which drove in Rice with a run that proved enough to beat Mickey Harris, the rival southpaw.

Dyer’s appointment of Rice as catcher was a master move, since Rice added a leadoff single in the fifth which provoked a two-run uprising.

After Rice’s single to left, Brecheen dropped a bunt down the third base line. Pinky Higgins rushed in for the ball, and threw wild into short center field. Rice wound up on third, and the alert Brecheen on second. Terry Moore’s single drove in Rice, and Brecheen came across with the last run of the day while the Bobby Doerr-Pesky-York combination was trying futilely for a double play on Stan Musial’s rap to second base.

Brecheen struck out four men and walked three. One of the passes was intentional.

[NormanStewart]

Win, Lose or Draw…
Cards so far have been better ball club

By Francis E. Stann, Star staff correspondent

EN ROUTE TO BOSTON – On the basis of what has happened so far in the World Series, you’d have to say the Cardinals have been a better team than the Red Sox. In Howie Pollet and Harry (The Cat) Brecheen they’ve displayed a pitching pair that outshone Tex Hughson and Mickey Harris. They’ve hit better and fielded better. And they’ve been looser, more relaxed.

The Red Sox are not as good today as they were last June and July, particularly in the infield and in leftfield, which is played by Ted Williams. The morose slugger hasn’t been hitting for a month and in St. Louis it was obvious that so long as Williams refuses to bunt down the third base line or intentionally try to slice the ball toward leftfield, St. Louis’ “Williams shift” is smart baseball.

But for all these things the Cardinals have an uphill fight to wage because the next three games are going to be played in Boston and regardless of how they play on the road the Red Sox are terrific in Fenway Park. Williams is the only left-handed hitter in baseball today who consistently hits home runs into the distant rightfield stands and the Red Sox are loaded with right-handed hitters who draw a bead on the short leftfield fence.

And there’s one other little item in favor of the Red Sox. They are familiar with both Sportsman’s Park in St. Louis and their own. whereas the Cardinals never play in the Sox’s home park. Most of them will see the band box for the first time tomorrow.

Brecheen weighs only 156, but he’s all fighter

Meanwhile, the new series hero is this fellow, Brecheen, from Broken Bow, Oklahoma. He’s the best pitcher of the classic so far – 156 pounds of fighter. He hasn’t the handsome style of his teammate, Pollet, but there are many who rate him above the artistic New Orleans boy.

Brecheen will be 32 in a week. He’s been kicking around in the Cardinals’ farm system or pitching for the parent club since 1935. His record this year is only 15-15, but they tell me it could well have been 25-5. “It’s been murder,” one of the Cards said. “It’s a wonder the ol’ Cat hasn’t lost his mind. Everything he does comes hard. He lost a dozen games by 1-0 or 2-1 and it rarely was his fault. One of us was always booting something behind him.”

He’s called The Cat because of his fielding skill. The Redbirds have five infielders when he’s pitching. And yesterday he was a hitter and a base-runner, too. Between him and a third-string catcher named Del Rice the Cards had all the punch they needed. Rice’s double and Brecheen’s single gave the Cards a 1-0 lead in the third and Rice’s single and Brecheen’s base-running in the fifth largely were responsible for the other runs.

Redbirds’ shift making Williams and Sox look silly

But everything else was overshadowed by Brecheen’s pitching. His first pitch of the game was lashed to rightfield for a hit by McBride, but when it was all over there it stood for the record – a 4-hit shutout for The Cat against the hardest hitting team in baseball. And one of those hits was a topped fluke.

He pitched to Williams as if Theodore were a .200 hitter, but against Rudy York he was wary. York got the only two unintentional walks of the game by Brecheen and they might be called only half-unintentional. He wasn’t giving the big Indian anything he could hit – at least very far.

Getting back to Williams – and it never seems as if you can get away from him for long – he and the Red Sox are looking very silly when they ignore the opportunities the Cardinals’ version of a “Williams shift” invites. The Cards, you know, move Whitey Kurowski, their third baseman, to where the second baseman nominally plays. Red Schoendienst, the second baseman, plays where the first baseman normally stands and Stan Musial guards only the rightfield foul line.

Enos Slaughter plays the rightfield line. Terry Moore is in right center and whoever is in leftfield plays left-center. The only men in their normal positions are the catcher, pitcher and shortstop, Marty Marion. And this has stopped Williams!

[NormanStewart]

Ted assents he tried to master ‘Williams shift’ but couldn’t

By Joe Reichler, Associated Press sports writer

EN ROUTE TO BOSTON – The biggest mystery among baseball men today was Ted Williams’ stubborn refusal even to attempt a hit to left field, which has been more desolate than the Sahara whenever the Red Sox slugger comes to bat in the series.

“Williams considers that right side switch a personal challenge; he won’t bunt nor try to poke a ball into left field – not the way he loves to hit home runs,” remarked one observer.

However, Williams admitted he tried not once, but twice yesterday to hit one down the third base section left entirely uncovered by the Eddie Dyer strategy.

“I haven’t quit because I believe I’ll get my share of hits no matter what defense they cook up for me,” said Ted, “but that guy Brecheen had so much stuff out there today I thought I’d try checking my swing a bit. I tried to hit to left in my last turn at bat, but missed one swing completely, and fouled out near the third base boxes the next time.”

Just how successful has been Dyer’s “leftist movement,” where everybody but the pitcher, catcher and umpires veer sharply toward the right of the diamond, is best explained by the fact the Boston slugger has been held to one hit in seven official trips to the plate. In Sunday’s opener, Al Schoendienst threw him out on a line drive that ordinarily would have gone through the hole between first and second. Stan Musial, hugging the right field foul line, took a hit away from Ted in the first inning yesterday, and in the sixth Schoendienst was in perfect position to snare a screaming liner from Williams’ bat.

Incidentally, the highly touted Williams-Musial slugging duel has failed to materialize thus far. Each has made only one hit, but Musial’s was a double as compared with William’s one baser. Stan, however, has driven in two of his team’s five runs while Williams is still looking for his first RBI.

Boston’s left-handed power has been pretty well stopped by the southpaw servings of Howie Pollet and Brecheen. Of the Red Sox’s 13 hits, only two have been made by portside swingers, one by Williams and the other by Pitcher Mickey Harris, no less. Johnny Pesky, somewhat the goat of the series thus far, has hit only two balls out of the infield in nine fruitless trips to the plate, while Hal Wagner, the third of the Red Sox regular left-handed hitters, has gone four-for-naught.

As a matter of fact, the way Brecheen was tossing them in, the Sox were lucky to get as many hits as they did, which was four. In pitching the seventh Cardinal World Series shutouts (Bill Hallhan pitched two), Brecheen became only the third southpaw since 1931 to hold the opposition scoreless in a series game. The others were Ernie White in 1942, also a Red Bird, and Earl Whitehill of the 1933 Washington Senators.

When Dick Sisler, son of the immortal George, grounded out in the ninth inning in a pinch-hit role, he had the satisfaction of having accomplished in his rookie year something his famous father never did in 17 glorious years play in a World Series.

[NormanStewart]

Brecheen looks easy at plate, but isn’t, Williams discovers

By Ted Williams

EN ROUTE TO BOSTON – The story of yesterday’s World Series game was simple – We didn’t hit. I’ve had a feeling that Brecheen would be the toughest pitcher on the Cardinals for us to beat. And he proved it.

Brecheen had great control; he was threading needles all day. The guy looks nice to hit at, but when you try it, the ball just isn’t where you think it’s going to be.

They call Harry “The Cat.” Well, we were the ones who did the scratching. Three of our four hits were scratches. But “The Cat" scratched us back good.

Mickey Harris pitched a good game for us. He had some tough breaks. He had the same kind of tough luck that Pollet had Sunday. A couple of balls bounced badly for Mickey. But you can’t expect to win any games if you don’t make any runs. The Cardinals exploded the theory that if you stop Musial and Slaughter, you stop their attack. We stopped Musial and Slaughter, but Del Rice took up the slack. He showed us that you can’t overlook anybody on the St. Louis team.

Somebody was kidding me about the defense the Cardinals use against me. He said “the Cardinals found a defense to stop Williams, but they’ll have to find a carpenter to stop York.” Well, the Cards didn’t have to move the bleachers back for us yesterday. Brecheen may not be a carpenter, but he sure made those fences seem a long way off.

[NormanStewart]

Ted headed for New York, but prefers Detroit

BOSTON (AP) – Ted Williams, Red Sox outfielder, is quoted by the Boston Traveler as saying “it’s a cinch I’ve been sold.”

Williams has been the center of trade rumors for several days, but the Red Sox management has dismissed the reports.

“I expect an announcement within two weeks after the series ends,” Williams was quoted as saying in a St. Louis datelined dispatch.

“Tom Yawkey told me not to pay any attention to the trade rumor,” the story quoted him as saying. “They sound pretty sensible to me. I’ll probably have to go to New York, because I’m the kind of guy Larry MacPhail wants around. I wish it was Detroit.”

[NormanStewart]

Boston fan waits in line 34 hours

BOSTON (AP) – The first fan in the bleacher line for tomorrow’s World Series game between the Boston Red Sox and St. Louis Cardinals is Grover Cleveland Gilmore.

He set up a beach chair outside Fenway Park at 11 o’clock EST last night to wait the 34 hours before the Sox management begins the sale of 8,000 bleacher seats.

Gilmore, a native of Raleigh, North Carolina, said he intended to be the first in line at every series game in Boston. His wife will carry his meals.