Where Did The Bats Go?
Red Sox at Senators, May 16, 1949
Where Did The Bats Go?
There was only one game scheduled for May 16, 1949. No matter what happened, I knew I was going to write about this game.
Man, what a game it was. There was simply no score at all for most of it. Both teams seemed to have holes in their bats. I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything quite like it, even in that 1908 replay.
Even a momentary rally turned to dust. For example, Red Sox starting pitcher Mel Parnell found himself in a golden situation in the top of the 7th, with 2 men on and 2 men out:
“Stalemate” felt like an understatement. This game was more like a vortex.
Breaking Through
I thought it was never going to come, but the breakthrough did finally happen.
After Dom DiMaggio singled in the top of the 8th, Ted Williams came up:
The computer manager decided to play it safe, and I don’t blame it. You don’t want to have anybody thrown out on the bases in a game like this.
That brought up Vern Stephens with runners on second and third and nobody out. I thought the obvious thing to do was to walk him:
Up next was Al Zarilla, a pinch hitter who I really haven’t given any playing time to at all: he’s not in the starting lineup. Zarilla was in there to hit for Birdie Tebbetts, who has actually been hitting well.
Now it was a 1-0 game, and time was running out.
Coming Back
Washington had a rally of its own in the bottom of the 8th.
Al Kozar led things off:
The 10 game hitting streak might be impressive, but the more important thing was that Kozar represented the potential tying run. Up next was Eddie Yost:
I decided to bunt with Yost, who has been in a slump in the early part of the season. He came close to beating it out, but not quite close enough.
That brought up Sherry Robertson, who pinch hit for the pitcher:
Man, that’s a teaser play by play line if I’ve ever seen one. They’ll be talking about that one in Washington for some time to come.
Eddie Robinson, the leadoff hitter, was up next:
And that was that. Boston scored 2 more in the top of the 9th, and the Senators went down quietly.
Parnell pitched an absolute gem - a 4 hitter. These Red Sox are good, aren’t they?
Standings
