Monday, December 16, 2013

World Series: Did You Know?

The Red Sox have won every World Series played in the century's second decade.

Oh wait, I should have said, "Every World Series they have played in, in the second decade of the last two centuries." So from 1910 to 1919 and then from 2010 to 2013. So far, I should add.

In the first year of Fenway Park (1912), the Red Sox faced the New York Giants in the World Series. The Series went the limit, before Boston pulled it out. Smokey Joe Wood was 3-1 in the Series. Tris Speaker hit .300 and Harry Hooper hit .290. Wood also contributed with his bat, hitting .286.

Oh, where is Babe Ruth you ask? Stay with me!

Ruth was 18-8 as a rookie in 1915, but the Red Sox didn't need him in the Series. Turns out they didn't need Wood either (15-5, 1.49 ERA despite an ailing arm). No, instead Boston used Rube Foster, Ernie Shore and Dutch Leonard to win the Series. It was a  4-1 triumph over the Phillies. The Red Sox 3 pitchers combined for an ERA of 1.84 in the Series.

Back was Boston the next year against Brooklyn. They were still the Brooklyn Robins at this point. But this time, Ruth was involved, I tell you.

In game 2, he gave up a first inning run. Then, Babe settled down and put 13 0's on the scoreboard as the Red Sox won in 14 innings. In the bottom of the third, Ruth got his first World Series RBI.

The Red Sox went on to win in 5 games again, but wasn't easy.

In game 1 of the 1918 World Series, Ruth extended his shutout streak to 22 1/3 innings with a masterful 9-inning shutout of the Chicago Cubs.

In game 4, it was 7 more 0's from Ruth for a World Series shutout streak of 29 2/3 innings. Ruth them surrendered 2 runs in the top of the 8th. That knoted the score at 2. The Red Sox scored 1 in the bottom of the frame for the win. Babe Ruth was now 3-0 all-time in the World Series.

Ruth showed some muscle with his bat as he hit a triple to right-center to drive in the first run of the game. Sadly, Ruth didn't get to pitch again. But he did come in as a defensive replacement in the top of the 8th of game 6. Odd was that Babe was inserted with 2 outs in the inning.

The Sultan Of Swat did not get to bat in this game, as the Red Sox were retired 1-2-3 in the bottom of the 8th.

But with one out in the top of the 9th, and the Sox just 2 outs away from their 4th World Series of the decade, Charlie Hollocher sent a fly to Ruth in left. The Babe made the catch. 2 out.

When Les Mann grounded out to Dave Shean at second, the Red Sox were World Series Champions, again. A long wait followed, of course. But this current 2013 World Series win ensures the Red Sox of a perfect Fall Classic record in the 1910s and 2010s through this year.

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