The 1946 World Series was played in October 1946 between the St. Louis Cardinals (representing the National League) and the Boston Red Sox (representing the American League). In the eighth inning of Game 7, with the score 3–3, the Cardinals' Enos Slaughter opened the inning with a single but two batters failed to advance him. With two outs, Harry Walker walloped a hit over Johnny Pesky's head into left-center field. As Leon Culberson chased it down, Slaughter started his dash. Pesky caught Culberson's throw, turned and—perhaps surprised to see Slaughter headed for the plate—hesitated just a split second before throwing home. Roy Partee had to take a few steps up the third base line to catch Pesky's toss, but Slaughter was safe without a play at the plate and Walker was credited with an RBI double. The Cardinals won the game and the Series in seven games, giving them their sixth championship.
Boston superstar Ted Williams played the Series injured and was largely ineffective but refused to use his injury as an excuse.
The World Series was back to the 2–3–2 format for home teams, and has been used ever since.
Summary
NL St. Louis Cardinals (4) vs. AL Boston Red Sox (3)
| Game |
Date |
Score |
Location |
Time |
Attendance |
| 1 |
October 6 |
Boston Red Sox – 3, St. Louis Cardinals – 2 (10 innings) |
Sportsman's Park (III) |
2:39 |
36,218[1] |
| 2 |
October 7 |
Boston Red Sox – 0, St. Louis Cardinals – 3 |
Sportsman's Park (III) |
1:56 |
35,815[2] |
| 3 |
October 9 |
St. Louis Cardinals – 0, Boston Red Sox – 4 |
Fenway Park |
1:54 |
34,500[3] |
| 4 |
October 10 |
St. Louis Cardinals – 12, Boston Red Sox – 3 |
Fenway Park |
2:31 |
35,645[4] |
| 5 |
October 11 |
St. Louis Cardinals – 3, Boston Red Sox – 6 |
Fenway Park |
2:23 |
35,982[5] |
| 6 |
October 13 |
Boston Red Sox – 1, St. Louis Cardinals – 4 |
Sportsman's Park (III) |
1:56 |
35,768[6] |
| 7 |
October 15 |
Boston Red Sox – 3, St. Louis Cardinals – 4 |
Sportsman's Park (III) |
2:17 |
36,143[7] |
Matchups
Game 1
Sunday, October 6, 1946 at Sportsman's Park (III) in St. Louis, Missouri
| Team |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
9 |
10 |
R |
H |
E |
| Boston |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
3 |
9 |
2 |
| St. Louis |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
7 |
0 |
WP: Earl Johnson (1–0) LP: Howie Pollet (0–1)
HRs: BOS – Rudy York (1)
The Red Sox won Game 1 when Rudy York hit a home run into the left field bleachers.
Game 2
Monday, October 7, 1946 at Sportsman's Park (III) in St. Louis, Missouri
| Team |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
9 |
R |
H |
E |
| Boston |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
4 |
1 |
| St. Louis |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
X |
3 |
6 |
0 |
WP: Harry Brecheen (1–0) LP: Mickey Harris (0–1)
Game 3
Wednesday, October 9, 1946 at Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts
| Team |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
9 |
R |
H |
E |
| St. Louis |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
6 |
1 |
| Boston |
3 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
X |
4 |
8 |
0 |
WP: Dave Ferriss (1–0) LP: Murry Dickson (0–1)
HRs: BOS – Rudy York (2)
The Red Sox scored three runs in the first inning on Rudy York's blast then won by a score of 4–0.
Game 4
Thursday, October 10, 1946 at Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts
| Team |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
9 |
R |
H |
E |
| St. Louis |
0 |
3 |
3 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
4 |
12 |
20 |
1 |
| Boston |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
3 |
9 |
4 |
WP: Red Munger (1–0) LP: Tex Hughson (0–1)
HRs: STL – Enos Slaughter (1) BOS – Bobby Doerr (1)
This is the only game in World Series history that three players on the same team (St. Louis) had four or more hits (Enos Slaughter, Whitey Kurowski and Joe Garagiola had four each). Red Sox outfielder Wally Moses got four hits as well and second baseman Bobby Doerr hit a two-run home run and would hit .409 in the Series.
Game 5
Friday, October 11, 1946 at Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts
| Team |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
9 |
R |
H |
E |
| St. Louis |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
1 |
| Boston |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
3 |
0 |
X |
6 |
11 |
3 |
WP: Joe Dobson (1–0) LP: Al Brazle (0–1)
HRs: BOS – Leon Culberson (1)
Ted Williams hit a RBI single, his only RBI of the whole Series. Leon Culberson homered while Joe Dobson got the victory for Boston.
Game 6
Sunday, October 13, 1946 at Sportsman's Park (III) in St. Louis, Missouri
| Team |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
9 |
R |
H |
E |
| Boston |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
7 |
0 |
| St. Louis |
0 |
0 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
X |
4 |
8 |
0 |
WP: Harry Brecheen (2–0) LP: Mickey Harris (0–2)
Game 7
Tuesday, October 15, 1946 at Sportsman's Park (III) in St. Louis, Missouri
| Team |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
9 |
R |
H |
E |
| Boston |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
3 |
8 |
0 |
| St. Louis |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
X |
4 |
9 |
1 |
WP: Harry Brecheen (3–0) LP: Bob Klinger (0–1)
The Cardinals lead 3–1 in the eighth inning when Dom Dimaggio tied the game with a two-run double but was pulled from the game and Leon Culberson took his position in the center field. Enos Slaughter scored from first base on a play called the Mad Dash.
Composite box
1946 World Series (4–3): St. Louis Cardinals (N.L.) over Boston Red Sox (A.L.)
| Team |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
9 |
10 |
R |
H |
E |
| St. Louis Cardinals |
0 |
5 |
7 |
0 |
5 |
1 |
1 |
3 |
6 |
0 |
28 |
60 |
4 |
| Boston Red Sox |
5 |
2 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
4 |
5 |
1 |
1 |
20 |
56 |
10 |
| Total attendance: 250,071 Average attendance: 35,724 |
| Winning player’s share: $3,742 Losing player’s share: $2,141[8] |
Highlights
- This was the first World Series appearance for the Red Sox since 1918 and it would be the last appearance until "the Impossible Dream" 21 years later.
- The World Series loss snapped the Red Sox's record of winning their first five postseason series, a feat that would not be matched until the Florida Marlins did it 57 years later in the 2003 World Series.
- Joe Cronin became the fourth manager to take two teams to the World Series (Pat Moran, Bill McKechnie, and Joe McCarthy were the first three) but was the first who did not win with either of them.
- Several sources erroneously reported that Harry Walker hit a single allowing Enos Slaughter to score. It was officially scored a double.
Series quotes
Enos Slaughter is on first base with two away. Harry Walker at bat.
Bob Klinger on the mound. He takes the stretch. Here's the pitch. There goes Slaughter. The ball is swung on, there's a line drive going into left-center field. It's in there for a base hit. Culberson fumbles the ball momentarily and Slaughter charges around second, heads for third.
Pesky goes into short left field to take the relay from Culberson. And here comes Enos Slaughter rounding third. He's going to try for home. Here comes the throw, and it's not in time! Slaughter scores.
I hit a low pitch that was sinking. This was the biggest thrill of my life. What a game. What a finish.
—Harry Walker.
When the ball went into left-center, I hit second base and I said to myself, 'I can score.' I didn't know whether the ball had been cut off or not. I didn't know nothin'. It was a gutsy play. But, you know, two men out and the winning run, you can't let the grass grow under your feet.
—Enos Slaughter.
This will be the last game—you can quote me.
Notes
References
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