Sunday, October 3, 1948 in Fenway Park Boston before 31,304 fans the Red Sox beat the Yankees 10-5 in the final scheduled game. Time of game: 2:40. In Cleveland Detroit beat the Indians 7-1. Boston and Cleveland finished tied for first with the Yankees third. Boston and Cleveland played one extra regular season game the next day in Boston to decide the pennant winner. Cleveland southpaw Gene Bearden (20-7) beat Denny Galehouse (8-8).
Ted Williams in those two games against these pitchers, all the Yankee pitchers were righty:
Walk Bob Porterfield, 24 year old rookie pitcher
Double to LF (LF Line); Dom DiMaggio Scores Bob Porterfield
Double to CF Vic Raschi
Popfly: 3B Vic Raschi
Flyball: LF; Ferriss Scores Allie Reynolds
All batting against Bearden:
Groundout: SS-1B
Foul Flyball: SS
Reached on E4 (Pop Fly)
Single to LF
In six of eight at bats the lefty hitting Williams hit the ball to the left side. Supposedly Williams pulled the ball so much to the right side that teams shifted in that direction. Supposedly Williams was so stubborn that he would not hit to left to beat the shift.
So what was happening in these two crucial games? Did the Yankees and/or Indians shift in those games? If so, did Williams deliberately try to beat the shift? Williams also doubled down the left field line, possibly a grounder, grounded out to short and singled to left.
Three of the six balls batted to the left side were fly outs, two to the infield. Williams could have been overpowered but there's no way to know from the play-by-play information.
The previous time Williams hit a ball to the left side was Saturday, September 25, 1948 at Yankee Stadium before 65,607, twice against Reynolds:
Double to LF; Pesky Scores
Flyball: LF
Boston beat the Yankees 7-2, moving one game ahead of them. Was Reynolds too fast? Did Williams hit to left intentionally, possibly to beat the shift, possibly to adjust to the fastball of Reynolds?
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