Did Mantle play any meaningful games against the Red Sox?

I received a constructive challenge to my post:

Rooting for the Mets is like rooting for Bernie Madoff!  MONDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2011

This is being challenged:

For a rivalry to be great both teams really need to be good at the same time.  For instance the rivalry between the Yankees and Red Sox is another fiction because since the Yankees started winning in 1920 both have been good for only three periods: 1948-1950, 1975-1978, and all but about three seasons from 1999-2010. Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig and Mickey Mantle never played a meaningful game against the Red Sox.

Here is the challenge:

NYY-Red Sox "rivalry" - the Red Sox were a good ballclub in 1951 - they finished third  and still were in contention (albeit barely) when they were finished off by the NYY in, I believe, a five game set (perhaps four games) at the end of the season - when Allie Reynolds no-hit them in the first game of a twinbill, then the NYY won game two to clinch with Joe D. hitting a homerun - I think the score was 11-3 - my Dad took me to the Stadium that day  - and I believe Mantle played in at least one of those games so he did play in at least one meaningful NYY-Red Sox tilt - Ed

Since the Yankees and Red Sox had battled in the three previous seasons early games in 1951 would be considered meaningful.  See Mantle's 1951 game log.

The Yanks opened against Boston in Yankee Stadium and won both games on April 17 and 18.

Mantle later played against Boston:

April 26 Fenway Park
April 17 Fenway Park
May 28 Fenway Park
May 30 both games of a doubleheader Fenway Park
June 30 Yankee Stadium
July 6 first game of a doubleheader Fenway Park
July 7 Fenway Park
July 8 Fenway Park

Boston won all nine games.

After playing in a loss at Cleveland July 13 Mantle was sent to the minor leagues batting .260.  He returned to play in a win against in Cleveland August 24.

After returning from the minors and being assigned number 7 after having number 6 before, Mantle played against Boston:

Sept. 5 at Yankee Stadium loss
Sept. 21 at Fenway Park win
Sept. 23 at Fenway Park win
Sept. 29 both games of a doubleheader at Yankee Stadium 2 wins
Sept. 30 at Yankee Stadium win - last game of the regular season

Yanks split against Boston: 11-11.  Mantle played in 17 of the 22 games.

In 1951 Boston finished third, 11 games back, which is what influenced me to think that Mantle had played no meaningful games against Boston.  However, Boston was in first place (tied) as late as Thursday, Jul 26 after beating the White Sox in Boston.  This would cover Mantle's first 11 games against Boston.  However, Cleveland's Bob Lemon defeated Ellis Kinder at Fenway Park on July 27 and Boston never returned to first place.

Even though Cleveland's Mike Garcia defeated Boston at Fenway Park on Sept. 18 Boston was only 2.5 games back after 142 of 154 games.  However, the Red Sox completely fell apart and won only one more game: Saturday Sept. 22 when Mel Parnell shutout the Yankees 5-0 at Fenway Park defeating Eddie Lopat.  Boston was 4 back after that game.  Mantle did not play.

Yanks played their final five games at Yankee Stadium against Boston:

Sept. 28 doubleheader - Mantle did not play
Sept. 29 doubleheader
Sept. 30.

Yanks won all five.  The only meaningless Mantle played against Boston in 1951 were the final three games of the regular season at Yankee Stadium.

Ed's comment was just a bit off on this:

Allie Reynolds no-hit them in the first game of a twinbill, then the NYY won game two to clinch with Joe D. hitting a homerun - I think the score was 11-3 - my Dad took me to the Stadium that day  - and I believe Mantle played in at least one of those games 


Reynolds did pitch an 8-0 no-hitter in game one Sept.28.  Vic Raschi won game two 11-3.  In game two with the Yanks leading 7-1 Joe DiMaggio hit his 12th and final regular season home run off Chuck Stobbs in the 6th inning: 2 on, 2 outs to CF.  That win clinched the pennant but against Cleveland, not against Boston, which had dropped to 8 back and had already been eliminated.  However, Mantle did not play in either game.  DiMaggio played one more regular season game: Sept. 30 second game of the doubleheader - one for one, run scored, RBI, walk.