Boston
Globe, June 11, 1928
O'FARRELL'S FOUR HITS PACE SOX
Browns Fall Victim To Potent Boston Bats
BOSTON--On an afternoon that was once rumored to bring the final appearance of Pat O'Farrell's storied Boston Red Sox career, the veteran showed that rumors of his demise might just have been premature.
O'Farrell smashed four safe hits, including a double, stole a base, and scored three runs as the Red Sox defeated St. Louis, 8-1. Thousands of fans who had donned red ties and scarves in support of the popular O'Farrell would not be silent until their hero emerged from the Boston dugout at the end of the contest to acknowledge them.
O'Farrell, hitting in the number two spot in Bill Carrigan's lineup for the second straight day, scored the first two runs of the ballgame, and the Red Sox, behind the marvelous moundsmanship of Neal Brady, never looked back. Pat singled in the first inning, swiped second base, and then scored on a booming double off the wall by Lou Gehrig. In the third frame, the Irishman himself walloped a two-bagger, and after Gehrig advanced him to third on a ground out to second, Frank Frisch lined one neatly over shortstop to drive him home.
O'Farrell, smiling and relaxed, looked years younger than he did the last time he appeared in Boston. "I will be honest with you," he told reporters in the clubhouse. "I did consider ending my career as an active player this very week. In fact, I had just about made up my mind in that direction. But I realized that I would have to explain to my children that I quit before I finished the job, and I couldn't figure out how I would do that. I am almost certain that this will be my final season as a player, but unless I'm traded or released, I'll finish the season with the Boston Red Sox."
The resurgent O'Farrell has boosted his batting average, which had slipped to a very un-O'Farrellesque .229, a full fifteen points in the past week. The Red Sox have been just as lively, winning five of their last six games to increase their advantage over the second-place New York Yankees to a full seven games...
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As if Pat could hear our debate, he decided to voice his own opinion by starting to hit the ball again.
It dawned on me this afternoon that imposing a career-ending injury on Pat, which would be just about the only way I can think of to force him to retire, would be the same kind of manipulation as raising his ratings so he could keep on playing like he always has. I'm not going to do either one. If Pat slips back into oblivion, I'll run the computer manager on the Red Sox and see if they let him go or trade him. Otherwise, Pat O'Farrell will remain the second baseman for the Boston Red Sox.
