The Base Ball Life of Patrick O'Farrell

[Big Six]

Thanks, guys! I'm glad you enjoyed it, because it was fun to write. I don't think I've ever edited anything I've written for the forum as much, either.

[Big Six]

Boston Globe, August 20, 1925

RED SOX SHUT OUT WHITE SOX, 3-0
Second Straight Whitewash For Haines
Browns Win; Sox Still Three Back

BOSTON--For an entire year, Jesse Haines waited for one of the sixteen major league teams to contact him, but nothing happened. No letter, no telegram, no telephone call.

"It was frustrating," Haines recalls. "I knew I could still pitch. I would have gone to the minors, as long as I was promised I'd get a chance if I made good."

Last month, the Boston Red Sox, making some adjustments to a club that has been contending for the league lead all season long, invited Haines to a tryout.

A grateful Haines has been expressing his thanks ever since. Yesterday at Fenway Park, Jesse threw his second straight shutout, blanking the Chicagos, 3-0. Haines' record now stands at 4-1, including a key victory over the team the Red Sox are chasing, the St. Louis Browns. Jesse's ERA fell to 2.38.

"Jesse has a decent fastball, and he throws a sharp curve, too," said Johnny Bassler, who was behind the plate today. "But the thing that makes him particularly tough is his knuckleball. It dances all over the place, and upsets a batter's timing."

Young Clay Roe pitched well for the White Sox, allowing only six hits, all singles. Roe, however, fell victim to the base on balls. He walked six men, and timely stick work by the Bostons gave them the runs they needed to win.

Pat O'Farrell, Ray Chapman, and Bing Miller drove in Boston's runs.

The relentless Browns kept pace, as Molly Craft defeated Detroit's Grover Cleveland Alexander in a duel of twenty-game winners. The score was 3-2.

[Big Six]

Boston Post, August 25, 1925

AMERICAN LEAGUE ALL TIED UP
Red Sox Win; Browns Lose to Senators
Haines the Hero Again

CLEVELAND--Chuck Rose might be nearing the end of the line, but this week he made sure if that is the case, he will not be leaving quietly. He has won 293 games in his long, illustrious career, many of them while wearing the uniform of the Boston Red Sox.

However, the one he won yesterday, while wearing the togs of the Washington Senators, might have been as important to Red Sox rooters as any he won for Boston. Depending more on guile than "stuff," Rose battled his way to a gritty 6-4 victory over St. Louis.

"I'll be honest. I'd like to see the Red Sox win the pennant. I spent some good years there, and won three World Series with them. I know quite a few of the guys on the Red Sox. Don't get me wrong, though; if I have a chance to pitch against them in the next month, I'm going to give it all I have, just like I did against the Browns," Rose said.

While Rose and the Senators were defeating St. Louis, the Red Sox' newest mound hero, Jesse Haines, was also winning a tough game against the Indians, 7-4. Cleveland touched Haines for eleven hits to the Red Sox' 10, but Haines did a fine job of bearing down in the clutch and limited the damage.

Boston and St. Louis have each won 77 games and lost 47, and have turned the pennant race into a two-team fight. Third-place Detroit is eleven games off the pace.

"This is what makes this game the National Pastime," a surprisingly relaxed-looking Bill Carrigan said from the Red Sox clubhouse. "There's nothing better than a good pennant race, is there?" The Sox manager has seen a few of them, in his years as a player and manager in Boston...

[Big Six]

Boston Globe, September 26, 1925

AMERICAN LEAGUE PLAYOFF TODAY

RED SOX AND BROWNS TO MEET AT SPORTSMAN'S PARK
Winner To Face Cardinals In World Series

ST. LOUIS--Today, the center of the baseball universe is the city of St. Louis, where the local American League club, the Browns, will play the Boston Red Sox in a one-game playoff to decide the championship.

The winner will, of course, move on to the World Series, where it will face St. Louis' National League entry, the Cardinals, who two weeks ago clinched their pennant with relative ease.

A huge crowd is expected to gather at Sportsman's Park, the facility in which both St. Louis clubs play their home contests. "I usually only follow the Cardinals," one rooter admitted, "but today I'm going out to root on the Browns. It would really be something to have a whole World Series played here at Sportsman's Park."

The Red Sox will be doing all in their power to prevent such an occurrence. This fiesty squad, which has won the hearts of Boston fans through its resilience and good, old-fashioned "guts," takes on the character of its manager, "Rough" Bill Carrigan.

"Bill was a tough customer on the field, that's for sure," opined Tris Speaker, who has known Carrigan since they were minor leaguers. "He never let up, and he won't let anyone who plays for him let up, either."

Carrigan was far from a hooligan as a player, however, and his Red Sox team is a classy lot as well. Its stars are humble; its supporting players are all "team" men. It is an easy team to root for, and Boston fans have taken it to their hearts.

The Browns, too, are easy to like. Because they have only recently become a first-division club, they do not have the swagger that teams who have spent too much time near the top often adopt. Their humility does not keep them from being tenacious competitors, however.

"When we play in the East, our game ends before theirs does," noted Pat O'Farrell. "They often knew what we had done by the fifth or sixth inning of their game, thanks to a telephone call or a wire. I swear they seemed to do whatever it took to win on the days we had already won, to keep from falling behind us."

Both teams have their ace pitchers ready to start today's game. The Browns' Molly Craft has won twenty-eight games this season, with the American League's lowest earned run average. Boston will counter with George Dauss, winner of twenty-two contests himself.

"George has pitched a lot of big games in his career," Carrigan said of Dauss. "He'll be ready. So will everyone else."

Pat O'Farrell shook his head and smiled. "All season long, these two teams have been running neck and neck."

"I knew it would come down to this. I just knew it."


Here are the starting line-ups for today's American League play-off in St. Louis:

BOSTON
Claude Cooper, lf
Walt Meinert, rf
Pat O'Farrell, 2b
Lou Gehrig, 1b
Frank Frisch, 3b
Johnny Bassler, c
Chick Shorten, cf
Ray Chapman, ss
George Dauss, p

ST. LOUIS
Sam Rice, rf
"Baby Doll" Jacobson, cf
George Sisler, 1b
Red Shannon, 2b
Sandy Piez, lf
Verne Clemons, c
Ed Hemingway, 3b
Wally Gerber, ss
Molly Craft, p

[Big Six]

Pittsburgh Courier, September 26, 1925

The racial integration of major league baseball has, by any standard, been as successful as we have hoped it would be. For the most part, colored players have been well-received by both white and Negro baseball fans; when colored players have been booed, it has almost always been for reasons that have everything to do with performance and nothing to do with race. White fans have cheered the exploits of men like Oscar Charleston as lustily as they applaud those of Babe Ruth.

Here is a listing of the colored men who are currently under contract to major league clubs, with short summaries of their performance during the 1925 season. The players have been listed alphabetically.

JAMES BELL, Detroit Tigers
"Cool Papa" finally managed to secure some playing time in a Tigers outfield that is chock-full of outstanding players, and the results were impressive. Bell hit .339 in 375 at-bats, with twenty-two doubles and eleven triples. He is perhaps the fastest man in the American League, stealing 42 bases and covering large amounts of ground in center field. Only twenty-two years old, Bell is a player to keep a close eye on.

OSCAR CHARLESTON, Chicago Cubs
Charleston,28, probably had a better 1925 season than any man in the game. He won the National League Most Outstanding Batter award for the third consecutive time, hitting 37 home runs, driving in 123 runs, and scoring 120 himself. He also ripped 39 doubles and 15 triples, stole 24 bases, and played strong defense in center field. "I wouldn't trade Oscar for any player in baseball," said his manager, Bill Killefer.

MARTIN DIHIGO, Boston Red Sox
This young Cuban is learning his craft in the minor leagues. At Class B, Dihigo batted .305 with twelve home runs, and batted .268 during two brief stays at New Bedford, a Class A club. Perhaps most impressively, he walks nearly twice as often as he strikes out. Dihigo, only 20 years old, has the versatility to play anywhere on the diamond. "His future is limitless," according to Red Sox pilot Bill Carrigan.

BILL FOSTER, Philadelphia Athletics
Foster is a 21-year-old lefthanded pitcher who is usually considered one of the game's two or three most promising young moundsmen. He spent most of the season at Class A, refining his ability to throw strikes. "That is all Foster needs to be a first-rate major league pitcher," commented A's manager Connie Mack.

"JUDY" JOHNSON, Boston Red Sox
Johnson, age 24, spent the entire season with Boston as a valuable utility man, playing both shortstop and third base well. He credits advice from teammate Pat O'Farrell for his strong performance during the second half of the season. Johnson had 15 hits in his last 30 at bats, and finished the season with a .344 batting average in 61 trips to the plate. "In the next few years, we'll see him really emerge as a player," stated Carrigan.

JOHN HENRY LLOYD, Philadelphia Phillies
The ageless man known as "Pop" celebrated his 41st birthday early in the season, but played like a much younger man all year long. As the Phillies' regular shorstop, Lloyd batted .288 with 39 extra base hits, scored 89 runs while driving in 70, and fielded reliably. "I could play until I'm 50," says Lloyd; don't bet he won't come close.

LEROY "SATCHEL" PAIGE, Chicago Cubs
Paige was rushed to the big leagues as an 18-year-old, and as might be expected, he endured some rough sailing. He won only two games and lost fifteen, and struggled with his control, walking 87 batters in 122 innings. "Most players his age are pitching in little one-horse towns. Paige is pitching in Chicago," Killefer pointed out. "He is going to be a good one, mark my words."

JOE ROGAN, New York Yankees
"Bullet Joe" has been unable to translate his skills into success in the major leagues. After losing 22 games with the Dodgers two years ago, he was traded across the Hudson to the Yankees, and he spent much of the year in the minor leagues. He won nine decisions at Newark, against two losses, but at age 36, time might be running out for him.

HILTON SMITH, Washington Senators
Smith is the same age as Satchel Paige, and like Paige, has a brilliant future in the game. He signed with the Senators in late July, and pitched in four minor league games with some success. Next year will provide us with a better look at his array of skills.

NORMAN "TURKEY" STEARNES, Detroit Tigers
Like Bell, the 24-year-old Stearnes is ready for full-time duty, but is finding it hard to come by in Detroit's crowded outfield. He served as the Tigers' number one pinch hitter, and was amazingly productive: a .378 batting average with eleven doubles and 20 RBI in only 82 at-bats. He also hit his first major league home run. "Stearnes is a big part of our future plans," said manager Hugh Jennings.

GEORGE "MULE" SUTTLES, New York Giants
Suttles signed with the Giants in March, and at age 24, was ready for major league duty right away. He played both left field and first base, batted .333, hit ten homers, and drove in 83 runs. "Suttles is a very polished hitter already," according to his manager, John McGraw. "And he is just going to get better."

JOE WILLIAMS, Free Agent
"Smoky Joe" is now 40, and his once formidable skills have faded. He signed a contract with Brooklyn for 1925, pitched in six minor league games, and was released. Williams is likely to retire.

[Big Six]

Statler Hotel
St. Louis, Missouri

Mrs. Sarah O'Farrell
145 Cherry Street
Stockbridge, Massachusetts

September 26, 1925

My dearest Sarah,

I am sure you know by now how the game turned out. I have never felt so disappointed about the outcome of a baseball game in my life, Sarah. I have played on teams that have lost games that we had to win in order to keep playing before, games that decided pennant races and even World Series. Why is the feeling so much more intense tonight?

I keep asking myself if I am worrying that I might never play on a team that wins the pennant again. If that is what it is, I am simply being foolish. After all, there are plenty of fellows my age or older in the league. Roy Hitt is still going strong, taking his regular turn on the mound, and he is two years older than I am. John Henry Lloyd is even older, and he plays shortstop every day for the Phillies. I have taken good care of myself, so there is no reason why I should worry that I will suddenly fade away!

I feel particulary bad for George Dauss. He pitched very well, except for the eighth inning, when the Browns scored three times. We had been ahead, 1-0; in the fifth inning, I had singled, moved to second on a ground out by Gehrig, and scored on a single by Frisch. We scored once more in the top of the ninth, but that is how it ended, three to two.

George felt like he had let us all down, and when the game ended, he sat on a bench in our locker room, with his head in a towel, sobbing quietly. When I came over to speak to him, he said, "I'm sorry," but he had nothing to apologize for, and I told him so.

The people of St. Louis are, of course, overjoyed to see both their clubs in the World Series. I can hear them in the streets, making all manner of noise and celebrating. The Browns are a fine club, and will give the Cardinals all they can handle in the Series.

We will be leaving on an early train tomorrow, and will be arriving in Boston in another day. Please don't feel like you need to meet me there; I will take the train to Stockbridge that evening. Give the children a hug and a kiss for me.

All my love, always,
Pat

[Big Six]

Boston Globe, September 29, 1925

HUGE CROWD GREETS RETURNING RED SOX
Rooters Show Support For Near-Champions

BOSTON--The players could hear the cheers as soon as the train neared South Station. Hundreds of loyal rooters were lining the platform, welcoming the Boston Red Sox back home after their loss to the St. Louis Browns in playoff game for the American League pennant.

"I remember the reception we received after we won the playoff against the Tigers, back in 1914," recalled Pat O'Farrell. "There were at least as twice as many people here this year."

As each of the players stepped from the train, they were greeted with loud applause. Some of the players were visibly moved by the warmth of the reception they received. "I have been fortunate to play in cities where the people support their teams, but I have never seen anything quite like this," Claude Cooper said, after he stopped to shake hands with a fan and sign an autograph for his young son.

Manager Bill Carrigan stood on a platform at the rear of the train to briefly address the crowd. He thanked the fans for their support of the team throughout the season. "We wish we could have rewarded you with a pennant and a World Series victory. You are the greatest fans in the game, and we can promise you that we will be back to do our best for you next year."

This Red Sox team might have lost the pennant, but they truly won the hearts of their fans.

[Big Six]

Here are Pat's statistics for the 1925 season, and his updated career totals:

        G    AB   H   2B  3B  HR  RBI   R    BB   K    SB  CS  AVG  OBP  SLG  OPS
1925   151  544  159  36  10  13   97  130  115   49   69  20 .292 .409 .467 .875 
Total 2617 9623 3191 579 286 164 1595 2099 1744 1091 1273 303 .332 .433 .502 .936

Pat is clearly in the decline phase of his career, but he is aging very gracefully. The 1925 American League as a whole batted .275, had an OBP of .334, and slugged .398. Pat outperformed the average by sizeable margins in every category. At age 38, he remains one of the American League's more productive players, a man any manager would love to have in his lineup.

Here is a breakdown of Pat's year:

              G   AB   H 2B 3B  HR RBI   R  BB  K    AVG  OBP  SLG  OPS 
Home         75  265  81 19  6  10  55  69  54  15  .306 .411 .536 .947 
Road         76  279  78 17  4   3  42  61  61  34  .280 .399 .401 .800 
March/April  26   88  29  5  3   1  17  26  21  10  .330 .447 .489 .936 
May          26  104  31  5  4   3  19  25  20  13  .298 .398 .510 .908 
June         23   85  23  9  0   1  15  14  16   7  .271 .382 .412 .794 
July         26   98  30  7  0   2  21  22  15   4  .306 .392 .439 .830 
August       28   90  25  4  2   4  15  30  32   6  .278 .460 .500 .960 
Sept/Oct     22   79  21  6  1   2  10  13  11   9  .266 .333 .443 .776

                   AB   H  2B 3B HR RBI   R  BB   K  SF SH HP   AVG  OBP  SLG  OPS 
vs. LHP           201  45  12  3  5  30  44  46  17   4  0  2  .224 .368 .388 .756 
vs. RHP           343 114  24  7  8  67  86  69  32  12  6  1  .332 .433 .513 .946 
Close/Late         57  20   4  1  2   9  16  11   3   0  3  0  .351 .437 .561 .998 
Scoring Position  168  40   6  5  0  69   0  39  13  16  1  1  .238 .356 .333 .689

I had no idea Pat's right/left split was as extreme as it was this year. That isn't usual for him. He has typically hit better at Fenway than on the road, and he's always been particularly deadly in the clutch. The low numbers with runners in scoring position are atypical, too.

[kenyan_cheena]

Hey, Big Six, if it's not too much trouble, could you please list the regular season records for the RedSox for each year of Pat's career, plus their position in the division and how they performed in the playoffs? Thanks.

[Big Six]

No problem at all, Cheena. Here's how the Red Sox have performed during the Pat O'Farrell era, from his debut in 1907 through the just-completed 1925 season.

I've included the Red Sox' record, their finish in the American League, the pennant winners from each league, and the World Champion. The numbers in parentheses are, of course, the outcome of each best-of-seven World Series.

Year    Record   Finish    AL Champion    NL Champion   World Series Winner
1907     70-84     7th     Detroit        Pittsburgh    Pittsburgh (4-0)
1908     80-74     4th     New York       New York      New York Giants (4-2)
1909     83-71     1st     Boston         New York      Boston  (4-1)
1910    102-52     1st     Boston         Cincinnati    Boston  (4-3)
1911     92-62     2nd     New York       Cincinnati    Cincinnati (4-2)       
1912     96-58     1st     Boston         Cincinnati    Cincinnati (4-2)
1913     94-60     1st     Boston         Cincinnati    Boston  (4-3)
1914    105-50     1st     Boston         Cincinnati    Boston  (4-2)
1915    108-46     1st     Boston         New York      Boston  (4-1)
1916     98-56     2nd     Detroit        Cincinnati    Detroit  (4-3)
1917     84-70     2nd     Philadelphia   New York      New York  (4-3)
1918     84-70     3rd     Philadelphia   New York      New York  (4-2)
1919     95-59     1st     Boston         Pittsburgh    Boston  (4-0)
1920    106-48     1st     Boston         St. Louis     Boston  (4-1)
1921     97-57     2nd     Detroit        New York      New York  (4-2)
1922     90-64     2nd     Detroit        New York      New York  (4-2)
1923     95-59     1st     Boston         St. Louis     St. Louis  (4-1)
1924     78-76     4th     Philadelphia   St. Louis     Philadelphia  (4-1)
1925     94-61     2nd     St. Louis      St. Louis     St. Louis Cardinals  (4-3)

The Red Sox have twice been involved in a one-game playoff to decide the American League pennant race. They defeated the Tigers in 1914 and lost to the Browns in 1925.

Since 1907, the Red Sox have won 1751 regular season games and lost 1177, for a winning percentage of .598.

[Big Six]

Pat O'Farrell did not appear on the 1925 American League leader boards as often, or as prominently, as usual. Here are the categories in which he placed in the league's top ten batters:

Category       Total  Finish  Leader           Total
OBP            .409    6th    Babe Ruth         .474
OPS            .875    8th    Babe Ruth        1.172
Runs Created  123.9    5th    Babe Ruth        175.3
RC/27 Outs     7.50    7th    Babe Ruth        13.60
PA              684    1st
Doubles          36    T-8    Joe Jackson         50
Home Runs        13    T-8    Babe Ruth           34
RBI              97    T-7    Lou Gehrig         129
Runs            130    2nd    Babe Ruth          131
Stolen Bases     69    2nd    Sandy Piez          71
Bases on Balls  115    4th    Babe Ruth          131
EB Hits          59    7th    Babe Ruth           95

For only the second time in his career, Pat failed to place in the top ten in slugging percentage. His .467 mark was good for 11th place. He still hits in the three hole for the Red Sox, but he's led off for the American League All-Star team the past two seasons. He used to bat third, or even fourth, for the All-Stars as well.

Still, you have to realize the man just turned 38, and if these stats belonged to almost anyone in the game besides Pat O'Farrell, who would say they represented an "off year?"

[Big Six]

Sporting News, December 10, 1925

TWO MOUND GREATS RETIRE

This week, two of the finest pitchers in the history of major league baseball announced that they will not be returning to the field this spring.

Roy Hitt, longtime star of the Cincinnati Reds, and Chuck Rose, who excelled for the Boston Red Sox and Washington Senators, have retired after long, distinguished careers in baseball.

Hitt, age 38, began his career in 1907. He was a mainstay of the outstanding Reds teams that dominated the National League during the teens, winning over 20 games six different times. His best seasons were 1912, when he went 29-6 and led the Reds to a World Series title, and 1914, when he matched a 26-8 record with a 2.32 ERA. In both of these seasons, the National League named Hitt its Most Valuable Pitcher.

Hitt was a winner, as demonstrated by a lifetime total of 337 wins that has been surpassed only by the legendary Cy Young and Christy Mathewson. Teams for which Roy pitched won six pennants and two World Series. Only Walter Johnson has struck out more men than Hitt's total of 3,312.

Roy is also given a great deal of credit for helping open up major league baseball to colored men. He led a very successful barnstorming tour to the Western states in the fall of 1920, highlighted by series of games with a touring team of Negro players led by Bruce Petway. The spirited, gentlemanly competition between the two squads did much to dispel fears that white and black men could not successfully mix on the ball field.

Rose, who is 39, broke in with the Yankees in 1911. He was quickly traded to the Red Sox, for whom he immediately began a string of five 20-win seasons. In 1918, the Sox swapped him to the Senators in an exchange of star hurlers, obtaining Walter Johnson.

Still at the top of his game, Rose won twenty games five straight times for the Senators as well, between 1920 and 1924. No twentieth-century pitcher has won 20 games in more seasons than Rose. Chuck retires with a lifetime record of 295-212, and a fine ERA of 3.37.

The Red Sox' Pat O'Farrell, who knows both men well, said of them, "Both Roy and Chuck were outstanding pitchers, and fine men. They were both true professionals, and the game will miss them very much."

[Big Six]

Boston Post, April 25, 1926

RED SOX OFF TO FAST START
Carrigan's Team Looks Like A Winner

BOSTON--With the 1926 campaign now almost a month old, the contours of the season are beginning to take shape. The clubs that were predicted to finish in the first division are taking their places there; most of the players we are accustomed to seeing at the top of the batting and pitching lists are there once again.

And, after a successful 1925 season that ended one loss short of another trip to the World Series, the Red Sox are giving their fans every indication that 1926 will find them in contention all season long.

Only in the outfield does Bill Carrigan's club seem unsettled. Veteran Tris Speaker is, clearly, not the player he once was, and last summer's acquisition, Bing Miller, has started off the season in a slump. Irish Meusel, Claude Cooper, and Chick Shorten are each alternating flashes of brilliance with alarming bouts of mediocrity. Kiki Cuyler is being given his best opportunity yet to earn a full-time job, and at age 27, it might be now or never for him. Waiting at Providence are twenty-one year old Martin Dihigo and twenty-two year old Si Rosenthal.

Further complicating the outfield situation is the fact that two days ago, the Sox traded Walt Meinert to the Washington Senators. The Washington club was so eager to acquire Walt that they offered one of the most electrifying young pitchers in all of the game, Hilton Smith, for him, and the Red Sox jumped at the bait.

"Meinert is a good ball player, and I wasn't eager to trade him," explained Carrigan. "However, unless everyone I know in baseball is wrong, Hilton Smith is going to be a star one day." This was clearly a trade made with the future in mind, as Boston's front-line pitchers are all approaching their autumnal years. Relative newcomer Jesse Haines, at 32, is the youngest of the five men who receive the most starting assignments; George Dauss, Hugh Bedient, and Joe Wood are all 36.

Everywhere else, the Red Sox have concocted a seemingly ideal blend of youth and experience. The veteran leader is, of course, second baseman Pat O'Farrell, who is playing like a colt in these first weeks of the season. His .333 average is almost an exact duplicate of his career mark, and he can still do all the things on a ball field that have made him one of the greats of the game.

Next to him at the initial sack, Lou Gehrig represents the promise of youth. Last year, the twenty-two year old slugger had a season that rivaled that of Babe Ruth for power and production, and with a truckload of extra base hits, sixteen RBI and twenty-six runs scored, he has picked up right where he left off...

[Big Six]

Boston Globe, June 23, 1926

RED-HOT O'FARRELL TOPS BATTING LIST

BOSTON--Pat O'Farrell's birth certificate asserts that he is thirty-eight years of age, born September 16, 1888 in Stockbridge, Massachusetts. When a baseball player reaches that age, there are usually certain ways in which he begins to show the signs of wear and tear. That is, of course, if he is still active in the game.

O'Farrell, however, is demonstrating that one can never be too quick to draw concusions. His recent streak, in which he has terrorized one American League pitcher after another, has vaulted him to the league lead in batting average, with a crisp .357 mark.

Over the last ten games, Pat has belted twenty-one base hits in forty-three official times at bat, for a .488 average. Six of those hits were doubles, three were triples, and four were home runs, so Pat has produced an extra-base hit three out of every ten times he has stepped to the slab over this period. He has scored thirteen runs and--perhaps most amazingly--has driven in twenty-one more.

You read correctly; O'Farrell has 21 RBI in his last ten games. He has tied Babe Ruth for the American League lead in that category as well.

"I can't really explain it," a smiling O'Farrell said. "All hitters have spells when the ball seems twice as large as usual, and we all have spells when everything we hit falls in safely. Lately, I have been enjoying both of those at the same time."

Unfortunately, O'Farrell's teammates have been so inconsistent that over the course of those ten games, the Red Sox have been a .500 club. That prevents them from gaining any ground on the three clubs that precede them in the standings: the Athletics, Browns, and Tigers. Only two games separate the Sox from second place, however, so a winning streak could vault them back into a position from which they could directly challenge the Athletics.

"Philadelphia has an outstanding club," Boston manager Bill Carrigan said. Ace lefthander Bob "Lefty" Grove leads the major leagues with a 14-1 record, and a lineup starring veterans like Joe Jackson and youngsters like catcher Mickey Cochrane and outfielder Al Simmons has the Athletics out in front as the season nears the halfway mark...

[Big Six]

Boston Globe, June 28, 1926

FOUR RED SOX TO START FOR AL ALL-STARS
Two Other Players Selected As Reserves; Carrigan Will Coach

CHICAGO--The 1926 American League All-Star team will have a definite Boston flavor, as seven members of the Red Sox have made the trip to Chicago for the annual showcase for baseball's best.

Leading the Red Sox contingent is perennial All-Star Pat O'Farrell, who will be starting his seventeenth Midsummer Classic at second base. Right behind him at the top of the American League order will be teammate Frank Frisch, who missed last season's game with a calf injury. First baseman Lou Gehrig and catcher Johnny Bassler were also chosen as the league's best at their positions.

George Sisler, player-manager of the Browns, who is also managing the American League squad, named two other Red Sox as reserves. Outfielder Chick Shorten has earned a spot on the team for the first time, while pitcher George Dauss is a veteran of four All-Star games. Furthermore, Red Sox manager Bill Carrigan, who guided the Red Sox through a 1925 pennant fight that ended with a playoff loss to Sisler's Browns, will be coaching first base for the American Leaguers.

Here are the starting lineups for tomorrow's game, hosted by the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field:

AMERICAN LEAGUE
Pat O'Farrell, Boston, 2b
Frank Frisch, Boston, 3b
Babe Ruth, New York, rf
Lou Gehrig, Boston, 1b
Harry Heilmann, Detroit, lf
Joe Jackson, Philadelphia, cf
Johnny Bassler, Boston, c
Topper Rigney, Detroit, ss
Herb Pennock, Philadelphia, p


NATIONAL LEAGUE
Rabbit Maranville, Pittsburgh, ss
Mule Suttles, New York, rf
Jim Bottomley, St. Louis, 1b
Oscar Charleston, Chicago, cf
Bevo Lebourveau, Philadelphia, lf
Gabby Hartnett, Chicago, c
John Henry Lloyd, Philadelphia, 2b
Andy High, Brooklyn, 3b
Joe Lotz, St. Louis, p

[Big Six]

Congress Hotel
Chicago, Illinois

Mr. and Mrs. William Graham
325 1st Avenue, SW
Chisholm, Minnesota

June 30, 1926

Dear Mr. and Mrs. Graham,

I wanted to write to you as soon as possible and tell you what a pleasure it was to meet you this week at the All-Star game. I had heard Archie speak highly of both of you many times, and I was honored to finally make your acquaintance.

As you know, Archie was a welcome guest in my family's home on many occasions while he was playing with the Pittsfield club. My children always loved his visits, and I was as comfortable entrusting them to Archie as I am to any member of my own family.

I have also thoroughly enjoyed watching Archie develop into such a fine ballplayer. From the time I met him as an eighteen-year-old out in California, he impressed me with his sincere love of the game. It is very personally gratifying to me to see him playing regularly with the White Sox now, and I am sure his current injury will prove to be only a temporary setback to what should be a long and productive major league career.

I hope your trip back to Minnesota was pleasant, and that you will let me know the next time you are in Chicago to visit Archie and watch him play. And, of course, if you are ever in Boston or in western Massachusetts, please consider this an open invitation to visit me and my family.

Regards,
Pat O'Farrell

***********
"Moonlight" is now 23, and has slowly expanded his role with the White Sox, moving from a platoon player to a fixture in the everyday lineup. Archie leads off and plays center field against righthanded pitching and moves to left field when a southpaw faces the White Sox.

He is batting an even .300, with 3 home runs and 23 RBI, and is playing the outfield as well as anyone in the major leagues. His arm is as good as they get (it rates as a 99), and he has gunned down nine men who have challenged it.

Graham is currently shelved with a pulled hamstring, but should be healed in three or four weeks.

*********
Archie and his parents watched Pat go 1-3 with an RBI in the All-Star Game. The RBI came on a ground out, which followed a Topper Rigney double and a perfect sacrifice by Herb Pennock.

Pat ripped a single off Cincinnati's Tom Cantwell, but was thrown out by Gabby Hartnett when he then tried to steal second.

Pat's teammate Chick Shorten pinch-hit for him in the seventh, ending his day.

Gehrig played all eleven innings, going 1-3 with a double, scoring a run, and walking twice.

Bassler tied the score at 6 in the ninth with a two-run double, but the National League went on to win, 7-6, in eleven innings.

Dauss did not pitch.

[kenyan_cheena]

Originally Posted by Big Six

No problem at all, Cheena. Here's how the Red Sox have performed during the Pat O'Farrell era, from his debut in 1907 through the just-completed 1925 season.

I've included the Red Sox' record, their finish in the American League, the pennant winners from each league, and the World Champion. The numbers in parentheses are, of course, the outcome of each best-of-seven World Series.

Year Record Finish AL Champion NL Champion World Series Winner
1907 70-84 7th Detroit Pittsburgh Pittsburgh (4-0)
1908 80-74 4th New York New York New York Giants (4-2)
1909 83-71 1st Boston New York Boston (4-1)
1910 102-52 1st Boston Cincinnati Boston (4-3)
1911 92-62 2nd New York Cincinnati Cincinnati (4-2) 
1912 96-58 1st Boston Cincinnati Cincinnati (4-2)
1913 94-60 1st Boston Cincinnati Boston (4-3)
1914 105-50 1st Boston Cincinnati Boston (4-2)
1915 108-46 1st Boston New York Boston (4-1)
1916 98-56 2nd Detroit Cincinnati Detroit (4-3)
1917 84-70 2nd Philadelphia New York New York (4-3)
1918 84-70 3rd Philadelphia New York New York (4-2)
1919 95-59 1st Boston Pittsburgh Boston (4-0)
1920 106-48 1st Boston St. Louis Boston (4-1)
1921 97-57 2nd Detroit New York New York (4-2)
1922 90-64 2nd Detroit New York New York (4-2)
1923 95-59 1st Boston St. Louis St. Louis (4-1)
1924 78-76 4th Philadelphia St. Louis Philadelphia (4-1)
1925 94-61 2nd St. Louis St. Louis St. Louis Cardinals (4-3)

The Red Sox have twice been involved in a one-game playoff to decide the American League pennant race. They defeated the Tigers in 1914 and lost to the Browns in 1925.

Since 1907, the Red Sox have won 1751 regular season games and lost 1177, for a winning percentage of .598.

Thanks, Big Six. That's much appreciated. Gee, that almost-Dynasty in Cincy must have been a bit frustrating for their fans. I had a similar situation in a league I was running. The Blue Jays ran off 6 consecutive 100+ win seasons, yet only managed one World Series victory during the streak. They lost the World Series twice, lost the ALCS twice, and the ALDS once.

[Big Six]

Anytime, Cheena.

I got to know that Reds team pretty well, because they kept facing the Red Sox in the World Series. Del Mason and Roy Hitt became pretty significant supporting characters in Pat's story.

The mid-teens Reds also remind me of the "real" Braves teams since 1991...all those division championships, several trips to the World Series, and only one ring.

[kenyan_cheena]

Originally Posted by Big Six

The mid-teens Reds also remind me of the "real" Braves teams since 1991...all those division championships, several trips to the World Series, and only one ring.

Please, don't remind me. I've been following the Braves ever since becoming a fan of baseball back in 1990. I know people say, "Well, at least they make the playoffs every year", but at times, I've really wished that they didn't. All those division championships only make me think "SO MANY missed opportunities."

[NCBeachBum]

Originally Posted by kenyan_cheena

Please, don't remind me. I've been following the Braves ever since becoming a fan of baseball back in 1990. I know people say, "Well, at least they make the playoffs every year", but at times, I've really wished that they didn't. All those division championships only make me think "SO MANY missed opportunities."

Had you been following them since 1973 as I have, you wouldn't mind it at all...... just knowing our season isn't over on Opening Day is a wonderful thing. Though this year, I have my doubts.......