The Base Ball Life of Patrick O'Farrell

[Big Six]

Originally Posted by William4192

Good for Pat. Any light on the next step in his life? Any plans?

That will probably come out after the season, William. Although I would imagine he'll spend a little time at home first.

[William4192]

Just an idea, but it might be fun to hear Pat's "thoughts". Sort of like mind reading

[Big Six]

Originally Posted by William4192

Just an idea, but it might be fun to hear Pat's "thoughts". Sort of like mind reading

Oh, Pat will be asking for and receiving plenty of advice from the important people in his life, so you'll have plenty of opportunity to "read his mind."

[Big Six]

Hotel Ponchartrain
Detroit, Michigan

Mr. Charles Prentice
442 Park Street
Stockbridge, Massachusetts

August 22, 1928

Dear Charlie,

Thank you for your letter of the 17th. It arrived right before we left on our western trip, and as I was feeling rather low that morning, it was a very pleasant surprise.

Your question about my feelings regarding my retirement was a good one, and one not simply answered. I must confess there are things about my decision that frighten me somewhat. I have earned a good living from baseball, and I have managed to save and invest some money. Despite much advice to the contrary, I have avoided placing too much in the stock market. I would rather buy something that is real, such as real estate.

I do, however, have five mouths to feed, and therefore it will be necessary for me to secure some kind of employment. I am three terms short of my degree from Amherst, and I do not know if, at this time, they would allow me to return to the classroom. After all, it has been twenty years since I was there!

It would probably be possible for me to find some other sort of job in baseball; after all, it is the only business I truly know. However, the desire to spend time at home with my family is very powerful. Unlike you and our other college chums, I have never had that experience, and I confess I have been envious of you each February as I have said goodbye to my wife and children and boarded a train for the South and spring training. I suppose that at some time, I would enjoy a position in baseball, but right now, that would not be my first choice.

Now that I have finally decided to retire, I feel as if the weight of the world has been lifted from my shoulders. I contemplated it for nearly a year, and just as I seemed ready to decide one way, something happened to make me change my mind. Again, I confess to some envy for those of you whose professions do not place you in the public eye. It is highly unlikely that a newspaperman will ever write a column in which he speculates about whether or not you will close your accounting firm.

My decision having been made, I can enjoy playing ball more than I have all season. I am not playing every day now, partly because we have such a sizable lead and partly because one of our most talented young players, Martin Dihigo, has been called up from Providence. Dihigo can play nearly every position on the field, but his development has been stalled somewhat because of the strength of our lineup. I suppose he will move into our starting lineup next year, either at second base or at third, with Frank Frisch moving to second. Dihigo's versatility will give Bill Carrigan many options to choose from.

It looks like we should be playing in the World Series this fall, and if we are, I will gladly secure some tickets for you, Ophelia, and the children again this year. It has become a tradition for us to get together at the Series, when we are fortunate enough to make it.

Give my best to Ophelia and your children, and Sarah and mine pass along their best wishes as well.

Your pal,
Pat

[Big Six]

Cleveland Plain Dealer, September 17, 1928

TRIBE FANS BID FAREWELL TO O'FARRELL
Red Sox Legend Plays Final Game In Cleveland, Receives Huge Ovation

CLEVELAND--One of the most respected and acclaimed players in the history of baseball, Pat O'Farrell of the Boston Red Sox, made his final appearance at League Park yesterday. The crowd that came out to bid O'Farrell goodbye packed every inch of the grandstand, and greeted the Red Sox second baseman with several lengthy ovations.

Before the activities on the diamond commenced, recent Hall of Fame inductee Jim Nealon, who became O'Farrell's friend when they barnstormed together several years ago, was present as the Cleveland club awarded O'Farrell a handsome plaque. O'Farrell and Nealon greeted each other warmly, and the crowd roared its approval. O'Farrell appeared humbled by the show of affection from the Cleveland rooters.

When O'Farrell emerged from the visitors' dugout and took the field in the bottom of the first inning, the fans rose to their feet, and O'Farrell waved his cap to the crowd and smiled broadly. Pat batted eighth in the Red Sox lineup, so he did not come to bat until the third inning; when he did, the umpires were forced to halt the game to allow the crowd to express their regard for him. Not a man, woman, or child was in a seat, but all rose, applauding and cheering O'Farrell, whose exploits at bat and in the field had handed the Clevelanders defeat on many occasions since he first appeared in a major league game in 1907.

Indians shortstop Ray Chapman was O'Farrell's double play partner in Boston for over a decade, and has nothing but kind words to say for his long-time teammate. "When I came to Boston in 1917, Pat was already a big star, the biggest in town. He welcomed me immediately; that's the kind of fellow he is. Baseball has been fortunate to have him, and I wish him nothing but the best."

O'Farrell has played sparingly lately, especially since the Red Sox clinched the American League pennant last week. Young Martin Dihigo has been regularly manning second base for the Boston club, a spot O'Farrell has occupied three thousand times in his long career.

Pat is visibly slowing, and he has stroked only two hits in the nine games he has played since the first of September. "It's time for me to move on," he said simply when asked if he believed his decision to retire was one he would reconsider. "I will play in the World Series, and then I'm going home."

The Red Sox won the game, 5-3, with Waite Hoyt pitching nine strong innings. Red Gunkel took the loss for the Tribe. O'Farrell went hitless in three at-bats, with one base on balls.

[Big Six]

84 Westland Avenue
Boston, Massachusetts

Mr. Frank Owens
220 Park Avenue
South Bend, Indiana

September 26, 1928

Dear Frank,

How nice it was to hear from you the other day! I had meant to call you or write to you, but it is amazing how busy I have been since I announced my retirement! I have been interviewed and put on the radio in every city we have visited since my announcement, and while it is flattering, it is also tiring. I haven't been hitting well at all for several weeks now, which only makes me feel more confident in my decision. I thought I would know when it was time for me to step aside, and that time has come.

I will be back in the starting lineup for the Series, and I hope I have a few more good games left in me. I have rested more than I ever have since we clinched the pennant, so I feel pretty good for a forty-one-year old man!

You asked me what I thought about the Pirates. I believe they will be a very tough opponent. They are a very young and talented team; most of the players were not on the team when we played them in the Series back in '19. Maranville, the shortstop, is the only name I recognize from that team, but it has been almost ten years ago, after all.

Maranville had another fine year. It has always surprised me how a man who is only five and a half feet tall can hit with the power he manages to generate. He hit 24 home runs this year and drove in well over a hundred runs. In fact, the Pirates have three men who knocked in that many runs, and two of them are youngsters: Paul Waner and Buck Leonard. Waner plays right field, and is the older of the two at 25, while Leonard, a first baseman, is barely out of his teens.

Paul has a younger brother, Lloyd, who will miss the Series while he recovers from a broken hip. I hope Lloyd will heal completely, although I confess I won't miss him this week. He hit over .340, and gets on base frequently.

I believe we have a better pitching staff than the Pirates do. Brady, Wood, and Nehf are all in fine form right now, and while Lefty Lorenzen has pitched wonderfully--he has 28 victories, I believe--neither Burleigh Grimes or Carmen Hill has been as sharp as usual lately. Of course, the atmosphere of a World Series will likely bring out the best in everyone, and I expect the Pirates to fight us as hard as any team we have ever faced in the Series.

Tomorrow morning we board the express for Pittsburgh, and Sarah and the children will be joining me. We decided that Dad's last World Series was an occasion that merited some time off from school. Even Billy is in the second grade this year, and I am not sure if I am more amazed by that fact or by the realization that Beth is going to be sixteen in less than a month and is in the tenth grade!

I should close this letter now, and try to get some sleep. My best wishes to you and your family, my friend!

Your pal,
Pat

[Big Six]

Boston Globe, September 28, 1928
Special World Series Edition

RED SOX TAKE SERIES LEAD
Boston Downs Pittsburgh, 7-3

PITTSBURGH—Neither Neal Brady or Lefty Lorenzen pitched like the aces they are today, but Brady did a better job of limiting the damage caused by the opposition’s batters. Hence, the Boston Red Sox won the first game of the World Series this afternoon, a somewhat sloppy affair that did little to demonstrate why either club won its league championship. The final score was 7 to 3.

Four of the Bostons’ runs were unearned, coming in the third inning after young Pirate first sacker Buck Leonard muffed a ground ball. Baseball scoring rules dictate that when an error occurs, any runs that might happen to score after two men are out in that inning are not charged as “earned” to the man on the mound. In this case, Lorenzen got off lightly. He coughed up a trio of singles, and while the fly ball by Kiki Cuyler which proceeded them would have ended the inning had Leonard not miscued, the base hits were nonetheless real. As it was, Cuyler’s fly scored Judy Johnson from third, and the singles by Frank Frisch, Johnny Bassler, and Pat O’Farrell all drove in a run apiece.

Brady generously allowed the National League champions to hit safely fourteen times, but as he usually is, he was very stingy with free passes, walking nary a man and pitching around trouble on several occasions. Brady neatly allowed runs every third inning, the Pirates scoring once each in the first, fourth, and seventh frames.

Pat O’Farrell, who was greeted warmly by the Pittsburgh crowd on the occasion of the opening of his eleventh and final World Series, recaptured a bit of the glory of his youth. Pat, hitting seventh in Bill Carrigan’s batting order, added an eighth-inning double and a walk to his aforementioned RBI single, and after the walk, he stole second base. Both the base on balls and the successful theft were, of course, typical for the Stockbridge Irishman, who has performed each of these deeds more times than any other man who has ever played major league ball.

Tomorrow, Joe Wood, who is the husband of O’Farrell’s younger sister, will take the hill for the Red Sox. Carmen Hill, whose sisters are married to a grocer and a machinist, will oppose him.

[Big Six]

Boston Globe, September 29, 1928
Special World Series Edition

WELL DONE, JOE!!
Wood’s Fine Mound Work, Three Safeties Pace 4-1 Red Sox Victory
Sox Lead Series, 2-0

PITTSBURGH—The faces of the thousands of Pittsburgh rooters who filed quietly out of Forbes Field late this afternoon were as gray as the skies overhead. The clouds were the work of air masses, while the countenances were darkened by Joe Wood. Smoky Joe gave up six hits to the Pirates, and made exactly half as many himself; his teammates scored four runs, while he allowed a single tally. Wood’s performance was as crisp as Neal Brady’s had been labored the day before.

Buck Leonard was the only Buccaneer who seemed to have Wood’s number today. The young Negro first baseman hit a long home run in the sixth inning, and added a single for good measure. Leonard is hitting .556 in the Series.

Men with that surname, however, have proven to be less than reliable afield in the first two games of the Series. This time it was Joe Leonard, who plays third base, who allowed the Red Sox to prolong a rally in the sixth inning and break a game open that had previously been scoreless. Again, a Pittsburgh twirler lost his edge after two outs in an inning marked by a teammate’s error; again, the runs that he yielded were unearned, despite a flurry of Boston safe hits. The record shows that Carmen Hill, in terms of runs allowed, was Joe Wood’s equal on this day. Anyone who witnessed the game could tell you that the bespectacled Hill, who allowed thirteen Boston hits, was not in Joe’s class this afternoon.

Pat O’Farrell continued his sharp play, driving in one of the Boston runs with a single in the fateful sixth inning. He is now batting .429 for the Series, and his three hits equal his output for all the regular season games he participated in during this month of September.

Tonight, the Red Sox and Pirates are speeding toward Boston on special trains, and will clash in Game 3 of the Series the day after tomorrow. Art Nehf will officiate for the Red Sox, while Burleigh Grimes or Del Lundgren will work for Pittsburgh.

[seth70liz76]

Slow down BigSix--please, Let us savor Pat's last series before bringing it to the end.

[Y0DA55]

Here's hoping Pat goes out on top!

[Big Six]

Originally Posted by seth70liz76

Slow down BigSix--please, Let us savor Pat's last series before bringing it to the end.

No problem, seth70liz76. I hadn't visited Pat's world in a while, and the bug bit me hard. I had some time this afternoon, so I played 2 World Series games.

I'm playing this Series a batter at a time, so like you, I'm making it last.

[Big Six]

Originally Posted by Y0DA55

Here's hoping Pat goes out on top!

His Red Sox have a 2-0 lead as the series moves to Boston, so barring a major resurgence by the Pirates or a fold by the Sox, it's looking pretty good for him.

Pat's Red Sox have won eight of the ten World Series they've played, so they tend to take care of business pretty well, I'd say.

[William4192]

Go Pat!

[Big Six]

Boston Globe, October 1, 1928
Special World Series Edition

PIRATES WIN GAME THREE, 3-2
Nehf Pitches Well, But Pirate Home Runs Are The Difference
Both Teams Sloppy At Times

BOSTON—The Pittsburgh Pirates and Boston Red Sox played a close game at Fenway Park today, the third of this year’s World Series. The visitors from the Steel City prevailed, 3-2, despite being outhit nearly three to one.

The score alone might lead one to believe the game was sharply played, but upon closer examination, one finds that it was as sloppy as those played in Pittsburgh. Pratfalls, bobbles, and wild pitches had as much to do with the outcome as sharply hit balls or expert twirling.

The National League champions’ victory guaranteed that the fans of Boston will see their full complement of three games in this Series, and establishes beyond a doubt that the last appearance of Boston’s beloved Pat O’Farrell upon Fenway’s turf will take place two days from now.

A Pirate reserve outfielder named Johnny Mokan produced the game’s first run in its first inning by hitting a long home run off Boston hurler Art Nehf. Mokan, a journeyman player of thirty-three years of age, is a useful spare part because he can hit with gusto, and his insertion into the Pirate lineup today was a master stroke. He had half of Pittsburgh’s four hits, his second being a booming double that nearly cleared the right field fence.

The second Pirate run scored in the fifth, when Boston fell victim to the sort of fielding misadventures that afflicted Pittsburgh in Games One and Two. Chick Fewster commenced the proceedings by drawing a base on balls. Elmer Smith obligingly hit a grounder to Judy Johnson at short, the kind that usually goes down Johnson-to-O’Farrell-to-Gehrig. This time, however, Judy foozled it, and all hands were safe.

Glenn Myatt then crossed up everyone in the ballpark by dropping a neat sacrifice bunt. What made this maneuver a surprise was the fact that kneeling in the on-deck circle was the Cubs’ pitcher, Del Lundgren. Lundgren possesses a lifetime batting average of .157, which is rather typical of men who, like Lundgren, make their living on the mound. Del took a pitcherish swipe at a Nehf fastball and bounced it tenderly toward shortstop, but this was enough to allow the fleet Fewster to score as Johnson made the throw to first.

With one out in their half of the sixth inning, the Red Sox began a miniature rally that might have produced at least two runs if not for an unfortunate stumble by Lefty O’Doul. Frank Frisch plopped a single into shallow right field, and O’Doul followed with a two-bagger to right-center. With none out, Frisch pulled into third upon heeding Bill Carrigan’s advice.

Johnny Bassler, the next hitter, bounced a soft single to center. Frisch jogged home, and O’Doul rounded third under a full head of steam. After having taken three steps past the bag, however, O’Doul lurched like a ship in a stormy sea and, with arms waving wildly in an attempt to keep his balance, tumbled to the ground. That O’Doul would have scored had he not fallen was a certainty; he nearly did anyway, as the throw from Elmer Smith arrived at the plate only an instant before O’Doul.

Had the Red Sox tied the score here, it would not have lasted long, as Myatt homered in the Pittsburgh half of the seventh. It was only the third hit the Pirates managed off the hapless Nehf, but the second to land outside the playing field.

The Pirates promptly gave the run back in one of the sloppiest half-innings in World Series history. O’Farrell led off the inning with a single, which had the fans screaming with glee. It gave the beloved veteran another two-hit game in the Series. Nehf tried to bunt Pat along, but whiffed at two pitches. It would have been better for Art to miss a third time, but instead he hit a sharp grounder to third, which Joe Leonard turned into a double play.

At this point, Lundgren handed the Red Sox a run all by himself. He walked Judy Johnson. He walked Kiki Cuyler. He threw a wild pitch to Lou Gehrig which conveniently opened first base, so rather than let Gehrig hit in this situation, Lundgren walked him, too, but this time he did it on purpose.

When the bases are loaded, you shouldn’t throw a wild pitch, because the runner on third will score a run. Lundgren did, and so did Johnson. Now, first base was open again, and Lundgren found that he could walk Frank Frisch without further damage. O’Doul finally put another ball in play, but he grounded out and ended the inning, with the score now Pittsburgh 3, Boston 2.

Thus the game ended, after the Red Sox put runners on base in both the eighth and ninth innings but failed to advance either past second base.

Tomorrow, both teams will return their Game One starters to the mound; Lefty Lorenzen for Pittsburgh and Neal Brady for Boston. Perhaps the Gods of Baseball will smile upon the fans of the game and give all of us a snappy contest that makes both the Pirates and Red Sox look like champions.

[DTF955]

Just finished reading the whole thing and I was really impressed. I love seeing the Negro Leaaguers in there, too. All the charcters seemed so real. Although, I do think you could have done just a *bit* more on why O'Farrell provided the impetus that others couldn't - well, O'Farrell and Hitt. After all, others of that era also didn't see any problem playing w/black players. Wagner, for instance, was honored to be compared with Lloyd.

Maybe something along the lines of continuing a promise from his graandfaather would do - after all, his grandfather served int he civil War. Maybe...well, here, let me make it a separate post and you can make it canon if you like:

[DTF955]

Patrick O'Farrell looked at the picture of his grandfather - the colonel - in his locker. The Sox were still up 2 games to 1, and he really wanted to go out on top. It didn't really matter now; the Bucs had their own great Negro player, Buck Leonard, and the Sox, why the Sox had 3 Negro stars! Smith's performance in the previous year's Series in that extra inning thriller had established that Negro stars could perform just as well in the clutch as whites. He smiled at the Colonel...

"Hey, uh...Pat," Judy Johnson said hesitaantly as he approached him. Patrick turned to glance at his double play partner. "I just wondered, well...I guess I don't like to look a gift horse in the mouth or nothin', so I never asked before. But, since you're retiring and all...what made you do it?"

"Do what?"

"Well, you and Hitt pushing for integration, you offering to room with me. I mean, you're not the kind of guy to go out making speeches like a politician, you're just the quiet sort of leader we all respect. And yet, you go out...not that I'm not grateful, I am, but..."

Pat smiled, and pointed at the picture of his dearly departed grandfather. Judy said he remembered Pat talking about how he'd served in the Civil War. "Well, Judy, seems there's more to it than thaat. Something the other guys who respected Negro players, like Wagner, McGraw, and the like, didn't have."

"What's that?"

"My grandpa was in a fierce battle, with some Negro soldiers fighting alongside him. He'd never thought much about equality, just about freeing the slaves. But yet, there was something about these men that was so incredible, they were so brave and courageous; better than most of his white soldiers, in fact."

He got wistful as he remembered Colonel O'Farrell relating the story many times during his lifetime. "Seems the colonel had his life saved by one of them. It was only thanks to the heroic efforts of a few Negro soldiers thta he was evacuated from the field, and they somehow got the fragments out of him. And, he made a vow to the men that day, that he wouldn't stop at just freeing the slaves; he would work to make sure the Negro had a good life, a much better life than the South seemed to offer."

"Must have been hard once he was out of the service, though," Johnson commented.

"It was. He realized the country just wasn't ready then for equality, and even Bolston was tough. But he always told my dad, and then me, that if we ever hd the chance to do some good, if we could somehow help improve their plight, to do it.

"He and Dad were probably the only white attorneys in town who'd handle black clients - did it pro bono, in fact, no charge, quite a bit. But, that was only helping to make sure one person wasn't shafted in some case. When I got to the majors, though, I knew it would take time, but yet by 1920, out on that barnstorming tour, I knew, I was a big enough star," he said with a great deal of humility, yet knowing that that had been the key. "Well, between Hitt and I, I knew that was my opportunity. To just honor that wish my grandpa had, that promise he made years ago. I know bringing up the best Negro League players, offering to room with you, those might not have done a whole lot right away in bringing about equality. But, we've got people thinking now, seeing us on the national staage and working side by side. And, I'm going to keep working to keep the doors open.

"It might take a while before there's real change, real integrtion in society. But, I feel like I've done my part."

Judy sensed that it was hard for him to talk about - his voice was cracking some both because of Pat's humility and because of the memory of his now departed grandfather. So, he simply said a very gracious "thank you," and left Pat alone with his thoughts.

---------------------------------

There. Hope you don't mind that. It tends to add a little more realism as to why he did it - as well as when. If you don't care for it, just consider it fanfiction and non-caanon, but I think it makes sense. And, it just shows tht Pat isn't going to be pushing for more than is possible at the time; but he will keep working, but by bit, in the small area he can - just like his dad and grandpa probably did. (I did notice there was nothing said by his family about the Negro players or his rooming with one on the road, so that's another sign something like this could be behind it.)

Thanks again for an awesome thread.

[Big Six]

And thanks to you, DTF,for an awesome post. At one point, I had actually planned on providing more explanation for the role Roy and Pat played in integrating the major leagues, but I confess that I forgot about it in my eagerness to play the 1921 season.

I would be proud to include your addition as part of the Pat O'Farrell canon. There is also a possible historical explanation for why integration happened with Hitt and O'Farrell in 1921, rather than with Wagner, for example, in the decade before.

I intentionally left the effects of World War I on the major leagues out of Pat's story, mainly because I wanted to play complete seasons. (Incidentally, I am planning to do the same with World War II, because I'm curious to see what the careers of some of the era's stars will look like without several missing seasons.)

I'm a history teacher, and I'm aware that the participation of men of color in World War I had nowhere near the effect on society that their efforts in World War II would later have. However, creating Pat's universe allows me to create a world the way I would like it to be. The reality of black and white men, both fighting to "make the world safe for democracy," as Woodrow Wilson charged the nation to do, has broken down a few racial barriers in Pat's universe. In reality, it certainly broke down enough gender barriers for the Nineteenth Amendment to pass, granting women all over the country the right to vote.

Your tie to Colonel O'Farrell's Civil War experiences rings very true, too. There were USCT (US Colored Troops) at several of the battles in which the Colonel's regiment fought, so it's very possible that he might have been saved by an African-American soldier.

Thanks again for your addition to the story. I'm glad you were interested enough in Pat's tale to take the time to write it up!

[DTF955]

Cool; glad you liked it. That'll be great to see how the stars do playing during World War Two, too. (And FDR would simply have to tell Landis not only to keep playing but thta he's insisting the players stay on the field to provide for better morale at home.) This is a great universe you've created. And, you're right - what-iffing is really about how the world could be, and I think everyone enjoys creating timelines about how they'd like the world to be.

Do you ever discuss alternte history in class? I would imagine high school students would be able to do it, at least advanced ones. One of my only regrets in high school was that when I had an extra period tht I used it for study hall instead of something I had a chance as an AP student to do. I thought later tht it would have been really fun to do an AP History Independent Study analyzing what would have happened had Kennedy not been shot, or the '48 or '60 or some election gone differently, and done it as a text down tot he present (1987 at that point). I did go to a college where I.S. was a senior requirement (College of Wooster), and though my major it was in was Communication, I found that lots of fun!

I have a few timelines that I started or expanded from what others had done on www.othertimelines.com - Reggie drafted by the Mets, Padres move to D.C., etc.

[Big Six]

I teach US History myself, and my students love alternative history scenarios. I use them to spur discussions pretty often, actually, and they almost always do a great job of defending their departures from the "real story" on the basis of good, solid historical explanations.

Thanks to the link to the othertimelines site, DTF. Those are really cool!

[Big Six]

Boston Globe, October 2, 1928
Special World Series Edition



CUYLER WINS GAME FOUR WITH HOMER
Kiki’s Dramatic Tenth Inning Blast Gives Red Sox 4-3 Victory
Sox One Win Away From Ninth World Championship

BOSTON—Pittsburgh pitcher Hod Fenner delivered the ball to the plate exactly eight times yesterday. Three of these deliveries were called balls; Kiki Cuyler swung and missed at two of them and hit two others foul. The remaining pitch by Fenner was hit by Cuyler high and deep over the right field wall, and thus Fenner became today’s losing pitcher in the fourth game of the World Series. The victory by the Red Sox was their third of the seven-game set and, of course, they will have three tries to win the single game they must capture in order to win the World Championship once again.

Today’s game was a somewhat better exhibition of baseball than the previous three Series clashes have been. Nevertheless, the teams made four more errors, three by the Pirates, and four of the game’s seven runs were scored as unearned.

The teams each sent their Number One moundsman to work, and both men generally pitched like they deserve that designation. Each team scored two runs in the third inning, and in both cases, less-than-perfect fielding played a part in the story.

The Pirates strung together three hits after a miscue by Red Sox pitcher Neal Brady to account for their tallies, while the Red Sox scored the first run of their half of the inning without the benefit of Buccaneer mistakes. Brady atoned for his sloppy glove work by singling, and after Judy Johnson lined hard to shortstop, Lefty O’Doul whacked a single to center. Lou Gehrig was up next, and he hit a delivery from Lefty Lorenzen as hard as a man can hit a baseball. Gehrig’s ball made two sharp cracks—one when Lou hit it with his bat, and one when it hit the right field wall. Brady, a fine athlete and a fast runner, scored easily while O’Doul rounded third and headed homeward.

Paul Waner handled the ball’s tricky carom cleanly and drew back his arm to deliver the ball back to the infield. Perhaps he remembered that O’Doul had ended up head-over-teakettle while rounding the very same bag a day earlier; at any rate, O’Doul is not a speed merchant, and Waner saw an opportunity to gun him down. Waner has a strong throwing arm, and fired the ball toward home plate. Alas for Paul, his throw sailed high over the big mitt of catcher Glen Myatt, and while O’Doul recorded the tying tally, Gehrig slid into third in a huge cloud of dust. Lorenzen retired Frank Frisch and the inning ended with the score tied at two.

Brady and Lorenzen then each threw three shutout innings, which brought the game to the top of the seventh. Leading off, Rabbit Maranville legged out an infield single, but in the process, he strained a muscle in his thigh. Braggo Roth took his place at first base. Elmer Smith delivered a soft single to shallow center, and rather than challenge Cuyler’s arm, Roth stopped at second. Braggo would not be there long, as Mule Haas skipped a grounder right past the mound that neither Johnson nor Pat O’Farrell could glove. Cuyler charged in and fielded it, but wisely held the ball; he could not have retired Roth with a howitzer.

The Red Sox’ equalizer came in the bottom of the eighth, and while the scoring of this particular run was important enough to warrant some discussion, the way in which it occurred was perhaps the clearest sign yet that the final pages of the story of one era in Boston baseball is being written this week.

Frisch led the inning off with a solid single, but Lorenzen retired Johnny Bassler on a routine fly to Waner. Only the most attentive of rooters would have realized that Pat O’Farrell, who occupied the next spot in the Red Sox order, had not come on deck; rather, Irish Meusel was waving his willow wand in preparation to go to work.

Whether O’Farrell, who has driven in more runs than anyone who has ever played major league baseball, told his manager and buddy, Bill Carrigan, to remove him from the game may never be known. What is known is that Meusel delivered an O’Farrellesque two-base hit—Pat has more of these to his credit than anyone else, too—and drove in Frisch himself.

This reporter decided not to pursue the matter of O’Farrell’s departure from the game beyond a confirmation of the fact that Pat is not injured, nor is he ill. Perhaps a more inquisitive reporter would have asked O’Farrell or Carrigan to explain the move, but a player who is about to conclude the most productive career in the history of the game should be excused from having to speak about a situation such as this one. As one Michael McGreevey said years ago, “Nuff said.”

Brady left the game at this point too, and Carrigan gave the ball to Bill Morrisette. With one out, Morrisette walked the Pirates’ dandy young second baseman, Joe Cronin, but then Bill made a sparkling play on a ball hit right back to him by Haas. His quick throw to second and a nifty pivot by veteran Mike McNally, who replaced O’Farrell, enabled the Red Sox to end the inning with a double play. The Sox failed to score in the bottom of the frame, so the game went into the tenth inning.

Morrisette again allowed a baserunner, this on a single by Hal Rhyne, but settled down to retire the side without further incident. This, of course, set the stage for Cuyler’s dramatic coup de grace.

Tomorrow, the Red Sox might win the ninth World Series in the team’s illustrious history, a feat unparalleled in the history of the National Pastime. Tomorrow as well, a gentleman who has been an integral part of each of the eight previous Series victories will play his final game at Fenway Park. I am as sure as one can ever be that very few people who are reading these words would be unaware of this fact. Still I would never forgive myself if I failed to remind the Globe’s faithful readers that tomorrow, Patrick Joseph O’Farrell will appear for the final time at Fenway Park as an active playing member of the Boston Red Sox Baseball Club. The fortunate thousands who have a ticket for tomorrow’s game will have an opportunity to experience a day at the ballpark they should remember for the rest of their lives, even if they live a hundred more years.

If the Sox should manage to win the Series tomorrow as well, I will guarantee you that day at the ballpark will be one none of us will ever forget.