Slaughter's Mad Dash

:"This article is about the event in the 1946 World Series. For the Canadian television game show, see "The Mad Dash". For the Xbox launch title, see Mad Dash Racing."

The Mad Dash refers to an event in the eighth inning of the seventh game of the 1946 World Series between the St. Louis Cardinals and the Boston Red Sox.

Background

The game, which was being played in Sportsman's Park in St. Louis, Missouri on October 15, 1946, was tied 3-3 heading in to the bottom of the eighth inning. St. Louis outfielder Enos Slaughter led off the inning with a single, but neither of the next two batters were able to either get a hit of their own or advance the runner. With one out left in the inning, Cardinal outfielder Harry Walker stepped to the plate. After he had worked the count to two balls and one strike, a hitter's count, the Cardinals called for a hit-and-run.

The play

As the runner started, Walker lined the ball to left-center field. Red Sox center fielder Leon Culberson was the first to reach the ball. As he threw a relay to shortstop Johnny Pesky, Slaughter rounded third base, running right through the stop sign being given by third base coach Mike Gonzalez, heading for home plate.

What exactly happened when Pesky turned around is still a matter of contention. Some claim that Pesky, assuming that Slaughter would not be running home, checked Walker at first base instead of immediately firing home, while others contend that Pesky was so shocked to see Slaughter on his way to score that he had a mental lapse that accounted for the delay. Whatever the reason, the delay and a weak and rushed throw home allowed Slaughter to score just as Red Sox catcher Roy Partee caught it up the line from home plate.

The run put the Cardinals ahead 4-3 and proved to be the winning run.

The call

Mel Allen made the call on the radio:

:" "Enos Slaughter is on first base with two away. Harry Walker at bat. Bob Klinger on the mound. He takes the stretch. Here's the pitch... there goes Slaughter. The ball is swung on, there's a line drive going into left-center field. It's in there for a base hit. Culberson fumbles the ball momentarily and Slaughter charges around second, heads for third. Pesky goes into short left field to take the relay from Culberson... And here comes Enos Slaughter rounding third, he's going to try for home. Here comes the throw and it is not in time. Slaughter scores!"

External links

* [http://archive.sportingnews.com/baseball/25moments/10.html Sporting News' 25 Greatest Baseball Moments]