- 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, seeMad Dash Racing ."The Mad Dash refers to an event in the eighth
inning of the seventh game of the1946 World Series between theSt. Louis Cardinals and theBoston Red Sox .Background
The game, which was being played in
Sportsman's Park inSt. Louis, Missouri onOctober 15 ,1946 , was tied 3-3 heading in to the bottom of the eighth inning. St. Louisoutfielder 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 outfielderHarry 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 toshortstop Johnny Pesky , Slaughter roundedthird base , running right through the stop sign being given by third base coachMike Gonzalez , heading forhome 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 Soxcatcher 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]
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