Editor’s note: Fenway Park opened on April 20, 1912. NESN.com will be celebrating Fenway’s 100-year anniversary with unique content from now until April 20, 2012.
With World War II finally over and their top players back in the lineup, the 1946 Red Sox recaptured Boston's first AL pennant since 1918.
Inserted back into the lineup after serving in the military were Sox all-stars Ted Williams, Johnny Pesky, Bobby Doerr and Dom DiMaggio, who led the squad to 104 wins. It was the first time the team posted 100-plus wins since the 1915 squad finished with 101. Boston dominated the American League in 1946, winning the pennant by 12 games over the Detroit Tigers.
Fenway Park had the honor of hosting the All-Star Game on July 9, which featured seven Sox players on the squad. Williams put on a show for the hometown crowd by going 4-for-4, including smacking two home runs and driving in five runs. The highlight of the contest came in the eighth inning when the Splendid Splinter hit Rip Sewell's famed "ephus" pitch over the fence in the AL's 12-0 win.
Prior to the start of the Fall Classic, Williams suffered an untimely injury after being hit in the elbow with a pitch during an exhibition game. With their best player not playing at 100 percent, the Red Sox dropped a decisive Game 7 to the St. Louis Cardinals. The series' most memorable play came in the eighth inning of the final game, when St. Louis' Enos Slaughter made his "Mad Dash" around the bases, scoring from first base on an RBI double to give St. Louis a 4-3 lead, the eventual final score.
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