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It's difficult to pinpoint a tough situation for a pitcher. Naturally, a base is loaded
with no out situation and a bottom of the night to be a nightmare for any pitcher. But
how about a pitcher who must join his club late in the season after say four years in
his service. No spring training, no exhibitions, no major league tune-ups of any kind. Well,
I know how it feels because I was in that kind of a situation August 14th, 1945. I was
back in my club, the Cleveland Indians, and my manager Lou Boudreau, now laid me to face
the league-leading Detroit Tigers. I took my warm-up pitches and I knew I'd find out soon
enough if I had it. The first Detroit batter, Jimmy Allaw, was a strikeout victim. I felt
good. The second batter was out on a fly to center field. Then, Doc Cramer caught hold
of one of my fast balls and sent it to the deep right center for a triple. Hank Greenberg
was the next batter. I knew I had my work cut out for me. I worked especially hard on
Hank. I sent a strike past him. Then made him swing and miss one. Another pitch and Greenberg
was caught looking. Then, he was over and Cramer was stranded on third. I had my first
test, but there were eight more innings to go. My teammates touched opposing pitcher Hal
Newhauser for two runs an hour and a half of the first inning. My control was a bit shaky
as I faced the Tigers in the second inning and I walked the first two batters. Long ball
hitting Rudy York was the next batter. I threw hard and Rudy swung and missed. Then another
strike and finally at third. I had two more outs to go before I could get out of the inning
safely. The next batter was a pop-up and so was the other. Paul Richards, now general manager
of the Houston Colts, was the first Tiger batter in the third and he doubled. I walked the
next batter. There was some activity in Indian bullpen and I knew it. I had to get out of
this trouble myself, but a single scored one run and another hit set the tying run across.
Somehow, I finished the inning without any more scoring. It was now 2-2, a brand new ball
game. My teammates got me a run in the third inning and I was determined now to go all the
way and win this one. I set the Tigers down without a hit in the fourth, then the fifth,
sixth, seventh and eighth. I was really rolling along, but I still had the night heading to go.
In 60 seconds, I'll be back for the final inning of a game I will always remember. My teammates
had picked up another run for me and the Indians led 4-2 as I went to the mound for the
night inning. I retired the first batter. Now I had two to go. The second man was a strikeout
victim. My fast ball was sizzling and my arm appeared to be getting stronger as the
innings rolled along. Lead off man Jimmy Outlaw was next. I reared back and fired. He swung
out of the miss. The next pitch tipped the outside corner for a called strike. Only one
more to go. I was ready, but so was Outlaw. The pitch, strike three. My return from the
war was a big success. I knew then I still had a lot of good pitching left in my right
arm and the almost four year hit to the Navy did not hurt me.