Mel Allen (4:08)
There are a few clouds beginning to move into the blue, but it appears that we'll be able to play baseball all the way. As we look around Braves field, we look off to the left and when we look to the left from our broadcasting booth, that's down the left field line, out over the left field fence, over the New York Central railroad tracks, and we see Benner Harvard, the campus of Harvard University in the distance. And as we move around looking out across the center field fence where the Charles river floats by, we see Cambridge and Somerville, and off back of right field we see the skyline of downtown Boston. Getting back to Braves Field, the fans are being entertained at the moment by some antics on the playing field itself, as the Cleveland Indians at the moment are taking infield practice and warming up are the starting pitchers for today. Johnny Sane of the Boston Braves, sensational right hander. And for the Cleveland Indians, realizing a dream of a lifetime, one of the greatest names in the history of baseball, Bobby Feller. Just a moment ago we saw something that sent our mind spinning back through the years. Tris speaker was talking to Lou Boudreau Lou Boudreau, the wonderful, peppery, smart, great manager of the Cleveland Indians, was talking with Chris Baker, who managed the Cleveland ball Club in 1920, when Cleveland last won its pennant. We couldn't tell exactly what they were talking about, but you can imagine just about as well as we can. Chris is probably saying to Lou, just do the same thing, Lou, that you've been doing all year and you'll bring a World Series to Cleveland. A World Series championship, just as I had the good fortune to do back in 1920. On the other side, there's Billy Southworth, a veteran of many World Series campaigns. I remember broadcasting one World Series when Billy Southport entered as the underdog, just as he has entered the underdog in this series. Cleveland, the favored against the New York Yankees. It was in 1942, but with Johnny Beasley pitching sensational ball and the masterminding of another outstanding manager and a great handler of men and the keen strategist, Billy Southworth. The St. Louis Cardinals that year beat the Yankees in the World Series for an upset triumph. You never know what's going to happen in seven games, so why try to predict? All we can tell you is that around the hotels, wherever baseball men gather, there are those who predict anywhere from four to seven games. And that just about covers it all. Pitching is the big thing in any short series. Billy Southworth has Warren Spahn to back up Johnny Sane. Lou Budreau perhaps has a little more depth to back up Bob Feller. He has Gene Bearden and Bob Lemon. But you never know who might come out of the ranks to star in a short series. Somebody that you never expected, at least didn't anticipate to star. But on the other hand, these managers might have been grooming him over the past few weeks and they are tight lipped about it. So we'll just sit tight and watch what happens as the World Series unfolds between the Boston Braves and the Cleveland Indians. There's another striking parallel here. Jeff Heath, who gained stardom in the major leagues with the Cleveland Indians, had the misfortune to break an ankle and leg in Brooklyn just a few days before the 1948 season ended. Jeff Heath, now with the Boston Braves, who was looking forward to playing in his first World Series and particularly against his old teammates. Dame Fortune did not see fit to smile on Jeff. However, he had a big smile himself. When Cleveland beat the Boston Red Sox in the playoff game at Fenway park, he went into the clubhouse, crutches and all, and congratulated the men with whom he had played. There have been others who have come along since with whom he did not play. And then he stuck up his leg that had the cast on it and said, boys, go ahead and autograph this for me. And the parallel goes back to a guy named Red smith from the 1914 team of the Boston Braves. That was that great team, you know, who came from last place around 4th of July to win the pennant. Red Smith broke his leg in similar fashion to Jeff Heath and against the same team against the Brooklyn Dodgers toward the end of the year and was unable to play in the series. And both of those men are out here today to watch the action. Jeff Heath, his heart, of course, pounding, his heartbroken to a degree because he can't play. And Redsmith there to comfort him, to tell him about his own experience. And then we saw Hank Gowdy a little while ago. Hank Gowdy is now with the New York Giants. And the fasty of coach was with that great braves team of 1914. And it's been wonderful just to watch all these men who have been invited by Mr. Lou Perini, owner of the Boston Braves. And a wonderful gesture. All the living members of the 1914 Braves team, the last to win the National League ballot at his invitation, have come to watch the World Series. But here are the lineups, ladies and gentlemen, for the Cleveland Indians, as we get ready for the more important business at hand. The start of the World Series. For the Cleveland Indians, it'll be Dale Mitchell leading off, playing left field, he hit.336 on the season. Larry Doby will hit second, play center field with a batting average of.301. Batting third, playing shortstop, will be the manager, lou Budrow, hitting at.355. In the cleanup spot will be Joe Gordon, no stranger to World Series play, but the first time that he has appeared in the fall classics since becoming a member of the Cleveland Indians. Batting at.279, playing second base, hitting fifth, is Kenny Kelper, hitting at.298, third base,