Читать книгу Bad Boys, Bad Times. The Cleveland Indians and Baseball in the Prewar Years, 1937–1941 онлайн

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Allen had one more chance to get his sixteenth straight victory and tie the American League single season record held by greats “Smoky” Joe Wood, Walter Johnson, and the still-pitching Lefty Grove. Although the season was closing up for Detroit and Cleveland, 22,000 interested Tiger fans paid to see the game. Allen was paired up against Jake Wade, an erratic pitcher who could be really good or equally bad. In the bottom of the first inning, Pete Fox doubled with one out. Allen got the next hitter, bringing Hank Greenberg to bat. Entering the game, the big first baseman already had a spectacular year with an incredible 182 RBIs. Allen delivered and Greenberg hit a ground ball toward Sammy Hale. It appeared to be a routine play, but somehow Hale could not get his glove down, and the ball slowly rolled into left field. Fox scored with what proved to be the only run of the entire ball game. The up-and-down Wade stopped the Indians on one hit, depriving Johnny Allen of win number sixteen and an undefeated season.