More Detective Work!

By: Paul Semendinger’s Dad

Editor’s Note – My Dad, also named Paul Semendinger, penned this piece as an addition to the story I wrote a few years ago about the scoreboard at the Yogi Berra Museum.

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Letter to the Editor:

This article is an addition to your Being a Baseball Detective published in January 13, 2018 and September 22nd, 2020.

A replica Yankee Stadium scoreboard is located in a theater/studio at the Yogi Berra Museum. The Baseball Detective wrote about the Yankee team. That day (September 19th, 1959) they played the Boston Red Sox so I decided to be the detective for the opponent.

The scoreboard depicts the line-ups in the 7th inning and indicated the Red Sox starting line up as:

#12 – 2B – Pumpsie Green

#3 – 1B – Pete Runnels

#25 – LF – Dick Gernert

#4 – RF – Jackie Jensen

#11 – 3B – Frank Malzone

#39 – CF – Jerry Mallett

#22 – C – Sammy White

#24 – SS – Don Buddin

#27 – P – Bill Monbouquette

However by the 7th inning the Red Sox had brought in a relief pitcher. Bill Monbouqette went only 5 innings at the starting pitcher. Ted Williams then pinch hit for Monbouquette in the 6th inning, hitting into a double play.

Leo Kiely, from Hoboken, NJ, then pitched the 6th inning and for 2 outs in the 7th inning before Al Schroll relieved him and finished out the 7th inning. Jim Busby pinch hit for Schroll in the top of the 8th and then Nelson Chittum pitched for Boston in the bottom of the 8th.

The Red Sox scored one run that game as the Yankees won 3-1.

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Some interesting facts about the Red Sox starting line-up from that day:

1. 
   

Pumpsie Green played his first Red Sox game on July 21st, 1959

1. 
   

Pete Runnels (playing first base) was normally the Red Sox second baseman

1. 
   

Dick Gernert (playing left field) was normally the Red Sox first baseman

1. 
   

Ted Williams (not on scoreboard/pinch hitter) was normally the Red Sox left fielder

1. 
   

Gary Geiger (did not play) was normally the center fielder

1. 
   

This game was Jerry Mallett’s (center fielder) first Major League game. He would go on to play 3 more games in his MLB career, all for the 1959 Red Sox.

Three Red Sox players in the game had a connection to a New York team during their MLB careers.

1. 
   

Jackie Jenson (playing right field) who had began his career with the Yankees in 1950 and (played 1 game in the 1950 World Series) was traded to the Washington Senators early in 1952 and then became a Red Sox in December of 1953. He then played for the Boston Red Sox for 7 seasons.

1. 
   

Bill Monbouquette (that game’s starting pitcher) spent part of the 1967 (33 games, 6-5 record) and 1968 (17 games, 5-7 record) seasons with the New York Yankees.

1. 
   

Pumpsie Green (playing second base) ended his career in New York, with the Mets, in 1963.

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#YogiBerra #YogiBerraMusuem