With World War II ended, returning veterans restocked major league rosters. The Boston Red Sox were particularly rejuvenated with the return of Ted Williams, Bobby Doerr, Johnny Pesky, Dom DiMaggio, Hal Wagner, and pitchers Tex Hughson, Joe Dobson, and Mickey Harris. Those nine helped lift the Sox from a seventh place finish in 1945 to the World Series a year later. They not only claimed the American League pennant but did so in decisive fashion. Outdistancing their nearest rival by 12 games, Boston coasted during the last weeks of the campaign. Manager Joe Cronin later felt the letdown was partly responsible for their poor showing in this Series.

The Cardinals, too, bathed in the sun of returning veterans. Their top four pitchers, Howie Pollet, Murray Dickson, Harry Brecheen, and Al Brazle, all wore military uniforms a year earlier. Also serving their country were starting outfielders Harry Walker, Enos Slaughter and Terry Moore. But probably the biggest smile appeared on the faces of Cardinal fans when one of the game’s greatest hitters, Stan Musial, returned to the ballyard. Despite this near total facelift, however, St. Louis couldn’t shake the Brooklyn Dodgers, and the two teams faced off in the major leagues’ first playoff.

The Cardinals made short work of their rivals, dispatching them in two games.

In the drama-filled World Series, the heavily favored Red Sox won Games One, Three, and Five, while the Cardinals prevailed in the even numbered games. Game Seven was played in St. Louis under a brilliant autumn sun, with the thermometer hovering in the 70s.

Boston’s 25-game winner, Dave “Boo” Ferriss, squared off against Murray Dickson, the owner of the National League’s best winning percentage at .714 (15-6).

The Red Sox scored early. After the game’s first two batters singled, DiMaggio brought home Wally Moses with a sacrifice fly. They nearly had more when Williams drove a ball to deep center field. With the outfield shifted far toward right, center fielder Moore made a long run and lunged for a spectacular catch.

Red Schoendienst started the Cardinal first with a single to left. When Williams bobbled the ball, Red streaked for second but was thrown out. Ted’s throw saved a run, because two batters later, Musial doubled to left. Slaughter ended the inning by striking out.

In the second, Boston squandered a golden opportunity. Doerr opened with a single, went to second on a throwing error, and advanced to third on an infield out. After Dickson retired the next two batters without further damage, he walked to the dugout amid a standing ovation. The cheering barely subsided when Whitey Kurowski led off the home half of the second with a double to left-center. Whitey moved to third on a ground-out by Joe Garagiola and tied the game on a sacrifice fly by Walker.

There were no more hits and few plays to cheer until the Cardinals’ fifth, when Walker started with a single. Marty Marion sacrificed Walker to second-an intriguing strategy with the pitcher next up. But Dickson was an excellent hitting pitcher and justified his manager’s decision by doubling to left, scoring Walker with the go-ahead run. With the impassioned crowd on its feet, Schoendienst then singled home Dickson, making it 3-1. When Moore also singled, the Sox made a pitching change, bringing on Dobson to face Musial, the National League batting champion. The tension-filled at-bat ended with Musial grounding out but moving the runners to second and third. That brought to the plate Slaughter who was intentionally passed, loading the bases. Now the hometown fans were frantic and sensed the kill. But Dobson was equal to the task and got Kurowski on a ground-out, bringing the attack to an end.

Neither club could muster a base hit in the sixth or seventh innings. In the eighth, Cardinal fans were quieted as a single and a double put two Sox in scoring position and sent Dickson to the showers. Out of the St. Louis bullpen strode Brecheen. The southpaw, who had won Games Two and Six, looked as if he would get out of the inning when he struck out Moses and got Pesky on a shallow liner to right. But with two outs, DiMaggio slammed a double off the right-field wall. Both runners scored and the game was again deadlocked. Dom, however, pulled a muscle running to second and had to be replaced by Leon Culberson, a move that shortly led to serious consequences. Brecheen then got Williams on a pop-up to avert any further damage.

The Cardinals retaliated in the bottom of the eighth. With veteran Bob Klinger taking the hill for Boston, Slaughter led off by singling. Klinger routinely retired the next two Redbirds, holding the baserunner at first. Then occurred the pivotal play of the Series. Walker doubled to left-center bringing the screaming crowd to its feet. Amid the uproar, Culberson fielded it cleanly and relayed to Pesky, neither thinking Slaughter would try to score. But in an electrifying dash, he rounded third while Pesky hesitated with his relay to home. By the time Pesky realized Slaughter’s daring, it was too late. St. Louis had recaptured the lead.

In the top of the ninth the first two Sox singled, and a forceout put runners at the corners. But Brecheen dashed Boston hopes by inducing a pop-up and an easy ground-out. The first left-hander to win three World Series games was then hoisted to the shoulders of jubilant Cardinals and carried into the clubhouse.

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