Throughout most of the '50s and first half of the '60s, the Olde Towne team, our Boston Red Sox, played some pretty deplorable baseball. Not until the "Impossible Dream" team of 1967 could they demonstrate any consistency of success. From 1967 until the next pennant was captured in 1975, the Sox were mired in a "win one, lose one limbo," and at least two pitchers on the staff who were victims of poor run support deserved better fates, Earl Wilson and Medford's own Bill Monbouquette.
Indeed, "Monbo," a chunky right-hander who depended upon changing speeds and great control and location for his success, in 1962 threw a no-hitter against the Chicago White Sox. Over an 11-year career, he recorded 114 wins with 1,122 strikeouts and a 3.68 ERA and was a four-time American League All-Star.
In the sports pages of the July 7, 1964, Attleboro Sun, during the All-Star break, Red Sox manager Johnny Pesky was quoted as forecasting a better second half for his team while familiar names like Dick Radatz, Eddie Bressoud and Frank Malzone were in New York for the All-Star classic. Pesky is quoted as saying "It's the fighting type of team that's not so prone to a prolonged slump. Two good reasons we'll be better are Yastrzemski and Monbouquette. Yaz is really starting to come on and I think he'll hit .320. It wasn't so long ago he was batting. 230. Monbo also seems to be coming along strong in his last three games."
So it wasn't too surprising to see this item in the same paper three days later:
"Monbo Spectacular New Hope For Red Sox"
BOSTON (AP) - Bill Monbouquette has stopped worrying and started winning again - just in the nick of time.
The Red Sox right-hander performed his four-hit, 7-0 rescue feat at Washington Monday night in behalf of the much-maligned, oft-belted starters. Even as he did so, rescue parties were on a desperate hunt, beating the major and minor league bushes in search of that rare specimen Homo Pitcherensis, commonly known as "have arm, will try." Monbo also solved a mystery. His magic number was 18 - that's how many tries it took him to achieve his first complete game of 1964.
The 20-game winner of a year ago who took a meager 3-8 record into the contest, turned his first route-going job into a spectacular. Meanwhile, Dick Stuart and rookie Tony Conigliaro each hit their 17th homer and remained tied for the club lead in that department. Felix Mantilla and Lee Thomas each connected for their 11th.
Stuart's was a three-run smash after two walks and Carl Yastrzemski's RBI single in a five-run Boston fourth. After Fred Valentine singled with one out in the Senators' first, Monbouquette retired 16 men in order, a streak ended when Don Blasingame beat out a bunt to Stuart in the sixth.
The other two singles came in the eighth and ninth innings, on each occasion with two out. Monbo mixed his pitches beautifully, retiring nine men on grounders, eight on flyballs, seven on infield pop-ups or fouls behind the plate. He struck out three.
During his hard-luck streak, Monbouquette fretted over countless things - he wasn't striking out on enough batters, he couldn't keep the ball consistently low, the fastball had no movement, etc. But he looked like the Monbouquette of old in the city where two years ago he drew national attention with a 17-strikeout performance just two weeks before his no-hitter in Chicago.
Apologies to those who may have been confused by an item last week column - it seems that the name of the Ice show at the Rhode Island Auditorium which I referred to was omitted. It was the "Ice Capades of 1957." I have vivid memories of their show and that of their competitor, the Ice Follies, as two of the most visually stunning, perfectly choreographed attractions I've ever been fortunate enough to see.
Please be good to one another out there and try to do a good turn for someone daily. Keep the less fortunate in mind, particularly the hungry and the homeless. Even just a smile can lift the spirit of a passerby carrying a burden. Peace..
TOM McAVOY of Attleboro is a community columnist.
