Sox 67

The 1967 Sox went through a mini-slump in early May on their first West Coast trip. The Angels’ Jim McGlothlin, described by Will McDonough as ” a kid with a South Boston face and a great curveball” retired the first 19 Sox on May 2 but had to settle for a three-hit 3-2 victory.

California, as they were called then, went out to a 3-0 lead with some tainted runs off Sox starter Hank Fischer. A triple by Bobby Knoop which bounced off Tony C’s glove in right was followed by a single from McGlothlin for a 1-0 advantage. Jim Fregosi then homered in the fourth to make it 2-0 and, after a walk to Rick Reichardt that was disputed by Fischer and Dick Williams, Jimmy Hall doubled in the winning tally.

Mike Andrews’ seventh inning walk ended McGlothlin’s hopes for a perfect game, and Carl Yastrzemski quickly stopped the no-hitter with a ground rule double to left. Conigliaro’s long drive was caught by Hall to plate the first Sox run. McGlothlin was now laboring a bit, but Reichardt’s fine catch ended the inning. George Scott opened the eighth with a homer to cut the advantage to one, but the Angels’ righthander held tough. He fanned Joe Foy and Reggie Smith to finish the eighth and allowed only a harmless single by Tony C in the ninth to win his first contest of the year, walking one and fanning 11. The contest was over in 1:57- these days the two hour mark is usually passed by the fourth inning.

Another tough loss in Anaheim followed, as Jim Lonborg took a 1-0 lead into the ninth but lost on a wild pitch, 2-1. Lonny held the Angels hitless for six innings, but the Sox could muster only a run, Andrews’ fifth inning homer off starter Nick Willhite. Jim took a one-hit shutout into the ninth, but with one out, Jim Fregosi and Jay Johnstone singled. Reichardt, a “bonus baby” who never quite lived up to his hype, then tied the game with another hit. Williams then ordered an intentional walk to Hall to load the bases. Lonborg got rookie Don Wallace on a fly, but his first pitch to Bob Rodgers bounced behind catcher Russ Gibson, allowing the speedy Johnstone to come across with the winner. Boston had only four hits off journeyman hurlers Willhite, Minnie Rojas, and Bill Kelso.

The Sox next sent phenom Billy Rohr against the Twins, who had beaten Boston 16 out of the last 18 times. The results were not encouraging, as Minnesota kayoed Rohr after two-plus innings on the way to a 5-2 victory. Sox fielders didn’t help Rohr much, as a fly ball by Andy Kosco to open the second fell between Conig and Andrews for a double. Earl Battey then singled in one, and rookie Ron Clark followed with a two-run homer. Rohr then bobbled a grounder, and Zoilo Versalles tripled for a 4-0 advantage. That was all the Twins’ Mudcat Grant needed, as he picked up his first victory of the year after three defeats. Grant went 8 2/3 innings before Al Worthington got the last out.

Boston had now scored only 8 runs in their last five games, and their record had fallen to 9-9. They were fortunate, however, that only four games separated the first place Tigers and White Sox from the last place Athletics. With some tough contests ahead, the team was feeling pressure. How Williams and the club would handle it was played out in the next week.

On a sad note, after a nine-year major league career, McGlothlin would die of leukemia in 1975 at age 32.