1945 East-West Game

The 1945 East-West Game was the 13th East-West Game in Comiskey Park and marked the third straight win by the West, which took a 7-6 lead in total games. 31,174 fans turned out, the worst attendance in five years. The game was held on July 29, 1945.

The West put it away very early on. Neil Robinson, no stranger to starring in the East-West Game, opened the scoring in the second. He beat out an infield hit to short against East starter Tom Glover. Alec Radcliffe launched a drive to right, but Wild Bill Wright was playing without sunglasses and lost the ball in the sun. Archie Ware then singled in both runners, before being thrown out trying to steal. Quincy Trouppe drew the first of three walks for himself on the day, then West starter Verdell Mathis singled. Vic Harris replaced Glover with Bill Ricks, but he was no better, giving up a 2-run triple to Bill Williams before retiring Jackie Robinson.

In the third, the carnage continued. With one out, Neil Robinson and Radcliffe both singled, then Lester Lockett grounded in a run. Ware singled in Radcliffe, Trouppe walked again and Mathis got another single. Bill Williams singled home two more runs for a 8-0 lead before Martin Dihigo relieved and stopped the bleeding. The West got one last run in the 4th on a Ducky Davenport double, a bunt by Neil Robinson and a ground-out by Alec Radcliffe. The East pitching was finally effective after that.

For six innings, the East was shut down by Mathis and Gentry Jessup. They finally got on the board in the 7th when Rogelio Linares walked, Murray Watkins singled, Lennie Pearson hit into a force and Jerry Benjamin grounded in Linares.

In the 9th, the East almost made it a game. Down 9-1 still, they got a walk by Buck Leonard off Booker McDaniels, a single by Roy Campanella, a double from Willie Wells and singles by Watkins, Benjamin and Horacio Martinez to make it 9-6. With two on and two out, Gene Bremer retired Linares on a grounder to Jackie Robinson to end it.

Stars for the East were Martinez (2 for 2, 3 RBI) and Watkins (2 for 2, BB) offensively and Roy Welmaker (2 hitless, scoreless innings) on the mound. No player with more than 3 at-bats had an oh-fer. Glover (4 R in 1 2/3 IP) and Ricks (4 R in 1 IP) were the big goats.

For the West, five players had multiple hits, including Williams (2 for 5, 4 RBI, 3B), Neil Robinson (2 for 2, 2 R), Ware (2 for 4, R, 3 RBI) and Mathis (2 for 2, R). Mathis also shone on the mound with three hitless, scoreless innings and four whiffs to pick up the win, while Jessup threw three shutout innings. The worst performances were by Jackie Robinson (0 for 5 in his only East-West Game), Lockett (0 for 4, RBI) and McDaniels (6 R in 2 2/3 IP).

Absent from the game were the two biggest names in black baseball at the time, the West's Satchel Paige (due to financial disputes) and Josh Gibson of the East (disciplinary issues).