1947 East-West Game - Second Game (Negro League)

The second 1947 East-West Game was held on July 29, 1947 at the Polo Grounds. It had the best attendance (38,402) of any East-West Game ever held outside of Comiskey Park. After an easy 5-2 win back home, the West rolled to a larger victory on the road, 8-2 in this contest.

The West started fast against Rufus Lewis, with Artie Wilson drawing a leadoff walk, advancing on an error by Lewis and scoring on a hit by Sam Jethroe. In the bottom of the first, the East got their only runs. Ford Smith retired the first two batters, but Johnny Washington and Monte Irvin both singled and Silvio Garcia doubled to left field to bring them both home.

In the third, Wilson singled and advanced a base on a bunt and on an out by Jethroe. Piper Davis singled home Wilson, then rounded the bases on a gaffe in center by Henry Kimbro. The West had the lead for good, 3-2. In the fifth, they padded it against Luis Tiant, Sr. Wilson again got it going with a single, then stole second. With one away, Jethroe tripled for a 4-2 lead, then scored on a Davis grounder. Pinch-hitter Ray Neil doubled and scored on a hit by Jose Colas.

In the bottom of the 6th, down 6-2, the East almost made it a game. Bob Romby got a pinch-hit single off Johnny Williams then Louis Louden and Joe Black both singled. With the bases loaded and none out, West skipper Frank Duncan yanked Williams and brought in Spoon Carter. Frank Austin hit into a 1-2-3 double play then Washington flew out to kill the rally. The West tacked on two more runs off Black in the 8th to cap the scoring.

The big star of the day was Artie Wilson, who went 4 for 4 with a walk, two steals, four runs and a RBI, taking part in every West run-producing inning. Jethroe (3 for 5, 3B, SB, R, 4 RBI) and Neil (2 for 3, 2B, R) also had fine days at the plate, while James Abernathy was their worst hitter (0 for 4). After the bad start by Smith (2 R, 4 H, 2 BB in 3 IP), the West hurlers did not allow another run despite Williams' 5 walks and 2 hits in two innings. Carter tossed three shutout innings after coming from the bullpen to blow out the 6th-inning rally, and Webbo Clarke had a hitless 9th to end it.

For the East, Washington (2 for 4, SB, R) was their only player with multiple hits and was no match for Jethroe or Wilson. No East player had an oh-fer with 3+ at-bats. Kimbro went 1 for 2 and had a walk but made two errors in center field. Lewis (5 H, 3 R in 3 IP), Tiant (4 H, 3 R in 2 IP) and Black (5 H, 2 R in 3 IP) all fared poorly on the mound, with only Henry Miller (a hitless, walkless, scoreless 9th) doing well there.