1963 Hall of Fame Game

Boston second baseman Billy Gardner led off the 21st Hall of Fame Game with a solo home run to right-center field, and the Red Sox never looked back, defeating the Milwaukee Braves 7-3 on Aug. 5, 1963.

Boston would score two more runs in the top of the first inning. After Gardner’s homer, center fielder Gary Geiger walked and Carl Yastrzemski singled. Both runners advanced on a wild pitch from Milwaukee starter Ron Piche. With two in scoring position, Frank Malzone hit a sacrifice fly to center, scoring Geiger. Two batters later, Dick Stuart singled to score Yastrzemski.

The Braves went down quietly in the bottom of the first, but scored in the second inning when Lou Klimchock scored on Piche’s single.

Hank Aaron narrowed Boston’s lead to 3-2 when he hit a solo home run in the bottom of the third inning for the Braves.

Milwaukee tied the score at three in the fifth inning when Norm Larker pinch-hit for Piche and doubled to left field. Ty Cline singled to advance Larker to third. Larker scored when the next batter, Roy McMillan, hit into a double play.

The Red Sox took the lead for good in the top of the sixth inning. With two away, Roman Mejias was hit by a pitch and Ed Bressoud walked. Russ Nixon singled to score Mejias.

Boston tacked on three more runs in the top of the seventh when Dick Williams hit a three-run blast to left-center field.

Gardner and Geiger had two hits apiece for the Red Sox, and Williams led the team with his three RBI.