Robinson’s Royal history
The scorecard reflects this. Satchel Paige’s name is written in as the starting pitcher for the Royals. Likewise, Feller’s is also inscribed as the starter for the All-Stars. Though some lineup changes noted are fainter than others, it is clear the Royals needed to re-configure their lineup to compensate for Robinson’s departure. The All-Stars also made various changes, inserting players not even printed on the roster, such as Babe Dahlgren and Bob Sturgeon.
While the person who held this scorecard did not keep score, he/she at least tracked strikeouts. The 14 slash marks reflect Feller’s total through six innings of scoreless work. Paige countered with eight whiffs in seven innings, shown by that number of slash marks above the Ray-Ken Seafood Company advertisement.
San Diego newspaper accounts and an identical scorecard, which had been scored, reveal the details behind the Royals’ 3-2 win over the All-Stars before about 5,500 at Lane Field. On a chilly autumn evening, Brewer’s squad took advantage of five miscues – including three by Sturgeon – in the top of the seventh inning to score a pair of runs. While Cleveland pitcher Jack Salveson tied the game with a home run in the bottom of the frame, the Royals’ Bill Hoskins, taking Robinson’s spot in the lineup, countered with a RBI single in the eighth to score the eventual winning run.
Many thanks to Laurel Bliss at San Diego State University, Peter Miesner at the San Diego Public Library, and to SABR’s Tom Larwin for their help with this story.
Matt Rothenberg is the manager of the Giamatti Research Center at the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum
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