On July 18, 1976 — After Boston drops eight of its last 11 games, the fifth-place Red Sox (41-45) fire Darrell Johnson, replacing their manager, who led the team to the American League pennant last season, with third-base coach Don Zimmer. Although last year’s AL’s champs, posting a mediocre 41-45 record and trailing the division-leading Yankees by 13 games, climbed above the .500 mark earlier in the month, they couldn’t overcome their poor start, when they lost 15 of their first 21 decisions.
Source:
National Pastime July 18