The Boston Red Sox fine Ted Williams $5,000 for spitting at Boston fans, as the Red Sox edge the Yanks in 11 innings on Williams’s bases-loaded walk. It’s the serial spitter’s third incident in three weeks; in the words of Red Sox owner Tom Yawkey: “It’s got to stop, that’s all.” The costly saliva salvo comes after the crowd of 36,350, a record for a night game at Fenway Park, starts booing the Splendid but sensitive Splinter for muffing Mickey Mantle’s wind-blown fly with two out in the 11th. Immediately thereafter, the jeers turn to cheers when Williams redeems himself with a leaping grab of Yogi Berra’s drive against the scoreboard. The Splinter, however, is not so easily appeased. Thus, the fickle Fenway patrons find themselves the target of Teddy’s spittle repeatedly as he makes his way towards the Red Sox dugout. A less publicized, but potentially more disastrous, incident is narrowly averted when, before the game, Red Sox RF Jackie Jensen has to be restrained by teammates from going into the stands after a heckler. The previous year Jensen had challenged a fan to come out of the stands.

This Day In Baseball

On August 7, 1956 — The Boston Red Sox fine Ted Williams $5,000 for spitting at Boston fans, as the Red Sox edge the Yanks in 11 innings on Williams’s bases-loaded walk. It’s the serial spitter’s third incident in three weeks; in the words of Red Sox owner Tom Yawkey: “It’s got to stop, that’s all.” The costly saliva salvo comes after the crowd of 36,350, a record for a night game at Fenway Park, starts booing the Splendid but sensitive Splinter for muffing Mickey Mantle’s wind-blown fly with two out in the 11th. Immediately thereafter, the jeers turn to cheers when Williams redeems himself with a leaping grab of Yogi Berra’s drive against the scoreboard. The Splinter, however, is not so easily appeased. Thus, the fickle Fenway patrons find themselves the target of Teddy’s spittle repeatedly as he makes his way towards the Red Sox dugout. A less publicized, but potentially more disastrous, incident is narrowly averted when, before the game, Red Sox RF Jackie Jensen has to be restrained by teammates from going into the stands after a heckler. The previous year Jensen had challenged a fan to come out of the stands.

Source:
Baseball Reference August 7
National Pastime
Retro Sheet
Hall of Fame
SABR Games Project
Replay The Game