1946 World Series Opening Game: Cardinals Shift Against Ted Williams
The page from the 1947 Sporting News Baseball Ball Guide features a strategic layout used by the St. Louis Cardinals during the opening game of the World Series against the Boston Red Sox. The diagram illustrates the defensive shift employed against Ted Williams, one of baseball's most formidable hitters, indicating the tactical adjustments made by the Cardinals to counter his batting prowess. Key Cardinals players highlighted in the illustration include pitcher Al Pollet, infielders Marty Marion, and third baseman Kurowski, alongside outfielders Enos Slaughter and Stan Musial. The depiction also features umpires like Barlick and other players such as Joe Garagiola and Johnny Baker for the Red Sox. This tactical shift emphasizes how teams adapted their defenses to neutralize star players, reflecting the strategic complexities of postseason baseball in the late 1940s.