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Into the fire
Boston Herald, August 29, 1938
SOX ADD O'FARRELL TO PITCHING STAFF
Righthander Will Join Team In New York
BOSTON--Arming themselves for the stretch run of a three-team pennant race, the Boston Red Sox today announced that righthander Mike O'Farrell has been called up from the Minneapolis Millers of the American Association.
O'Farrell, who won his thirteenth game of the season yesterday afternoon, will join a club that is engaged in a heated fight for the American League championship with the Detroit Tigers and New York Yankees. At the close of yesterday's play, the Tigers held the lead, a game ahead of the Red Sox and Yankees, who are deadlocked for second place.
Red Sox manager Bill Carrigan plans to insert O'Farrell into the starting rotation in place of Ray Brown, whose lack of consistency has become a more pressing problem over the last two weeks. Brown, like many hurlers, prefers to work as a starter, but with Jim Weaver, Bucky Walters, and Carl Hubbell holding down the other three spots in the Boston rotation, someone had to relocate to the bullpen. Brown has worked effectively in that role before, so he was Carrigan's choice for the move.
Any rookie who finds himself thrust into a prominent role on a team that is fighting for a pennant faces pressure, and in the case of young O'Farrell, that pressure is perhaps extreme. He is, of course, the son of Red Sox immortal Pat O'Farrell who, in his current role as Red Sox general manager, is now his son's boss.
Mike O'Farrell is no stranger to pressure, however. As a quarterback at Notre Dame, he regularly played in front of thousands of the most rabid fans in all the world of sports. He has also proved himself in professional gridiron competition, having completed a very successful rookie season with the NFL's Detroit Lions.
"I'm not worried about the pressure," O'Farrell stated. "I've been Pat O'Farrell's son all my life, after all. I've always had to deal with the extra expectations that brings, even when I was in high school. Sure, it's a lot to live up to, but I'm ready."
Red Sox fans throughout New England hope Mike is right and that, like his father did for so many years, he will inscribe his name into the story of another championship season.
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