Second Base
Replacing Cronin at shortstop was a left-hand hitter who became a legend for the Red Sox – Johnny Pesky. Pesky did play 137 games at second so he moves to second base. As a manager, Pesky (147-179) was not a success. As a player, Pesky hit .313 in his eight Boston seasons and completed his MLB career with a .307 average. Then it was on to the next baseball life.
Pesky headed to the minors and the coaching and manager ranks with the Yankees and later the Tigers organizations. Boston brought Pesky back into the organization in 1960 to manage their Triple-A Seattle teams and that opened into the job with the big club in 1963.
Pesky lasted two seasons with the Red Sox before GM Pinky Higgins – no fan of Pesky – sent Pesky packing and that meant back to the coaching box with the Pirates who were his next employer. Pesky went back to the bench as manager of the Pirates Triple-A club before returning to Boston and the broadcast booth. The rest is history and legend.