Dave Meadows (Boo) Ferriss (born December 5, 1921) is a former pitcher for the Boston Red Sox. He was born in Shaw, Mississippi, a small town in the Mississippi Delta. He was given the nickname 'Boo' as the result of a childhood inability to pronounce the word 'brother'. December 5 is the 339th day (340th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1921 (MCMXXI) was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Major league affiliations American League (1901–present) East Division (1969–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 1,4,8,9,27 Name Boston Red Sox (1907–present) See Nicknames before Red Sox for disputed nicknames Ballpark Fenway Park (1912–present) Huntington Avenue Baseball Grounds (1901-1911) Major league titles World Series... Shaw is a city located in Mississippi. ... The shared flood plain of the Yazoo and Mississippi Rivers The Mississippi Delta is the distinct northwest section of the state of Mississippi that lies between the Mississippi and Yazoo Rivers. ...

Ferriss became the first baseball player to receive a full scholarship to Mississippi State University, and pitched there on the 1941 and 1942 teams. He was drafted by the Red Sox in 1942, but was then called up for military duty during WWII. After being discharged early from the military because of asthma, he was sent to Sox minor league team in Louisville. When the Sox made a slow start, Boo was called up, and made his debut for the Sox on April 29, 1945, pitching a two-hitter. He went on to set the major league record for scoreless innings to start a career, with 22. Mississippi State University is a land-grant university located in north east-central Mississippi in the town of Starkville and is situated 125 miles northeast of Jackson and 23 miles west of Columbus. ... April 29 is the 119th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (120th in leap years). ... 1945 (MCMVL) was a common year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1945 calendar). ...

He compiled a creditable 21-10 record in his rookie season, and followed it with another excellent season in 1946, going 25-6 on the Sox team that won the American League pennant. Ferris started two games for the Sox in the World Series against the St. Louis Cardinals, winning one of them, but the Sox lost the series 4-3, Ferris getting a no-decision in the deciding game. 1946 (MCMXLVI) was a common year starting on Tuesday. ... American League The American League (or formally the American League of Professional Baseball Clubs) is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States of America and Canada. ... A pennant is usually a narrow tapering flag most commonly flown by ships at sea. ... For other events named World Series, see World Series (disambiguation). ... Major league affiliations National League (1892–present) Central Division (1994–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 1,2,6,9,14,17,20,42,45,85 Name St. ... In baseball, a pitcher is credited with a win (or W) when, in a game won by his team, he is the teams pitcher at the time that his team takes a lead that it does not relinquish for the remainder of the game. ...

His record in 1947 was a more workmanlike 12-11. Arm troubles and asthma restricted him to 9 games started in 31 appearances in 1948, and by 1950, his playing career was over. 1947 (MCMXLVII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (the link is to a full 1947 calendar). ... 1948 (MCMXLVIII) was a leap year starting on Thursday (the link is to a full 1948 calendar). ... 1950 (MCML) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will take you to calendar). ...

Ferriss was pitching coach for the Red Sox between 1955 and 1959, before becoming head coach of the Delta State University baseball programme. He guided Delta State to a 639-387 record and three appearances in the NCAA Division II College World Series, before retiring in 1988. Delta State University is a regional public university located in Cleveland, Mississippi, in the heart of the Mississippi Delta; one of eight publicly funded universities in the state. ... The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA, often pronounced N-C-Double-A or N-C-Two-A) is a voluntary association of about 1200 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletics programs of many colleges and universities in the United States. ...

Author John Grisham once tried out for a spot on Ferriss' team at Delta State University. He was cut because he could not hit a curve ball. John Ray Grisham Jr. ... Delta State University is a regional public university located in Cleveland, Mississippi, in the heart of the Mississippi Delta; one of eight publicly funded universities in the state. ... Curveball Pitch Curveball Pitch The curveball is a type of pitch in baseball thrown with a grip and hand motion that imparts forward spin to the ball. ...

He is a member of the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame, the Mississippi State University Sports Hall of Fame, and the American Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame. On November 14, 2002, he was inducted into the Boston Red Sox Hall of Fame. The Boston Red Sox Hall of Fame was instituted in 1995 to recognize the career of former Boston Red Sox players. ...

External links

• Boo Ferriss at
  • Baseball Reference
  • Sonny's Classic Baseball Page