On the debit side, McCarthy frequently battled a drinking problem; he was known for going on "benders" that lasted a week or more. His bout with alcohol ended his tenure with the Yankees early in the 1946 season. By late May, the Yankees were already six games behind the Boston Red Sox. After the Yankees lost two straight to Cleveland, a drunken McCarthy chewed out pitcher Joe Page for spending too many nights out late. After failing to show up during a series with the Detroit Tigers, he returned to his farm in Amherst, New York, near Buffalo, and resigned by telegram.