5.30.2009

YANKS SERVED STEAMING PLATE OF MANUSH

HEINIE IS HEROIC AND ALL IS WELL WITH WELLS IN 10-1 ROUT

By Calvin J. Butterworth
Detroit Free-Enterprise

May 24, 1924

NEW YORK CITY—After being flummoxed by Joe Bush in the opener, Cobb's boys responded in kind today by silencing the Bronxian Boo-gang with a 9-run lambasting.

Rigney singled off Hoyt with one retired in the 1st before the esteemed Herr Manush chose an offering and ripped it to the deepest portion of the Yankee yard for a triple and 1-0 lead. Blue singled two batters later and the 2-0 score held until the 4th. Blue singled, Bassler doubled, O'Rourke singled, Wells and Cobb singled after a wild pitch and it was 5-0.

Pipp got home the long Gotham run with a fly the same inning, but then Hoyt was sent packing in short order in the 5th. His royal Manushness whacked another Hoyt pill into the right field upper seat heavens, where it landed in the shocked and awed hands of a ragamuffin Yankee fan, who for some odd reason hurled it back onto the field in anger. Two singles and a walk followed the mighty blow, and a pitching tag team of Gaston, Beall and Al Mamaux followed to receive their lumps.

Wells finished with only one extra-base safety allowed, a double in the 4th from shortstop Scott. The belching Bambino gave New York nothing again, whiffing twice in three official jaunts plateward. Despite the win, most of the Detroit players and writers present seemed to long for a game with equal swatting dexterity. Perhaps tomorrrow's match between Holloway and Sad Sam Jones will be such a tilt.

DET 200 341 000 - 10 13 1
NYY 000 100 000 - 1 5 0

Other American League contests today:

at SENATORS 6-9-2, WHITE SOX 1-7-0
Goose Goslin cracks his eight game-winning hit of the season and pipes back in late with a grand slam shot off Red Faber, who is 6-1 when the game begins. Already without Hooper, the Pale Hose lose Earl Sheely for the final two games as Zachary wins his 5th in an erstwhile effort.

at ATHLETICS 5-12-2, BROWNS 4-5-0
Ernie Wingard seems headed for his fifth win, but the Mackmen ditch that notion by plating three runs in the last of the 9th off reliever Pruett. Galloway's 2-run single proves the decider.

INDIANS 15-19-0, at RED SOX 3-9-1
It is a Joe Sewell holiday, as the previously slumping Tribe shortstop collects five hits in five attempts, three of them doubles, and knocks in six to win it for George Uhle.

FEATURED STATISTICAL NUMBERS!!

AL TEAM BATTING
.320 Chicago
.315 Cleveland
.313 Detroit
.307 St. Louis
.292 New York
.287 Washington
.281 Philadelphia
.272 Boston

AL TEAM EARNED RUN AVERAGE
3.67 Washington
4.91 Detroit
4.96 New York
5.18 St. Louis
5.44 Boston
5.46 Philadelphia
5.66 Chicago

NL TEAM BATTING
.307 Cincinnati
.306 St. Louis
.300 Pittsburgh
.297 Brooklyn
.286 Chicago
.283 New York
.273 Philadelphia
.262 Boston

NL TEAM EARNED RUN AVERAGE
3.14 Pittsburgh
3.25 Cincinnati
3.77 Brooklyn
4.52 New York
5.19 Chicago
5.20 Philadelphia
5.78 St. Louis
5.91 Boston










AMERICAN LEAGUE through Saturday, May 24
Washington Senators 2514.641
Chicago White Sox 2314.6221
New York Yankees 2117.5533.5
Detroit Tigers 2018.5264.5
St. Louis Browns 1721.4477.5
Boston Red Sox 1622.4218.5
Philadelphia Athletics 1623.4109
Cleveland Indians 1524.38510

5.29.2009

UNCLE ROY REALLY SEES HIS FIRST GAME


May 24, 1924

After another great meal at Roy's place last night, a corkball game in the street that was still going when it got dark and ended in a 31-31 tie, and hot flapjacks and bacon this morning, me and Benny decided we had to do something nice for our host. Roy had been a huge Cardinals fan since he was eight years old but still hadn't seen a game up close for a reason I don't have to tell you.

So Benny got the nifty idea to disguise him up so he could sit in the grandstand with us and nobody would be the wiser. Roy's wife came out with some bandages, gloves, and an old derby hat and we wrapped him from the top of the head right down to his neck. We left giant holes for his eyes and nose and mouth and his wife made sure to soak the bandages in cold water first because it was going to be another scorcher.

I waited with Roy in the Chrysler across the street in a lot while Benny was buying the tickets, and then we walked our friend up to the grandstand entrance. The ticket taker gave us a weird look along with every fan in the line, so I made sure to say real loud that poor Uncle Roy had been in a bad fire at his shoemaking factory and had burns over most of his body and that thinking about going to this game was the one thing he had to look forward to. The ticket guy almost cried.

We bought two extra lemonades but Roy sipped them both down by the end of the 1st inning so we bought him two more. Thankfully the seats were back in the roof shade between third and home or he might've collapsed. It was also a good thing we hadn't done this with Giggle Face or he might've given us away in no time.

Carlson pitched for us, and I'll tell you, he may be the best lousy pitcher around, because he always seems to go deep into a ballgame. Today was his masterpiece of horribleness. The Cards got hit after hit after hit off him but couldn't stick any of them together. Meantime the Phils took a cheap 3-0 lead on a passed ball past Vince Clemons in the 3rd and two walks and a single after Ray Blades botched a Wilson ball to death in the 4th. I guess it was good St. Louis was having no luck because it kept Roy from yelling things through his bandages, but he was sure doing a lot of whispering to me.

"Can't believe the size of Hornsby's arms," was his first thing, "He could knock a buffalo out with those." I had to remember colored folks had no way to see their favorite players up close around here unless they played right field. Roy also kept whispering about the fans around us and how polite and quiet they were and seemed to study the game "like it was grade school arithmetic."

Arithmetic sure wasn't helping the Cards, though. For the second straight game we got outhit by them and ended up winning. A Harper triple and Cy single in the 5th made it 5-0 to stay, and Carlson had a neat little 13-hit shutout. Roy didn't even care because he was having the time of his life. He even ate an entire grilled hot dog which we had to feed him through his bandage hole.

We almost had a little trouble before we left because Roy had to go empty out all his lemonade and he was worried about using the park's bathroom with those stupid gloves, meaning me and Benny had to take him in there surrounded by all these angry St. Louis fans and stand on both sides of him while he did what he needed to do. The second we got in Benny's car we helped him rip off the disguise and did nothing but laugh all the way back to his house. He shared a big bottle of cheap illegal wine with us which made us all groozy and put me to sleep in no time, and we forgot to talk about our long trip back to the East, which believe it or not starts after tomorrow's game. Guess we'll figure it out as we go again.

Good night, reader-people!
—Vinny

PHL 001 220 000 - 5 8 0
STL 000 000 000 - 0 13 2

Other National League games today:

at PIRATES 9-15-3, ROBINS 6-11-1
Yessiree, that's TEN straight wins for the crazy Buccos, who I think might be planning to throw the entire National League in the brig by Decoration Day. Burleigh Grimes is the latest great pitcher to get creamed by them, as Pittsburgh racks up nine extra-base hits to only one for Brooklyn, a Zack Wheat double in the 9th with the game already kapooted.

GIANTS 5-4-4, at REDS 3-8-3 (11 innings)
Meanwhile New York comes from behind to shock Cincy for the second straight day. It's a big slopfest, with five of the eight runs coming in by errors, including the extra inning winners when Bressler boots one and Hack Wilson doubles off Burns' glove and both runners end up scoring. Don't think those Over-the-Rhine boys are too happy right now.

at CUBS 4-10-2, BRAVES 3-9-1
But nobody's less happy than the 12 people who must be still following the Braves. Cooney has an actual 3-0 shutout going all the way to the 9th and the Cubs wake up with four runs off him and Skinny Graham to take the game and make Boston 1-14 on their trip.










NATIONAL LEAGUE through Saturday, May 24
Pittsburgh Pirates2610.722
Cincinnati Reds2316.5904.5
Brooklyn Robins2017.5416.5
New York Giants2017.5416.5
St. Louis Cardinals2019.5137.5
Chicago Cubs1722.43610.5
Philadelphia Phillies1523.39512
Boston Braves1027.27016.5

5.27.2009

THE BUSH WHITE WASH


"BULLET JOE" SHUTS OUT TIGERS AFTER EARLY RUTH CLOUT

By Calvin J. Butterworth
Detroit Free-Enterprise

May 23, 1924

NEW YORK CITY—Cobb's traveling crusaders arrived in Gotham late last evening, prepared to conquer the might of the Bambino and giddy with glee over not needing to face one Herbert Pennock. What they were not expecting were the blistering balls of Bullet Joe Bush.

The Yankee hurler, loser of four of his first five outings, was nothing but an artist of the royal slab today, forking out nine hits but leaving them on every table as the New Yorkers came away with an easy 9-0 bombardment of the Detroiters at still-spanking new Yankee Stadium.

Whitehill threw for us, and while he did his worst work in two distinct innings against the lower class of the order, it was the Babe's 1st inning blast that set the tone for the game. It was a loopy curveball that the Majesty of Mash propelled skyward, depositing it halfway into the upper stands in deep right. The sold-out Friday afternoon horde whooped themselves into a frenzy, for the Corpulent One had already homered thrice the day previous, and they had apparently assured themselves that another such feat was imminent.

In fact, Ruth had a miserable rest of the afternoon, going hitless his four next tries and fanning twice, not to mention flubbing a Heilman fly for a two-base gaffe. Yet the Tiger problem wasn't Ruth but Mr. Bush, who simply refused to allow safeties at key moments, and even collected two hits of his own, one for two runs knocked in.

Ed Wells will take the ball tomorrow and try to perform something useful with it against Waite Hoyt. Manager Cobb was unusually silent after today's affair, having grounded out four times—the last being the third Tiger double play of the day. He's known the Babe a long time and hates to lose to him, though one can say the Peach's list of similar notables likely stretches from here to West Virginia.

DET 000 000 000 - 0 9 2
NYY 100 300 03x - 7 11 1

Other American League contests today:

WHITE SOX 2-2-0, at SENATORS 0-8-1
Any thought that the pesky Sox would lose steam once reaching the Nation's Capitol is dispelled abruptly in one of the oddest games of this or any year. Curly Ogden pitches a nearly impeccable contest, allowing an unearned tally in the 2nd on a Peckinpaugh error and sacrifice pop from Barrett, then walking three and giving up a Collins single in the 3rd before retiring 21 of his 22 plate opponents, including the last 16 straight. But Sloppy Thurston, in trouble nearly every frame, frees himself from baserunner bondage with abandon, and is helped by two late double plays as the Nats lack an attack for the second straight day. Even with Harry Hooper out for the series, Chicago manages to inch ahead of Washington in the standings by mere points.

at ATHLETICS 9-14-1, BROWNS 3-10-0
Certain to be a hit-lovers paradise, this series begins with 24 of them and Stan Baumgarten's sixth win as the Mackmen pummel Danforth and two others to climb out of last place above the hapless Indians.

at RED SOX 6-9-0, INDIANS 5-9-0
Coveleski allows just two Boston hits in the first five innings, has a 3-1 lead, then loses the game faster than a wink as the first five Red Sox hitters in the 6th reach base and bring in four runs, good enough for the win. Wingfield saves Howard Ehmke's hide in the 9th as Boston tries to creep back into the still-attainable pennant chase.










AMERICAN LEAGUE through Friday, May 23
Chicago White Sox 2313.639
Washington Senators 2414.632
New York Yankees 2116.5682.5
Detroit Tigers 1918.5144.5
St. Louis Browns 1720.4596.5
Boston Red Sox 1621.4327.5
Philadelphia Athletics 1523.3959
Cleveland Indians 1424.36810

5.26.2009

A THRILLER BEHIND CHICKEN WIRE



May 23, 1924

We weren't in the mood for another pasting today, so as we sat having home-made oatmeal with Roy and his family, he said we should try something different—like a big picnic. Before we knew it his wife had put together a big sack of food and the whole family crammed into his old wheezy truck and the back of the Chrysler and we all went to Sportsman's Park together to wait in line for tickets.

The bleacher pavilion in right field was saved for colored fans, and me and Benny got some dirty looks when we went inside because if negroes couldn't get into that section they couldn't see the game at all, and it took me a whole inning or two before I wasn't feeling guilty. Roy sure helped. He was one of the nicest guys and best ball fans I ever met. He was also a huge gambler, even more than Benny was, and there was a friend of his in the section with us named Giggle Face because he had this weird laugh after everything he said, and he gambled even worse. He had a big dirty pair of dice in his pocket and in between innings he'd stand and turn around and whip them against the stone steps without somehow losing either one.

And the game had a lot to bet on, even though we had to squint to see it. The pavilion was about 330 feet from home plate with a fence made out of chicken wire sticking straight up, so when a ball was hit you had to move your head a little to have a better chance of an unblocked view. Harper and Jack Smith were the two right fielders, and it was fun to watch them move after the balls, but it didn't take long before the game started drifting away from us again. Hubbell had ten hits off him in the first five innings, Hornsby with three of them of course, but it was only 3-0 going into the middle innings.

The problem was Leo Dickerman had a no-hittter going for St. Louis, meaning the bets on the first Phillie hit were flying through the pavilion so fast you had to duck. Roy's wife opened the food sack before long and we had real delicious chicken and corn and leftover beans but me and Benny were getting too nervous to eat. Even if a no-hitter might be against you it's still nerve-stretching. Dickerman got through the middle innings retiring all nine batters and Benny bet on a Cy Williams hit for the 7th but he was wrong because it was Harper, who led with a single! Cy did get one next, and then Wrightstone was hit, Wilson walked, and two sacrifice flies later we were all tied.

Meanwhile Hubbell had calmed way down, but two Redbird singles and a Wilson error loaded the bases with no outs in the 7th. Roy laid five bucks on two Cardinal runs, I said nobody would score and Benny was too afraid to bet again. Blades grounded one to third and the runner was out at home! Clemons grounded to first and another runner was out at home! When Cooney grounded out I screamed and took Giggle Face's money and couldn't believe he was still laughing.

Extra innings now, the stands all packed and hot with all kinds of homemade food smells, a big crowd of coloreds on the street outside who couldn't get in with their friends yelling every batter outcome down to them. Dickerman was still in there in the top of the 11th when Wrightstone picked on a two-out pitch and yanked it deep out to our section. We jumped to our feet and the ball bounced off a step below us and went right in the hands of one of Roy's boys! A policeman made him throw it back, and I'm not sure whether it was because a Phillie hit it, or the balls were expensive or because a colored kid had touched it, but it seemed pretty lousy to me.

Huck Betts saved the game for us and we won, even though the Cards had wiped us out in the hit department by 16-5. On the way back to Roy's I made Benny stop at a sporting store where I went in and bought Roy's kid a baseball. He deserved it.

Good night, reader-people!

PHL 000 000 300 01 - 4 5 1
STL 021 000 000 00 - 3 16 0

Other National League games today:

at PIRATES 5-12-0, ROBINS 4-10-1
We got serious pennant race problems in the National League. Dazzy Vance throws for Brooklyn and the Bucs still don't lose, making it nine wins in a row. Vance is up 4-2 in the 8th and allows single runs the next two innings to tie it before Eberhardt gives up two walks, a hit batter and single to Charlie Grimm to end it. Earl Smith gets four straight singles to begin the game, for eight straight times on base.

GIANTS 11-18-3, at REDS 10-14-0
New York wins a game they completely deserve to lose. Up 8-0 in the 4th, Barnes gives the Reds four quick runs and then a Frisch error helps Cincy score six more in the 7th. Frank Snyder's 2-run pinch blow in the 8th ties it, a Jackson sac fly wins it off Dibut in the 9th.

at CUBS 13-21-2, BRAVES 8-13-1
At least we can always count on the Braves stinking. This time they're up 5-0 by the 3rd against Pete Alexander, who's probably on another drunken bender. The Cubs bail him out with ten runs the next three innings and sail upstream from there.










NATIONAL LEAGUE through Friday, May 23
Pittsburgh Pirates2510.714
Cincinnati Reds2315.6053.5
Brooklyn Robins2016.5565.5
St. Louis Cardinals2018.5266.5
New York Giants1917.5286.5
Chicago Cubs1622.42110.5
Philadelphia Phillies1423.37812
Boston Braves1026.27815.5

5.25.2009

DETROITERS BID BOSTON ADIEU

COLLINS AND TIGERS SURVIVE ANOTHER SQUIRMY BATTLE WITH 4-3 WIN

By Calvin J. Butterworth
Detroit Free-Enterprise

May 22, 1924

BOSTON, MASS—The ball bounded across the Fenway grass toward Fred Haney's glove at third base, yet somehow missed it. A similar ball off the bat of the same batter Joe Harris two innings previous also missed Haney's hand-pad, but this time damage would result. After Boone and Veach singled and Val Picinich tripled, the Red Sox had given the Tigers a quick blow to the head with three unearned runs in the 6th inning.

A Manush single in the top of the 6th had given Rip Collins a 1-0 lead, but Boston's Oscar Fuhr, rarely in danger of hurling a competent game, had bailed himself out of numerous pickle barrels and it was only a matter of time before a change in fortunes resulted. Cobb did his best to reverse the tide again by stroking a two-out double in the 7th, but after Rigney singled him home, Haney flied weakly to left and Mr. Cobb let his anger fly. Haney was extracted from the field and lineup, replaced with Lu Blue, and a verbal pasting of the same color sounded from one end of the Detroit dugout to the other and was actually audible from the press rafters.

The scolding-father technique surprisingly worked, as Heilman singled to begin the Tiger 8th, and after Buster Ross replaced Fuhr, Manush cracked a vicious triple toward a bevy of advertising signs in deep right field, Woodall singled him home and we had a 4-3 advantage that Collins would astutely protect, retiring the last eight Boston batsmen.

Cobb still simmered about Haney's play later, but was obviously thrilled and eager to get to New York to see his old competitive friend Ruth in action. "Babe's had a rough go of it so far, but you and I know he can murder any team with his own two hands," he said, "Whitehill's gonna have at him first from the left side, and that's a good thing."

Taking only three out of five from Boston was a marginally good omen, but at least Yankee Stadium has shorter fences and can only help add to our paltry power totals.

DET 000 001 120 - 4 12 2
BOS 000 003 00x - 3 5 1

Other American League contests today:

at YANKEES 9-15-1, INDIANS 6-8-0
As we were all fearful of, the Bambino chooses the day before a Tiger visit to explode with his bat. Ruth clubs a 3-run homer off Shaute in the 2nd, a solo belt in the 5th and another in the 8th to give him 12 on the year now, good for the league lead. As such, the Yanks still nearly lose the game, having to score four runs in their last two at bats to give Herb Pennock his sixth win. Wonderful Herb will miss the Tiger series, a fact we are already relishing in.

at ATHLETICS 10-16-2, WHITE SOX 6-11-0
Eddie Rommel throws another bad game but Chicago's Blankenship is even worse, and Philadelphia collects nine extra base hits to only one for their opponents. Joe Hauser gets three by himself—two doubles and a long home run.

BROWNS 5-14-1, at SENATORS 2-5-1
Washington can only fetch an even split with an injured St. Louis team, as it is apparently Washington's day to do nothing with their bats again. Baby Doll Jacobson gets the Brownie scoring launched with a circuit clout off Mogridge in the 2nd and St. Louis never looks behind them. Perhaps the Nats are dwelling too deeply on their upcoming matches with Chicago, which will surely be the series of the season thus far.










AMERICAN LEAGUE through Thursday, May 22
Washington Senators 2413.649
Chicago White Sox 2213.6291
New York Yankees 2016.5563.5
Detroit Tigers 1917.5284.5
St. Louis Browns 1719.4726.5
Boston Red Sox 1521.4178.5
Philadelphia Athletics 1423.37810
Cleveland Indians 1423.37810

5.24.2009

WAY WAY OUT WEST

May 22, 1924

We drove to St. Louis most of the night and holed up in the Chrysler in a dirt parking lot behind a roadside eatery so we could be there for our bacon and eggs the second their door opened in the morning. The lady who served us was real chubby and unfriendly and the cook smoked a cigarette that dripped ash on the grille most of the time, but the food was sure delicious.

We read the morning newspaper and saw that our record was 13-22 and just one half of a game behind the Cubs, which made us feel better because at least we had a sixth place pennant race to cheer for. Papa used to say that even the stormiest sky has a blue patch up there eventually, and I guess that's the way we should look at life.

Anyway, the road down into Missouri was pretty good, and I couldn't believe how far from home we were getting. Benny said he heard a rumor that baseball might even have a team as far west as Kansas City someday, but that would be tough to believe. The weather down here was even hotter than it was in Chicago yesterday, and when we crossed the giant Mississippi River on this bridge we had our first and only breeze of the day and we would've stopped to jump off the bridge into the water if we weren't so high up.

We were in St. Louis awful early so we drove down this downtown street named Lindell Boulevard, where all these new fancy hotels had just been built like the Chase and the Coronado and the Melbourne. Benny said he was sick of the fancy hotel thing and was still worried about our money but he said he had "another idea" he'd tell me about after the game. Oh, I couldn't wait for that.

It was real easy getting a ticket at Sportsman's Park because it was a Thursday and I can't say the Phillies are a team that packs them in. This was great for us because our main purpose was to watch Rogers Hornsby hit, so we paid a dollar-fifty apiece this time to get a seat near the Cardinal dugout. Jimmy Ring and his 0-6 record was going for us, so there was no doubt in our heads that "the Rajah" would knock him around.

Each team went out in the 1st and Bill Sherdel got us 1-2-3 in the 2nd. Then Hornsby came out of the dugout in front of us and we sat up in our seats. He's 28 years old and he's from Texas, meaning he doesn't talk much, but I guess he lets his bat do that part because it's big and heavy and he's got the giant arms to swing it. Benny yelled "Take a good lick, Hornsby!" and he turned for a second with these squinty eyes, spit something brown on the grass and got into the batter box. Ring threw one pitch and Hornsby crushed it with this unbelievable WHOCK sound and it flew past Ring's ear, right between Ford and Sand up the middle for a single. I've heard that he always aims for the middle of the diamond because that's the field area with the least protection and he sure made that plan work here.

Ring was all disflustered from the hit, threw a wild pitch with Ray Blades at the plate before walking him, Clemons and Cooney got singles and a ball got past Wilson to make it 3-0 Cards. Ring actually got Hornsby out on a called strike three in the 4th, but all that did was make the man mad. After Mokan gave us a dinky run with a homer over the left wall in the 5th, Hornsby walked, singled and singled his next three times up and the score was 8-1 them before we even looked up at the board. We were actually hoping to see a double or homer or triple from him, but what the heck, we still got three days here. His batting average by the way is now up to .453 with 44 runs knocked in.

After the game Benny fished this piece of note paper out of his pocket which had a person's address on it. Remember Thomas, the colored horse trainer we met at that Chicago club? Well it seems that his brother Roy lives in a part of northwest St. Louis called the Ville, and we were to look him up if we needed a free place to stay.

So we did. This was a pretty decent neighborhood filled with mostly coloreds, and they had their own churches and laundry places and everything. There's a lot of great things about St. Louis, such as the World's Fair they had here in 1904, but only seven years ago they had these horrible riots in East St. Louis across the river in Illinois, and a lot of colored people got killed because whites were afraid of them taking their jobs. Roy moved his whole family out of there after it was over and they all seemed much happier in the Ville. He had a nice pretty wife and six kids and they put us up in a bedroom upstairs with three little boys who were real funny and asked us questions about our trip and mostly about the car. We gave them a ride around the neighborhood in it after eating a fabulous dinner of pork and beans and these spicy greens, and then we even played a game of "corkball" in their street. They used broken off broom handles for bats and corks from wine bottles for balls which they painted white and weren't all that easy to hit. Me and Benny were on opposite teams and mine ended up winning 28-12 so I was pretty happy.

It had been a fun day even though the Phils lost the first game of a series for the first time on the trip. With Hornsby squinting at us and a game of corkball in the street, how can you go wrong? Good night, reader-people!
—Vinny

PHL 000 010 000 - 1 10 0
STL 030 003 02x - 8 12 2

CORKBALL CLASSIC

VINNY-OLLIE-STINKY-GOOBER & TIM 365 208 4 - 28 22 5
BENNY-ROY-PERCY-MARVIN & TOILET 106 023 0 - 12 31 7

Other National League games:

at PIRATES 6-8-0, ROBINS 1-6-1
Well, I was sure looking forward to this series, but so far so bad. Emil Yde mows down the Brooklyns with ease and has a shutout until Mitchell doubles in a run with two gone in the 9th. Earl Smith goes batty for the Bucs with three hits and a walk, including a bases-loaded triple in the 3rd. Pittsburgh hardly ever homers but they always seem to get the big hit they need. Tomorrow will be their real test, though, because Dazzy Vance is on the hill for the Robins with murder in his eye.

GIANTS 6-14-1, at REDS 1-8-1
I guess this is why they play the games every day. Mule Watson against Eppa Rixey? How could the Giants even win this thing? By Frankie Frisch getting three hits and Gowdy getting four singles in the leadoff spot. McGraw does something nutty and completely shuffles his lineup before the game, and even though George Kelly does his usual nothing hitting second, New York at least wins one.

at CUBS 3-11-1, BRAVES 2-9-0
Down 3-1 in the 9th, the pathetic Braves get their first four hitters on base and manage to score only one run as Bush saves Keen's hide by getting out McInnis, Stengel and Sperber with the game on the line. Boston's record on the road? 4-21.










NATIONAL LEAGUE through Thursday, May 22
Pittsburgh Pirates2410.706
Cincinnati Reds2314.6222.5
Brooklyn Robins2015.5714.5
St. Louis Cardinals2017.5415.5
New York Giants1817.5146.5
Chicago Cubs1522.40510.5
Philadelphia Phillies1323.36112
Boston Braves1025.28614.5

5.22.2009

STONER'S BAD REEFER DREAM


DETROIT HURLER GETS PALTRY SUPPORT IN 3-1 DEFEAT

By Calvin J. Butterworth
Detroit Free-Enterprise

May 21, 1924

BOSTON, MASS—For a twirler as marginally talented as Lil Stoner, every run scored by his teammates is a blessing. Thus it was especially galling today when the Tiger lineup could produce basically nothing for him, stranding ten runners in the process, as the Red Sox danced away with a 3-1 win to knot the season series at two games apiece.

Curt Fullerton hurled for Boston and the Fenway faithful were enamored with his effort, even though he gave out eight free passes for the afternoon. Detroit simply could not string any two of their six hits together, and the game stayed scoreless until the last of the 8th. His frustration doubtlessly reaching the boiled point, he plunked Ira Flagstead with a ball to begin the inning. Clark walked, and Harris promptly tripled up Duffy's Cliff for a 2-0 lead. Veach got Harris home with a deep fly, and that seemed to be it.

But Boston gave us a gift with one gone in the 9th, as Dud Lee muffed a grounder. Rigney and Cobb both walked, and after Manush singled in the first Tiger run, Buster Ross was hailed from afar to quell the disturbance. It was like picking apples off a waist-high tree. First Heilman flied lazily to left and then Woodall did the same, and our brave, weak men slunk back to their clubhouse for another night of dour reflection.

Collins will finish off the series tomorrow against the often-foul Oscar Fuhr, a mismatch that favors us to the extreme. Cobb knows his squad can use a win before heading down to Yankee Stadium, and I wouldn't want to be within a thousand yards of him should they not obtain it.

DET 000 000 001 - 1 6 0
BOS 000 000 03x - 3 5 1

Other American League contests today:

at YANKEES 3-9-1, INDIANS 2-10-0
A shocker from Shawkey, as Bob pitches rather well for him, yet is still down 2-0 going to the 9th against Sherry Smith due to the usual Yankee non-offense. Shags Horan doubles with one out, Ward singles to make it 2-1, Schang doubles, and then Shawkey bats for himself and rips a single for the winning two runs! Both New York fans that are left in the stands are beside themselves with glee.

WHITE SOX 17-16-3, at ATHLETICS 7-11-3
This one has the score of a Chicago Cardinals vs. Rochester Jeffersons football game, and it's the Sox's turn to produce the pummeling. Hooper reaches base all six times up and Kamm contributes a 3-run homer, which helps offset the amazing fact that Eddie Collins went 0-for-6.

at SENATORS 10-15-1, BROWNS 3-8-3
It is never wise to anger the Judge, meaning one Joe Judge of the Washington club. After he boots a ball with two outs in the top of the 1st leading to two unearned St. Louis runs, Joe collects three singles, a walk and a double and powers the Nats to six runs in the last of the 1st and another big win for Walter Johnson, now 6-2 on the year. In tomorrow's finale they'll send Mogridge up against Urban Shocker before welcoming the dastardly White Sox to their Griffith home.










AMERICAN LEAGUE through Wednesday, May 21
Washington Senators 2412.667
Chicago White Sox 2212.6471
New York Yankees 1916.5434.5
Detroit Tigers 1817.5145.5
St. Louis Browns 1619.4577.5
Boston Red Sox 1520.4298.5
Cleveland Indians 1422.38910
Philadelphia Athletics 1323.36111

5.21.2009

SWEATY DEPARTURES


May 21, 1924

By the time I went downstairs to get us a morning newspaper it was 94 degrees and my socks were sticking to my ankles. Summer got to Chicago early and it took me about five seconds to realize there's no way I could ever live in this place, even though it has the best hamburger meat in America.

We took a streetcar to Cubs Park this time to save our energy, and had bought ice cold lemon-limeades before we even got to our seats. Today we waited in line like normal fans and got some way down in left field because Benny was afraid to owe Mr. Capone any more favors. We were still shaking from our getaway driver job last night and wanted to just leave town in peace.

Art Fletcher finally wised up and stuck Johnny Couch in our rotation instead of the lousy Glazner, and it paid off in this one. After Cy gave us a 2-0 lead off the bat with a 2-run single Couch looked he needed to rest on one because he gave up a Friberg double, Grantham triple and Hack Miller single in a row to tie the game. Then him and Aldridge started pitching zeroes like no one's business.

In the bottom of the 5th, though, with the metal arms of the seats burning us if we touched them and sweat dripping off our hair, we almost fainted when Couch served up a 2-run belt by Grantham that got the Cub fans jumping all around us. A Harper triple and two-out Wilson single made it 4-3, and then in the 8th, Cy took an Aldridge ball and shot it out of his bat cannon to tie the game! Suddenly the heat didn't bother us, and Benny would have ripped off his shirt and twirled it if we didn't have a pair of cops watching us.

Couch got into jams in the 7th and 8th and 9th but got out of them and we went into extra innings. A tall creepy guy with a heavy italian accent appeared behind our seats around that time and asked why we hadn't taken the free tickets Mr. Capone left for us and we had to explain we were leaving for St. Louis that night and weren't able to give any people any more rides. He said fine, but if we needed any cash while we were in St. Louis we should look up a guy named Big Toe Sam who runs a pool hall there. We said thanks and the guy finally disappeared so we could suffer through the rest of the game.

Turns out we didn't even need to. Cy walked with one out in the 10th, Wrightstone singled him to third, and after Wilson moved the runner to second with a grounder, Mokan ripped a 2-run hit in front of the Hack Man in left. Couch gave up a single to Grimes to start the Cub 10th but then took care of all business and we'd won three out of the four!

To celebrate we decided to cool off by heading over to a Lake Michigan beach, which was packed so tight there wasn't even room to lay down. The water was cool and gave us complete chicken skin, and Benny tried to drown me a few times and followed a couple cute girls wearing bloomers through the water before they told him to get lost, and then we went back to the hotel to start packing.

But when we opened the room door we couldn't believe it: Someone had been in there going through all our stuff.
I can't really call it a robbery because there was nothing stolen or even worth stealing and Benny kept all his money in under a floor mat in his car which didn't make a lot of sense but worked out this time. Was it one of Capone's guys? Maybe someone from that warehouse we drove away from yesterday. Anyway, we were real spooked and packed up in maybe five minutes and got the heck out of Chicago before something worse happened.

No one seemed to be following us, but there were lots of cars on these roads out of town so you never know. The drive to St. Louis isn't that long and with Benny on the gas pedal it'll sure be a lot shorter. Good night, reader-people!

PHL 200 001 010 2 - 6 13 0
CHI 200 020 000 0 - 4 9 2

Other National League games today:

at CARDINALS 11-15-1, BRAVES 6-11-2
Boston's in no mood for another losing streak so they score four times off Sothoron right out of the box. It takes five innings for Genewich to give it up, and after the Braves get two runs in the 6th to take the lead again, St. Louis gets five with the help of a big Bottomley triple and put the game to sleep. Hornsby is at it again with two doubles and a single, and boy I can't wait to watch him hit up close tomorrow!

ROBINS 4-8-0, at REDS 3-9-1
Brooklyn takes a tough final game and ends up splitting in Cincy, as they get four singles for two runs off Mays and Dubut in the 8th to win it.

at PIRATES 8-12-2, GIANTS 6-10-2
When will the Bucs ever lose? To put it the opposite way, when will the Giants win another game? It's Jack Bentley's turn to pitch awful today, giving the Pirates six runs in the 5th with two outs after New York had tied the score against Cooper. St. Louis pulls ahead of the rotten Giants now into fourth place.










NATIONAL LEAGUE through Wednesday, May 21
Pittsburgh Pirates2310.695
Cincinnati Reds2313.6391.5
Brooklyn Robins2014.5883.5
St. Louis Cardinals1917.5285.5
New York Giants1717.5006.5
Chicago Cubs1422.38910.5
Philadelphia Phillies1322.37111
Boston Braves1024.29413.5

5.20.2009

HOPELESS WHEN FATE INTERVENES


TIGERS DROP 9-8 FENWAY FARCE IN WANING MOMENTS

By Calvin J. Butterworth
Detroit Free-Enterprise

May 20, 1924

BOSTON, MASS—For some odd reason it truly feels like the twentieth day of May, and yet a month and a half into the campaign, our Tigers can still not be trusted to sock away a win when it appears safe in their clutches.

With the undefeated Holloway down 3-0 after one inning, the Tigers roared back with a run in the 3rd, followed by a Heilman single and doubles by Woodall and Blue to knot the game. But the Red Sox had their peskiest stirrups on today, and plated three runs right back in the 5th on five hits and a walk. A Del Pratt three-sack hit in the 6th scored two of the runs back, and four straight hits off Jack Quinn in the 7th gave Detroit a 7-6 edge.

But having a lead in this game was akin to carrying a stack of dessert plates while on roller skates. After Wambsganss doubled to begin the Boston 7th, Quinn bunted him to third and Bert Cole came in to face the tough Denny Williams. Denny singled in the tieing run, and it suddenly seemed as if we'd never get back to our lodgings. Rigney began the 9th with a single, though, and after Cobb reached on a force play, he absconded with second base on a weak throw from Val Picinich. The manager danced on and off the base, driving Quinn to ample distraction, and Heilman provided focus with a line single into left for the 8-7 lead!

Reporters on either side of me were typing up their final game stories, but I sat there with arms folded, because I knew Boston had a monopoly on leprechaun influence in this outing. Many of their earlier hits were of the miniscule, bleeding variety, and sure enough, with Syl Johnson in relief, two outs, and no one on the base paths, Danny Clark dripped a ball between the mound and third base and huffed it out. Joe Harris walked and up stepped Ike Boone, Boston's most dangerous swatter.

And swat he did, a deep double which bounded past Manush up Duffy's Cliff, scoring Clark with the equalizer. All we needed was a tragic finish, which Lucious Blue gave us in seconds, kicking away a Bobby Veach grounder to score Harris with the winner.

Detroit can still rebound from this travesty if Lil Stoner can hold his own tomorrow against Curt Fullerton. After Thursday's finale, Yankee Stadium and the inexplicably docile Ruth awaits, but one needs not be a genius to know how abruptly that large bear can explode from his sleepy cave.

DET 001 202 201 - 8 16 2
BOS 300 030 102 - 9 17 1

Other American League contests today:

INDIANS 21-21-0, at YANKEES 9-15-4
A perfect scenario for the Yanks to escape their gloom, as Luther Roy takes the Indian hill sporting a 1-5 record with 52 hits and 45 runs allowed in 35 innings. So New York goes out, makes four errors and Sad Sam Jones allows 21 runs. Do I even need to report what Babe Ruth does? (1-for-5, zero runs knocked in)

at SENATORS 6-9-2, BROWNS 5-13-3
Still minus their big slugger Ken Williams, the Brownies fight the Nats to the wire, charging back from an early 5-0 hole before succumbing on a Bucky Harris single in the last of the 9th. Dixie Davis actually leaves with an injury after one pitched inning, but Vangilder does an impressive job in his stead, holding Washington batters without a hit for five of the innings.

at ATHLETICS 13-18-1, WHITE SOX 2-10-2
A rare easy win for the Shibers, as rookie Al Simmons triples twice and knocks in five, and Sam Gray enjoys his first victory of the season. Chicago drops one game back of the Senators but stays safely ahead of the Tigers and Yanks as they prepare to invade the Nation's Capitol this weekend.










AMERICAN LEAGUE through Tuesday, May 20
Washington Senators 2312.657
Chicago White Sox 2112.6361
Detroit Tigers 1816.5294.5
New York Yankees 1816.5294.5
St. Louis Browns 1618.4716.5
Boston Red Sox 1420.4128.5
Cleveland Indians 1421.4009
Philadelphia Athletics 1322.37110

5.18.2009

OUR VERY OWN URBAN SHOCKER

May 20, 1924

Back at Cubs Park for the third game, we sat in incredible seats right behind the Phillie dugout left for us at a ticket window by Mr. Alphonse Capone. Our team was facing a guy named Tony Kauffman who was 0-5 so far, I had a bag of hot salted peanuts in my hand, Benny wasn't yelling at anyone yet and the world seemed wonderful.

Down only 2-1 even though Oescheger had given the Cubs seven hits in the first three innings, we started cracking the ball out of the yard. Wilson homered with one out in the top of the 4th, and an out later Hod Ford did the same thing. With two outs in the 5th, Harper hit one onto the right field street and we were up 4-2. Sixth place was right around the corner!

Then the sky got a little dark and so did the game. With two outs in the Cub 6th they got three singles and a walk off Oeschie and he was gone from the mound along with his 13 hits. Other than the three boingers we hit off Kauffman, though, he was pretty tough, and it was still 4-3 us when Ray Steineder took the hill for the bottom of the 9th. Ray hasn't been used all that much but he'd already pitched the 7th and 8th without allowing a hit, which after Oescheger was a huge thing.

Except he lost it somewhere on his way back to the mound. Friberg began with his fourth single of the game. Grantham singled and Grimes loaded the bases with another single. Huck Betts came running in to save the day and our shot at sixth place, but Hack Miller picked his first pitch and rammed it deep off the left brick wall for two runs and the shocking Cub win.

Benny and me walked out of there like the stars of our own funeral, and we were so down we almost forgot to drive to this building near a north side pier to pick up Capone's friend. It was some kind of shipping office on a dark street. Thunder and lightning was going now, and we must've sat in the Chrysler for a whole hour waiting for him to come out. Capone had sent a mechanic guy to our hotel that morning and thankfully the car ran like a dream now, but this was getting stupid.

Benny was all ready to leave when we heard two loud gunshots. The door to the shipping office opened and this guy in a black coat and cap came running out with a black valise bag. I opened the back door for him and he jumped in, all crazy, and told us to drive. Benny sure did, but the next thing we knew there were two cars racing after us. The guy sent us down one alley, then the next, and Benny almost hit three brick walls trying to follow his directions.

We ended up in a dark garage and sat there while the two cars went right by. We were both shaking but the guy whose name was Paulie Potatoes and had a face like one gave us three hundred dollars each from the black bag and a bottle of Canadian whiskey. "Mr. Capone says thanks," he said and disappeared around the corner.

I don't have to tell you that we sampled that whiskey when we got back to the Grasmere, and more than once.
Good night, reader-people!
—Vinny

PHL 001 210 000 - 4 9 2
CHI 101 001 002 - 5 17 0

Other National League games today:

at PIRATES 6-9-0, GIANTS 4-12-2
Well, I'm sure not worried about the Giants anymore, because they don't seem to have what it takes. They tie this one up 2-2 in the 5th, only to have Ross Youngs drop a fly for a three-base error and give the Bucs lead again. They tie it at 3-3 the next inning, only to have Youngs drop one for a two-base error, and three runs end up scoring on a Clyde Barnhart triple with two outs and the sacks filled. George Kelly is playing horrible once more, leaving six runners on base his first three times up and driving nobody in.

at REDS 6-9-1, ROBINS 0-7-0
Cincy stays on the Bucs' heels with a Tom Sheehan whitewash of Bill Doak, the second best Brooklyn starter after Vance. Bressler clubs a grand slam homer in the 7th off him to put the game away.

at CARDINALS 14-18-2, BRAVES 13-23-4 (10 innings)
Boston launches another losing streak in heartbreak style. Down 13-7 in the 9th, they score six times to tie the game, then lose it in extra innings when Ed Sperber drops a fly with the bases loaded with Cards. Hornsby gets three more hits and is up to .438 as he gets his lumber ready for the big bad Phillies.










NATIONAL LEAGUE through Tuesday, May 20
Pittsburgh Pirates2210.688
Cincinnati Reds2312.6570.5
Brooklyn Robins1914.5763.5
New York Giants1716.5155.5
St. Louis Cardinals1817.5145.5
Chicago Cubs1421.4009.5
Philadelphia Phillies1222.35311
Boston Braves1023.30312.5

5.17.2009

NON-STOP DETROIT HIT PARADE


WELLS WINS FIRST GAME AS TIGERS FROLIC IN FENWAY, 10-3

By Calvin J. Butterworth
Detroit Free-Enterprise

May 19, 1924

BOSTON, MASS—After an easy victory over the Red Sox played in Detroit due to Massachusetts' church day, the clubs returned to New England and Detroit kept their offensive circus going, pounding out 17 hits against Ferguson, Ruffing and Murray for a mildly effortless win.

Boston had as many runners afloat as the Tigers early on, but three double play balls knocked their scoring plans by the wayside. Frank O'Rourke turned in his most boisterous game of the year, striking doubles his first two times up to make it 2-0, before singling and tripling later to collect six of the ten Detroit runs batted in. Manager Cobb managed only a single in six tries, but the lower part of our lineup saved his bacon repeatedly. In addition to O'Rourke's heroics, Lu Blue was on base all five times and even pitcher Wells tripled in a mate.

A double from Chappie Geygan in the bottom of the 7th actually tied the score at 3-3, but then the Boston hurling ignited. Detroit plated four runs in the 8th and three more in the 9th, and Syl Johnson finished up the first win for Wells with two innings of shutout relief.

The Tigers play three more times at the Fens this week before training south to the House That Ruth Built Which He is Still Not Hitting In.

DET 010 101 043 - 10 17 2
BOS 001 000 200 - 3 9 0


Dear Readers:

It has been a pleasure to return to the base ball world again, more specifically, to the world of Detroit Tiger reporting I've been a part of for seven seasons now.

As most of you are aware, I was the recent victim of a physical attack by manager Ty Cobb for my published comments about his slapping and running style of play, and for my firm doubts about its suitably for our team. I now feel it is imperative to clear the air concerning this incident in these pages, so as to not only prevent other unwarranted attacks, but to express how the incident has altered my general feelings about my profession.

Mr. Cobb has had a long, distinguished career as a Tiger batsman, and if base ball ever constructs a suitable shrine to honor its greatest talents, I imagine he will be permanently housed there. Yet while I found his hair-trigger response to my words utterly uncivilized and reprehensible, I can understand why it occurred. The daily chore of performing well on a ball field while managing 23 other men is not something a member of the press like myself can ever identify with. Add in the constant niggling questions from said press members before and after each contest and the tension of merely staying afloat in a pennant chase, and it is no surprise more players do not walk up behind reporters and beat their heads without warning.

I can sit in in my booth seat here and wax eloquently about the statistical sheets that are handed to me by runner boys at game-time, but in doing so it is easy to lose one's sight of how extremely difficult it is to play base ball for a living. The next time we scribes question the thousands of dollars many of these players earn yearly, we should remember that. While I will never forgive Mr. Cobb's flying knuckles, I have a newfound respect for his passion—both for the game and his players—and I trust he and I will approach each other on professional, even footing from now until October's leaves fall.

Sincerely,

C.J.B.


Only other American League contest today:

WHITE SOX 13-20-1, at ATHLETICS 2-4-2
Red Faber is now 6-1, and this game was finished following a Collins double and Mostil triple in the 1st inning off Heimach. Chicago is clearly a force to be reckoned with this season, and seem eager to restore faith with the public after Shoeless Joe Jackson and his seven peers sullied the game's face five years ago. Collins, Falk, Hooper and Mostil are four of the toughest outs around, and their upcoming series in Washington should be the burner of all barns.










AMERICAN LEAGUE through Monday, May 19
Chicago White Sox 2111.656
Washington Senators 2212.647
Detroit Tigers 1815.5453.5
New York Yankees 1815.5453.5
St. Louis Browns 1617.4855.5
Boston Red Sox 1320.3948.5
Cleveland Indians 1321.3829
Philadelphia Athletics 1222.35310

5.16.2009

ASK QUESTIONS BEFORE YOU GRAB SOMEONE'S COLLAR



May 19, 1924

We let ourselves sleep till almost noon. The Grasmere Hotel was so close to Cubs Park we could walk to the game easy, which was a good thing because the Chrysler Six was making some funny noises on the way into Chicago yesterday and Benny was nervous about driving it for a few days.

It was another beautiful spring day and it was too bad Cubs Park didn't have a bleacher section because we would have enjoyed some of that sun in our faces. An usher in the right field stands told us that Cubs owner Albert Lasker was too cheap to expand the place and was thinking of selling the team to someone else, which I guess could be a good thing. Whoever the new owner is should buy them some good fielding, too, because they sure didn't have any today.

George Grantham booted one at second base in the 1st, and then we got a run off them in the 2nd on a walk and three more errors, two by Ray Grimes their first basemen. Hal Carlson, who has less talent than most pitchers in the league but always seems to come through for us did it again against Elmer Jacobs, and had a 1-0 shutout through the 7th inning. At one point he shot down 16 Cubbies in a row! The fans around us were yelling nasty words at their hitters and calling us bums and meatheads and I had to keep Benny in his seat because he was all ready to go at it with someone.

The fans were also blue because their young, homer-hitting catcher Gabby Hartnett went out with an injury back in the 2nd, and his replacement Bob O'Farrell pretty much stinks. Then the 8th inning started. Holke doubled past Hack Miller in left. Harper singled him to third. Cy doubled deep to right. Guy Bush came on to pitch and he was even worse. He got Wrightstone, but then hit Jimmie Wilson, threw a pitch over O'Farrell's head and the second run scored. Then Mokan knocked in a third one with a long fly. Then Ford doubled, then Carlson singled and Ford was smoked at the plate but it was 5-0 Phillies!

Benny was so excited he offered to buy me a giant pretzel from a wagon he'd seen behind home plate, so between innings we went over there. It was an awful long line but we stood in it anyway because the smell of those hot pretzels was enough to knock you silly. We missed the bottom of the 8th when the Cubs scored a run on a cheap grounder, and Sand doubled for us to start the 9th. Benny was all restless to get back but we were almost at the pretzel cart. Then this snotty little kid in a fancy suit jacket and tie and his greasy hair parted in the middle cut right in front of us in the line! Benny yelled at him to get lost and the kid turned around and stomped his shoe on Benny's foot. Benny grabbed him by the collar, said where's your parents and the kid said his dad was in the first row near the Cubs dugout. Benny stuck money for two pretzels in my hand and said he'd meet me at our seats. But the second he hauled the kid away the pretzel man looked at me with this real scared face and asked me if I knew who that boy's father was. After he told me he gave me a third pretzel for free and I was running down to the front row seats.

I got there a second before Benny did, and put the free pretzel in the kid's hand. "Hey Pa," said the kid to his dad, "this jerk swore at me." I tried to pull Benny away but it was too late, because Al Capone had already stood up. He wore a shiny blue suit with a white silk handkerchief in it, and he had pearl grey spats on his shoes and diamonds on his watch chain. He was also real short but had cold eyes that sort of froze you to the ground. He also had a pair of large, ugly men sitting in the row behind him, and they stood up with him.

I jabbered quickly that the boy got lost looking for the pretzel wagon and we helped him get back and didn't know you were his dad and so on and so forth and Benny looked like he was about to cry but all Capone said was "What's your name, kid?" So I told him Vinny Spanelli and this was my best friend Benzini Olio and he gave us a big smile and asked if we needed a ride home after the game. Benny said no thanks, Mr. Capone, we already have a car and we need to get back to our seats, right Vinny? Capone then said wait a second and asked if we wanted to make a little money giving one of HIS friends a ride after tomorrow's game. That's okay, said Benny, but my car's a little bit on the fritz so Capone said he'd take care of that for us, and he'd also throw in great ball game tickets for tomorrow. Me and Benny looked at each other and I don't have to tell you what Benny's answer was.

Mr. Capone actually seemed like a decent guy, even though he has what I guess you can call a nasty reputation. Sitting at a ball game for two hours can calm you down pretty good, even if your team loses. He gave us the name of a great steak and hamburger joint in the city, and we ate a huge dinner there after the game which turned out to be free when we told the host who sent us there. I never tasted hamburger meat so fresh and delicious, like the cow had been killed in the next room. The waiter said no, it happens a couple streets away.

Anyway, with all the excitement I forgot to mention that if we beat the Cubs tomorrow we pass them in the standings. Good night, reader-people!
—Vinny

PHL 010 000 041 - 6 9 0
CHI 000 000 010 - 1 6 4

Other National League games:

at PIRATES 2-8-0, GIANTS 1-7-0 (11 innings)
A fabulous thriller at Forbes. O'Connell triples in Frisch for a 1-0 Giants lead in the 6th, but doesn't try to score on Youngs' deep fly, and it costs them. Maranville doubles in the tieing run in the 7th and McQuillan and Kremer duel into extra innings before singles by Traynor, Cuyler and Earl Smith win it for the rampaging Buccos.

at REDS 8-18-3, ROBINS 3-6-3
Good thing Rachel was heading home on the train and didn't have to follow this one. Grimes gets tattooed all over the field by the pesky Cincy hitters, and Roush triples in the winners in the 6th. Pedro Dibut saves the game for his Cuban pal Dolf Luque.

BRAVES 3-7-1, at CARDINALS 2-7-4
Yes folks, it was bound to happen. Johnny Cooney pitches a tough game against Rhem, Sperber and Gibson are on base six times between them, and the Boston losing streak ends at 15 when they survive a scary St. Louis rally in the 9th. Niebergall pinch-hits a single, Freigau runs and steals second, Bottomley walks. Smith and Blades make outs to advance the runners and Hornsby is walked on purpose to face Hafey. Specs Toporcer bats for him though, and grounds out weakly to start the celebrations back in Beantown.










NATIONAL LEAGUE through Monday, May 19
Pittsburgh Pirates2110.677
Cincinnati Reds2212.6470.5
Brooklyn Robins1913.5942.5
New York Giants1715.5484.5
St. Louis Cardinals1717.5005.5
Chicago Cubs1321.3829.5
Philadelphia Phillies1221.36410
Boston Braves1022.31311.5

5.14.2009

A MOST JOLLY AFTERNOON TEA IN NAVIN GARDENS


EARL OF WHITEHILL HOSTS PERFECTLY LOVELY 5-4 BOSTON DEFEAT

By Elizabeth Dashwood Weevilhurst
Detroit Free-Enterprise
Society Page Editor

May 18, 1924

Azaleas were in bloom today in our fair town as the American Tiger Club hosted the esteemed Heart-Colored Sox Society of Boston in a nine-cup Sunday affair at Lord Navin's Field and Gardens. Flavored soda water, lemon juice and buttered sausage rolls were served, and all 26,267 gatherers seemed to enjoy the exquisite event.

The always-regal Earl of Whitehill presided over the proceedings from Navin's royal mound, and after a nervous first five settings that had our hearts aflutter, he collected his verve and allowed but one disagreeable tally the rest of the day. Spurring him on from the choicest seats were Lady Petunia Whitehill and their son Chester, who recently earned an A grade in his science and mathematics lessons.

Each club managed to gather 14 safeties, but with the Detroit outfit trailing in the event by a 4-3 count in the sixth setting, the crown of their lineup rose to the fore. The elegant Topper Rigney had a free stroll to first base, the skilled but often testy Tyrus Cobb poked a ball between two fielders, Chancellor Heinie Manush enjoyed a similar blow, Prince Harry Heilman hiked first-baseward, and then it was Mr. John Bassler's turn to shine. The Detroit catcher of pitcher-balls has recently soiled his good name by cavorting in the evenings with a woman of lowly repute, but this gladly had little affect on the pleasant proceedings or his manly dexterity, because he whacked Mr. Howard Ehmke's offering so hard and so fast into the outfield that a swarm of nearby butterflies nearly lost their lives.

The Tiger Club will now travel to Massachusetts for four more tet-a-tets with the Bostonians, and there are rumors afoot that many of the athletes' wives will also ride along, as the route next takes them to Manhattan, where fine society and finer shopping awaits. Molly Manush and Fanny Fothergill tend to share a rail compartment for these journeys, while Belinda Blue and her husband Lucius can often be spotted in the smoking car. Mr. and Mrs. Blue, by the way, are pleased to announce the engagement of their daughter Gwen to the distinguished tool merchant—

EDITOR'S NOTE: We hope readers have enjoyed our guest base ball columnists the last few days, including the always presentable words of our woman-writer and athletic follower Mrs. Weevilhurst. Calvin J. Butterworth is expected to return to his full-time sportswriting duties for tomorrow's contest at Fenway Park in Boston, where he has apparently recovered from his recent mishap.

BOS 020 011 000 - 4 14 0
DET 100 022 00x - 5 14 1

Other American League parties today:

BROWNS 2-11-1, at SENATORS 0-7-1
My heavens, those rambunctious Brownies! Ernest Wingard pitches his third full game of the year without issuing a run, and this time it is against the Washington throne-sitters! Tom Zachary and Senators ruler Harris are among the severely befuddled onlookers.

INDIANS 7-13-1, at YANKEES 5-10-2
King George Herman Ruth is positioned atop the New York lineup card in an attempt to muss the club's recent bad fortune, and responds mightily with his ninth fence-clearing swat, a single, two doubles and a walk to first—and yet the occupants of Bronx Palace still flub away the game at the moment of decision. Ahead by a 5-4 count in the 9th, Everett Scott, placed on the field for his defensive skill, trips over a ground ball with one out. Relief man Milton Gaston strikes out Cleveland hurler Uhle, a feisty swatter himself, and Charles Jamieson hits a ball out to the Earle of Combs, still on the field for his defensive skill. Mr. Combs can't retrieve it, and it rolls for a double. George Burns marches to the plate with his mighty stick and strikes a Gaston ball high into the bluebird-colored sky, a lone cloud bowing to give it room, and it falls over the left field fence, never to be seen or heard from again. It is inconceivable to imagine the flood of verbal abuse leaving the upper rafters at that moment, and I will not even travel there.










AMERICAN LEAGUE through Sunday, May 18
Washington Senators 2212.647
Chicago White Sox 2011.6450.5
New York Yankees 1815.5453.5
Detroit Tigers 1715.5314
St. Louis Browns 1617.4855.5
Boston Red Sox 1319.4068
Cleveland Indians 1321.3829
Philadelphia Athletics 1221.3649.5

5.13.2009

OUR KIND OF TOWN


May 18, 1924

We stopped for more petrol outside of Gary, Indiana, and got to Chicago around noon time. What a gigantic city, and there were so many people with cars on the roads, much more than I could remember seeing in New York. We got a city map from another gasoline station and Benny drove us north along Lake Michigan which looked more like an ocean than a lake.

Cubs Park was in a crowded neighborhood on the north side of town. Benny thought we should get right to the game and worry about a hotel afterwards, which turned out to be good idea as you'll see. The streets around the park were filled with baseball fans that all seemed just thrilled to be going to a game, even though their team hasn't been in a World Series for almost six years now. There were peanut and sausage carts and pennant hawkers everywhere, and the sun was out and the whole area just had a happy baseball feeling I never experienced before.

The best thing was that the Cubs always kept a bunch of good seat tickets available for every game, meaning after standing in a line for just a half hour we had some! They were right behind third base and gave us good views of the city behind the brick outfield walls. Anyway, the second we dropped in out seats, George Harper smacked a homer out to right, scoring Sand from first and we had a 2-0 lead! Bill Hubbell pitched for us, who isn't that great but usually seems to keep us in games. On the mound for the Cubs, though, was Grover Cleveland Alexander, who some people call Pete but Benny and me call a drunk. He pitched for us in the 1915 World Series against Boston and Papa used to tell me how much he loved watering holes after most of the games.

Anyway, he must have been coming off a bender today because he was teetering and tottering out there something awful. With a man on second for us in the 2nd inning, he floated one in to Sand and Heinie smashed it high over the bricks in left and we were winning 4-o. Can you believe it? Heinie Sand homered off Alexander? Well, the man can drink but he can also hit, because after Sparky Adams doubled in the bottom of the 2nd, Old Pete got hold of a fastball, closed his eyes and put it out on Waveland Avenue somewhere.

Then he went back out to give us more presents. He walked Harper and Cy, got Wrightstone on a grounder, but Wilson, Mokan and Ford all doubled to make it 8-2 Phillies. We yelped as loud as we could without upsetting the locals, but they really didn't seem to care anyway. Alexander calmed down after that and pitched darn fine until the 9th when he gave up three more singles and got yanked, but one of the reasons was because he walked and singled and was probably the best Cubs hitter all day. Johnny Couch finished up for us when Hubbell got tired, and we kept up our streak of winning the first game out of four in the third straight city.

We picked out a hotel called the Grasmere afterward, which was close enough to Cubs Park to walk there. The lobby guy said that Charlie Chaplin even stayed there once, which gave us a tiny thrill. As usual, Benny was feeling bouncy after we won the game, and wanted to get out and explore the city. He found out about a big dancing hall on North Broadway which was right in our neighborhood called the Arcadia Ballroom, and I said what the heck I needed to move my legs a little.

And what a place! It was filled with mostly white people but also some coloreds, because a group of them called Walter Barnes and his Royal Creolians had the stage and boy, could they ever play! Barnes was on a clarinet and a saxaphone and they also had a piano player and a drummer and someone with a trumpet and it was impossible to sit still.

And you'll never guess who screamed my name while Benny and me were trying to buy glasses of flavored seltzer. We turned and there was Rachel! She'd taken the train out to Chicago to visit a girlfriend and see the Robins play at Cubs Park, and it just so happened she was staying an extra day! We hugged each other and she shook Benny's hand and then brought us over to a table where her friend was. Ruby was a pretty young colored girl who used to clean Rachel's house in Brooklyn many years ago and the two of them kept writing letters after Ruby moved away. She was married to Thomas, a colored horse trainer who was also there, and we had a good talk about baseball and horses and jazz music, which had come up from New Orleans and was sweeping through the town. Thomas said he knew some of the colored players from the negro leagues like Rube Foster and Oscar Charleston, and asked if I'd like to see them play sometime and I said sure, though the prospect for that didn't look good because of our short stay in town.

The Creolians then played a song called the "Jelly Roll Blues" written by a piano player named Ferd Morton, and Rachel dragged me and Benny out on the big wood floor to show us how to do the Foxtrot dance. I was a big failure at that but Benny picked it up pretty good, and he spun away to try it with some other girl he had his eyes on.

Rachel said there was something magical about the way we kept running into each other in different cities, and I agreed alright. I told her all about Pittsburgh and Cincinnati, which got her all excited about the Robins again because I guess they creamed the Reds there today in their first meeting. She said she'd been thinking about visiting me in Philadelphia the next time the Robins are there and I said she'd be real welcome at Mama's house, except she might have to pretend she's Italian for a night.

She left with Ruby and Thomas after a while after giving me a nice long kiss in an alley around the corner, and Benny ribbed me about all the way back to the hotel like I figured he would. My first day and night in Chicago had been like heaven, a place where you can always count on a good sleep. Good night, reader-people!
—Vinny

PHL 224 000 102 - 11 15 0
CHI 020 010 020 - 5 10 3

Other National League games:

ROBINS 10-15-5, at REDS 5-9-1
Cincy does its best to annoy the heck out of Dazzy Vance, but they're no match for the amazing Jack Fournier, who triples in two runs in the 1st, adds a double and single as Brooklyn stomps the Reds pretty good in their first showdown meeting.

at CARDINALS 9-11-2, BRAVES 8-16-0
Boston loses their 15th in a row, and after this one they might never win again. They jump all over Leo Dickerman the entire game with doubles and triples and have an 8-5 lead going to the last of the 9th. Their only good starter Jesse Barnes gets the first out, and then Les Bell pinch hits a single. Blades and Toporcer also single and Skinny Graham enters to save the day. He can't save his life, walking Bottomley and Hornsby before Clemons and Chick Hafey single to take the game away with four runs in the 9th! The Phillies now a game and a half in front of them and only a game and a half away from the Cubs!










NATIONAL LEAGUE through Sunday, May 18
Pittsburgh Pirates2010.667
Cincinnati Reds2112.6360.5
Brooklyn Robins1912.6151.5
New York Giants1714.5483.5
St. Louis Cardinals1716.5134.5
Chicago Cubs1320.3948.5
Philadelphia Phillies1121.34410
Boston Braves922.29011.5

5.12.2009

GEORGIA PEACH WINS PRIZE PHILLY STAKES BY 17 LENGTHS


By W. Walter Bell
Detroit Free-Enterprise
Horse Editor

May 17, 1924

Howdy folks, this is "Wahoo" Wally Bell, reporting from Shibe Park in the city of Philadelphia, for the final race in this four-match series. Black Gold has already won today's Kentucky Derby by a half-length over Chilhowee, and while it pains me not to have been there, it's a pleasure to fill in here for my friend and colleague Cal Butterworth. And maybe the running Tigers can give us all another thrill as they dig into the fast Shibe track against Stan Baumgarten and his dazzling 5-1 mark.

In the first position for us it's Topper Rigney, followed by you-know-who, the southern whirlwind, the prize Georgia gelding, furiously trying to shake off the bad marks on his name, the Dasher of Dashers, I'm talking about Tyrus Cobb. Fred Haney lines up in the third position, followed by the Tan Stallion, His Heilness, old Give-'em Hell Harry cleaning up the track. You know him, you like him, you can't stop saying Heinie Manush chomps his bit in the five spot. Rounding out the nine starting gates is Larry Woodall at catcher, a subber but a hitter, Del Pratt, a grinder with a meat cleaver of a glove, Frankie O'Rourke in the eighth spot and finally the Ripper Mr. Collins with his 3-2 record, and it looks like he's eaten his bacon and hay this morning...

Here comes the starting Wahoo Bell, and they're off!!...We got Rigney, Cobb and Haney all free passing out of the gate and Manush knocks one in with a grounder...Coming into the second inning now it's O'Rourke with a single and steal, Collins a walk and HERE'S GEORGIA PEACH lining a double! Haney singles, Heilman singles, Manush singles, Woodall singles, it's a runaway out here, folks!

Galloway triples and scores on a grounder to delight the home mob but only for a minute as we round into the middle stretch of track and here's the Peach walking, stealing, racing to third on a crappy throw, Haney and Heilman walking and Manush with another single and it's 8-1, everyone! Nobody saw this coming, I tell you, nobody! O'Rourke with a double to start the 5th, and a Rigney walk, Cobb single and Haney double and Baumgarten's put out of his misery somewhere under the grandstand. Bob Hasty takes the pitching reins but it's fruitless, folks, as Rigney homers in the 6th and four more Tigers gallop home after that!

They're finally around the back stretch now... fans are departing like winter geese, even the weak-hitting Bob Jones has replaced Haney and here's a triple by the Peach, the Peach who's been hitting and running like a demon possessed, on base all six times...Collins has been masterful too, from start to finish and here's the proof, as Al Simmons goes out on a limp liner and it's over! Detroit by 17 easy lengths!


There was never a doubt in this one, folks, never a doubt, and let me be the first to say that these Bengals are far from skinned in this six-month pennant derby, regardless of what my recuperating friend and colleague thinks, though rare stampedes like this one should help mend him on the quick! The team heads back to Detroit tomorrow for a Sunday game with the Red Sox, as they're unable to play in Beanville on those pesky Lord's days, but they'll be back at Fenway the day after that, ready to put in their licks against the crimson footwear, and I'll stake my reputation on it. This has been "Wahoo" Wally Bell, coming to you from Shibe Downs on the north side of Brotherly Love City. Good afternoon, one and all!

DET 150 254 010 - 18 17 2
PHL 001 000 000 - 1 6 1

Today's other match races in the American league:

WHITE SOX 10-13-1, a RED SOX 7-9-3
Sloppy Thurston is anything but, and the second placers outdistance their red counterparts with ease, tallying five runs in the 4th and two more in the 5th against the lame-armed Oscar Fuhr.

at SENATORS 4-9-1, INDIANS 3-9-2
It's a photo finish this time, folks, but the nasty Nats nip the Tribe for the 4-match quadruple crown sweep. Ogden bests Coveleski as Sam Rice collects three singles including the game-decider.

BROWNS 6-12-1, at YANKEES 3-9-0
And in the Bronx, it's another shocking upset, as the luckless Dave Danforth and his 0-6 mark bests Non-Jolly Joe Bush and the New Yawkers to split the four matches. St. Louis breaks out to a six-length 3rd inning lead with a burst of five singles and one Harry Rice triple, and all the Gothams can do is eat their dust. The most disappointing beast in the field, one Bambino H. Ruth, late of Baltimore childhood and Boston fame, soils the track yet again with a hitless performance, and those kind, understanding Bronxian hordes shower him with their daily refuse. It's getting willy-nilly up there, folks!










AMERICAN LEAGUE through Saturday, May 17
Washington Senators 2211.667
Chicago White Sox 2011.6451
New York Yankees 1814.5633.5
Detroit Tigers 1615.5165
St. Louis Browns 1517.4696.5
Boston Red Sox 1318.4198
Cleveland Indians 1221.36410
Philadelphia Athletics 1221.36410

5.11.2009

WE GLADLY WALK THE PLANK


May 17, 1924

So Benny sat there at our little table with his legs crossed, wearing his William Penn Hotel cloth robe, having juice and crumpets for breakfast. I was still half asleep but he kept snapping his newspaper to keep me awake.

Until a story in the sports section did it for him. Seems that this poor Detroit baseball writer named Butterworth got jumped outside Shibe Park the other night by none other than Ty Cobb and got pumelled pretty bad and sent to a hospital with a broken left arm and two black eyes. Now Benny might be nuts but he thinks it's the same writer he wanted to mess up himself when he wrote something nasty about the Phillies before the season began. And here he was in our city getting roughed up by somebody famous! Isn't that ironical?

Anyway, Commissioner Landis is looking into suspending Cobb, something he seems to do a lot, but it might be hard because he is the Tiger manager and they're in the pennant race, though we can't have star players beating up writers because that doesn't look too good. So we'll see.

As it turns out this Butterfield guy was sure right about the Phils, because the Pirates took Jimmy Ring and the rest of us apart like a cheap watch and threw the parts into the gutter. The final score was a 12-0 creaming with the game over after the fourth Pirate batter, but what stunk to high heaven was that we had to sit up close in those good seats with Rutherford's niece and try to be polite to her for all two hours.

Her name was Lily and she was about my age and not too attractive but she had on a white church dress and wore a hat so big that it covered up most of her face. She knew absolutely nothing about baseball and with Benny uninterested and too busy suffering with every Pirate run, it was left to me to explain things. Yes, the defense has the ball, not the offense. Yes, a foul hit is not a penalty hit. No, I have no idea why home plate is shaped like that. No, I have no idea why they call them Pie, Kiki and Rabbit. On and on this went, and what was real bad is that normally we would have left by the 6th inning to start our long drive to Chicago, but we were afraid to strand Lily there and have some rich guy in Pittsburgh who thought we were someone else be mad at us.

The Bucs laid us nicely in our coffins with five final runs in the 8th. Jimmy Ring is now 0-6 for us, while Johnny Morrison, definitely the worst person in their rotation, got his third shutout, is 5-0 and dropped his earned run average to a tiny 0.89. Pittsburgh ended up taking three out of the four games after our opening win, which if you can remember actually made us feel compeititve. What thoughts were we having?

Lily invited us over to her parents' house after the game for tea, but we made up some excuse about going to see our stockbrokers, stuck her in a taxi cab, hightailed it back to the hotel for our bags and hit the first road into Ohio. We drove clear across the state until it was almost midnight, and ended up in a town called Van Wert that was just about in Indiana. The 40 Winks Motor Hotel wasn't much, but it was actually a relief for me after the stuffy William Penn. We thought we heard someone snooping around outside our cabin door as we were falling asleep, and Benny was sure it was M. Conroy Face with his evil facial hair, but I said why would that guy ever be following us? Benny got that guilty look he gets and turned over, and then I was suddenly worried again. Good night if I can sleep, reader-people!
—Vinny

PHL 000 000 000 - 0 4 1
PIT 203 001 15x - 12 17 2

Other National League games:

at REDS 4-9-1, BRAVES 1-7-0
Would you believe 14 straight losses for Boston? And I thought we stunk! The frightening Eppa Rixey does it to them, and Cavaney and Cliff Lee get today's big Red triples.

GIANTS 7-11-1, at CUBS 3-6-1
George Kelly finally wakes up big time with two smash homers and Jonnard pitches two relief innings getting all six Cubs he faces. Knowing the way McGraw yells at his men, I wouldn't count the Giants out of this yet.

at CARDINALS 8-12-1, ROBINS 5-9-1
Brooklyn's having problems, though. They battle back here from four runs down and take a 5-4 lead in the 7th against Sherdel, but Tiny Osborne coughs it right back up as the first five Cards get singles off him in the bottom of the same inning and St. Louis ends up splitting the four games with them.










NATIONAL LEAGUE through Saturday, May 17
Pittsburgh Pirates2010.667
Cincinnati Reds2111.656
Brooklyn Robins1812.6002
New York Giants1714.5483.5
St. Louis Cardinals1616.5005
Chicago Cubs1319.4068
Philadelphia Phillies1021.32310.5
Boston Braves921.30011