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	22	11	.667	—
Chicago White Sox	20	11	.645	1
New York Yankees	18	14	.563	3.5
Detroit Tigers	16	15	.516	5
St. Louis Browns	15	17	.469	6.5
Boston Red Sox	13	18	.419	8
Cleveland Indians	12	21	.364	10
Philadelphia Athletics	12	21	.364	10