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

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