ENOUGH OF THIS SCHOOL STUFF ALREADY

RECENTLY, IN THE NATIONAL LEAGUE: Bucs eat us for lunch...Vinny and Benny eat a nice dinner on their grandstand winnings...summer's almost here...

June 13, 1924

It was a perfect Friday the 13th if there ever was one. The luckiest thing that happened was that I graduated public school even though I skipped class almost every afternoon since April. Guess that's what happens when your principal is afraid to do you wrong.

Mr. Tuggerheinz had his picture taken with us while Mrs. Crackerbee was off in the school kitchen making a hundred apple tarts for everyone to eat at the reception. We all got flimsy paper diplomas that said we were "bound to continue on to an institution of higher learning" which I suppose makes sense if you can afford that. More likely I'll be getting a job to help out Mama before long.

Anyway, it was hellish-hot, and we had to line up out in the yard next to the flagpole and wait for Tuggerheinz to call every graduating kid up to get his flimsy paper. Naturally I was the only graduator not to wear a tie and with the heat and all it paid off. Mama was there with a big hat on, fanning herself and grinning the whole time and when I shook Tuggerheinz' hand I grinned back at her which got all the girls in the class giggling. They can think what they want, but I'm never ashamed to be a mama's boy.

The part afterwards lasted for hours and about sixteen other moms and dads took turns patting my head and mussing my hair. I wished Benny was there to help me escape but as it turned out, it was the best day I could've decided to skip going to Baker Bowl. We lost to the Bucs 15-3 yesterday, so even though I figured we wouldn't get creamed again that badly, I wasn't exactly in the mood to watch another loss.

Boy, was I ever wrong This was even worse.

PIRATES 300 205 311 - 15 20 2
PHILLIES 101 000 000 - 2 8 1

W-Kremer L-Oescheger

Traynor--4 hits including a homer
Cuyler--5 hits
Moore--4 hits
Maranville--3 hits

Phillies--3 GIDPs

Good night, reader-people!
—Vinny


Other National League games today:

at GIANTS 3-10-0, REDS 2-7-1
The Big Bad Giants make it five out of six against the briefly first place Reds, taking the game in heart failure style again. With Nehf throwing a gem but only up 1-0 due to George Kelly stinking in key situations all through the game again, Roush ties the score with a 7th inning blast. Bubbles Hargave doubles in the go-ahead score in the top of the 9th, and the Polo Grounds get quiet. But Pete Donohue helps them out, giving up a Wilson walk and Meusel single to begin things. Dibut is called in but gets nobody out either, as Snyder ties the game with a single, Lindstrom walks and Nehf wins it himself with a single.

at ROBINS 8-17-3, CARDINALS 7-9-1 (10 innings)
Holy cow, what a game! I hope Rachel was there for it, which reminds me I need to write her again. Anyway, Zack Wheat pounds home runs his first THREE times to the plate and gives Dazzy Vance a 4-2 lead. Then his defense almost throws the game away. Fournier and Neis both make huge errors, Blades and Bottomley homer, and the Cards score five runs in the 5th, four of them not earned. But Jesse Haines tires in the 9th and tie the game with two runs, then win it on an Andy High double in the 10th and tie St. Louis for fourth place. Phew!

CUBS 9-11-2, at BRAVES 7-11-2
I swear, the only runs Boston has scored in the last two games are on bad fielding by the other team. Miller and Hartnett both homer off Jesse Barnes, who ends up losing his seventh straight start after winning his first three.

NATIONAL LEAGUE through Friday, June 13
Pittsburgh Pirates	34	20	.630	—
Cincinnati Reds	35	22	.614	0.5
New York Giants	33	22	.600	1.5
Brooklyn Robins	29	25	.537	5
St. Louis Cardinals	31	27	.534	5
Chicago Cubs	26	31	.456	9.5
Philadelphia Phillies	22	34	.393	13
Boston Braves	13	42	.236	21.5