8.19.2009

A CRASHING HALT IN OHIO

TEN SAFE HITS PRODUCE ONE ORPHANED TALLY AS COBB'S TOOTHPICK-SWINGERS DROP OPENER TO TRIBE

By Calvin J. Butterworth
Detroit Free-Enterprise

June 27, 1924

CLEVELAND—Is this where the Tigers have chosen to give the race away to the Senators and White Sox? A grey, half-filled League Park? After finishing off the Browns the last two days, they ran into a human bat grinder named Sherrod "Sherry" Smith, star portsider for the Indians, and it was not attractive.

Seven of the ten Detroit safeties came from the 4-through-7 spots in the order, and leadoff man Heilman in the 6th was the only one to cross the dish. He scored following a Manush single and deep Woodall fly, which actually broke a scoreless tie between Smith and Earl Whitehill. But George Burns began the Cleveland 6th with a sharp double, Joe Sewell walked, and after Speaker advanced them both with a grounder, Homer Summa ripped a single between Cobb and Heilman for a 2-1 Tribe lead.

The way these two clubs can put runners aboard, no one imagined the small outburst would be enough to decide the fate of the contest. But the Tigers had other ideas, shameful ones at that. Haney singled to start the 8th and Heilman bounced into a twin killing. After Luke Sewell knocked in the third Cleveland run with a single in their 8th, Woodall reached second to begin the 9th when Burns threw away his grounder for a single and error. O'Rourke and Pratt proceeded to do nothing, but pinch-hitter Wingo reached on another error by Joe Sewell.

It was up to Cobb, who has been facing more and more abuse lately for selling his punchless style of hitting to his players. He was 1-for-4 on the day, a weak single in the 5th, and this time grounded limply to Burns at the first base bag to abandon both runners and complete the frustrating loss.

I tried to approach him afterwards with a small gaggle of press members, but he yelled "Go back to your goddamn clack-clacks!" and slammed his office door in our faces. Perhaps His Cobbness should curb his ribald profanity, hang up his murderous cleats for a day and try his luck at the keyboard, so he could see how punishing it is to write daily glowing prose about this club.

DET 000 001 000 - 1 10 1
CLE 000 002 01x - 3 9 2

Other American League games today:

YANKEES 6-10-1, at RED SOX 2-10-1
The game is knotted at 2-2 in the 8th when an absolute miracle occurs. Babe Ruth picks out an Alex Ferguson fastball and hits it far into the right field Fenway bleachers for a 3-2 Yankee lead. The miracle is that after an error, two doubles and a single add three more runs and give the Yanks a four-run margin, the Bambino's clout turns out to be the game-winner, his third of the year. He is only fourteen away from Goose Goslin now.

BROWNS 6-11-2, at WHITE SOX 2-10-1
As long as we are discussing miracles, how about the Browns thumping Chicago again, on yet another George Sisler winner? The Sox threaten all day against Wingard, but Ernie escapes the hot coals in his bare feet, with Hub Pruett saving him when he gets Sheely on a line out with two Chicagoans aboard.

The Senators and Athletics take the day off, and Philadelphia is no doubt elated, seeing they are currently 2-13 against the first placers.










AMERICAN LEAGUE through Friday, June 27
Washington Senators 4725.653
Chicago White Sox 4228.6004
Detroit Tigers 3933.5428
New York Yankees 3535.50011
St. Louis Browns 3239.45114.5
Boston Red Sox 3040.42916
Philadelphia Athletics 3042.41717
Cleveland Indians 2942.40817.5

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