YDE GADS!

RECENTLY, IN THE NATIONAL LEAGUE: Bucs beat us up after a day off...Reds squeak by Braves...Vinny sick of Pittsburgh altogether...

July 15, 1924

Heinie Sand was all out of sorts this morning because the floozie he spent Saturday night with wanted nothing to do with him after yesterday's loss, and according to him that's when ballplayers need loving stuff the most. Of course from what I've seen so far players seem to need it when they win or lose, but it sure isn't my place to give them a hard time. Heinie and me have gotten pretty close and the last thing I wanna do is mess that up.

But the first thing I wanted to do after today's disaster was bury my head in a ball bag. Johnny Couch started for us against this very tough young rube named Emil Yde (third from the left in the snapshot), and it was downright bloody by the end. After the Pirates scored twice in the 2nd without getting a hit (three walks, error from Heinie and a scoring fly) we got three right back in the 3rd with almost exactly the same garbage (three walks, error by Wright and a single).

Couch probably thought this was his lucky day at that point, but before long he needed to lay on a couch, because these Buccaneers take no prisoners. Moore singled right off the bat, Cuyler tripled, Smith singled and they had the lead back. Two walks, a single and double after that and they were up 7-3. Cuyler started the next inning with a triple just to show off, Smith got him home with a deep fly and it was 8-3.

Things calmed down from there, but mostly for us. After Couch singled in the 4th we got no hits off this Yde joker the whole rest of the game. Three walks and three singles in the 8th polished us off for good, and we were off to Penn Station like hay through a horse.

Nobody on the train seemed to care all that much, because I guess it's always easier to get clobbered then lose by one run and be thinking about one or two plays you flubbed for the whole ride. Wrightstone gave me my first taste of Caribbean rum and I kind of liked it, even though it didn't mix too well with a rocking sleeping berth. Anyway, I sure look forward to getting back to Cubs Park tomorrow.

Good night, reader-people!
—Vinny

PHI 003 000 000 - 3 2 1
PIT 025 100 04x - 12 11 1

Other National League games today:

at REDS 2-7-1, BRAVES 0-4-1
Another close shave for Cincy, the second straight day they can only score twice off the lousy Boston pitching. Lucky for them Carl Mays is throwing, and with his 12-5 record now his earned run average drops to a skimpy 2.23.

GIANTS 9-20-0, at CUBS 4-8-3
Kelly goes ape in the seventh spot again, but the real beast is catcher Frank Snyder, who bats right before him and goes 5-for-5 with a homer and two doubles. What makes baseball great is this game, because with Pete Alexander going for the Cubs against Mule Watson, you'd think Chicago would have it in the bag. Uh-uh. Old Pete is plain awful. The only nick in the New York armor is the fact they're about to go to Pittsburgh, which of course is why they lose shortstop Travis Jackson for the next three games.

ROBINS 9-10-0, at CARDINALS 1-7-3
Dazzy Vance, though, turns in another gem. Hardly-used Tommy Griffith plays right field for Bernie Neis and gets three hits, including a 2-run clout. Dazzy is now 14-4, tops in the league.

NATIONAL LEAGUE through Tuesday, July 15
Pittsburgh Pirates	56	28	.667	—
Cincinnati Reds	53	35	.602	5
Brooklyn Robins	51	37	.580	7
New York Giants	49	36	.576	7.5
St. Louis Cardinals	42	44	.488	15
Chicago Cubs	38	48	.442	19
Philadelphia Phillies	34	54	.386	24
Boston Braves	23	64	.264	34.5