Base Ball Freescriber
August 7, 1924
Safe from the watching eyes of my cohorts in the furthermost bleacher section of Navin Field before today's first skirmish with Boston, I take the time to jot down some rarified names on my note pad:1B-Judge, Bottomley
2B-Hornsby, E. Collins
SS-Sewell, Wright
3B-Traynor, Dykes
LF-Cuyler, Goslin
CF-Speaker, C. Williams, Roush, Jacobson
RF-Ruth, Heilman, Youngs
C-Hartnett, Myatt
P-Alexander, Vance, Rixey, Mays, R. Collins
Pennock, Adams, Ehrhardt, Big Train?
Surely the most formidable squad in base ball history is planning to take the Hilldale Field this Sunday by hook or crook, and if Walter Johnson decides to pitch, the Negro stars may just as well stay in their rooming houses. How can anyone on earth beat us, let along an amalgamation of untried talent? Regardless, it should be a fascinating event, and as God as my witness I will be sitting in a seat with pen and scribing pad in hand to recount what happens.
My head is so filled with burning thoughts on this matter that I nearly miss the quick Red Sox rally in the 1st off Ripper Collins. Williams and Clark walk to start the game, Harris triples them in, Boone singles him in, and Detroit is behind 3-0. Collins has been nearly impossible to beat all year, and settles down rapidly.
Heilman clubs a long homer off Ferguson to spark a 4-run Tiger bombardment in the 2nd, and the bleacherites around me are ecstatic. The 4-3 lead holds for the next three innings, and the beautiful weather helps everyone's mood. The only blemish is Mr. Tyrus Cobb, his beady eyes and smirking face searching the crowd for me whenever he jogs out to center field. Since he saw me speaking to Ruth after yesterday's game he's seemed even more strange and suspicious than usual, and I have to pull the brim of my hat over my eyes to avoid his gaze.
A Harris double and Veach single in the 6th knots the action, and things stay tense until the last of the 8th. Manush works a leadoff walk, and with one out, Pratt dunks a single in front of Ike Boone over in right. Ike plays a silly game of jiggly-pop with the ball, Manush gazelles all the way around the sacks with the lead run, and Collins is energized all over again. The Ripper snuffs the Sox 1-2-3 in the 9th for his base ball-best 18th win, and Detroit has victory No. 60.
Imagine, then, the unexpected horror of what follows. I stop in the press porch to grab a new notepad after the game, and find a horde of writers standing around a telegraphed statement that has just been delivered. I squeeze through to give it a read:
FROM THE OFFICE OF THE BASE BALL COMMISSIONER:
A recent rumor has crossed my desk that an assortment of fine major leaguers may be participating in an exhibition game soon against a team of dark players for extra pay. This is expressly forbidden by our league bylaws. As the sport's commissioner, let it be said I will not tolerate such ribald, ill-conceived behavior. Any players caught being involved in a game like this during an actual championship season could face serious fines and suspension, and may be asked to apologize to the base ball public at large concerning the errors of their ways.
Sincerely,
Kenesaw Mountain Landis
So Cobb turned us in. I should have known...
BOS 300 001 000 - 4 8 2
DET 040 000 01x - 5 8 1
THE DAY'S OTHER AMERICAN LEAGUE CONTESTS:
at WHITE SOX 3-13-1, SENATORS 2-9-1 (10 innings)
Another in a recent series of brutal losses for the first-placers. Down 2-0 to Lyons, the Nats claw back and tie the game in the 8th off Blankenship, only to have Zachary and Russell run into a sawmill in the 9th. Falk singles with one out, Hooper singles him to second, Sheely singles but Falk is gunned at the plate. Archdeacon walks to re-load the sacks and Kamm singles for the winner. The Tigers and White Sox pick up a full game and threaten to make this a race again.
ATHLETICS 6-14-0, a BROWNS 3-7-1
St. Louis cooled off for a day by Baumgartner, and Bill Lamar continues his hot stroking with four hits in five tries.
YANKEES 11-19-1, at INDIANS 2-7-2
Apparently Happy Ruth clubs homer no. 31, a 3-run shot in a six-run Yankee 2nd, as Luther Roy is sent scurrying into his bunker. It may be the best swatting support Pennock has enjoyed all year.
| AMERICAN LEAGUE through Thursday, August 7 | ||||
| Washington Senators | 70 | 40 | .636 | — |
| Detroit Tigers | 60 | 51 | .541 | 10.5 |
| Chicago White Sox | 57 | 51 | .528 | 12 |
| New York Yankees | 54 | 54 | .500 | 15 |
| St. Louis Browns | 52 | 58 | .473 | 18 |
| Philadelphia Athletics | 49 | 61 | .445 | 21 |
| Cleveland Indians | 49 | 62 | .441 | 21.5 |
| Boston Red Sox | 47 | 61 | .435 | 22 |
Jeff, as a recent visitor to the Ty Cobb Museum in Royston, GA, I was a little reluctant to purchase a souvenir t-shirt due to this type of behavior from The Georgia Peach. After a mild internal debate, I purchased the t-shirt, a very comfortable Hanes Beefy-T, and a coffee mug. tycobbmuseum.org
ReplyDeleteI understand your torment, sir. Here we are debating the Hall of Fame merits of McGwire and Sosa for steroid reasons, while a detestable bigot who once beat up a crippled fan is ushered right in and ends up with his own museum.
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand, those old Ty Cobb Coke bottles look rather spiffy.