BACK ON THE NEW ENGLAND TRAIN

RECENT WINNING TIGER PLAY CONTINUES WITH BOSTON BASHING AND FRESHENS OUTLOOK

By C. Jedediah Butterworth
Base Ball Freescriber

August 25, 1924

Our short rail ride up to Boston has me on edge a mere ten miles into Connecticut, for I realize I am entering the same hostile region where I abandoned the team a month ago, and when the train stops for more passengers at New Haven, I grab my bag and step onto the platform to find a calming bench and some fresh air.

I am tempted to wait for the next southbound line and return to Michigan before my team does. My evening of ribald carousing with the Babe has damaged my resistance and poisoned my thoughts. Would any of my readers even miss me?

"You're a crackpot! Dud Lee couldn't field a grounder if it was handed to him!"

"Yeah, sure, and Scott hits like a 6-year-old girl!"

The shouting comes from a nearby booth, where two ticket sellers, one for the Yankees and the other the Red Sox, are having at it in exceedingly coarse language about which team will finish in front of the other. And then it hits me: What in the Lord's name have I to complain about? The Tigers have just swept these New Yorkers and have a firm grasp on second place! How would I like to be following and writing about the Indians, or the Phillies, for that matter, who despite being entombed in their seventh place National League dungeon has hardly affected young Master Spanelli's daily enthusiasm for base ball.

No, I have just been undergoing a crisis in the middle of my life, and if anything, my recent solitary trek into this "hostile" region saw me emerge from the northern end with a fresh, positive outlook about my ball-writing duties. The train whistle sounds and I hurriedly re-board and fall asleep in my berth with a few paragraphs of Dickens.

And this afternoon at precious little Fenway Park, the Tigers continue their winning ways against Oscar Fuhr. Everyone in the lineup is clubbing the ball, particularly Fred Haney with two singles and a triple, Heilman drives in three to give him 117 in that department, and Whitehill is given a 10-1 lead going into the 8th.

Tiger hearts are warmed even further as the outfield score board shows the Browns having their way in Washington, which makes it absolutely strange when the Earl turns his 4-hitter into cold mush in the 8th. Two singles and two doubles to start the inning bring on Cole, who keeps Boston cooking with a triple and single, and six enemy runs are across the dish in an instant. Luckily, we have Hooks Dauss, who is afraid of no rally. He gives the Sox a walk and single but retires Geygan and Harris with the sacks filled, then gets Boston in short order in the 9th.

As the Miracle Braves proved exactly ten years ago, a month left in the season is hardly cause for panic, and our gap below the Senators has once again been cobbled under ten games. Speaking of Tyrus, his team's fourth straight win has him tickled pink in the visitor club house, and he even has the making of a smile for me.

DET 220 203 100 - 10 17 0
BOS 100 000 050 - 6 11 0

Other American League games played today:

BROWNS 7-12-1, at SENATORS 1-10-1
Ernie Wingard hurls a complete game, Joe Martina's performance is as ugly as his looks, and St. Louis wins it's 60th game in a most triumphant fashion.

at YANKEES 6-13-2, INDIANS 2-8-0
With the 6-16 Coveleski beating their team into the 3rd and Yankee Stadium on the verge of being burned to the ground, the fans' fortunes turn in a heartbeat when the evidently more-sober Bambino creams his 36th homer with two aboard to put the Yanks ahead to stay. Wally Pipp hits a 2-run blast in the same inning, a New York swatting feat unmatched in weeks.

WHITE SOX 11-16-1, ATHLETICS 0-3-2
Never immune to bizarre drama, Chicago grounds into SIX double plays yet still tears apart Philadelphia like wolves on a squirrel, as the Fearsome Fivesome at the top of their lineup reaches base 17 of 26 times against the useless arms of Dennis Burns and Rollie Naylor. If Washington has plans to falter, the White Sox apparently want in on the event.

AMERICAN LEAGUE through Monday, August 25
Washington Senators	77	46	.626	—
Detroit Tigers	69	56	.552	9
Chicago White Sox	62	60	.508	14.5
New York Yankees	59	62	.488	17
St. Louis Browns	60	65	.480	18
Boston Red Sox	57	66	.463	20
Philadelphia Athletics	56	69	.448	22
Cleveland Indians	55	71	.437	23.5