MUTINY ON THE BAKER

August 11, 1924

I never thought it would feel so empty to be home again. Yesterday and last night out in Darby was so exciting and magic-making, and now Mama was shouting me out of bed again, and Rachel had gone back to Brooklyn, and I was back in Baker Bowl to lug bats for my lousy 7th place Phillies against the sickeningly good and lucky Pirates.

One thing Cy and me hadn't figured on was the reaction from the other Phillie players, especially the biggest Negro-haters Wrightstone and Harper. Art Fletcher was okay with us going to Darby but it didn't seem like a lot of his team was because they flat out quit on him today.

The worst Pirate starter Wilbur Cooper was throwing, and we made him look like Eppa Rixey out there. The Bucs scratched out a 1st inning run on a Carey walk, stolen base (Pittsburgh has stole 71 bases and been caught just 11 times, by the way), an on-purpose walk to Cuyler and a single by Pie Traynor. After that Jimmy Ring pitched the hell out of the ball and got out of every little mess he began.

Us? Forget it. Cy singled to start the 2nd and Wilson hit into a double play. With second and third and two outs in the 3rd, Parkinson grounded out. Holke walked and Cy singled to start the 4th but Wilson hit into another double play to kill that one. Ford singled to lead the 5th and went nowhere. Ring singled with one out in the 8th and was left there. Still 1-0 in the last of the 9th, the worst one happened. After Carey dropped a fly in center for a two-base error with nobody out, Cy popped out, Wilson dribbled to the pitcher and Mokan grounded to Traynor and our record against the Bucs went to 2-13.

Fletcher was so mad he wouldn't talk to one player or reporter. Cy had words with Wilson and the catcher shoved him, which brought Wrightstone and Harper over to stand up to Cy, saying "Anyone who'd rather be playing darkies got no right to criticize us." Cy went straight to Fletcher, who finally came out of his office to yell at Wrightstone, who knocked the manager right over a chair and said "I quit this slag heap of a team. Who else is with me?" Harper and Henline walked out with him, and then everyone else in the clubhouse. Heinie gave me a torn-up look, said "Gotta stay with the old pack, Vin," and left, too.

Fletcher was really upset, and I actually thought he was going to cry. Cy sat him down and got him a bottle of pop and it was just the three of us sitting there in the mess of a club house for the longest time. "We still got one to go with the Pirates. Who the Christ is gonna play for us tomorrow?" was all Art asked over and over.

Then I got a big thought—maybe my biggest ever.

"Hey Cy. Ain't Rube and those colored players still over in Darby?"

Cy looked at me and snuck out a grin.

Good night, reader-people! Hee hee...
—Vinny


PGH 100 000 000 - 1 8 2
PHL 000 000 000 - 0 5 1

OTHER NATIONAL LEAGUE GAMES TODAY:

REDS 5-9-2, at GIANTS 2-6-0
Speaking of Rixey, Eppa gives up a Heinie Groh homer in the 1st, then snuffs out the Giants like a candle. The low point for New York, one of a lot of them lately, is when Hack Wilson gets walked on purpose in the 8th with a man on second and two outs to face George Kelly with only a 1-run lead. Kelly lines out, adding to his famous reputation as a useless snort-giffler in key moments.

at ROBINS 9-14-0, CARDINALS 3-10-0
Grimes wins no. 17 and the Cards lose yet again and stick to their 5th place ceiling just over the Cubs' heads. The only bad thing for Brooklyn is losing Bernie Neis for six games, which—you guessed it—will sit him out for most of their upcoming series in Pittsburgh.

CUBS 4-12-1, at BRAVES 0-3-1
I don't think Boston's very good. Being shut out by Tony Kauffman on three hits kind of proves it.

NATIONAL LEAGUE through Monday, August 11
Pittsburgh Pirates	71	37	.657	—
Brooklyn Robins	67	46	.593	6.5
Cincinnati Reds	67	46	.593	6.5
New York Giants	60	50	.545	12
St. Louis Cardinals	54	57	.486	18.5
Chicago Cubs	53	57	.482	19
Philadelphia Phillies	42	70	.375	31
Boston Braves	30	81	.270	42.5