OUT OUT, DAMNED FATE!

ILL-TIMED JOHNSON INJURY SPARKS 6-3 RED SOX COMEBACK

By C. Jedediah Butterworth
Base Ball Freescriber

August 26, 1924

BOSTON—My breakfast at the Copley Plaza today is surprisingly paid for by one Frank Munsey, publisher of the New York Sun. He travelled up from Gotham to expressly thank me for inadvertently publicizing his newspaper during my recent Ruthian escapade in his city, but now he has a new flower for me to pluck.

"Why cover the Tigers day in and day out when you can wax eloquently on only the best?" I ask what he explicitly means and he offers me a new job: to follow only the Senators and Pirates for the rest of the campaign while they battle for base ball's top record down the September stretch, and publish my findings in the Sun for more weekly money than I've ever earned. I remind him how loyal my Detroit reading audience has been, and that the Tigers are currently just nine games to the rear and fully capable of making a late charge, but Munsey merely scoffs, comfortable with his proposal and ready to tip our waiter.

And then the Grim Ball Reaper, the Dark Queen of Fates, chooses to intervene.

Syl Johnson is pitching a marvelous game at Fenway, surrendering only one single and two walks through the first four innings, while a Denny Williams outfield error helps give us our 1-0 advantage in the top of the 1st. Sylvester then swings awkwardly at a Howard Ehmke pitch in the 5th, twists his ankle and is forced to leave the game. Cobb triples in two runs moments later, maybe his most important hit of the year, but everyone in our dugout knows our road-weary bullpen will be no match for the Boston bats with Johnson gone.

And we are correct. Herm Pillette comes on first to face the righties, but two singles and a walk leading the Boston 6th finish him off. Then Bert Cole tries his luck and has none, Val Picinich tripling in two for the 4-3 Red Sox lead. Two singles and two walks in the 7th bring on Stoner, but the contest is already lost.

Meanwhile, Ehmke gives us only one hit after Cobb's 5th inning triple and sails the late-inning seas for the easy win. With the Senators painting the Griffith Stadium walls with the Browns (see below), it is a most disheartening loss, and puts me in a most blue frame of mind as I return to my hotel suite.

And contact Mr. Munsey by telephone...

DET 100 020 000 - 3 4 1
BOS 000 004 20x - 6 6 2

Other American League games played today:

at SENATORS 12-15-1, BROWNS 4-8-1
Walter Johnson notches his 20th win, and the outcome is never in doubt from the opening bell. A Ruel walk and Leibold triple startle Urban Shocker as the Nats plate runs in the first six innings against the purported St. Louis ace, included a 2-run homer in the 5th stroked by Walter himself. As he did his last time out, the Big Train derails in the 8th as the Browns score four times, but on this occasion earns his relaxing time on the bench watching Russell finish up.

INDIANS 3-8-3, at YANKEES 0-4-0
After a rare home win, the Yanks revert to godawful form, getting blanked easily by Luther Roy, he of the 3-11 record and 153 hits allowed in 96 innings. The Tribe has Speaker and Myatt out of the lineup, commit three errors, and New York still can't do anything. Per usual, Ruth is 0-for-3 with men on base and doubles with no one aboard.

WHITE SOX 4-9-0, ATHLETICS 1-8-3
The Mackmen bobble three balls, hit into four double plays and somehow make Sarge Connally resemble Ed Walsh out there.

AMERICAN LEAGUE through Tuesday, August 26
Washington Senators	78	46	.629	—
Detroit Tigers	69	57	.548	10
Chicago White Sox	63	60	.512	14.5
New York Yankees	59	63	.484	18
St. Louis Browns	60	66	.476	19
Boston Red Sox	58	66	.468	20
Philadelphia Athletics	56	70	.444	23
Cleveland Indians	56	71	.441	23.5