SHELL-SHOCKED AND AWED

LATE CANNONBALLS OFF JOHNSON SINK SENATOR HOPES

October 7, 1924


By C. Jedediah Butterworth
Base Ball Freesciber

While I did appreciate my young understudy's attempt at sports writing yesterday, he is currently reading up on his journalism techniques with an armful of newspapers at the back of this room. Walter Johnson is going in Game Four with a chance to tie the Series back up, and I need the occasion to be professionally recounted.

PITTSBURGH—Virtually suffocated yesterday by the spectacled wizardry of one Lee Meadows, the Senators are determined to polish their clubs this afternoon against Ray Kremer. Oftentimes just a run or two are enough when the Big Train is chugging on the hill, and manager Harris seems certain they can muster that amount.

Rice launches the attack with a shattering triple to begin the 2nd, but an infield hit that Tate beats out fails to bring the runner in. Bluege is struck to fill the sacks, a Peckinpaugh force keeps everyone at bay, and it is left to the regal Johnson to single into left for two quick runs. Harris knocks in another one out later, and Walter has a 3-0 cushion!

Pittsburgh puts a small handful of men aboard, but two double plays erase them pronto. The 4th frame tells a different tale, though. Traynor and Wright open with singles, Kremer moves them ahead with an expert bunt, and the poisonous Max Carey singles them both in to make it 3-2 and awake the teeming crowd. A Judge single and long Goslin double to start the Washington 5th failed to bring in a run, and in the 6th they manage to leave another pair aboard.

It stings them like a hornet right away. Cuyler doubles with one out in the Pirate 6th, Traynor triples him in, and the game is knotted 3-3. And then the 7th happens, a grisly example of Washington's swatting woes. Carey drops Goslin's fly in center to begin the inning with a 2-base error. Rice singles but Goslin holds up at third. Bluege walks with one out but Peckinpaugh and Johnson both ground out to leave three adrift this time!

It stays tied until the 8th, when Judge's single, Goslin's single and third hit (see photograph above), and Rice's single make it 4-3 for the Nats. Mathews and Ruel replace Goslin and Tate for defense, and Johnson strands two Bucs in the last of the 8th by getting the brutal Traynor on a force-out.

Three more Senator hits sandwiched around a sickening pop double play on a bunt attempt by Peckinpaugh send the suspenseful thriller to the last of the 9th. Sixteen runners all told are abandoned by Washington for the afternoon, a number that may soon be haunting their dreams.

For Wright draws a walk to begin the 9th matters. Johnson bears down to fan Maranville and pinch-batter Gooch, though, and we can almost see him hiding a grin from the press row. One more out and the Series is tied.

Except the one more out is Max Carey, punishing the ball all Series with an 8-for-17 performance, or .471. And he does it again, rifling a ball high off the right wall for a double and tie game! Johnson cannot believe it, nor can this reporter. But we barely have time to contemplate the miracle when Grimm strikes the next pitch into the right gap for another scoring double and the ball game for the Pirates!

The Day They De-Railed the Train is what Pittsburghers will call this incredible game, and with a 3-1 advantage now in the Autumn Classic, it may also be known as Walterloo.

WAS 030 000 010 - 4 16 0
PGH 000 021 002 - 5 12 1

W-Kremer L-Johnson GWRBI-Grimm

EDITOR'S NOTE: Game Five from Pittsburgh's Forbes Field will be Tweet-casted right here TONIGHT at 10 p.m. Eastern time, 7 Pacific. This will be the final Tweetcast for the World Series, but do not think for a moment that it foreshadows the actual end.