A LINEUP CARD OF GHOSTS

BURNS BURIES BENGAL BATS WITH 5-HIT BLANKING

By Calvin J. Butterworth
Detroit Free-Enterprise

July 14, 1924

PHILADELPHIA—It being Bastille Day, our Detroit boys should have been ready to storm the fences of Shibe Park, lumber weapons held aloft. But they re-enacted the wrong Dickens novel and instead became a band of Marley's ghosts, for against the usually generous offerings of Dennis Burns, they were as dead as doornails.

They had runners on base in every frame but one, yet failed to score. Mack's men did their best to help the Tiger cause, flubbing three balls to kick off three grand opportunities, but just as rapidly we grounded into twin killings, four all told, and staggered back out to the field with heads dropped like hanging victims.

The real tragedy is that the pathetic showing wasted a rare Ed Wells pitching gem, as he held the Athletics to just six hits, three bunched together in the 2nd for all the Philadelphia runs.

Cobb blamed the state of Pennsylvania afterward for disrupting his club's rhythm with their "infernal, pansy-ass blue laws," though the ball mastery of Burns seemed more at fault here. What irritated this reporter was returning to my press perch this morning to find my typewriter and three ink pens absconded with. The Shibe Park security detail is rather lacking, and is surely as inefficient as the store personnel I encountered at Strawbridge and Clothier's yesterday while trying to locate a certain hat for my wife. The sooner we depart for Boston, the better.

DET 000 000 000 - 0 5 1
PHA 020 000 00x - 2 6 3

Other American League games today:

at SENATORS 8-17-3, INDIANS 7-16-2 (11 innings)
The new Washington losing streak lasts one day, as the Tribe and Nats turn in perhaps the most compelling spectacle of the campaign. (Odd, but there have been quite a rash of these at Griffith Stadium.) The Big Train takes a 3-1 lead into the 8th but cannot contain it, as a monstrous Bluege error helps Cleveland score three times for a 4-3 lead. It is 5-3 in the last of the 9th when Peckinpaugh singles, Ruel doubles and Johnson singles in both runs. Bud Messenger replaces Shaute and gets the Indians out of the jam and we go to the 10th. McNulty leads with a double, Lutzke bunts him to third and pinch-batter Homer Summa raps a single off a tired Johnson to put the Tribe back ahead 6-5. Dewey Metivier comes on and Bennie Tate re-ties the game with a scoring fly. In the 11th, three singles off Alan Russell put Cleveland ahead 7-6. But we know this is not the end. Harris leads with a single, Leibold walks, Judge singles in Harris to tie the game and Goslin—yes, that incredible Goose—singles for the winner.

WHITE SOX 9-16-2, at RED SOX 6-10-2
Chicago hits like the Chicagoans of old, going up 5-2, falling behind 6-5 and roaring back to win the game in the 8th on a 3-run Mostil blow off Buster Ross.

BROWNS 12-17-1, at YANKEES 3-10-1
And unfortunately, the Yanks revert to their horrible play of recent months, as Waite Hoyt gives the Brownies two doubles, a walk and three singles in succession in the very first inning and is out of the game after six so Milt Gaston and Cliff Markle can then give St. Louis eight runs in the 7th to complete the abomination. Ruth manages to homer in his third straight game, knocking out a meaningless solo shot in the last of the 7th the moment the game is decided.

AMERICAN LEAGUE through Monday, July 14
Washington Senators	58	30	.659	—
Detroit Tigers	48	41	.539	10.5
New York Yankees	45	41	.523	12
Chicago White Sox	45	41	.523	12
St. Louis Browns	42	46	.477	16
Philadelphia Athletics	38	50	.432	20
Cleveland Indians	38	51	.427	20.5
Boston Red Sox	36	50	.419	21

GET ME OUT OF THIS BURGH

July 14, 1924

I peeked into the Schenley breakfast room on my way out to the street to find a pastry wagon and didn't see that cuckoohead Gretchen girl, but it didn't make me any more relieved. Between yesterday's nightmare and the thought of us facing the Bucs again, I was eager to get out of this town and on to Chicago.

So were the Phillies, I bet, after today's game at Forbes. Jimmy Ring has been pitching better lately but he was still 3-11 going into this one, and Pirate pitcher Wilbur Cooper, even though he never looks any better out there than Ring, was 10-4 somehow.

An hour and a half later, I knew why. Ford and Parkinson started our 3rd inning with singles and were left there by Ring, Schultz and Sand. Rabbit Maranville began the Buc 3rd with yet another triple and came home on Carey's double play ball. Even when Pittsburgh makes an out it gets something done.

Best player in the league Kiki Cuyler then whacked a homer to left with one out in the 4th, and the Forbes Field crowd went nuttier than Gretchen. Just for fun, Kiki doubled in the 6th and singled off Steineder in the 7th for the third and last Pirate run of the day.

Meanwhile the Phils were really busy doing nothing, and I didn't mind keeping my back turned to the field when I was setting up the bats because I knew every inning had another tragedy in it. Schultz walked with one gone in the 6th and got erased on a double play. Holke singled to start the 7th and was left there scratching himself. Ford and Parkinson again singled to begin the 8th and Henline hit a pinch double play. Even my buddy Heinie Sand singled to lead the 9th and was wiped off the bases with a double broom.

It was a sickening afternoon all around, and even a fun game of gin rummy in Ford and Parkinson's room later where a few of us won a couple of bucks didn't cheer anybody up. Maybe we'll get lucky and leave Pittsburgh with a win tomorrow, but if I were you I wouldn't bet my lunch on it.

Good night, reader-people!
—Vinny

PHI 000 000 000 - 0 6 0
PIT 001 100 10x - 3 11 0

Other National League games today:

at REDS 2-7-2, BRAVES 1-9-0
Boy, you know Cincy is going through a batting slump when they struggle against the Braves every day. Walker's triple and Bressler's single in the 6th give them a 2-0 lead for new rotation starter Rube Benton, but crummy Red field ing almost gives the game away in the 7th.

GIANTS 12-17-1, at CUBS 3-9-2
Kelly gets dropped back into the 7th hole and reacts with four hits in five times up and the lineup pounds Tony Kaufmann into pudding. Jack Bentley goes all the way for his eighth win, and Gabby Hartnett continues to mash the ball with a homer and all three Cubs runs batted in.

at CARDINALS 4-9-2, ROBINS 1-6-3
Art Decatur, who replaced Dutch Ruether in the Brooklyn rotation, starts this one and doesn't have much, forcing Dutch to mop up for him with three scoreless innings. Cooney's 2-run single in the 3rd breaks the 1-1 tie and knocks the Robins another game behind the Bucs.

NATIONAL LEAGUE through Monday, July 14
Pittsburgh Pirates	55	28	.663	—
Cincinnati Reds	52	35	.598	5
Brooklyn Robins	50	37	.575	7
New York Giants	48	36	.571	7.5
St. Louis Cardinals	42	43	.494	14
Chicago Cubs	38	47	.447	18
Philadelphia Phillies	34	53	.391	23
Boston Braves	23	63	.267	33.5

ANOTHER DAY OF INDEPENDENCE

CHURCH FOR SOME, REFLECTION FOR OTHERS, BASEBALL-FREE FOR ALL

PHILADELPHIA, July 13

Dearest Bonnie,

I am writing this to you on a shady park bench in Rittenhouse Square. On a long base ball road trip such as this it's always a decided pleasure to have a full day's respite, so a healthy huzzah goes out to Pennsylvania for enacting their Sunday "blue laws" that prohibit ball-playing.

I have the same room at the Warwick I was given on my last visit, and it seems vast and empty without you here to share it with. Many of the fellows on the team make special plans on days like this to see old friends or new ones that I am not at liberty to speak of, but for me it is always a simple, though bittersweet trick to give myself a fine walking tour of the city and pretend my darling wife is on my arm.

I visited Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell this morning, and enjoyed a walk along the Schuylkill until the hot sun felt like it was crisping the top of my boater. A polite young man named Benjamin who delivered your telegram to me in the press row after yesterday's game met me at the hotel this morning to give me a rather inexpensive shoeshine, and told me exactly how to get to Strawbridge and Clothier's. I hear they are a fine department store that has been around for quite a while, and look forward to buying you the hat you asked for.

It has been a wild and exhausting pennant chase for our Tigers, even without our four-game debacle in Washington. A 154-game season is just too long, and base ball would be wise to insert some kind of mid-campaign vacation for the players and writers and followers, if only for a few days. It would be a joy to spend those days with you and the wee ones without a moment's thought of batting averages and ornery personalities.

As we did on our last eastern sojourn, from here we will travel to Boston and New York before I rail back into your arms on July 25th. If only I could persuade you to join me with the children in Manhattan next week I would be a happy man, or even happier if you could leave them with Aunt Sue and come on your own. But I realize travel and the bigger cities don't agree with you, so please don't think of me as the pushy sort.

For now, I will just enjoy your sweet, wispy presence on this historic bench.

My deepest love,

Calvin

Only American League contests today:

INDIANS 7-13-1, at SENATORS 3-12-1
The latest Washington streak is finally over, as Sherry Smith puts men on every base corner throughout but escapes every pickle. Firpo Marberry, meanwhile, reverts to his awful self after handling us his last time out and fares less well with his base runners. Joe Sewell cracks out three hits, including the game-winner in the 5th after a damaging gaffe by Ossie Bluege.

at YANKEES 9-10-0, BROWNS 0-6-1
Bullt Joe Bush spins his third shutout in the most convincing Yankee win in ages. Ruth strikes his 21st homer to cap off a three-run 3rd off Danforth, and Bill Bayne gets revenge later by plunking the Babe between big triples by Dugan and Pipp during a four-run 7th.

AMERICAN LEAGUE through Sunday, July 13
Washington Senators	57	30	.655	—
Detroit Tigers	48	40	.545	9.5
New York Yankees	45	40	.529	11
Chicago White Sox	44	41	.518	12
St. Louis Browns	41	46	.471	16
Cleveland Indians	38	50	.432	19.5
Philadelphia Athletics	37	50	.425	20
Boston Red Sox	36	49	.424	20

AND ON THE SEVENTH DAY...

July 13, 1924

RECENTLY, IN THE NATIONAL LEAGUE: Phils get unbelievable shutout from Glazner in nightcap of Forbes Field twinbill after letting 7-0 lead get away in opener...Reds and Giants pick up a half game on leader while Brooklyn flops...

"Hey Vinny!" It was Hod Ford, our second baseman, calling me over to his breakfast table at the Schenley this morning. It seems Heinie Sand had met up with a young "Baseball Mollie", which is what the Phillie players call girls who follow them around, and still hadn't come out of his room. That got me a little disappointed in Heinie, because I swore he told me he was married once, but maybe I was wrong. Either way, said Hod while he munched his toast, you can't expect guys like us to be away from home for a month three times each summer and not "sample the local fare."

There was a kitchen help lady who kept coming over to re-pour our water glasses, and when Hod got up, left his quarter tip and headed upstairs, she came back and stood next to the table. When I looked up at her I noticed she was staring at me sort of funny. I also noticed that under her white cloth hat she had rolls of bright red hair and an amazingly beautiful face.

"What position do YOU play?" she asked, and it took me a second before I realized she thought I was on the team. "Oh, I'm kind of a backup everything," I said, because I enjoyed playing along. "You're awful young-looking," she said, "even for a rookie." Harper and Wrightstone were calling her from the next table, and she stared at me with a big smile for a little longer until finally turning away.

I finished my eggs and juice and started to get up and suddenly the lady was back. She re-poured my water glass again, but this time very, very slow, like she had to watch every drop go in. "I'm Gretchen Slattery," she said in her calmest, sweetest voice, "Want to go canoeing with me today?" I didn't know what to say, so I just sat there. "I know you fellahs aren't playing," she continued, "Nobody in Pennsylvania does on the Lord's Day." When asked if she had her own canoe she said "Yes, and I even have an auto."

I was tempted to say I was engaged to somebody right then and there, but being around these wild players was rubbing off on me, and I figured what was wrong with a little canoeing, anyway? So when she got off from her job around noon time, I met her around the back of the hotel, and we climbed into this rickety half-truck jalopy, which she had to start with a crank and blammed its exhaust out every couple of blocks.

It was hard to tell how old Gretchen was. She was able to drive herself so she obviously wasn't too young, but she had this sweet little girl face that made it hard to take your eyes off her. She drove pretty fast out of Pittsburgh and headed in an east direction, up and down these hilly, curvy roads along a river. There were less and less houses and more and more trees, and after at least an hour of this we bounced down this narrow, muddy trail and stopped at a dead end.

I didn't see any canoe anywhere, just a sorry-looking cabin perched on these flimsy wood poles stuck into the riverbank. There were smoke wisps coming out of its little metal chimney and a collection of fuzzy animal skins hanging between two trees. When I asked where the heck the canoe was she just smiled and led me inside.

There was no electricity, and she lit about twenty candles around the room before she answered one of my questions. She said she did have a canoe once but it tipped over and she almost drowned and she just let it float downstream. She also had a rowboat once that did the same thing, so no, she never went out on the water for fun anymore. I asked why she lied to me and she just pulled me close and took off her cloth hat and her red hair spilled out of it like flowing lava and the next thing I knew she was kissing me and tugging at my shirt. Don't leave me, too, she kept saying and I pushed her off and said "I don't even know you!" and then she got real calm and sweet again.

"Do you know of the Johnstown Flood?," she asked. Of course I did, what Pennsylvania kid doesn't know about that? Well, it turned out that Gretchen was four years old when it happened and her entire family drowned, "and now I'm waiting for the next flood to take me, too, but I need someone to go with me..." Can you believe this? Fetching Gretchen was not only close to 40 years old, but living like a hermit by herself, trying to snag a man she could drown with. Or in this case almost a boy.

I told her I was just the Phillie batboy and not a player and really had to get back but that only got her to start grabbing me again. I began to feel bad for her and let her hold me in her arms for a while, and I even had some of her stewed raccoon for an early dinner. But there was no way I was going to wait around for another flood and miss the rest of the Phillies' road trip. She drank a small glass of moonshine whiskey after we ate, and I faked drinking mine, and the second she fell asleep I snuck out to her jalopy, cranked it up and drove away from the cabin with her running out after me screaming. I left the auto for her at the edge of the main road a few miles away, and hitchhiked a ride back into Pittsburgh from there.

I told Heinie the story later, but he was all giddy from the time he spent with his normal girl and could only laugh about it. I guess it was a little bit funny, but if you think I'm going anywhere near the Schenley Hotel breakfast room again you got another thing coming.

Good night, reader-people!
—Vinny

Only National League games today:

BRAVES 5-9-1, at REDS 4-8-2
Talk about a flop. Boston hadn't beaten Cincy all year, but a huge shortstop error by Sam Bohne helps give the Braves two runs and the lead for good in the 2nd inning. Boston goes up 5-1 on Luque in the 7th, and the Reds make it exciting by scoring three of their own in the 8th, but Skinny Graham comes on to snuff the rally and get them 1-2-3 in the 9th.

at CUBS 5-9-1, GIANTS 0-4-3
McGraw moves Kelly back up to the fifth spot in the lineup and it gives the Giants bad Irish luck or something because their offense is just pathetic against Vic Keen and his 4-12 record. The worst fielding shortstop in either league Travis Jackson makes three errors to help the Cubs out, and I don't see how New York ever won a pennant at all with that guy out there.

ROBINS 6-9-0, at CARDINALS 2-7-1
The opposite of yesterday, when the Cards mashed Grimes. Bill Doak rolls over St. Louis pretty easy, and Flint Rhem throws two wild pitches in a row to help the Robins score three in the 5th. At least somebody takes advantage of a Bucs' day off, and I'm happy it was Rachel's team. And Rachel? Just so you know, I will never take a ride with another pretty flood victim again.

NATIONAL LEAGUE through Sunday, July 13
Pittsburgh Pirates	54	28	.659	—
Cincinnati Reds	51	35	.593	5
Brooklyn Robins	50	36	.581	6
New York Giants	47	36	.566	7.5
St. Louis Cardinals	41	43	.488	14
Chicago Cubs	38	46	.452	17
Philadelphia Phillies	34	52	.395	22
Boston Braves	23	62	.271	32.5

COOL SHAVE AND A RUBDOWN AT THE SHIBE RESORT

TIGERS RECOVER AGAINST STAR-CROSSED ATHLETICS, 12-6

By Calvin J. Butterworth
Detroit Free-Enterprise

July 12, 1924

PHILADELPHIA—After four frustrating days in the Nation's Capitol, the Bengals' relief was evident for all to witness in the first five minutes of this contest. Rigney and Blue cracked sharp singles off Eddie Rommel, and Cobb drew a free pass. Heilman drove home two with another safety, Manush and Bassler walked, Pratt flied a run across, O'Rourke doubled, Whitehill hit another sacrifice fly, and we were ahead 6-0, more runs than Detroit could even fathom at Griffith Stadium.

The good Tiger fortune continued all afternoon here at Shibe, and Whitehill was the chief beneficiary. The Earl gave the Mackmen nineteen hits but still finished the complete game, mainly because eighteen of them were singles. Rommel's equally foul showing was supplemented with numerous walks, a key Rigney triple and Bassler double, and the bloodletting was interminable.

Philadelphia's 50th loss was a thing of repulsive beauty, as they abandoned 11 runners on the sacks to Detroit's 17. For our sake, let's pray they stay benevolent hosts for our entire stay.

DET 600 013 011 - 12 16 0
WAS 002 010 120 - 6 19 3

Other American League contests today:

BROWNS 8-16-0, at YANKEES 3-12-0
It was bound to happen, the Yanks tripping over a team that isn't sliding into an abyss. If anything, the Brownie bats have been sugary sweet of late, as they come off a bashing of Boston with an utter dismantling of Yank ace Herb Pennock. New York actually leads 3-1 here into the 4th, but Pennock cannot keep St. Louis quiet, as Norm McMillan goes 5-for-5 and replacement outfielder Evans triples and doubles in the 8th spot. The Browns have given the Gothams trouble all season, and are now 5-4 against them as they surge toward the first division.

at SENATORS 14-22-0, INDIANS 2-9-2
Things look rosy for the Tribe in the 1st, as four singles off Zachary give them a 2-0 lead. They then become the latest victims to enter the Senatorial Chamber of Hell, and are never heard from again. Off Luther Roy and assorted wallahonies, Judge goes 5-for-6 and knocks in five runs. Harris goes 4-for-5, and Cleveland fielders spend the hot day chasing down killer knocks.

at RED SOX 9-12-3, WHITE SOX 8-11-1
Can it get any worse for the swan-diving Pale Sox? Methinks not. Their best pitcher Faber has a 7-0 lead on Fullerton when Boston bats become rabid. They plate four runs in the 6th, two in the 7th and three more in the 8th when Ike Boone pounds a bases-filled triple off reliever Cvengros with two outs. Chicago drops to 1-11 for the month and is nearly at the edge of the Browns' neighborhood.

AMERICAN LEAGUE through Saturday, July 12
Washington Senators	57	29	.663	—
Detroit Tigers	48	40	.545	10
New York Yankees	44	40	.524	12
Chicago White Sox	44	41	.518	12.5
St. Louis Browns	41	45	.477	16
Cleveland Indians	37	50	.425	20.5
Philadelphia Athletics	37	50	.425	20.5
Boston Red Sox	36	49	.424	20.5

SEASICK ALL DAY ON A PIRATE SCHOONER

July 12, 1924

The good news is that our Pittsburgh hotel was the Schenley, not the William Penn where Benny and me ran into that creepy house detective and almost got nailed for impostoring. The bad news was that we had two games to play with the first-place Bucs at Forbes Field, and after getting shut down yesterday by Carl Mays in Cincy, no one was really in the mood to take two beatings.

The Schenley was sure a posh locale, though. Marble and chandeliers were all over the place, and Heinie told me that Presidents Taft, Roosevelt and Wilson all stayed there. We could also walk to Forbes Field, which we did on the early side, all split into groups so Pirate fans on the streets wouldn't bother us. Pittsburgh fans are basically good loyal ones anyway, and they're too excited about their team being good again to even notice opposing bums like us.

Forbes was stuffed to the rafters for the twin games, and when the first one started at high noon, the last thing we played like was bums. Meadows pitched for them, and Glenn Wright began by making what must have been his thousandth error in the last month, Holke singled with one out, Cy singled, and Wrightstone clubbed one into the right field stands for a quick 4-0 Phillie lead! Meadows was all rattled because then Wilson singled, Mokan got plunked and Ford doubled in another.

And we weren't done. Cy and Wrightstone hit back-to-back doubles in the 2nd, and Wrightstone knocked in our seventh run in the 4th with a single. Our pitcher Oescheger couldn't believe he had a 7-0 lead against these guys. In fact, he couldn't believe it so much that he started giving it away. The Bucs got one run in the 4th on a double play ball, then went to town on us in the 6th. With one out, Grimm singled, Moore and Cuyler walked, Smith singled, Traynor doubled, Maranville singled and avast ye dang mateys, it was suddenly 7-6.

Tthe Phils then gave up the sea battle and went back in their hammocks, because we couln;t score a run for beans the rest of the game. Traynor tied the thing at 7-7 by singling in Cuyler in the 8th. Arnie Stone took over for Meadows and we couldn't score on him either. I'd never seen our dugout so tensed up. Huck Betts pitched three tough innings of relief for us after Oescheger was sent packing, but then he got tired in the 10th, walking three Pirates in a row. Steineder took over to face Traynor, and we all knew this game was far lost. Pie sliced one into right field to Harper, but Moore tagged and scored easy and we had probably our worst defeat this year.

Art Fletcher showed what a good manager is like between the games, though. He told the players they should only think about the 7-0 lead they took early, because that didn't come from nowhere. Harper said yeah, but Whitey's pitching the second game for us and he hasn't won all year. Glazner was in the next room getting a rubdown, so it's good he didn't hear that, but Fletcher said that even a blind bear finds a fish once in a while and it didn't pay to have that attitude.

So out went Whitey Glazner with his 0-5 record and 7.28 earned run average to face the scariest lineup in the league, and guess the heck what? NO ONE could touch him. I mean, there was one walk, two hit batters, three singles and a double, but not once was he in real trouble. Meanwhile we knocked around Jeff Pfeffer enough to build us a 3-0 lead by the 7th and held on from there.

As we ran back to our hotel to start card games and plan dinners and whatever else tonight, all I could think about was how unpredictable baseball can be. It's almost like a box of candy, because you never know what flavor you're going to end up with.

Good night, reader-people!
—Vinny

PHI 510 100 000 0 - 7 17 0
PIT 000 105 010 1 - 8 10 2

PHI 000 110 100 - 3 9 0
PIT 000 000 000 - 0 4 2

Other National League games today:

at REDS 8-9-1, BRAVES 1-6-2
Eppa Rixey against the Braves. You don't need to know nothing else.

GIANTS 3-6-0, at CUBS 2-7-0
Art Nehf goes the whole way and all Giant runs come on a 3-run homer by Kelly, who i think found his good lineup home in the 7th spot. But we'll see.

at CARDINALS 12-17-3, ROBINS 3-11-1
Brooklyn wrecks a great chance to pick up a half game on the Bucs as Grimes turns in his worst start of the year after winning seven straight. He gives the Cards 11 hits in less than six innings before the Robins realize the hittable Jesse Haines is pitching for them. Dutch Ruether, who got booted from the Brooklyn rotation after his last awful start, comes in for the 8th and allows four runs to put the game away for good.

NATIONAL LEAGUE through Saturday, July 12
Pittsburgh Pirates	54	28	.659	—
Cincinnati Reds	51	34	.600	4.5
Brooklyn Robins	49	36	.576	6.5
New York Giants	47	35	.573	7
St. Louis Cardinals	41	42	.494	13.5
Chicago Cubs	37	46	.446	17.5
Philadelphia Phillies	34	52	.395	22
Boston Braves	22	62	.262	33

RENDERED SPEECHLESS

MICHIGAN PARTY VOTED OUT OF TOWN IN FOUR-GAME LANDSLIDE

By Calvin J. Butterworth
Detroit Free-Enterprise

July 11, 1924

WASHINGTON, D.C.—It is scarcely possible to believe that when our train rolled into Union Station here four days previous, the Tiger club was convinced they were on the verge of scratching their way to a whisker's breath away from first place. What was I imagining? Tonight as we roll north a few hours to Philadelphia, their claws have been yanked from their paws and their deep psychic wounds in need of more than field dressings.

For this gaggle of Senators, this unflappable quorum of sterling athletic statesmen, this fantastic, fili-ball-bustering faction has swept our Bengals out of their landscaped chamber as they would an annoying heckler, and the American League pennant chase is all the worse for it.

With President Coolidge in attendance, today's finale was eerily similar to the opening match, when Firpo Marberry trailed Earl Whitehill 1-0 for eight innings before the Nats conjured two little runs in the bottom of the 9th to steal the show. Rip Collins and his 13-2 mark sized up against the 10-4 George Mogridge this time, each hurler not having lost in many a moon.

Cobb walked to begin the day, but was excised at second base on a steal attempt by catcher Tate, a bad omen indeed. But Tyrus rebounded in the third, when after a lead Burke single and sacrifice to second by Collins, he lined a ball into right for an easy score and 1-0 Detroit lead.

The Ripper was murderous, as always. He walked no one and gave Washington two singles and a double far away from each other, and it seemed we had a better than fair chance of salvaging a win. Troubling, though, was Tiger baserunner usage. In the first eight innings, twelve Bengals reached the sacks to the Nats' three, with only one scoring. And we all realize how these events normally turn out.

Yet this was a tragedy worthy of Shakespeare. Bluege and Peckinpaugh made out to begin the last of the 8th, and Wid Mathews brought his lefty pinch bat up against Collins. He singled, and the Griffith crowd stirred. Lance Richbourg cranked a triple into the outfield abyss to tie the score, and they roared. Harris singled to put the Nats ahead and the female fans fainted with joy. From here the contingent of Detroit press men went mute and we heard nothing else around us. Judge reached on a Collins boot. Goslin singled. Rice singled. Tate singled. Five runs were across like a summer cyclone over a dry plain, and the contest was essentially over.

By Speece relieved Mogridge for the 9th and gave Burke and Cobb singles to keep the Detroit players from slicing their own necks, but it was a meaningless gesture, for they are now perfectly capable of performing this act on their own. Ten games to the rear now, they head for the City of Brotherly Love, where the pitching-challenged Athletics await to take their angriest punches. I may even join in.

DET 001 000 000 - 1 9 1
WAS 000 000 05x - 5 9 0

Other American League contests today:

at YANKEES 6-11-0, WHITE SOX 5-9-0
Nearly as shocking as our game was this Bronxian development. Trailing 4-0 to Thurston after three frames, Old Sloppy goes out with an ailment and Blankenship takes over. Ruth greets him with his first home run in seemingly a century, Pipp triples and scores on a Meusel fly, and the lead is shaved in two. The Bambino hits his second solo shot in the 8th and 20th on the year to make it 5-3 Chicago, and then the last of the 9th occurs. Schang triples with one out, and Dugan singles him in. After a Ward single with two outs, McWeeny takes over but walks Combs. Cvengros is hailed and Shags Horan pinches a single to tie the game. Ruth then dribbles a ball for another hit, only his fourth game-decider of the season, and the Yanks shock the Sox with a 4-game sweep and abscond with third place!

BROWNS 7-8-2, at RED SOX 3-12-3 (11 innings)
Back in the American cellar, Boston plays hideous ball, losing an early 3-0 lead, then giving the Browns four runs in the 11th with the help of dastardly gaffes. Alex Ferguson goes the whole way and lowers his record to 3-11.

at ATHLETICS 7-14-1, INDIANS 3-7-0
The Mackmen seem to have recovered just in time to face us, as Lamar doubles twice and knocks in four and Joe Hauser returns from an injury to hit into a rare triple play and homer in the same game.

AMERICAN LEAGUE through Friday, July 11
Washington Senators	56	29	.659	—
Detroit Tigers	47	40	.540	10
New York Yankees	44	39	.530	11
Chicago White Sox	44	40	.524	11.5
St. Louis Browns	40	45	.471	16
Cleveland Indians	37	49	.430	19.5
Philadelphia Athletics	37	49	.430	19.5
Boston Red Sox	35	49	.417	20.5

BACK TO THE LOSING BUSINESS

July 11, 1924

I woke up with a scattered cloudy head, which is usually what happens if you spend most of a night in a secret speakeasy drinking German beer out of icy glasses and keeping half-dressed women away from you. Heinie got me going with a bigger cup of coffee than usual, and we grabbed a streetcar out to Redland Field.

Carl Mays was throwing for the Reds, meaning everyone on our team could have used their own pot of coffee. George Harper especially has it in for Killer Karl, and joked in the club house about walking up there with a bullet-proof vest under his uniform shirt. The truth is that even though Mays killed that Chapman guy with a beanball four years ago, it was still an accident, and the way they were letting dirty balls get used in games back then, it's a surprise no one else got their lights knocked out.

Anyway, even if it disturbed Mays to no end, it sure seems to have bothered the teams he pitches against, because he was 10-5 going into this one. Harper snatched his bat out of my hands, walked up to the plate to start the game, and drove the second pitch clean out of the ball park! Roush doubled in Boob Fowler in the last of the 1st to tie things, but then Mays settled into his typical groove slot, wiping out the next eight Phillie hitters with ease. Harper singled with two outs in the 3rd and stood on first base clapping his hands at our dugout like some nut, but it didn't exactly get us going. Heinie weakly popped out to end the inning.

Carlson threw his usual tough game, but Cincy wasn't about to lose three in a row to us. After a Roush single leading off their 6th and a wild pitch, Al Wingo doubled in the go-ahead run. Four straight singles got them two more in the 7th, Roush driving in his second and third runs on the day, and then Mays got even better. Except for a Wilson double and Cy Williams walk in the 9th, he retired everybody else and finished us off in less than seventy minutes.

The players were nice to me after because Harper had a homer and single and couldn't exactly blame my bat-handling , but the worse news is that now we're on the train to Pittsburgh for a Saturday double-header with the first place Bucs, who are 6-1 against us. No one plays baseball on Sunday there, which is why we had to double up, and by the time they're through with us, we might all need to recover in church.

Good night, reader-people!
—Vinny

PHI 100 000 000 - 1 3 0
CIN 100 001 20x - 4 13 0

Other National League games today:

at PIRATES 7-11-2, BRAVES 6-11-0
Everything else in the league was back to normal. Boston came back from losing 4-0 to score six runs in the 5th thanks to two more Pirate errors, but than the Pie Traynor triple show began off Benton and the Bucs had squeezed out another one. For their credit, the Braves played great this time against the league leaders, almost winning three of four.

ROBINS 11-13-0, at CUBS 1-7-3
Dazzy Vance goes to 13-4 and belts his third homer in his last two starts, and Rachel can breathe easy again.

at CARDINALS 7-15-1, GIANTS 4-8-4
After racking up huge hit totals for two days, the Giants get hoodwinked most of the game by Leo Dickerman and make four horrible errors to put the Cards ahead 6-0 through six innings. Ray Blades gets four hits and knocks in four, but the amazing news is that George Kelly hits a fly ball over a fence for one of those home runs, meaning McGraw may be forced to raise him up from the seventh spot if he does it again.

NATIONAL LEAGUE through Friday, July 11
Pittsburgh Pirates	53	27	.663	—
Cincinnati Reds	50	34	.595	5
Brooklyn Robins	49	35	.583	6
New York Giants	46	35	.568	7.5
St. Louis Cardinals	40	42	.488	14
Chicago Cubs	37	45	.451	17
Philadelphia Phillies	33	51	.393	22
Boston Braves	22	61	.265	32.5

JOHNSON & JOHNSON NOT GOOD FOR OUR HEALTH

SYL SUCCUMBS TO WALTER AND TIGERS FLATTENED BY VENGEFUL TRAIN, 3-0

By Calvin J. Butterworth
Detroit Free-Enterprise

July 10, 1924

WASHINGTON, D.C.—There is little to say, and even less to report. As I forewarned in our last edition, the magnificent Walter Johnson would not likely bow down to the Detroit lineup a third straight time. And now we must pay tribute to His Hurling Highness.

Four lonely singles and four walks, all of them separated by wide avenues in the scorecard, were all the Tigers could produce against Walter this afternoon, while the lesser Johnson, one Sylvester wearing the Detroit colors, pitched mostly well but had little to brag about in the end.

McNeely, Judge and the unstoppable Goslin touched him for consecutive singles in the 1st, and a Rice scoring fly made it 2-0, the only runs the Big Train would need. A second single from Goose added a third tally in the 8th, but the denizens of Griffith Stadium had long assumed their smug, reclined victory postures. Goslin, by the way, now has 18 game-deciding blows, which is six times more than the three turned in by a certain corpulent swatter in the New York metropolitan area.

And so the Washington first-place lead has been buffeted to nine full games, with the often challenging Mogridge slated to throw in tomorrow's finale. In short, it has become clearly evident that any compressing of the American League chase will have to be attained with the help of other foes.

DET 000 000 000 - 0 4 0
WAS 200 000 01x - 3 8 0

Other American League contests today:

at YANKEES 9-14-0, WHITE SOX 5-10-0
Chicago's record for July sinks to 1-9 as even the disappointing Waite Hoyt defeats them. They actually provide Ted Lyons a 3-0 lead with four singles and two walks in the top of the 3rd, only to have the Yanks plate six in the bottom of the same frame on three singles, three doubles, a walk and two scoring flies. True to form, the Bambino collects two hits with no one on base and drives in nobody. I do not mean to disparage Mr. Ruth daily, but his fascinatingly pathetic production leaves me no choice.

at ATHLETICS 3-6-1, INDIANS 2-9-1
Heimach bests Shaute, with Bishop, Miller and Lamar stringing together a winning single-rally in the 8th.

BROWNS 5-13-0, at RED SOX 0-5-1
The Bostons drop back into last as Wingard mows them down, Gene Robertson amassing a triple, home run and two singles off Ehmke. St. Louis has slightly pulled ahead in the genuinely scintillating race for the second division crown.

AMERICAN LEAGUE through Thursday, July 10
Washington Senators	55	29	.655	—
Detroit Tigers	47	39	.547	9
Chicago White Sox	44	39	.530	10.5
New York Yankees	43	39	.524	11
St. Louis Browns	39	45	.464	16
Cleveland Indians	37	48	.435	18.5
Philadelphia Athletics	36	49	.424	19.5
Boston Red Sox	35	48	.422	19.5

GREETINGS FROM ONE OF THE QUEEN CITIES

July 10, 1924

Dear Rachel:

Sorry it's taken so long to write, but we've had a busy time of it out here in Ohio beating up the Reds. Actually they got us in the first game because of that dang Eppa Rixey, but we skunked them yesterday and today was even more fun.

Bill Hubbell threw for us, and he must be the worst pitcher in the league with the best record. He has this Houdini way of getting out of predicaments, and the 2nd inning was a good example. Roush led with a double, and Jake Daubert tripled him in with one out. Wingo then hit a ball to Holke at first, who whipped it home to snuff Daubert. Critz then singled, but Dolf Luque, their pretty good hitting pitcher, whiffed. The Reds have been in a hitting slump lately, because normally they would have scored two or three runs there, but that's also Bill Hubbell for you.

George Harper, who seems to like me a lot and invited me to be in this little club of players who get together after games and do things like go out to eat, whacked a deep homer in our 5th inning, and believe me, whacking is what you have to do to the thing to get one out of this place. Harper then led off our 8th with a single, Cy Williams doubled, and Wrightstone got one in with a deep fly and the 2-1 lead was all Hubbell needed to put Cincy to bed. They got five singles off him in the last four innings but couldn't do a thing with them.

What really had to hurt for the Reds fans was the Bucs amazingly losing to Boston again (see below) and missing a chance to get closer to them.

After the game tonight, Harper's little player-club took me down to a downtown area called Fountain Square, where all the best restaurants and dancing clubs and theaters and cigar stores are. Wrightstone mentioned a secret speakeasy he knew about where they serve German beer in these big icy glasses and there are even half-dressed women walking around trying to make friends with the men, but we made sure to stay far away from that place.

From being here before with Benny and now this time, I'm really starting to like Cincinnati. They call it the Queen City, but from what my best friend on the team Heinie Sand says, that's kind of dumb because there's about twenty other "queen cities" in America, even Burlington, Vermont and Dickinson, North Dakota. I think these towns need to announce which queen gave them permission to do this.

Anyway, I wish I didn't have to leave New York so fast. I promise when I get back to the East I'll meet with your father about our marriage idea and it won't be on a Saturday. Maybe I should just save time and send him a telegram. What do you think?

Good night, Rachel-love!
—Vinny

PHI 000 010 010 - 2 9 0
CIN 010 000 000 - 1 8 1

Other National League games today:

BRAVES 7-15-1, at PIRATES 3-11-1
So the Bucs go 9-0 against Boston to start the season, then lose two straight? Maybe there's going to be a pennant race after all. Jesse Barnes survives this one on the hill for the Braves, as the Bucs leave 13 runners on the bases against him. Johnny Morrison pitches real bad for a change and falls behind 6-0 before the Pirates finally wake up their bats too late.

at CUBS 7-11-0, ROBINS 5-12-2 (11 innings)
Poor Brooklyn. Just like the Reds they lose another huge chance to gain ground, even though they come back from 3-0 against the great Pete Alexander, take a 5-3 lead with a big 6th inning, then watch the Cubs tie the game when Alexander homers off Osborne and Grimes knocks one in with a force out. Ehrhardt pitches four great relief innings for the Robins, but his team completely stops hitting and Chicago walks off the field with a win in the 11th after a George Grantham 2-run blast.

GIANTS 2-6-0, at CARDINALS 0-10-1
A game New York has no business winning, which makes me think they're finally coming around. Sherdel completely outpitches Mule Watson, but leave runners hanging everywhere but on trees. The Mule starts the scoring with a long homer in the 6th, Frisch singles in another, and the second Watson gives up another hit, Jonnard comes on to punish the Cards the rest of the way.

NATIONAL LEAGUE through Thursday, July 10
Pittsburgh Pirates	52	27	.658	—
Cincinnati Reds	49	34	.590	5
Brooklyn Robins	48	35	.578	6
New York Giants	46	34	.575	6.5
St. Louis Cardinals	39	42	.481	14
Chicago Cubs	37	44	.457	16
Philadelphia Phillies	33	50	.398	21
Boston Braves	22	60	.268	31.5

A GAME OF INCHES AND CHEWED FINGERNAILS

CURLY OGDEN NO STOOGE AS NATS NICK US AGAIN, 5-4

By Calvin J. Butterworth
Detroit Free-Enterprise

July 9, 1924

WASHINGTON, D.C.—This reporter was gracious in his praises for yesterday's taut defeat at Griffith Stadium, but if we endure one more of these tragic nail-chewers I shall be more than ready for the Tigers to unleash a mashing.

Ken Holloway faced Curly Ogden today at the grand ball yard at Pomeroy and Georgia, and Washington didn't wait around until the final frame to tally forth this time. Leibold walked, Harris doubled him to third, and the recently-dormant Goslin singled them home for a quick 2-0 lead.

Bassler doubled for Detroit with two gone in the 4th and a Del Pratt single brought him in, but a Goslin double and Bluege single in the bottom of the inning restored the two-run cushion. Heilman then tripled to begin our 6th and Bassler got him across with a grounder, but these Senators simply never rest. A Rice walk, Tate single and Bluege scoring fly made it 4-2 and pushed us on to the later act of the game.

Ogden was giving up nothing but occasional large swats, but every one brought trouble. Indeed, here was Topper Rigney in the 8th taking the stage, belting a ball out to the fence in deep center field, the ball clearing the barrier a mere inch from Leibold's rising glove for a rare Tiger home run!

Then...In the 9th, a Burke walk and Woodall pinch single put the winning runs afloat and tired Ogden, but manager Harris stayed with his starter to keep from going to his chancy bullpen. Cobb touched Curly for a game-knotting single, but Rigney, Blue and Heilman all failed to escape the infield with their struck balls. Blue, in fact, had a miserable day, whiffing thrice and hitting into a double play his other time at the dish.

Dauss was in for our relief, but after smoothly retiring Washington in succession in the 9th, his 10th was a dropped tray of dishware. Sam Rice doubled with one out and Muddy Ruel, yesterday's local hero, picked up the baton again, rifling a shot over the leaping Pratt and into the left corner for the winning Nat digit.

So we are left eight games below the royal seat. Two brutal losses that could have been won would be cause enough for depression, but tomorrow the Bengals must rebound against the Big Train himself. True, they have beaten him twice already in this campaign, but Mr. Johnson has a score to settle, and one would be foolhardy to bet against him securing such a ruby.

DET 000 101 011 0 - 4 7 0
WAS 200 101 000 1 - 5 9 0

Other American League contests today:

at YANKEES 10-14-4, WHITE SOX 7-14-0
Could it be? Have the Gothams reclaimed their swagger with a third straight victory and second in a row over the spiraling Chicagoans? Despite fourteen Sox safeties and four gaffes from the home club, Joe Bush still notches his ninth win thanks to Bob Meusel's double, home run, and four knocked in. Again not heard from was the Sultan of Snore, the less-than-mighty Bamino, who in his last ten games has driven home exactly one run. Still, with a win tomorrow New York will be a mere half game behind said Sox.

INDIANS 3-11-1, at ATHLETICS 1-7-0
Sherry Smith out-hurls Baumgarten in a rare pitching festival between these two hit-mad outfits.

BROWNS 13-21-1, at RED SOX 4-11-1
Boston's recent clubbing of the Mackmen was apparently an aberration, as Danforth outwits them and the Browns rack up nine extra-sack hits, even with Ken Williams still absent.

AMERICAN LEAGUE through Wednesday, July 9
Washington Senators	54	29	.651	—
Detroit Tigers	47	38	.553	8
Chicago White Sox	44	38	.537	9.5
New York Yankees	42	39	.519	11
St. Louis Browns	38	45	.458	16
Cleveland Indians	37	47	.440	17.5
Boston Red Sox	35	47	.427	18.5
Philadelphia Athletics	35	49	.417	19.5

EASY DOES IT, SORT OF

July 9, 1924

Heinie got me up early and out to Redland Field a whole hour before any other players showed up. I knew what this was about.

After yesterday's game I had to shoot my mouth off about how easy it looked to hit a baseball, and now Heinie wanted me to swallow those dumb words. He knew the Cincy equipment man from his days in San Francisco, and talked him into throwing some practice balls my way on the big diamond, something he did once in a while for the Reds.

Heinie handed me his "lightest bat", which still felt heavier than anything I'd ever swung, and I walked up to home plate in the morning shadow. Solly the equipment guy was almost 60 but had an arm like a tree-cutter's. He reached into a wicker basket with it, took out a ball, wound up and chucked it over the plate. By the time I got around to swinging, Heinie was crouched in back of me holding the ball.

"Now I'll try a fast one!" yelled Solly, and I almost fainted. I dug my shoes into the dirt but it didn't do any good because the blur-ball was past me before I even took a step. I told them I got the point and had had enough, but Heinie wouldn't hear it, and said I was standing there until I made some contact. Twelve or thirteen more pitches went past until I finally shut my eyes, swung as early as I could and felt my bat nick one.

That was amazing, I thought, as I was finally allowed to trudge back to the Phillie club house. How does any big leaguer ever hit a baseball?

It sure got me watching the hitters closer during today's game and had me respecting the heck out of them. Seeing Wrightstone, Wilson, Mokan, and Ford begin our 2nd with two doubles, a triple, and a single off Pete Donohue was mighty special, and gave Jimmy Ring a 3-0 lead for a change. Jimmy was 2-11 to start the game, so everyone in the dugout was waiting for him to start throwing it all away.

Except it was the Reds that did the bad throwing. George Burns muffed a ball in left and Bressler booted one down at first to help give us two more runs in the 3rd, and it seemed to give Jimmy a boost because Cincy could do next to nothing with him the rest of the afternoon. Harper tripled and Holke singled him in the 9th just to rub it in, and the Reds played so awful even the Over-the-Rhine Boys stayed in their bleacher seats. It was an even tougher day for local fans because the Bucs actually lost a game to the Boston Braves at home, which is about as likely as Benny marrying Miss Philadelphia.

The Havana Grit boys invited me to a speakeasy downtown afterwards to celebrate me giving the Reds the whammy, and I went along with it all for a German beer or two before I started getting a lead stomach and had to crawl back to my hotel closet. I was too gone to even let the rushing water-pipe sound bug me, and reciting "Sherry Magee" a few times sure helped.

Good night, reader-people!
—Vinny

PHI 032 000 001 - 6 12 1
CIN 000 000 200 - 2 4 4

Other National League games today:

BRAVES 8-14-0, at PIRATES 7-14-3 (11 innings)
Yup, miracles happen. Braves take the lead 1-0 on Cooper, Bucs come back on Cooney to lead 2-1. Braves go ahead 3-2 in the 3rd. Bucs get three in the 4th, lead 5-3. Braves get three in 6th and lead 6-5. Bucs tie it in 7th off Skinny Graham. Cotton Tierney homers in 8th, Braves up 7-6. Wright ties it with double and they go into extras. Two singles and Cuyler error in 11th put Boston ahead and they hold on after Bucs get first and third with one out in last of 11th. Phew.

at CUBS 9-10-2, ROBINS 6-8-3
Brooklyn ruins huge chance to gain on first place by losing to Vic Keen and his 3-12 record. They play without Neis and Brown, two of their best outfielders, so I guess they have an excuse, but Dutch Ruether is kicked out of their rotation after taking his 5-0 lead and giving the Cubs seven runs in the bottom of the 2nd. It's getting too late to muck around, says Wilbert Robinson later.

GIANTS 16-20-2, at CARDINALS 3-8-1
Kelly is dropped to the seven spot as promised and gets three singles and three runs batted in during the second straight Giant explosion here. Barnes goes all the way while Sothoron and Eddie Dyer are just plain awful. Too bad the team I hate is the one that took advantage of Pittsburgh losing.

NATIONAL LEAGUE through Wednesday, July 9
Pittsburgh Pirates	52	26	.667	—
Cincinnati Reds	49	33	.598	5
Brooklyn Robins	48	34	.586	6
New York Giants	45	34	.570	7.5
St. Louis Cardinals	39	41	.488	14
Chicago Cubs	36	44	.450	17
Philadelphia Phillies	32	50	.390	23
Boston Braves	21	60	.259	33.5

CLEANER THAN A DIAMOND'S EDGE

TIGER HOPES DASHED IN FINAL TICKS OF CAPITOL THRILLER

By Calvin J. Butterworth
Detroit Free-Enterprise

July 8, 1924

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Our second visit to this regal, sweltering city began as dramatically as the first one. It was back on May 10th when Al Wingo knocked home the game-winner off the great Walter Johnson in the top of the 13th, and although the Senators were victorious in the next three games, the memory of the opener stayed in the heads of base ball fans nationwide for some time.

Today's match of Earl Whitehill vs. Firpo Marberry appeared to lean in our direction, but the one certainty about this marvelous game is that nothing is ever certain. While Marberry threw better than he has in months, allowing Detroit just one tally in his eight innings on a Heilman double play grounder, Whitehill was even better. He retired the first thirteen Senators in succession before Rice reached on a Lu Blue gaffe in the 5th, and gave up nary a hit until Bucky Harris singled with one out in the 6th.

Indeed, all signs pointed to a complete day of frustration for the American League toppers. McNeely and Judge both flew out after the aforementioned Harris safety, and after a Rice single and Ossie Bluege walk with one out in the 7th, Peckinpaugh flied out and Muddy Ruel dribbled to Rigney. Nemo Leibold batted for the luckless Marberry to launch the Washington 8th and drew a free pass, but Harris, McNeely and Judge could no nothing with their sticks.

After Russell put down the Tigers 1-2-3 in the 9th, the Griffith Stadium horde rose to its feet and unleashed a cacophony perhaps never before heard in these base ball environs. There were tooting horns, unrestrained clapping, even the screeches of scattered females, all designed to inspire their beloved warriors.

The mighty Goose Goslin, leading both leagues in runs driven home, showed undue patience and drew a free pass on a 3-2 pitch. Sam Rice skied out to left, but Bluege also walked. Peckinpaugh then corked a single into center, deadlocking the contest as Goslin flew in, and exhausting the Earl. Ruel was due back at the dish, but Manager Cobb apparently felt more secure with a weary Whitehill, until moments ago spinning a shutout, than with a talent-starved Pillette or Stoner, because their most trustworthy option Hooks Dauss was unavailable to pitch.

With runners at first and third, the corner infielders were drawn in. Ruel is known around the circuit as a slow-footed backstop who can easily be expunged with a double play ball. But Muddy has his nickname with good reason, and as Whitehill whipped in the first pitch, Ruel squared and dropped a perfect bunt down the third base line. In ran Jones, who scooped the sphere in one motion and shoveled it to Bassler with the hope of catching Goslin. Except the bunt was too good, Goslin was too fast, and the Senators had a terrific 2-1 win and a seven-game cushion on us!

The Tiger club house was bluer than normal, but how could any witness at the field not marvel at the near-perfect play by both teams, by the sterling efforts of the two moundsman, at the grit and passion these two pennant chasers provided? Ken Holloway will face off against Curly Ogden here tomorrow, and I can hardly wait to return.

DET 001 000 000 - 1 5 1
WAS 000 000 002 - 2 4 0


Other American League games today:

at YANKEES 3-10-1, WHITE SOX 2-12-2
Chicago is falling out of its pennant tree like a crippled blackbird. In a contest eerily similar to the one in Washington, Sarge Connally takes a 2-1 advantage into the last of the 9th, only to have his luck evaporate. Pennock, Combs and Ernie Johnson all single with one out, Ruth reaches on an Eddie Collins flub to tie the game, and Meusel wins it with a line hit. Pennock receives virtually no run support for eight innings but somehow escapes with his 11th win, and the Yanks are a shocking two games over the .500 mark.

at ATHLETICS 7-12-1, INDIANS 0-4-3
Eddie Rommel, who has pitcher far better than his 5-12 record, leaves no doubt regarding his acumen today, sprinkling four singles across the scorebook and little else. Three A's runs in the 3rd and four in the 8th off George Uhle decide matters.

BROWNS 4-9-0, at RED SOX 3-10-1
Boston drops its second unnerving game in a row, leaving men on second and third with two outs in the 9th as Hub Pruett relieves Shocker and gets Ike Boone on a salty grounder.

AMERICAN LEAGUE through Tuesday, July 8
Washington Senators	53	29	.646	—
Detroit Tigers	47	37	.560	7
Chicago White Sox	44	37	.543	8.5
New York Yankees	41	39	.513	11
St. Louis Browns	37	45	.451	16
Cleveland Indians	36	47	.434	17.5
Boston Red Sox	35	46	.432	17.5
Philadelphia Athletics	35	48	.422	18.5

THE AGONY AND THE EPPA RIXEY

July 8, 1924

We rolled into Cincinnati late yesterday and split into a bunch of taxicabs for the drive over to the Palace Hotel on Vine Street, which was built in 1882 by someone who must've thought he was a French king. It was eight stories high and had elevators and marble grand stairs in the lobby.

It also had three hundred or so rooms, but because there was a big convention of sausage-makers in town, there wasn't any space for me. Art Fletcher argued with the desk man for about ten seconds, and they ended up clearing out an extra linen closet and throwing a mattress on the floor. Harper felt bad and gave me a cigar, which I wasn't about to light up in there, while Wrightstone went down to a store and bought me a calendar with pictures of German countryside on it to hang on the closet wall. Real nice guys. The water pipes also happened to run up one of the walls, so every time someone used a toilet, took a bath or washed their teeth, which was most of the night, I would hear it.

I was so tired in the morning that I had my first cup of coffee with Heinie Sand in the hotel's breakfast room. It was awful bitter and I have no idea how so many people drink the stuff every day, but it did wake me up some. By the time we got to Redland Field I was all hopped up and took care of our bats five times quicker than usual. Johnny Couch was pitching for us, which probably meant a close game, except then I looked toward the Cincinnati dugout and saw scary Eppa Rixey tossing warm-ups. The Reds have been in the pennant chase all season, and this guy has been the main reason with his 11-4 record. He's also wiped us clean at least three times, and I could see most of our players drop their heads and shoulders just by taking a look at him.

Holke tried to make us forget about him by hitting a sacrifice fly in the 1st inning, but the Reds took care of that business right away with two-out singles from Bressler and Roush and the favorite Cincy weapon, the clutch triple, by Pinelli for a 2-1 lead. Heinie got himself a run-scoring fly in the 2nd to tie us again, but then Cincy went ahead 3-2 on a double play grounder by Walker...

And we were never heard from again.

Mokan singled in the 4th, Holke led the 6th with a double and Cy bashed a long out in the 8th that would have been a homer anywhere but here, and Rixey got everyone else out. The Reds scored single runs in the 4th and 7th but didn't need them, and then something even worse happened.

One of the Over-the-Rhine boys me and Benny had run into back in May recognized me while I was lugging some bats to the Phillie dugout and ran up to the rail. "Hey!" he shouted, "Aren't you Hans Muellerschidt's friend?' Muellerschmidt was the fake name Benny had given them to keep us from getting beat up, so I said "Ja" in a fake German accent and before you knew it, six more of those little thugs were squeezing into the good seats to pick on me before a cop finally made them move.

I stuck to Sand as close as I could after the game and we went for hamburgers. He didn't like losing but felt pretty good about his sacrifice fly off Rixey. "That guy is 12-4 now, it's a good thing when your bat hits any of his balls." I said from the stands it doesn't all that hard and he just laughed, toasted me with his root beer glass and said, "Meet me on the ball park diamond tomorrow morning."

You bet I will, reader-people!
—Vinny

PHI 110 000 000 - 2 6 2
CIN 210 100 10x - 5 10 1


Only National League Games today:

at PIRATES 12-17-0, BRAVES 3-13-2
Okay, so the Bucs go to 9-0 against Boston with no end in sight. This was actually just a 4-2 Pirate lead until the NL leaders got bored and racked up eight runs in the 5th, 6th, and 7th off Yeargin and Gearin, as if there's a difference between them. Best player in the league Kiki Cutler has his typical day: single, triple, grand slam homer, five runs batted in and a stolen base.

ROBINS 2-7-1, at CUBS 1-9-1
Burleigh Grimes win his 12th and Brooklyn jumps the Poor Cubs for two runs off Aldridge in the top of the 9th, the winner on a Grimes single.

GIANTS 15-16-3, at CARDINALS 10-11-5
New York recovers from losing to us by crushing St. louis in their own yard. Down 4-0 to Haines in the 5th they score nine times and three the next inning with the help of some rotten Cards fielding. The Giants have this way of looking awful even when they win, though, as Bentley and Jonnard allow five runs in the last of the 9th and have to get Cooney out to end the game with two more aboard. And with that worthless drunk George Kelly unable to get the ball out of the infield in six times up, McGraw vows to drop him down to the seventh lineup spot tomorrow.

NATIONAL LEAGUE through Tuesday, July 8
Pittsburgh Pirates	52	25	.675	—
Cincinnati Reds	49	32	.605	5
Brooklyn Robins	48	33	.593	6
New York Giants	44	34	.564	8.5
St. Louis Cardinals	39	40	.494	14
Chicago Cubs	35	44	.443	18
Philadelphia Phillies	31	50	.383	24
Boston Braves	20	60	.250	34.5

INDIANS OUT OF THEIR LEAGUE

EVEN WITH COLLINS CAVALIER, COVELESKI IS CRUSHED IN 10-6 SWATTING DERBY

By Calvin J. Butterworth
Detroit Free-Enterprise

July 7, 1924

CLEVELAND—The Tigers made the most of their one-game stop at League Park this afternoon with a bountiful bashing brigade against the waning wizards of wampum. The Indians have been playing far better of late, particularly in their wigwam on Lexington Avenue, but with their erratic hurling corps one can never expect them to silence the opposition. En route to the Nation's Capitol for the start of their eastern journey, Detroit was anything but snuffed.

Once again, the chief instigator was Tyrus Raymond Cobb, who reached base his first five times with three doubles, a single, and a walk, making it eleven straight times over two games he danced on the pathways. With the score knotted 2-2 in the 4th, Cobb's single was the second piece of a long string of walks and safeties that produced four runs off Coveleski and a 6-2 lead. Two singles, a Cobb double and a walk in the next frame cranked it up to 8-3, and a Woodall scoring single in the 6th pushed the advantage to 9-3.

It was here that Rip Collins pitched his worst ball in quite a while. A Lutzke walk, pinch triple from Summa, Jamieson single and Brower double began the last of the 6th, and it was suddenly 9-6. With the Tiger relief men exhausted from days of recent use, Cobb strolled over to the pitching mound, and convinced Rip he needed to gather his wits. Collins apparently listened, because from here he allowed one Jamieson double and no other hit. Blue doubled in Detroit's tenth run in the 9th, and we had another big game in the victory bag.

Whitehill will receive the ball tomorrow in Washington against Firpo Marberry, certainly a good scenario for an opening win against the current kings of the league. Just imagine, readers: If Detroit can miraculously pull off a four-game Senatorial sweep, the lead will be down to two.

Other west-east showdowns will find the Browns visiting Boston, the slumping White Sox at Yankee Stadium, and the Tribe looking for Mackmen scalps.

DET 101 421 001 - 10 18 0
CLE 200 103 000 - 6 12 2

Only other American League games today:

RED SOX 13-19-1, at ATHLETICS 10-14-0
at ATHLETICS 5-9-2, RED SOX 4-8-0
Well-rested from their religious day off, Mack's pitching staff fares no better than on Saturday, giving the Bostons 19 more hits and 13 more runs in the opening affair. It's Philadelphia's bats that really wake up, though, coming from arrears to score four runs in the 8th and go ahead of the Red Sox 10-8, only to have their best relief man Meeker give up six hits and five runs in the top of the 9th.
Meeker starts the second game, though, and recovers sweetly, as Boston grounds into three damaging double plays and dies with the bases loaded in the 9th when Homer Ezzell dribbles out to the catcher.

AMERICAN LEAGUE through Monday, July 7
Washington Senators	52	29	.642	—
Detroit Tigers	47	36	.566	6
Chicago White Sox	44	36	.550	7.5
New York Yankees	40	39	.506	11
St. Louis Browns	36	45	.441	16
Cleveland Indians	36	46	.439	16.5
Boston Red Sox	35	45	.438	16.5
Philadelphia Athletics	34	48	.415	18.5

THE ONLY WAY TO TRAVEL

RECENTLY, IN THE NATIONAL LEAGUE: Phils shock Giants behind Oescheger and split town...Vinny becomes McGraw's new nemesis...Rachel's father still in dark about daughter's marriage plans...

July 7, 1924

We boarded the express to Cincinnati last night close to eleven, and I was so excited I almost broke out in hives. Heinie Sand had been filling both of my ears about how much he loved the team's train trips, which I found surprising when you figure how many times the Phillies travel after a loss.

But when we boarded it all got clear. The team had three Pullman cars, lettered A, B, and C, with C being the one in the back that gets whipped around the curves. Of course, that's where me and Heinie's upper sleeping bunks were. Fletcher, the coaches and Cy Williams were in lower berths in the A car, but I didn't care at all because it sure beat a cabbage carton or whatever the heck I got stuck in during those early trips to New York this year. Each berth even had a little hammock thing to put your clothes or toothbrush or whatever else you want in while you sleep.

Some of the players had trouble nodding off, so they tried different ways to do this. The easiest of course was having some bootleg liquor in the club car, the one just in front of the sleeping ones. Even with booze still illegal, every baseball team train somehow got bottles of the stuff aboard, and the porters weren't shy about serving it if you tipped them enough. The other way Phillie players used was to recite the name Sherry Magee over and over. Magee was a player on the Phils and Reds about ten years ago, and if you matched the clackety-clack train wheel sound with "Sherry Magee...Sherry Magee...Sherry Magee..." you'd fall right asleep.

I was all ready to try that, but Heinie Sand was too busy keeping me awake with his gabbing. Heinie's only in his second season, but because he's 27 he has a bunch of minor league stories to tell. The best tales, though, were about growing up in San Francisco, a city that to me just sounds wild and magical. I can't even imagine living somewhere that doesn't have snow.

After a while, Heinie even got tired of his own stories and fell asleep, and when I woke we were just about in Ohio. It was amazing to think that the last time I was headed to Cincinnati I was driving with Benny and sleeping in some farmer's field, and now here I was eating eggs and ham steak and little roasted potatoes at a back table in a ballplayers' dining car! Russ Wrightstone was at the next table with his fellow H.G.F.ers, reading anti-McGraw articles out loud from a New York newspaper. "The Giants are a disgrace to New York ballhood," wrote one wag, and Harper piped up, "If I ever find out what ballhood is, you better not mess with mine!" and everyone cackled.

There was time for some gin rummy games in the club car after that, though the Harper gang didn't let me anywhere near the table. Rookies and clubhouse help weren't really welcome with the high-rollers on the trains, so I ended up back in Car C with Heinie and a pair of dice and another hour or so of amateur baseball stories. Heinie was worried about keeping his job in the big leagues because he was told he strikes out too much, but I told him from what I've seen he also walks a lot, and getting on base sure accounts for something. I think he appreciated that.

Talk to you tomorrow from Cincy, reader-people!
—Vinny

Only National League Games today:

ROBINS 4-8-0, at PIRATES 2-8-0
Wow! Wish we could have stopped at Forbes Field today to catch this one. Brooklyn stops for just one game on their way to Chicago, and Dazzy Vance beats the Bucs for the first time all year. Actually it's only the Robins' second win against the leaders in eight tries. Dazzy can't get Max Carey out, who singles twice, triples, homers and steals a base in the leadoff spot, but takes care of everybody else. Vance also clubbed a homer in the 8th off Kremer to give Brooklyn an insurance score. As usual, the Bucs' opponent has a player get hurt when Brown grounds into a double play and sprains his ankle with the bases loaded in the 4th, but at least this time he'll sit out against the Cubs.

at CARDINALS 8-17-1, CUBS 7-8-2 (10 innings)
And speaking of the poor Cubs, Tony Kaufmann has an early 5-1 lead at Sportsman's Park, thanks to a 3-run Hack Miller homer, but can't hold it at all. Sunny Jim Bottomley collects two singles, a triple and homer, just like Carey in Pittsburgh, and singles in the tieing run in the 9th with the Cards down 7-5 to start the inning. In the 10th off Wheeler, Specs Toporcer singles, gets bunted to second and Hornsby singles in the winner. Now St. Louis has the hot and cold Giants coming in, so maybe they'll get to play them at the right temperature.

NATIONAL LEAGUE through Monday, July 7
Pittsburgh Pirates	51	25	.671	—
Cincinnati Reds	48	32	.600	5
Brooklyn Robins	47	33	.588	6
New York Giants	43	34	.558	8.5
St. Louis Cardinals	39	39	.500	13
Chicago Cubs	35	43	.449	17
Philadelphia Phillies	31	49	.388	23
Boston Braves	20	59	.253	33.5

DETROIT COBBLES TOGETHER A WIN

MANAGER'S MOVEMENT TO TOP OF LINEUP TRIGGERS 16-8 ONSLAUGHT

By Calvin J. Butterworth
Detroit Free-Enterprise

July 6, 1924

Leaving home on a sour note is never a desirable choice when it comes to ball teams, and with the Tigers' second eastern safari on the docket beginning tomorrow, losing a Navin Field finale to Elam Vangilder and the Browns could derail their train five yards out of the station.

Thankfully, Ty Cobb realized Vangilder's weakness against portside swingers and shifted his own bat to the top of the heap, replacing righthanded Rigney. It paid dividends early, as Ty singled home Bassler in the 2nd to begin the day's scoring. With our usual relief men unavailable, Ed Wells had been ordered to pitch for the duration, but as has been his trademark of late, his pitches were soft and crushable. Vangilder doubled to start the St. Louis 3rd. Gerber singled him in. Sisler got to second on an atrocious Lu Blue misplay at first. Norm McMillan doubled. Baby Doll Jacobson swatted the next pitch toward the nearest Great Lake, and we were trailing 5-1 in no time.

It was here that Manager Cobb showed some rare mettle. Normally one to berate his own players and push them deeper into their failing fog, Tyrus said nothing and pounded his mitt in support. After a Severeid double, Wells managed to escape the inning, and when Cobb dropped his glove on the edge of the field with his players, he gave Ed a firm pat on the shoulder.

Every one of Wells' teammates no doubt witnessed this, and it was a gesture that would bear immediate fruit. Three singles and a Bassler double gave us two runs right back. A Cobb walk and Blue double made it 5-4 in the 4th, and then the ceiling collapsed on the poor Brownies. Burke and Jones singled to begin our 5th. After Wells fanned, Cobb singled to fill the sacks. Rigney then powered a triple into the nether-regions to clear said sacks. Blue reached on a Syl Simon gaffe. Heilman tripled again, just missing a circuit clout. Bassler singled an out later and six runs had graced the dish.

Vangilder was long gone, and a Rigney double off Lyons in the 6th added two more. Wells grew tired in the 8th but emerged from a 3-run rally with the game's outcome intact. After four singles, a walk and Burke doubled finished the day's explosions in the 8th, Detroit's had its eight-run final margin, and the short ride down to Cleveland to begin the eastern journey would surely be a festive one. For the day, Cobb reached base all six times up, and with the good news from Washington adding to the mood, the road just might be a happy home for us in the next few weeks.

SLB 005 000 030 - 8 11 3
DET 012 152 04x - 16 20 1

Other American League games today:

YANKEES 6-16-0, at SENATORS 4-17-2 (11 innings)
Certainly one of the most thrilling contests of the season at Griffith Stadium. Mogridge takes a 3-0 lead early, but the Yanks, who for some uncanny reason seem to play their best against Washington, battle back to take a 4-3 lead into the 8th behind Shawkey. Harris gets himself plunked by Gaston with the bases loaded to tie the score, but Judge pops out to end the threat. The Nats leave them loaded again the next inning, while their relief ace Russell escapes a handful of Yankee jams. Finally, a scoring fly by Scott and infield hit by McNally off Stan Speece seals the eventful win. The teams combine to leave 33 runners on base, Washington with 18 of them, and Detroit picks up another full game in the race.

INDIANS 15-19-1, at WHITE SOX 7-12-2
Sloppy Thurston earns his nickname once more, giving the Tribe three runs in the 2nd, before running for cover in the 6th after three straight singles, and a double-walk-double to put his team behind 9-0. It's 13-0 when Chicago bats wake up in a large fashion, battering Shaute for seven runs in the last three frames, but the Indians' victory war dance was finished long before then.

AMERICAN LEAGUE through Sunday, July 6
Washington Senators	52	29	.642	—
Detroit Tigers	46	36	.561	6.5
Chicago White Sox	44	36	.550	7.5
New York Yankees	40	39	.506	11
Cleveland Indians	36	45	.441	16
St. Louis Browns	36	45	.441	16
Boston Red Sox	34	44	.436	16.5
Philadelphia Athletics	33	47	.413	18.5

THE IRISHMAN VS. THE ITALIAN, NINE ROUNDS

RECENTLY, IN THE NATIONAL LEAGUE: Phils lose at Polo Grounds again while Vinny enjoys Luna Park...Cincy beats Bucs to tighten things a little...Rachel's father unavailable on the Sabbath...

July 6, 1924

By the time I woke up this morning there was no time to go to Brooklyn, do my proposal bit again for Mr. Stone and high-tail it back to the ball park, so I packed my bag for the long road trip and picked the batboy job instead.

It was a good thing, because the Giants batboy was out sick, no doubt sneezing into his already snotty nose, and McGraw needed me to work for his team, too. If he had his way I suppose he would rather have the players take care of their own bats, because it was pretty clear before the game even started that he didn't like anyone he didn't really know touching Giants equipment.

"Did you wash those things?" was the first thing he asked me. "You mean the bats?" I asked and he grabbed both of my wrists with his little meat hooks and shook them. "No you dunce, your hands!" I said not yet and he sent me back to the visitor club house to scrub them. The Phillie players saw me at the sink, knew what I was doing and started to needle me. "Tell that buzzard there ain't enough time to wash off smallpox!" yelled Harper, who seemed to be in a real good mood, which was surprising seeing we'd just lost three straight. Sand told me that the team was always kind of lively before a big trip because lots of the players had their dames lined up for the different cities.

I sure had the Phillie bats lined up right. Holke singled off Art Nehf with two outs in the 1st and Cy Williams cranked a ball into the high deck in deep right, and we were up 2-0! Oescheger was throwing for us, and believe me, he probably never pitched this good. The first eleven Giants went down without a fight before Youngs singled with two outs in the 3rd, and with every out I was less in the mood to go near the New York dugout. McGraw just stood there with his arms folded, staring at my hands every time they touched a Giants bat. Heck, it wasn't my fault his team is eight or so games out of first and his second best hitter George Kelly is playing like gutter swill with his average down to .262.

Jimmie Wilson hit a solo homer to start the 6th, it was 3-0, and I could feel McGraw's eye-heat on my neck without even looking at him. When I ran back to the Giants dugout to fish out Travis Jackson's bat, McGraw ripped it out of my hand, inspected the handle, then my hand again, then gave it to Jackson himself. "You're doing something here, kid, and I better not find out what it is." I said how do you know and he kicked over a ball bag, wheezed in my face and pointed out to Oescheger. "That bum's given up 149 hits in 101 innings, and we can't knock a gnat off his sleeve, that's why!" I shrugged and just said, "Well, baseball can be kind of funny" and I thought he was about to knock my head off. At that moment Jackson swung and lined a homer way out to left, the crowd went crazy and McGraw got out of my face. He didn't smile, because I'm not sure he ever has, but at least I'd live for another inning.

A Mokan sacrifice fly made it 4-1 us in the 8th, and Oescheger went back to spinning his best-ever game. After Jackson's homer he didn't allow another hit, gave them only two, and we had a big win to leave town with. The Phillies club house was just a big party and I was the girl on the cake. The Incredible Holke had four straight singles and proclaimed me the best good luck charm we'd had in a while. That was exaggerating too much, but it was true that this might've been McGraw's worst day of the year, which always meant for something.

Benny sure enjoyed it. He sent me a telegram right from Mort's where he must've been following the game:

GOOD WORK BEATING UP IRISH THUG, SPANELLI. HAVE FUN TRIP. I'LL FIND YOU SOMEWHERE.

One thing was definite: There was no way I could get over to Rachel's house like I thought I might. Our moving celebration carried me right to Pennsylvania Station, where we boarded our liner for the whole night and day trip to Ohio. I got a sleeping berth right above Heinie Sand, which was great because I wanted to hear all about San Francisco from him, and if I'm lucky the singing and card games and cigar-smoking might end by midnight. Good night, reader-people!
—Vinny

PHL 200 001 010 - 4 11 0
NYG 000 001 000 - 1 2 1


Other National League Games today:

BRAVES 3-11-1, at ROBINS 1-7-2
Yup, it was a strange day all around. With the Reds and Bucs off, Brooklyn and the Giants had great chances to gain some ground and clunked them both. I really hope Rachel skipped this one at Ebbets because it was their worst loss of the year. With the tough Bill Doak pitching against Boston's crummy Joe Genewich and his 1-11 record, the Robins can't do a darned thing and give the Braves their 20th win of the year.

CUBS 9-9-0, at CARDINALS 5-6-1
Boy, I don't know what's gotten into the Cards. Jacobs beats them here, Heathcote gets three hits off Dickerman and Gabby Hartnett smacks homer no. 18 on the year, two behind Fournier. Even Hornsby hits into a double play and fans with people on base. Guess they'll be happy to host the sad Giants in a few days.

NATIONAL LEAGUE through Sunday, July 6
Pittsburgh Pirates	51	24	.680	—
Cincinnati Reds	48	32	.600	5.5
Brooklyn Robins	46	33	.582	7
New York Giants	43	34	.558	9
St. Louis Cardinals	38	39	.494	14
Chicago Cubs	35	42	.455	17
Philadelphia Phillies	31	49	.388	23.5
Boston Braves	20	59	.253	34