Athletics Fly To Opening Win Behind Three Sacrifices

BY PETE PETERS / Grand National Tribune

The hosts held on for a nip-and-tuck win Monday afternoon as the Philadelphia Athletics topped the Detroit Tigers 3-2 in the opener of the American League championship series at Shibe Park.

Frank Baker recorded three hits, including a double for the Athletics’ lone extra-base knock, and Eddie Collins had two. Charles Bender took the win behind nine innings of 9-hit baseball with three strikeouts.

Philadelphia struck first to take a 1-0 lead in the third inning and untied the game with a run in the sixth. Both times, Detroit answered, posting tallies in the fourth and sixth innings respectively. The final run prompted no such response.

Two walks and a wild pitch set up Philadelphia’s first run, a Bender tally on Baker’s flyout, while three singles and a Topsy Hartsel flyout brought in run number two.

Detroit scored its runs in more traditional ways, getting hits on two straight pitches two separate times. Oscar Stanage and Charley O’Leary each doubled in the fifth, while Stanage’s triple was followed by a pinch-hit Jim Delahanty single in the seventh.

After Stanage, Detroit’s other seven hits came from seven players. Boss Schmidt tripled with two out in the ninth but was stranded 90 feet short of tying the game.

The Athletics loaded the bases with one out in the seventh, getting two infield singles and a walk after starting the inning with a fly ball to left. Danny Murphy drove in the run with a fly ball to center.

Bill Donovan took the loss for Detroit with 8 innings, 7 hits and 3 strikeouts.

Philadelphia will seek to double its advantage Tuesday and send the Tigers back to Detroit with no margin for error in extending the best-of-5 series. Jack Coombs takes the ball for the Mackmen and Ed Summers pitches for Detroit. First pitch is set for 2 p.m. on Tuesday.

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[9/28/10] Playoff Field Set With More Than Two Weeks Left

BY JOHN JOHNSON / Grand National Tribune

CENTERTOWN, Pa. (Wednesday, Sept. 28, 1910) — The Chicago Cubs killed off the pennant races with more than two weeks to go in the season today, splitting a doubleheader with Boston 3-2 and 11-0 at South End Grounds.

The victory in the second game gave the Chicago nine an insurmountable 13-game lead on the Pittsburgh Pirates. From 93-47, the Cubs cannot finish worse than 93-61; the Pirates will do no better than 92-62.

The New York Giants clinched the Eastern flag earlier in the day with a 16-4 rout of the Reds and Philadelphia’s 5-4 loss to Saint Louis.

With that clarification, the champions of all four divisions have been determined.

American League East: Philadelphia (98-46) over New York (82-61)
American League West: Detroit (82-64) over Cleveland (67-76)
National League East: New York (84-59) over Philadelphia (73-71)
National League West: Chicago (93-47) over Pittsburgh (82-62)

In a year framed by an even number, the eastern division clubs host the first two games of the pennant playoffs with the western division teams getting the final three games. The National League has the honor of hosting the first game of the World Series.

With the National League slate due to end on Saturday, Oct. 15, the playoffs will begin the following Monday. The World Series would begin on Monday, Oct. 24.

Umpire Crews Set

The office of the commissioner announced Wednesday that Bill Brennan and James Johnstone will umpire the National League championship series. Johnstone is the senior umpire of the two, working his fifth pennant playoff and seventh postseason. Brennan is a debutant.

Bill Dinneen and Bill Evans are the American League crew. Evans is working the postseason for the third straight year, calling the 1908 A.L. championship series and working the infield at the Fall Classic last season. Dinneen, a second-year umpire, is making his first playoff appearance.

Postseason Schedule

Monday, October 17, 1910 — Monday, July 8, 2019
New York at Chicago, game one, 3 p.m.
Philadelphia at Detroit, game one, 3 p.m.

Tuesday, October 18, 1910 — Tuesday, July 9, 2019
New York at Chicago, game two, 3 p.m.
Philadelphia at Detroit, game two, 3 p.m.

Wednesday, October 19, 1910 — Wednesday, July 10, 2019
Detroit at Philadelphia, game three, 2 p.m.

Thursday, October 20, 1910 — Thursday, July 11, 2019
Chicago at New York, game three, 2 p.m.
Detroit at Philadelphia, game four, 2 p.m.

Friday, October 22, 1910 — Friday, July 12, 2019
Chicago at New York, game four, 2 p.m.
Detroit at Philadelphia, game five, 2 p.m.

Saturday, October 23, 1910 — Saturday, July 13, 2019
Chicago at New York, game five, 2 p.m.

[10/21/09] Giants Come Alive In Ninth, Take Series In 6

BY JOHN JOHNSON / Grand National Tribune

PHILADELPHIA (Thursday, Oct. 21, 1909) — In a series that had already seen a scoreless game into the 13th inning, a 1-1 tie into the ninth seemed only appropriate Thursday as the New York Giants scored six runs in the final inning to claim their fourth straight win and take the World Series from the Philadelphia Athletics with a 7-1 win in Game Six at Shibe Park.

Bill O’Hara’s single through the right side allowed pitcher Red Ames to score the go-ahead run in the top of the ninth inning. Red Murray launched a 3-run homer after an intentional walk, making the score 5-1, and Admiral Schlei doubled home two more runs before the inning ended.

Three frames earlier, Schlei had set the stage for the tie game. He rapped a leadoff single, stole second and took third on a throwing error before crossing the dish on Ames’ fly ball to tie the score at 1 in the sixth inning.

Ames finished the day with 3 hits, 2 walks and 13 strikeouts in the complete-game win while also recording a run scored and a run batted in. He threw 118 pitches.

Charles Bender took the loss for Philadelphia, allowing 6 earned runs on as many hits in 8 1/3 innings. Jack Coombs retired both men he faced in relief.

Frank Baker’s sixth home run of the playoffs gave Philadelphia its 1-0 lead in the bottom of the fourth inning. Baker recorded two of the Athletics’ three hits with Ira Thomas getting the other.

Murray finished with three hits and Schlei two for New York.

The Playoff of Dreams will continue shortly with a trip to 1910.

[10/20/09] Seymour, Murray Power Giants In 8-2 Win

BY JOHN JOHNSON / Grand National Tribune

NEW YORK (Wednesday, Oct. 20, 1909) — Cy Seymour doubled and homered, driving in four of New York’s seven runs across the third and fourth innings, and Christy Mathewson struck out 13 men today as the Giants took their first lead of the World Series with an 8-2 Game Five win over Philadelphia at the Polo Grounds.

Red Murray followed Seymour’s double with a home run of his own, making it 4-0 before three innings were complete, and doubled in the fifth for his own 2-hit performance.

Admiral Schlei added two singles while Larry Doyle and Bill Paradise drove in runs for the Giants, who lead the best-of-7 series by a 3-2 margin.

The Athletics got both of their runs on solo homers, first on a fourth-inning blast from Frank Baker and then on a sixth-inning shot off the bat of Harry Davis. Eddie Collins led the team with two hits, including a double.

Mathewson allowed 7 hits on 137 pitches. His counterpart, Eddie Plank, surrendered 8 runs on as many hits in 5 innings before yielding to Jack Coombs. Rube Vickers finished the game after Coombs was lifted for a pinch-hitter.

Mathewson also started the offense for his club, leading off the third inning with a single. After an Al Bridwell walk moved him to second base, Seymour knocked the pitcher in with his two-bagger before Doyle flied out and Murray went for the long, slow jog.

An inning later, Schlei and Bridwell got on ahead of Seymour’s 3-run shot. Murray’s double and two groundouts ended the New York scoring in the fifth.

The series shifts back to Philadelphia for its duration now, with game six tomorrow and game seven on Friday if the Athletics force it. Both first pitches will be at 2 p.m. at Shibe Park.

[10/19/09] Doyle Ties Series With 13th-Inning Homer In 1-0 Giant Win

BY JOHN JOHNSON / Grand National Tribune

NEW YORK (Tuesday, Oct. 19, 1909) — Larry Doyle’s game-winning home run in the bottom of the 13th inning called a halt to the proceedings after Charles Bender and Bugs Raymond dueled into the twilight Tuesday, with the New York Giants topping the Philadelphia Athletics 1-0 at the Polo Grounds to level the World Series at two games apiece.

Each hurler struck out 24 men in a complete game, with Bender throwing 201 pitches in 12 2/3 innings and Raymond delivering 191 times in 13 complete innings.

Bender took a no-hitter into the eighth inning, when Admiral Schlei laced a leadoff double to deep center field to interfere with that milestone. Bender then set down the Giants without a hit until Doyle’s shot to right.

The Athletics did little better in the way of offense, recording three singles off Raymond. Harry Davis had two of them and Eddie Collins grounded the other one. Danny Murphy also walked twice and Topsy Hartsel once.

New York had a decided advantage in the bases on balls category, accepting seven free passes.

The proceedings ended at 4:19 p.m. local time, 54 minutes before sunset, after a game of two hours and 11 minutes.

The victory ensured the teams of a return trip to Philadelphia, which will host game six of the series on Thursday at 2 p.m. east coast time. Game five is Wednesday in Manhattan and a decisive game seven would be Friday in Philadelphia.

[10/18/09] Ames Pitches Giants Back Within 2 Games To 1

BY JOHN JOHNSON / Grand National Tribune

NEW YORK (Monday, Oct. 18, 1909) — Red Ames picked up his third win of the playoffs, going the distance with 15 strikeouts while scattering three hits, to pitch the New York Giants away from the precipice of elimination Monday in a 6-1 win over the Philadelphia Athletics at the Polo Grounds. The win cut Philadelphia’s lead in the World Series to 2-1.

The Giants opened the scoring in the bottom of the first inning, then broke the game open on Larry Doyle’s sixth-inning grand slam and added an insurance run on Fred Tenney’s inside-the-parker in the eighth inning.

Philadelphia got its run in the sixth inning on Harry Baker’s solo shot off Ames.

Fred Tenney added a second-inning triple for the Giants, who guaranteed themselves the full slate of three home games in the series with the victory.

Al Bridwell scored Philadelphia’s first run, drawing a leadoff walk and moving up on Bill O’Hara’s single. He took third base on Doyle’s fielder’s choice and scored when Red Murray flied out to left.

Jimmy Dygert took the opening ball for Philadelphia and went 7 2/3 innings, allowing 6 hits and 6 runs while punching out 12. Jack Coombs struck out the only man he faced in relief.

The teams reconvene at the Polo Grounds tomorrow afternoon for Game 4; the contest is a rematch of the Game 1 starting pitchers with Philadelphia’s Charles Bender meeting New York’s Bugs Raymond. First ball is set for 2 o’clock p.m.

Bender Tosses Gem, Philadelphia Doubles Series Lead on Home Field

BY JOHN JOHNSON / Grand National Tribune

PHILADELPHIA, Pa. (Saturday, Oct. 16, 1909) — Eddie Plank took a no-hitter into the seventh inning and limited the New York Giants to two singles and a double Saturday as the Athletics took a 2-0 World Series lead with a 4-1 win at Shibe Park.

Frank Baker, Harry Davis and Rube Oldring all went yard for the hosts, who kept their perfect postseason record alive and led from the first inning to the last.

Cy Seymour homered for New York, though his solo shot down the right field line came with the Giants down to the final out and trailing by four.

New York starter Christy Mathewson threw five pitches before he fell behind, giving up a leadoff single to Jack Barry in the first inning before Davis yanked a shot into the left-center gap and circled the bases.

Plank took a perfect game into the third inning, when it was spoiled by a walk to Fred Tenney, and allowed his first hit when Red Murray’s single eluded leaping Eddie Collins with two away in the seventh.

The Athletics extended their lead to 3-0 on Rube Oldring’s solo shot in the fourth inning and 4-0 on Baker’s leadoff blast in the eighth.

After canceling the proverbial postgame show with their first hit, the Giants went down in order for the next six men before Seymour left the building. Larry Doyle doubled into the corner, bringing the tying run on deck, but Plank punched out Red Murray for his 17th strikeout to end the game.

Plank threw 120 pitches in nine innings: Mathewson went 8, allowing 7 hits and 3 walks to go with 15 strikeouts. Baker was the lone player on either side with multiple hits.

After a travel day on the Sabbath tomorrow, the series resumes Monday at the Polo Grounds. Red Ames of New York will oppose Jimmy Dygert of Philadelphia on the pitching mound.