Athletics are blanked, 1-0 by Yanks pitcher making his starting debut
PHILADELPHIA, April 21, 1910 – New York’s husky new recruit had the Athletics completely baffled before a sparse crowd on a bitterly cold day at Shibe Park this afternoon. Russell Ford, the 27-year old from the Canadian prairie, pitching in his third big league game and making his inaugural major league start, had Connie’s White Elephants twisted in knots all afternoon.
The ball out of Ford’s hand was breaking unlike anything seen before. What was that? Was that a spitter? A splitter? Was there pine tar or some other substance? Perhaps there was an emery board? Veteran first sacker Harry Davis, who in his 15 years in the majors has seen just about everything, struck out four times for the first time in his illustrious career. Davis’s final strikeout, in the ninth inning, left him muttering as he trudged back to the dugout.
Mack’s veteran pitcher, Cy Morgan, was quite formidable himself – matching Ford pitch for pitch. After being blanked by Chief Bender during yesterday’s carnival, the Yankees got to business early this afternoon. Charlie Hemphill led off the game by lofting a mile-high fly ball to the center pasture. High enough to miss the low and thick cloud cover by an eyelash. By the time gravity completed its course, the white sphere had nestled in center fielder Rube Oldring’s well-worn glove.
Harry Wolter followed by lacing a liner over third baseman Frank Baker’s head and down the left field line. The fleet-footed Californian easily made second base. From there, manager George Stallings decided to play the inside game. Wolter promptly broke for third base where even catcher Paddy Livingston’s slingshot could not nip him in time. With captain Hal Chase now at-bat, Stallings called for a suicide squeeze.
Between Wolter’s blazing speed and Chase’s bat control, the childhood friends executed the order with surgical precision. The unsuspecting Morgan decided to go to a full windup with a runner on third base. The instant he rocked into his delivery, Wolter broke for home. Morgan’s pitch was outside to the right hand-hitting Chase who stretched out the lumber and caught the ball with the barrel. The ball rolled to shortstop Stuffy McInnis who neatly retired Chase at first – scoring Wolter with ease. Birdie Cree followed with a base on balls but was eventually thrown out by Livingston while trying to steal second.
The game quickly moved along as the two hurler’s did yeoman’s work in the box. The Yanks had some minor scoring threats throughout the course of the game – but, they were minor brush fires and not fill-fledged conflagrations. As usual, an Athletics’ pitcher was helped out by air-tight defense – this time in the form of a pair of double plays commenced by Baker.
The affair finally reached the ninth frame with the belligerents engaged in a fierce struggle for the outcome. The sky – overcast the entire game – became ominously dark. The air was heavy and a downpour seemed imminent. Morgan escaped the top half with a clean frame and the Mackmen needed one to prolong the battle. Ford, not having been stretched out as a starter, may have been tiring. The Athletics, sensing an opening, had one last chance.
Lead off man Topsy Hartsel struck out to start the ninth. Oldring then smashed the ball to third baseman Jimmy Austin. He knocked it down, but the Rube beat it out for an infield single and the tying run was aboard. Eddie Collins peppered Ford with a one-hopper back to the box. In his haste to retire the fleet Collins, Ford dropped the pill and the winning run was on. Baker then barreled an offering, but it found the leather on the right-hand of the slick-fielding Chase. Two Elephants were down and two more in scoring position.
Up to the plate came Davis. The one Athletic who was utterly flummoxed by Ford’s offerings all day. With one swing of his mighty club, however, Davis would be the instant hero. The small gathering of frozen denizens were now cheering themselves hoarse as Davis dug in. All Jasper needed was a hit to send everyone home happy. It wasn’t meant to be. Ford made quick work of Connie’s captain – sending him down swinging to secure the victory for the Manhattanites.
The box is as follows:
NOTES:
- Captain Harry Davis made his major league debut on September 21, 1895. Yesterday (April 21) was the first time in his 15-year career that he fanned four times in a single game.
- Shortstop Stuffy McInnis made a couple of stellar defensive plays while he holds the position down for injured shortstop Jack Barry.
- Third baseman Frank Baker started two nifty double plays to snuff out a couple of New York rallies.
- The Athletics did not have a runner reach second base until the ninth inning.
- After the game, the White Elephants headed to Broad Street Station where they boarded a train for Boston where they will begin a three-game, weekend series with the Red Sox on Friday.
- Young southpaw Harry Krause is expected to make his season debut against the Red Sox on Friday.
Cleveland Naps christen their new park
CLEVELAND – Athletics president Benjamin Shibe, American League president Ban Johnson and a number of other dignitaries helped the Naps christen their new concrete and steel palace – League Park yesterday (April 21) afternoon. While ancient hurler Cy Young began the game for the Naps, he was upstaged by Detroit righty Ed Willett who shutout the Clevelanders, 5-0.
American League
Yesterday’s scores (April 21, 1910):
- New York 1, Philadelphia 0
- Detroit 5, Cleveland 0
- St. Louis 4, Chicago 1
- Boston 10, Washington 3
National League
Yesterday’s scores (April 21, 1910):
- Philadelphia 1, Brooklyn 0
- Pittsburgh 9, St. Louis 4
- Chicago 6, Cincinnati 1
- New York 3, Boston 2
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