Athletics ride a strong inning and a bushel of Washington errors to a 6-3 triumph
PHILADELPHIA, May 7, 1910 – For four innings, the 12,000 rooters who were settled into the luxurious baseball plant at Twenty-First and Lehigh Avenue were treated to a pitchers’ duel of the first order. Then, the contest morphed into a runs-a-plenty, error-filled debacle for one frame. Fortunately, for the locals, the final outcome favored the hometown nine.
Washington skipper Jimmy McAleer tabbed young Bob Groom to face the Athletics. Toothpick Bob has hardly been effective this season; in three previous starts, he has allowed sixteen runs. Only one of those starts had even been mediocre. Mr. Mack countered with ace Chief Bender who was aiming for his fourth consecutive victory to kick off the season.
Bender outfoxed the Senators lineup all afternoon. McAleer’s men managed back-to-back hits only once throughout the game. Of the three runs he allowed on the day, only one was earned; the others, courtesy of defensive breakdowns. Through the first four innings, Bender and Groom seemed invincible. The Senators managed but a solitary safety of Bender – an infield single by George Browne. The Mackmen did not fare much better against Groom – securing just two lonely singles through the first four frames. Then, temporarily, the proverbial wheels fell off for both slabmen.
The fifth inning commenced uneventfully. Bender struck out substitute first sacker Tom Crooke leading off the stanza. Red Killefer hit a bounding ball to second baseman Eddie Collins for what should have been the second out of the inning. Eddie did not set himself and sailed the throw over first baseman Harry Davis’s head. As catcher Paddy Livingston retrieved the errant throw, Killefer turned for second and arrived before Paddy’s toss. Gabby Street worked a free pass, putting runners at first and second with one man down. Groom followed by bouncing a one-hopper to Bender who turned and fired to Frank Baker – forcing Killefer at third base.
The Chief could now see his way out of this mess. Clyde Milan, however, shot a single into right field – scoring Street from second base. Right fielder Danny Murphy’s throw home eluded Livingston and Bender (backing up the play) – the ball ending up in the Athletics dugout. Home plate umpire Tommy Connolly (correctly) allowed Groom to score from second base on the dead ball. A heated argument ensued. McAleer, Davis, and Connolly, the belligerents.
Connolly seemed to be sending Groom back to third base. This brought McAleer tearing out of the dugout with the speed of Barney Oldfield’s Blitzen Benz. McAleer contended that Groom was in the process of rounding second and was to be granted two bases on the dead ball. Mack’s captain, Davis, argued that Groom had pulled up at second. The correct call was eventually made – Groom scored and Milan at third base on Murphy’s two-base miscue. Wid Conroy was up next with a chance to give the Nationals a three-run cushion. Bender struck him out to mercifully end the hostilities.
The Mackmen wasted little time in getting both runs back…and then some. Davis led off with a single to right and promptly chugged over to third base on Murphy’s two-bagger to left field. And, with the snap of their fingers, the White Elephants had dinner cooking on the stove. Jack Barry hit a hundred-hopper to shortstop Kid Elberfeld who made a wild throw to Crooke. Davis scored, Murphy trotted to third, and Barry was safe at first. Livingston popped to second baseman Killefer. With Bender next, Groom just needed a ground ball for a twin-killing and escape further damage.
Bender made sure that Groom couldn’t make that escape. The Chief soaked a line drive into right-center field with such speed that even center fielder Deerfoot Milan could not cut it off. The ball sped all the way to the fence – scoring Murphy and Barry. Bender pulled up at third with a ringing, two-run triple. Topsy Hartsel, coaching third, greeted Bender with a pat on the back. The Macks were now ahead 3-2.
McAleer felt the need to draw his infield in with one out. Amos Strunk then hit a bounding ball to Elberfeld at short. The Tobasco Kid got caught with an in-between hop and muffed the grounder. He hurriedly recovered and heaved a wild toss well over Street’s head and to the backstop. Bender scored and Strunk streaked to second. Rube Oldring popped out to first base for the second out. Eddie Collins lined a single up the middle and Strunk raced home. Milan made a vain attempt to catch the speedy Strunk but he had zero chance and the poor throw eluded Street for yet another error – Collins taking third. Baker ended the parade with a chopper to second.
The Senators got to within two runs in their half of the eighth frame. Milan singled, advanced to second on a wild pitch, and scored on Elberfeld’s two-out single to right. The Athletics immediately got that run back. Baker reached when Killefer booted his grounder. Davis was hit by a pitch and Murphy’s bunt moved both runners into scoring position. Barry hit a sacrifice fly which Milan hauled in with a splendid catch in deep center field. Baker walked home with the final run of the game. Once Bender secured the twenty-seventh out, the throng loyalists happily headed for the exits.
The box is as follows:
NOTES:
- Chief Bender is now 4-0 on the young season. More impressively, he is batting a healthy .571 (8-14).
- Shortstop Jack Barry made the defensive play of the game in the first inning. On a ball hit in the hole by George Browne, Barry ranged far to his right (behind a diving Frank Baker), fielded the ball and made a jump throw on target to first baseman Harry Davis – retiring Browne by an eyelash.
- Second baseman Eddie Collins, 1-4 on the day, was robbed of three hits. Outfielders Clyde Milan and Doc Gessler made sensational catches and second baseman Red Killefer’s leaping catch of Eddie’s liner negated a third.
- There were four hit batsmen in the game. Bender and Groom plunking two apiece.
- Bender’s fifth inning triple was his first three-base hit since July 18, 1907 at Cleveland.
- After an off day on Sunday, the clubs will conclude the four-game set on Monday afternoon. First pitch is scheduled for 3:30 PM.
American League
Yesterday’s scores (May 7, 1910):
- Philadelphia 6, Washington 3
- Chicago 5, Detroit 3
- Cleveland 4, St. Louis 1
- New York 4, Boston 1 (10 innings)
National League
Yesterday’s scores (May 7, 1910):
- New York 7, Philadelphia 2
- Brooklyn 2, Boston 0
- Pittsburgh at Chicago (rain)
- Cincinnati at St. Louis (rain)
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