Spitball Hurler Won Ten Games in Row for Dodgers After St. Louis Cast Him Off.
Published January 17, 1925 Age 34
By Sid C. Keener. The Pittsburgh Press
The 1924 edition of Wilbert Robinson’s “Mysterious Pitching Revival” is Bill Doak, veteran spitball hurler, who lived for 10 seasons with one club, faded and then came back to life with the Brooklyn Superbas to the extent of 11 victories in 18 games with a winning streak of 10 straight. How does Robby do it?
Bill Doak’s case would be unusual but for the fact that Robinson has had remarkable success with other flingers who have been squeaking around the shoulders. As it is, there probably are few followers of events of last season in the National league who realize the remarkable turn in Doak’s pitching career.
Starting with the St. Louis Cardinals In 1913 he Immediately developed into a phenom. In 1914 he had the high pitching percentage of 19-6 and the best earned run total of 1.72. Youth was on his side then. Year after year passed on, his right arm apparently was cracking under the strain of the wear and tear of the spitball, and when the 1924 season opened he was informed by Manager Rickey “that he would have to show something or be prepared for the blue slip.
Doak, in Rickey’s opinion, was ready for the discard during the closing days of May. He had been placed in 11 games without pitching the full limit and the Phillies drove him off the hill June 6 in five innings. Rickey listened to the waiver claims of Brooklyn and accepted by taking Leo Dickerman in exchange.
GOT A POOR START.
When the shift was made everybody who had followed Doak’s pitching with the Cardinals for three years was positive that the student of pitching veterans finally had drawn a counterfeit.
There was rejoicing on the Cardinals’ side when Doak had been beaten in his debut with the Superbas, 2-1. He was knocked off the hill in his second trip. Bill won a 10-1 game in his third trip out. There is no particular trick to winning when there is the support of 10 runs. The Braves bumped Bill in beating him in his fourth appearance and the Cubs finished him in five innings with seven runs in his fifth.
But a fellow cannot change the habits of 10 years in a month. Robby worked carefully with Doak, and Bill was not allowed to become discouraged. The well-known worm turned. And when it did, well, the official statistics register 10 successive victories for Doak with the Superbas.
From July 10 to the last lap of the season, Sept. 27, Doak did not lose a game for the Superbas. He beat his former club the Cardinals five times, he pitched two brilliant extra-inning games and lost out in his bid for 11 straight when he was nipped by the tall-end Boston Braves, 3-2.
TEN STRAIGHT WINS.
In Doak’s stretch of 10 straight will be found pitching that was equal to Dazzy Vance’s great work last summer. In four days he pitched 18 innings, did not allow a run and permitted four hits. Only Robby could do such stuff with a fading spitter.
The Phillies and Braves were the victims of Doak’s remarkable pitching those two afternoons.
In the next game Doak was yanked by Robinson for a pinch hitter when the Dodgers were putting on a rally to beat the Phillies, 8-7 In the following two performances for Doak the Cardinals and Cubs scored three runs and poled 12 hits in 18 innings.
Doak tackled the Cardinals Sept. 18, the day after they made 18 hits and 17 runs against almost every member of Bobby’s staff. He fanned Jim Bottomley twice who, the day before, had created the record of driving in 12 runs with three singles, one double and two home runs.
ROBBY’S FINE RECORD.
Other characters in Robinson’s “Mysterious Pitching Revival” are Rube Marquard, Burleigh Grimes. Walter Reuther and Arthur Vance.
Back In 1915 McGraw, becoming disgusted with Marquard as the ‘$11,000 lemon,’ put the lanky southpaw on the waiver market. He was prepared to shift the Rube to the International League when Robinson put in his bid. In 1914 for the Giants Marquard won 12 and lost 22 games. In his first two years with the Superbas he won 31 and lost 17 games.
Next to arrive was Grimes who in 1917 had won but three games and lost 16 with the Pittsburgh Pirates. In 1918 Grimes won 19 and lost 9 for the Superbas. Other years in Grimes’ career with Robinson should not be overlooked. In 1920 he won 23 and lost 11, while in 1921 he won 22 and lost 13.
There was Walter Reuther, who was put on the block by the Cincinnati Reds. Robinson was the only claimant. In 1921 Reuther won 21 and lost 12.
Down in the Southern association New Orleans had a husky bird who had done considerable traveling but who whipped across a steaming smoke-ball. He was Dazzy Vance. Big league scouts refused to become impressed with his record of 21 victories and 11 defeats with the Pelicans. They pointed to Vance’s previous rating which listed him on a tour that took in the Yankees in 1916, St. Joseph, Toledo. Memphis, Rochester, Sacramento and New Orleans – never in one spot two full seasons.
But Bobby argued that there were two ways of handling pitchers – right and wrong. He ordered the purchase of Vance. Three years later Vance became the most valuable player in the National League.
And now comes Doak. His game-by-game record with Robinson and the Superbas in 1924 follows:
{list of 20 games from June 18-Sept 27, Score, R., H., Ins., Result (W-L)
January 17, 1925 – A lovely group of lady swimmers from Temple
