- PERRITT RESCUES SALLEE; MILLER’S FINE STOP HELPS
- Thrilling Finish To Win Over Giants
August 9, 1914 Age 23
By W. J. O’Connor of the Post-Dispatch Sporting Staff.
NEW Y0RK, Aug. 9. THE Cardinals today put their backs to the wall and beat down the Giants, after fierce hand-to hand fighting, 3-2. Field Leader Harry Sallee, a reformed sheriff from Ohio, was knocked out in the ninth epoch, but W. Dayton Perritt rushed into the gap, and repulsed the enemy by sharp-shooting according to Hoyle.
The finish was thrilling. After the Cardinals had nursed a three-run lead for eight innings, despite the savage attack of the Giants, there came a storm of base hits in the last round that sent Sallee to cover.
Perritt came in and, after yielding one hit that gave the Giants their second run, he got rid of the next batter on a force play, and then fanned a pinch hitter.
But the tying run was in Merkle’s possession on second base, while Jim Thorpe danced around first with the decisive tally when Chief Meyers, a ruthless Indian, was seen in the offing, disguised as a pinch hitter. Two were out. Meyers smote a grounder, just out of Beck’s reach, that whistled and hummed like a big league single as it buzzed along.
The fans went mad. They had visions of a victory. But from some place, nobody knows where, Jack Miller appeared and laid his ungloved hand to the ball. Merkle was thundering into third. Beck didn’t anticipate such a play from Miller, and he was set to rescue Merkle. But Jack stopped the ball, tossed it as he lunged forward and sprawled on his face. Beck took the throw and then dived into Merkle’s spikes. Umpire Rigler raised his right hand with a rigid thumb pointing back to his heels. The game was over, a Cardinal victory, 3-2.
The story of this game is different from all others on the current invasion of the East by the Cardinals. Today the pitching was none too good. Sallee being slammed for 12 safe hits, but the Cards threw a puncture-proof defense around the old Sheriff, and until the ninth the Giants couldn’t get near the plate. But the onslaught in the ninth was nerve-racking.
Looks Bad for the Sheriff.
Burns got a hold of the first ball Sallee served up in this round and bumped the left field wall for a triple. Snodgrass whipped a double to right that scored Burns. Hug then conferred with Sal, who begged for a further trial. However, Fletcher rammed a single through Dressen, sending Snodgrass to third.
That finished Sallee. Perritt arrived after one run had been scored and the enemy had men on first and third. Merkle hit a wicked grounder to Miller, who made a fast assist to Huggins, forcing Fletcher while Snodgrass scored. Fletcher knocked Huggins off his pins at second base, and the Cards set up a howl of interference on a double play, but Rigler turned a deaf ear. McLean shota long single to center, but Magee fielded with speed and held Merkle to the middle bag. Thorpe ran for McLean. Robertson went up to pinch hit for Stock and fanned on three pitched balls. Then came meyers, who afford Miller a chance of making the greatest fielding play of the day.
After the game Sallee presented his alibi in due form, to wit: “Dark days are not to my liking, but I went in there with as much stuff as I ever had in my life, only to find that the Giants were hitting my fast ball. They hit me harder than ever before in my big league career, and I was in favor of being benched. I felt that Perritt would stop them with his curve ball. Polly warmed up well before the game.”
Manager McGraw will have charge of the Giants in the second collision with the Cardinals, Monday, and he will nominate Matty. Too bad Wingo isn’t here to swing against “Big Six.’ Ivy makes a specialty of beating the best pitcher of all time.
Doak Has Allowed Fewer Runs Per Game Than His Veteran Rival, Matty
Willie Doak. the Akronite blond pitcher of the Cardinals, has permitted fewer runs per game than Christy Mathewaon, the old daddy of the Giants, who ranks as the National League’s leading hurler. Doak’s record shows that he has allowed an average of 3.45 runs per game, agalust 3.6 by Matty. Bill Is pushing Matty for honors, the Cardinal having won 11 and lost 4 games, against Matty’s 19-5 mark. Bill James of the Braves is between the Giant and Cardinal with 14-5.