Doak Retires Pirates In Order In The Ninth
April 17, 1914 Age 23
By James Jerpe Pittsburgh Post Gazette
8T. LOUIS. MO., April 16 Despite such counter attractions as the local Federal League opener, a circus and a mammoth production of “Parsifal,” a normal weekday crowd of nearly 4,000 fans saw the Cardinals donate another game to the Pirates this afternoon. The score was 4 to 1, three of the Pittsburgh runs being largely in the nature of spring day gifts.
The smooth-working comeback, George McQuillan, started out auspiciously in his 1914 endeavors by holding the Huggins crowd to six hits. Opposing Big Mac was Casey Hagerman, native of the Beaver Valley, and Whitey Bill Doak, of Knoxville. Hagerman pitched good enough ball for eight innings, but a demoralizing fielding slip at his back in the fifth was largely responsible for the margin of three runs. Doak pitched the ninth Inning, after Hagerman had given way to a pinch hitter who failed.
Backing up McQuillan’s sterling pitching exhibition was sensational fielding, timely hitting and run-producing efforts of that aged patriarch, Hans Wagner. In his 41st year the old has-been scored two runs, drove in another, and coaxed in the other by tricky base running, which drew a wild throw In Hagerman’s fatal fifth. He fielded with the old sensational flash, and he made it easy for McQuillan in the only stages where It looked as though the Cards might do something.
Honus was the Flying Dutchman of the 1909 era, and it remained for him to show up Mr. Walton Cruise, the flashy boy who has prevented the wrecking crew from advertising itself on the present trip. The showing up came in the seventh, when the Cardinals began showing their teeth.
McQuillan Has Narrow Escape
Jack Miller came within a flash of denting McQuillan’s skull with a line drive that went to center for a single. Pots took second on an out, and Cruise singled sharply to right. Miller scored, and on Mitchell’s throw-in, Cruise set sail for second. The ball got by Gibson and with no one backing up the plate, it rolled clear to the stands. Wagner brandished his arms wildly in front of the scooting Cruise and bluffed at taking the return from Gibby. Cruise slid like a ton of brick from a wagon, and Wagner touched him with his glove.
Meanwhile the Cardinal coachers yelled wildly at Cruise to score. The ball had rolled so far behind the unbacked Gibson that Cruise could have scored from second with little effort. But out there in the dust lay Cruise grinning and watching Wagner have a sham battle with Bob Emslie who had made no decision on the play whatever as none was necessary. It wasn’t old Bob’s business to tip Wagner’s ruse and he stood like a Sphinx while Honus gesticulated wildly.
Cruise coolly arose to his feet, dusting off his uniform and suddenly heard the shrieking. But It was too late. The ball had been returned to play. Honus has pulled this trick many a time but never has a poor victim fallen quite so hard.
The Pirates got their first run in the second inning when Whitted made a bad throw to first allowing Viox to make second from which station he scored when Mike Mitchell dropped a single in center. Whitted, who filled the shoes of
Cozy Dolan this afternoon, was no Improvement over the Oshkosh in-and-outer. He made another bad throw in the fifth that added two extra runs to the Pirate total and put the game in the refrigerator for the visitors.
Kelly Steals Third.
In that inning Carey started off with a walk and was forced by Kelly. Mowrey’s hit was fumbled by Huggins but Joe stopped at second. Like a flash he stole third. Wagner then singled to right tor his second hit, scoring Kelly. Mowrey legged it for third. He beat Wilson’s throw and scored when Whitted threw over Butlers head trying to cut down Honus going to second. Honus never stopped and legged it tor third and home as though he never had seen Chief Wilson throw. The Texan made a. splendid peg but Honus was over the plate with time to spare.
The Pirates showed improvement again !n all departments, the four errors charged to them notwithstanding. Honus got a black mark when Miller Huggins, in stealing in the third, knocked the bail out of his hands, thereby paying the Dutchman back for a similar trick he pulled on Hug at Forbes Field one day last season. Viox, who had two errors on ground balls, nevertheless had a good day at second and Mike Mitchell got an error because Lee Magee made an extra base on his double in the first inning through Mike’s fumble.
Doak pitched the 9th. Bill Doak had a world of speed and easily retired McQuillan, Carey and Kelley in the ninth.
George McQuillan posted a career WAR of 20.3, nearly half of which came in 1908 when he went 23-17 with a 1.53 ERA for the Phillies. In 1915 he was traded back to the Phillies from Pittsburgh. His career spanned 1907-1918.
