- Cards, Doak, Tie in Boston Final
- A great pitchers’ battle with the league’s best twirlers as principals
- Doak Considered by Some to Be Greatest Young Pitcher in the Game
BY DENT M’SKIMMING
PHILADELPHIA, Sept. 19, 1914
The Cardinals went neck and neck with Stallings’ Boston Braves Friday, the final score being 1 to 1, twelve innings. The contest was a great pitchers’ battle with the league’s best twirlers as principals.
Bill James was hit rather frequently, but the hits came when the bases were empty in most cases. James, you recall, is the man who allowed Brooklyn fifteen hits and was returned winner. He is a hurler of the Mathewson style hittable when there is not great danger of runs, but absolutely impregnable when safeties mean scores.
Great as is the wonderful James, the league leader Bill Doak is his equal, if not his master. Boston had many chances to win the game. There were innumerable occasions on which a hit would have won the game for Boston, but, on every occasion, Doak was easily the boss. He found no trouble in getting out of his various holes and drew rounds of applause from Beantown fanatics for his wonderful exhibitions. The fanning of George Whitted in the eleventh inning, with the bases packed to capacity, was the climax of his great generalship.
Huggins’ team was actually glad to hear Umpire Hart’s voice when he declared the game called on account of darkness. They welcomed the thought of being able to boast a tie game with the Braves. Boston, on the other hand, was anxious to fight to a finish. It looked as though the Cardinals considered themselves lucky to get off without being beaten. Their hearts were gone. The umpiring of Hart and Rigler was responsible for that fact.
The turning point of the game – the decision which robbed the Cardinals of victory, came in the eighth inning when Huggins was called out at the plate. Had he been called safe, St. Louis would have been a trifle higher in the standings than it is at present. Hug’s run meant victory. At least a half minute transpired between the time the play was made and the time that Hart gave his decision. The auspicious Hart stood stock still, as if he were petrified, unable to move his lips and then came meekly, half apologetically, “You are out.”
Whether it took Mr. Hart a half minute to weigh the case in his mind or whether it took him that long to find his voice, has not been ascertained.
Perhaps he saw visions of the coming world’s series with himself calling the plays and this prompted his decision.
Huggins kicked and shouted and raved and roared and threatened and pleaded as only Huggins can, but to no avail. He was out and the Cardinals were robbed of victory. After losing two games and tying one with Boston, the Cardinals are here today where they will tangle up with Dooin’s Daisies in a four-game series.
This Day in Sports: Auto Racing at Beachey-Oldfield aeroplane and auto carnival.