Game Date: September 20, 1927
By THOMAS W. MEANY, Times Union
Pity Poor Ol’ Bill; Doak, He Scuttles Pirate Craft
ANOTHER of those Florida realtors has been bitten by the pennant bug. It is not that William Leopold Doak, the Florida realtor in question, has an idea of figuring in the world series. Not that, but rather that the feverish excitement of the race down the stretch has warmed Ole Bill up, just as it did in 1924, when Bill all but pitched the Dodgers to a pennant.
Doak pitched a game here yesterday that only a pitcher with world series ideas could pitch. That crafty exploiter of the deadly saliva ball turned in a masterpiece, a 3 to 0 shutout that was even more impressive than that of Dazzy Vance the day before and, Dazzy was as good as ha ever was.
Yet it is little wonder that Doak should look more impressive than Vance. When the Dazmari {ref to submarine pitch} labored on the hill against the Pirates here Monday, his torn shirt sleeve flapping in the breeze, his back bending with every pitch, his arm sweeping plateward in a manner that was both violent and effectual, it was not difficult to discover the reason for the shutting out of the league leaders.
The Pity of It
With Doak it is different, however. Instead of the massive bulk of the tow-headed Vance, you see a slim, attenuated figure, one that calls for pity. Surely this old and frail gentleman must have seen better days you think to yourself and you spend yourself in compassion for him. Now there comes to the plate a hulking figure, square shouldered, muscular, and yet lithe to an awe-inspiring degree. Back goes the slender Doak and almost girlishly he delivers the ball plateward, with a motion somehow suggestive of a rheumatic ballet dancer. Back swishes the bat of this hulking young man and now forward, it meets the ball, but instead of the terrific crash, there is a soft plunk, like the bursting of a ripe melon and the ball dribbles weakly along the ground or zooms up in a limp fly.
And that’s the way it was for nine innings. It looked as though every pitch would be Doak’s last, but the grizzled old veteran stuck it out and when the dust had cleared the Pirates had made exactly two hits, one a “flumper” and had driven but a half dozen balls out of the infield. One man had reached second.
It was reminiscent of another day three years ago at Forbes Field when the Pirates were also battling for a pennant. That day Doak tottered through to a 2 to 1, 11-inning victory and toward the close, so worn did his antiquated frame look, that Rabbit Maranville, that jester of the diamond, called to the Brooklyn bench, “Hey Robby, why don’t you yank that blankety old fool out of there before he dies on you?”
Bill’s First Shutout
Bill’s shutout yesterday was his first of the season and it may have a crushing effect on the Buccos. Their lead is still comfortable enough, but the fact that they have failed to score in 18 innings is indicative of a slump and if they drag this slump over to the series with the Giants, it may spell their finish.
The support accorded Doak was equal to the occasion and his mates responded with some timely hitting to give him a lead. A triple by Max Carey, a single by Gink Hendrick and a double by Babe Herman gave the Dodgers a two-run start and Bill Increased it himself with a well-placed bunt which scored the third run.
Old pal Lee Meadows gets the loss.