- Doak Sweats and Wins
- Robins Have Hit Well Consistently in West
Game Date: 7/11/1928 Age: 37
By THOMAS HOLMES The Brooklyn Daily Eagle
Wilbert Robinson, the stout Brooklyn manager, is in somewhat the same position as the traditional disciple of Emile Coue who wished so hard to become cured of his bow leg that he became knock-kneed. Robbie prayed long and loudly for hitters worthy of his pitching staff last fall. Now he is praying almost as loudly for pitchers worthy of his hitters. But life is like that.
There is a fundamental difference between the Robins of a year ago and the Flatbush team of current history, whereas, the team of 1927 needed a few runs to win, the team of today needs well pitched games. A year ago, when the Robins scored, the Robins won. Practically all the games were well pitched. Now, when a well-pitched game is turned in, the Robins win. The Robins get a handful of runs almost every day,
One need only run over the box scores of the past week to demonstrate what all this is about.
The Pitching Tells the Tale.
SINCE opening their second western invasion in Chicago a week ago, the Robins have won four games and lost three. It cannot be purely a coincidence that all four victories were well pitched games by Doug McWeeny, Dazzv Vance, Jesse Petty and Bill Doak and that all three defeats were games in which Brooklyn received pitching scarcely worthy of the name.
The theory can be carried out further than that by considering the scores. In their four victories, the Robins have run up a total of 21 runs or an average of five and one-quarter per game. In their three defeats the Robins scored thirteen runs, for an average of three and one-third per game.
The difference of a single run means nothing at all since the Robins, far behind in their defeats, were constantly playing for flocks of runs and consequently overlooking attempts to score that would have been seized in a close game. From day to day, the Brooklyn batting has varied little. But the pitching varied muchly.
Bill Doak Starts “Cold Wave.”
THE REDS of Cincinnati will vouch for all this. Within two days the pennant contenders of this Ohio Rhineland have seen Brooklyn pitching at its best and at its worst. They overwhelmed the Robins on Tuesday when the overworked McWeeny came back after two days of rest in an attempt to start the Robins off right. But with Old Bill Doak easing with six hits, no less than three of which were scratches, a seven game winning streak came to an abrupt halt and the Reds are much humiliated.
Hard up for pitchers as he was, Robbie was forced to wait for a cold spell until he started the frail and antiquated Doak. “He can’t pitch in this heat,” said Robbie in Chicago when the thermometer registered 91. Yesterday, it was only 89.
One of Cincinnati’s three runs was unearned, and another scored because Babe Herman and Jake Flowers collided under a pop fly. It was quite an exhibition.
Old Bill Gives Lesson in Energy Conservation.
ALTOGETHER, it was as notable a victory as the 11-inning shutout Old Bill pitched against the Reds at Ebbets Field a month ago. It is always a treat to see Doak win one, and his methods yesterday brought many a grin from the bench.
Each pitch looked as though it would be Bill’s last, but somehow he spread his scant store of energy over the full nine innings. Out in the heat, Bill made not a single move that was not necessary. He tried to make the batter hit with every pitch, wasting as few balls as possible and very seldom getting into the hole.
Doak kept in the shade until the last moment. When his time at bat came, he refused to leave the bench until Johnny Gooch had been retired or was on the bags. At the end of each inning Bill refused to move toward the mound until each infielder was in position. Once one of the Reds hit the ball right back at him. Doak put so little stuff on the throw to first that the ball hit 10 feet in front of Bissonette, and did not even roll to the bag. Del had to run out, get the ball and return to first to make the putout. Bill did not waste a bit of energy in laughing at that one.
….
Johnny Gooch has been catching frequently of late, and may become first-string receiver of the club. The Tennessean held up Doak’s spitter in great style and drove in two runs with a pair of hits.
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