Doak Shows Nerve and Clever Pitching Against McGraw’s Best Hitters in First Appearance
July 22, 1913 Age 22
St Louis Post Dispatch
POLO GROUNDS, NEW YORK, July 22. The Brooklyn Dodgers are not the formidable aggregation they were when the Cards made their first Eastern trip, but they’re not easy, even yet. The manner in which they turned on the Pirates yesterday indicates they still have a kick or two left In them.
The most interesting feature of yesterday’s game at the Polo Grounds, which the Giants annexed by an 8 to 4 score, giving them four of the six games played, was the first appearance of Doak, the young Cardinal pitcher who has just reported. He is a right-handed spitball twirler and has an easy, graceful wind up and swing. Furthermore, he seems to have some nerve and nice break to a speedy ball.
Sending a youngster against the League leaders after they have already a big lead is a severe test.
But Doak stood it all and didn’t get rattled a bit. Manager Huggins said this morning that he was very much pleased with the way in which the newcomer handled himself.
In his first inning, the seventh, four men faced him. Murray hit a solid rap that Evans got back against the wall. Meyers could only knock it as far as the box and Doak fielded him out. Then Snodgrass got a pass and Crandall sent Oakes away back to the distant centerfield fence for his fly.
This did not look very promising, and then in the next inning when Doak walked the first two men up, Burns and Shafer, it looked still worse.
At this stage Magee trotted In from second and gave the youngster some encouraging oratory, and It seemed to work. He settled down to his work and pitched the next three men out like a veteran.
These three were Fletcher, Doyle and Merkle. Fletcher really made an exhibition of himself, swinging at balls that were a yard away from any possible point of contact with his bat. Doyle managed to hit, but he only popped an easy one to Mowrey. Merkle, after swinging at two that weren’t even approximately close, managed to land on the third. He made a terrific swing, but didn’t get it so far but that Wingo, without any effort, could pick It up and toss It to Koney three or four yards before the runner. That was Doak’s last chance, as the Cardinals failed to score In their half of the ninth and the game ended.
Bill Doak’s first major league headline with the St. Louis Cardinals. All in all, a great success. St Louis Post Dispatch
