- Each Pitcher Allows Four Hits, but Enemy’s Errors Give Cardinals Their One Run.
May 17, 1914 Age 23
By W. J. O’Connor St Louis Post Dispatch
EXHIBITING the choicest wizardry of his young baseball career, Willie Doak, the Akronite blond, yesterday afternoon at Robison Field rocked the Phillies to sleep, 1-0. He subjugated Grover Cleveland Alexander, a man of iron, who owns six successive victories in inter-league series over the Monarchs of Connie Mack, in a hand-to-hand duel that made brave men weep for the loser.
Eight hits were made in the Homeric struggle and were split fifty-fifty by the contending teams.
In the second inning of this, the greatest pitching duel of the season, Sherwood Magee, an outfielder playing short, made a three-base throw that put Jack Miller on third. Chief Wilson then prod a single to left that consigned Miller to the plate with the only run of the game.
Doak Improves Each Inning.
Few of the faithful thought this scant margin would carry the Cardinals to the third conquest over the dilapidated Phillies. However, as each round unfolded Itself, the fans saw Doak improve while his playmates threw a puncture-proof defense around him from the start.
Only one man reached second base on Doak. Only 29 men faced him in nine rounds. He issued two passes, both to Cravath. He fanned only two, but his aim was unerring and he relied a deal on his pals, who were set for an errorless game.
In many respects Alexander’s game doesn’t shrink in comparison. The tall Nebraskan pitched his usual flawless game and had not Sherry Magee pulled a Beckley, Alexander and Doak might be dueling yet.
Efface the three errors committed by the Phils and not a Cardinal would have reached second base. Their four hits were scattered throughout the battle, but fate smiled on Hug’s hirelings and gave Wilson the first hit at a time when the winning run rested in Miller’s cleats on third base.
In many respects Alexander’s game was better than Doak’s. The alien sharpshooter didn’t yield a pass. He fanned tour, Doak falling thrice. In five of the eight rounds he set the home boys down in order. He almost deserved a better fate.
The Cardinal triumph aggravated the appalling symptoms of first division fever at Robison Field. It was the second time this season that Hug’s men have won two games in a row. It was their second series won, taking three out of four games from the Phils. It put them within one game of first division, with the Phillies slipping fast.
Snyder and Huggins Are Strong Props for Doak in Waning Rounds of Battle
In the waning moments of the battle when the enemy showed an inclination to solve Doak’s deceptive damp delivery, his teammates rallied and gave him faultless support. Two plays stood out.
In the sixth, after Dooin reached first because Wilson and Huggins collided, Catcher Snyder divined the enemy’s attack when Alexander was all set for a sacrifice and called for a waste ball. He handed it to Miller, trapping Dooin off first, three feet.
Dooin keenly felt the humiliation. He ranted and reared and roared at Pat Moran, who was as innocent of wrong as a new-born babe. However, Pat, who was coaching at first, was the only person the fiery Phillies manager could vent his feelings on. And believe us, he vented!
Hug Smothers Rally.
Another play of unusual merit, was a stop made by Huggins in the ninth. One gone, Josh Devore appeared, disguised as a pinch-hitter. He smote a single to center, a single as clean as a hound’s tooth. Paskert then shot a roller over second. Hug went back, gloved the ball with one hand and beat Devore to the middle bag for a force play. Devore is fat and slow, or otherwise he might have caused Doak a lot of trouble. Luderus then forced Paskert for the third out.
Snyder had a big day. emphasizing the fact that he is, beyond peradventure of doubt, the greatest first-year receiver in either league. Whatever the Cards, as a team, may do, we wish to stick to this statement. He flagged Luderus stealing in the first inning, shot Dooin dead in the sixth and gave Doak needed assistance in each of the other rounds.
One stolen base is credited to the enemy and the ludicrous part of it is that Cravath perpetrated the steal. This probably is the only stain on Cravath’s otherwise unblemished record for honesty. It happened this way: Becker was bat with two strikes and a hit-and-run sign out. Doak put sputum on sphere and served it up with machine-gun speed. He speedily gloved it and tagged Becker, permitting Cravath to waddle into second. Perish the thought that Cravath could steal anything on Snyder! Not even a kiss.
Doak worked seven innings on Wednesday. With scarcely two days’ rest – he warmed up Friday for relief duty – he came back. The betting sharps figured him second choice in odds of 7 to 5. What an upset the dope got!
An Expert Alibi.
Here’s an alibi for Sherwood Nottingham Magee: Doak is a prolific spitter, making the ball slippery and insecure. When Wilson, in the second inning, hit the first ball pitched to Magee, it probably was still was slick with saliva and Sherwood couldn’t control it. Anyhow he made the prime wild throw of the season.
Cravath’s record is unique. He struck out first time up, swinging like a rusty gate. He walked the next two times and stole a base.
Jack Miller may be back on his stride. He broke off a clean single in the seventh but was effaced with Cruise on a double killing a minute later.