Bill Doak Honored By Knoxville Friends but Loses Out on Home Run in Ninth

September 7. 1913      Age 22

By James Jerpe                        Pittsburgh Post Gazette

It wasn’t so much the fault of Bill Doak that the Knoxville rooters did not see him win yesterday after presenting him with a diamond ring. “Whitey” pitched good enough ball to win, but the support at his back cracked on three occasions and besides, the Cardinals could not do anything to any extent with the perplexing spitball delivery of Bill Luhrsen, the tow-headed Buccaneer recruit from Albany, Ga. Doak lost out, 4 to 2.

Most of the seven hits off the Knoxville boy came at the right time for Pittsburgh. For nine innings the Knoxville rooters divided their homage and loyalty with the home team and their friend who was pitching for the enemy. Fate probably effected a happy compromise by allowing the home team to win, and yet leaving opportunity to credit Doak with having pitched a creditable game. By winning yesterday’s game the Pirates made It four out of five from St. Louis.

The presentation of the diamond ring to Doak was made by Attorney William D. Grimes in behalf of the Knoxville delegation. Players of the Pittsburgh and St. Louis clubs gathered around the plate. Mr. Grimes, in presenting the token to Doak, said:

In this great crucible of the world, this magnificent city of Pittsburgh, many men In their struggle for existence, tor place, for fortune and for power, have passed through the burning of the melting pot and taken their place among the great men of the world.

In this furious struggle for existence, place and power, we, the common people, also feel upon us the flames and scorching of the fire, and of necessity seek and require times for rest, recreation and relief.

To those who, by their profession, their work, talents and effort, give us some relief from the burdens of life we owe much gratitude.

From our worries and cares, therefore, we turn with affection and relief to the greatest sport in all the world, the great national game of baseball, and to the men of this profession who are the best and most splendid types of American manhood, physically, morally and mentally, we owe more than can be In a few words expressed.

To one of these men I call your attention for a moment this afternoon. To William Doak. native Pittsburgher. and a member of the St. Louis baseball club. He Is known to all of you, to all lovers of baseball throughout the country: he is a native of the borough of Knoxville, and is back here with us today. He Is a graduate of Knoxville High School; he learned to play baseball on the rolling hills south of the river in this great “State of Allegheny.”

As a native Pittsburgher, I have the honor this afternoon to confer upon William Doak a small token of his friends’ affection and regard. Here, therefore, on behalf not only of his immediate friends In Knoxville borough, but on behalf also of those of us who are here, all lovers of baseball in Allegheny county, I present to him, William Doak, this small token of regard and affection, and I do so with the concluding words that it is presented to a loyal Pittsburgher, an expert ball player and a fine gentleman. Doak then received the ring, bowed and smiled his thankful acceptance. Umpire Byron dusted off the plate and play began.

Bill Doak at least shattered one tradition. They say that a ball player on receiving a present always strikes out on his first turn at bat. Bill didn’t. He hit a clean single to center and started a rally that put Luhrsen in his only tight pinch of the game in the third inning. The Cardinals filled the bases but could not score.

From the Pittsburgh Daily Post, September 7, 1913….

Bill Doak occupied the hill for the Missourians, and a loyal bunch of his neighbors from Knoxville were on hand to cheer him on. Just before the game the players were called around the plate and a diamond pin was presented to the young hill-topper. The presentation speech was made by Attorney William D. Grimes, who referred to Doak as a product of Pittsburgh, a native of Knoxville, a graduate of the Knoxville high school and a clever athlete who had learned to play ball on the rolling hills south of the river in the great state of Allegheny.

From the St Louis Globe Democrat Sun, September 7, 1913….

Pittsburgh Finds Doak Hard to Hit, but Latter Gets Poor Support.
 
Bill Doak, the young Pittsburgh pitcher for St. Louis, was presented with a diamond ring before the game by his local admirers. He pitched a fine game. but received only fair support, and the Pirates got their hits at the right time.
 
Bill Doak was the central figure from the Pittsburgh standpoint, as be had numerous friends in the stands. He having learned the national game on the town lots hereabouts. His rooters came in wagons from the suburbs, and before the game they were led forth to the home plate by a candidate for a political office here, who saw an opportunity to get a little free advertising under the guise of presenting Doak with a diamond pin. He started to make a speech and, notwithstanding the cries of play ball, he kept it up for several minutes until the umpire appeared on the scene and waved him to the bench.
 
Doak Given Welcome
 
Doak was cheered to the echo on his first appearance at the bat and made a bigger hit with his friends when he got a safety to center field. Unfortunately for Bill, his team mates were up against a stiff proposition in Bill Luhrsen, late of the Southern League, who was also appearing for the first time in Pittsburgh. He also was anxious to make good, regardless of the other Bill’s friends in the stands, and he got along finely until the last inning when he got a little wild.

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