The way I interpreted it was all of this celebrating took place prior to the game. Frazee hands the ball to the mayor so that he can throw out the first pitch right before play ball, mayor throws out ceremonial pitch and the ump then hands it to the mayor, who is now in the stands.
Seems the whole production was handled differently than in today's game, because the account says the mayor served up the pitch to Rube Oldring, who would have been the lead-off hitter for the visiting Athletics. Obviously he was required to take the pitch and it did not actually go against the count. Now of course there is no batter in the box.
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If we are to have another contest in the near future of our national existence, I predict that the dividing line will not be Mason and Dixon's but between patriotism and intelligence on the one side, and superstition, ambition and ignorance on the other. - Ulysses S. Grant, military commander, 18th US President.
Last edited by nolemmings; 10-04-2022 at 03:23 PM.
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