Washington DC Baseball

GeoPoto · #1 03-24-2023, 04:09 AM

The 12 innings Johnson had thrown in the first game of the Series had no doubt taken their toll. Having struck out 12 in that game, Johnson could come back with only three in game five. He was lucky to get out of the fourth inning without surrendering the lead, as Bill Terrt had tripled to deep right with only one out. However, in the fifth, after giving up a single to catcher Hank Gowdey, Jack Bentley, the "not-quite Babe Ruth," rocked Johnson for a towering home run into the right field seats. It was estimated that the ball landed about a foot fair and a foot inside the upper-deck railing down the short right field line.

Shortstop Bluege, whom Johnson would have loved to have seen at his familiar spot at third, was in cahoots with Bucky Harris to turn a gorgeous double play to get Walter out of the inning without further damage. In the seventh, the Nats turned another defensive gem. Lindstron and Youngs, who'd both singles, stood on the corners with two out. McGraw called for another double steal, and this time Ruel went immediately to second with his peg, stopping Youngs, the slower of the two baserunners, dead in his tracks. As Youngs retreated and a rundown involving Harris and Joe judge ensued, Lindstrom broke for the plate. Harris made the right decision, gunning the ball home to prevent Lindstrom from scoring before the last out was made. It was a close play, but Ruel held on to the ball and the seventh inning ended with the score unchanged.

It was not until the eighth that the Nats closed the gap. With one out and still trailing 3-1, Goose Goslin hit his third home run of the Series, this one up against the upper tier of the grandstand in right. The Goose was coming through in a major way -- his infield single in the second inning was his sixth hit in a row in the World Series, a record which would still be standing at century's end. This home run also tied Babe Ruth's then record of three home runs in a single World Series. Joe Judge promptly followed Goslin's blast with a single to right to chase Bentley. John McGraw called upon Hugh McQuillan, the starter and winner in game three. McQuillan did the job, inducing both Bluege and Ruel to ground out to the infield, which got the Giants out of the inning hanging on to their 3-2 lead.

This all became academic in the bottom of the eighth, when Kelly singled and Terry was walked by Johnson. This was only the second walk allowed by Johnson on the day, but before it was over he gave up 13 hits and also hit a batter. With men on first and second, no one out, and the Giants looking to pad their lead, Hack Wilson bunted. Johnson picked the ball up but fumbled, loading the bases. The game turned on that play and the Giants pushed three runs across on a flyout, a bloop single, and Lindstrom's fourth hit of the day, for a 6-2 final.

As things turned sour for the Nats and Walter Johnson, the Polo Grounds crowd, behind Walter all day, was stunned. Is this what could befall a hero? Past his prime, the once great pitcher had not once but twice failed to make good on a shot at glory. Pressed by reporters during the train ride back to Washington, Bucky Harris defended his decision not to pull Walter from the game despite the 13 hits and only three strikeouts. Harris blared that he wouldn't have made Walter Johnson take the long walk back to the clubhouse even if it had meant winning all of the games of the World Series.

When the Big Train made the trek at the end of the game, he looked particularly haggard and discouraged. In the clubhouse, Johnson lamented his second straight failure despite the fact that he would have willingly cut off his right arm to win that day. Muddy Ruel tried to boost his morale, reminding the great one that the Series was still far from over. What may have counted more was the firm advice proffered by Clark Griffith on the train ride back to Washington. Clutching Johnson's pitching arm, Griffith told him to forget about trying to help his friends find tickets for the next day's game. There may be another opportunity for him yet.

https://www.net54baseball.com/attach...1&d=1679648726

Hankphenom · #2 03-24-2023, 09:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GeoPoto

The 12 innings Johnson had thrown in the first game of the Series had no doubt taken their toll. Having struck out 12 in that game, Johnson could come back with only three in game five. He was lucky to get out of the fourth inning without surrendering the lead, as Bill Terrt had tripled to deep right with only one out. However, in the fifth, after giving up a single to catcher Hank Gowdey, Jack Bentley, the "not-quite Babe Ruth," rocked Johnson for a towering home run into the right field seats. It was estimated that the ball landed about a foot fair and a foot inside the upper-deck railing down the short right field line. Shortstop Bluege, whom Johnson would have loved to have seen at his familiar spot at third, was in cahoots with Bucky Harris to turn a gorgeous double play to get Walter out of the inning without further damage. In the seventh, the Nats turned another defensive gem. Lindstron and Youngs, who'd both singles, stood on the corners with two out. McGraw called for another double steal, and this time Ruel went immediately to second with his peg, stopping Youngs, the slower of the two baserunners, dead in his tracks. As Youngs retreated and a rundown involving Harris and Joe judge ensued, Lindstrom broke for the plate. Harris made the right decision, gunning the ball home to prevent Lindstrom from scoring before the last out was made. It was a close play, but Ruel held on to the ball and the seventh inning ended with the score unchanged. It was not until the eighth that the Nats closed the gap. With one out and still trailing 3-1, Goose Goslin hit his third home run of the Series, this one up against the upper tier of the grandstand in right. The Goose was coming through in a major way -- his infield single in the second inning was his sixth hit in a row in the World Series, a record which would still be standing at century's end. This home run also tied Babe Ruth's then record of three home runs in a single World Series. Joe Judge promptly followed Goslin's blast with a single to right to chase Bentley. John McGraw called upon Hugh McQuillan, the starter and winner in game three. McQuillan did the job, inducing both Bluege and Ruel to ground out to the infield, which got the Giants out of the inning hanging on to their 3-2 lead. This all became academic in the bottom of the eighth, when Kelly singled and Terry was walked by Johnson. This was only the second walk allowed by Johnson on the day, but before it was over he gave up 13 hits and also hit a batter. With men on first and second, no one out, and the Giants looking to pad their lead, Hack Wilson bunted. Johnson picked the ball up but fumbled, loading the bases. The game turned on that play and the Giants pushed three runs across on a flyout, a bloop single, and Lindstrom's fourth hit of the day, for a 6-2 final. As things turned sour for the Nats and Walter Johnson, the Polo Grounds crowd, behind Walter all day, was stunned. Is this what could befall a hero? Past his prime, the once great pitcher had not once but twice failed to make good on a shot at glory. Pressed by reporters during the train ride back to Washington, Bucky Harris defended his decision not to pull Walter from the game despite the 13 hits and only three strikeouts. Harris blared that he wouldn't have made Walter Johnson take the long walk back to the clubhouse even if it had meant winning all of the games of the World Series. When the Big Train made the trek at the end of the game, he looked particularly haggard and discouraged. In the clubhouse, Johnson lamented his second straight failure despite the fact that he would have willingly cut off his right arm to win that day. Muddy Ruel tried to boost his morale, reminding the great one that the Series was still far from over. What may have counted more was the firm advice proffered by Clark Griffith on the train ride back to Washington. Clutching Johnson's pitching arm, Griffith told him to forget about trying to help his friends find tickets for the next day's game. There may be another opportunity for him yet.

It might have seemed like mere fatherly consolation from Griffith after Johnson's disastrous defeat in game 5, but there's no doubt in my mind that Griff meant it 100% when he said, "Go home and get some rest, Walter. We might need you."

GeoPoto · #3 03-25-2023, 04:40 AM

The fact remained that the Washington Senators were going home with their backs up against the proverbial wall, and their boy manager had better think of something smart real quick. Bucky Harris turned, in this time of desperate need, to Jonathan Thompson Walton Zachary, who'd won the second game of the Series and pitched to within one out of a complete game. The long-necked Southerner had made use of his elaborate handle when he had pitched in the major leagues under an assumed name. As a member of the Philadelphia A's in 1918, he had been known as Zach Walton. At the time, he had been intent on protecting his eligibility to play college ball.

McGraw's choice as starting pitcher for the sixth game was just as obvious as Harris's. He had Art Nehf ready to go. Nehf had been sitting since the 12-inning win over Johnson in game one. McGraw had kept him back one game to let him recover, and that could have been interpreted as a good move since the Giants had won the fifth contest anyway.

Five thousand fans greeted the sagging Senators at the train station upon their return to Washington, and the 34,254 fans who populated Griffith Stadium for game six numbered among them President and Mrs. Coolidge, who took their seats for the third consecutive game. The crowd's mightiest cheer was for Roger Peckinpaugh, who took the shortstop position after missing two games with a charley horse, which had caused him much pain in his left thigh for three days. Peck was saying he was ready to break a leg to get back in action. The limb was bandaged and strapped so tightly to keep it upright that Peck could hardly feel his foot touch the ground.

This game was very exciting right off the bat, as half the games had been so far. After Lindstrom led off with a bunt on which Bluege, back at his familiar position, made a nice play to throw him out, Frank Frisch crashed a solid double along the line in right. Zachary got Ross Youngs to bounce right to him and then cooly turned toward to catch Frisch in a rundown -- Youngs made it to second on the play. The crowd was immediately disquieted again when George Kelly singled off Zachary to bring in the first run. Sam Rice then had to make a fine running one-handed catch on a drive by Irish Meusel to end the first half-inning.

Zachary was never in any trouble in this game again. He allowed only five hits and just one runner to get to second the whole rest of the way. Not only were there no walks, Zachary never even got to ball three with any hitter during the entire game. But his mates weren't doing anything for him offensively. The Nats had gotten four different baserunners on in the bottom of the first inning, but Harris forced McNeely and then got himself picked off. Except for Peckinpaugh's single off Lindstrom's shoe in the second inning, the Nats went down 1-2-3 in each inning until the fifth.

https://www.net54baseball.com/attach...1&d=1679737004

ValKehl · #4 03-25-2023, 10:21 PM

Another 1925 Holland Creameries card I'd love to upgrade:

GeoPoto · #5 03-26-2023, 04:05 AM

Peckinpaugh singled for the second time to start things off (in the fifth), and then Ruel came through with the anticipated sacrifice to move him up to second. Zachary then grounded to Bill Terry, but this put Peck on third with two down. With the pressure on him, Earl McNeely, the late-season spark, drew a walk on four straight pitches. McNeely promptly stole second, Gowdy not risking a throw that could have resulted in the run coming in from third. This brought up the boy manager, Bucky Harris, who came through for his men. His single to right brought in both runs and the Senators were up 2-1.

The Nats stayed ahead as a result of Zachary's masterful pitching on this day. In the ninth, George Kelly singled past first base with just one out. Irish Meusel then slashed a hard grounder through the box which could well have signified the beginning of the end of the Senators' hopes for staying alive. Roger Peckinpaugh had been playing the righthanded Meusel in the hole and came back toward second, leaped, made a terrific stab, and then miraculously flipped to Harris. This forced pinch-runner Billy Southworth, but Harris's relay to first conked Joe Judge on the knee. Judge went down in pain, but it turned out that he was not seriously injured and would continue. After Judge fell, everyone noticed that Peckinpaugh was also on the ground -- and he wasn't moving.

Peckinpaugh was escorted from the field, bloodied and obviously in agony, his weight supported by his teammates. He would not be back during this World Series. Once again, Ossie Bluege moved over to short. With the Nats ahead, 5'8" rookie Thomas Livingston Carlton Taylor, a better fielder than Ralph Miller, was sent in to man the hot corner. This was the same Tommy Taylor who had hurt his throwing hand during the pennant-party festivities and had had it in a splint ever since. Harris, who didn't have much choice, decided to send the injured player into the fracas anyway.

With Meusel standing on first and two out, Zachary threw three pitches to rookie Hack Wilson. Wilson, who would strike out nine times in the Series, did what came naturally. Yes, Virginia, there would be a seventh game! A coin toss would determine where the deciding game of the first seven-game Series in 12 years would be played. Commissioner Landis presided, and just as they had won when a flip of the coin had decided where the Series would open, the Nats were lucky again.

We will now enjoy a pause. Expected next post: 16 April.

https://www.net54baseball.com/attach...1&d=1679821358

Hankphenom · #6 03-26-2023, 09:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ValKehl

Another 1925 Holland Creameries card I'd love to upgrade:

The real pitching hero of the 1924 World Series!

Kawika · #7 03-26-2023, 12:47 PM

The suspense is killing me! I look forward to your return to learn the outcome. Am enjoying this thread immensely.

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