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GEORGE MOGRIDGE |
THE LAST ONE FOR 86 YEARS
Joe Bush weakens in the final inning
June 24, 1918 ...
For eight innings at the Polo Grounds this afternoon, it looked as though the Red Sox would win, but Joe Bush wobbled in the ninth, and the Yankees finished in front 3 to 2.
Aside from the weakening of Bush in the ninth, which was the immediate cause of defeat, the inability of the Sox to hit Mogridge, at times, when hits and runs were needed, was greatly in evidence. The Sox had numerous chances to win the game because of the poor fielding of the Yankees. Frank Baker
was the chief offender, but whatever the Sox got on base through Yankee missed plays, Mogridge tightened and refused to be hit.
The Sox got their first run in the third on Sam Agnew's single, Baker's fumble of Bush's ground ball, followed by a bad throw by Baker on which Sam Agnew reached third, and Harry Hooper's sacrifice fly to make the score 1-0.
The Yankees tied the score in the fourth inning on Peckinpaugh's double, Baker scratch single, and a force out at second base, which permitted Peckinpaugh to score.
The Red Sox took the lead back in the sixth inning on Harry Hooper single, Peckinpaugh's fumble of Whiteman's slow grounder ball, and Stuffy McInnins' single. To make it 2 to 1.
Roger Peckinpaugh was first up in the last half of the ninth and Joe Bush showed the first signs of unsteadiness, when he passed him. The score at the time 2-1 in favor of the Sox, and the Boston infield gathered around Joe on the mound and tried to steady him. Joe Bush settled down and made a great
pitch that curved over the corner of the plate, but Frank Baker, disregarding the ethics of the game, reached over with his long bat and smashed the ball into far right field for a single. Peckinpaugh ran to third base on the hit. Del Pratt was the next Yankee to face Bush. He banged a long high fly ball to center, that
Amos Strunk was compelled to run out for, and Peck was able to walk in from third with the tying run. Wally Pipp, who has developed into an excellent extra base hitter, then came to the plate and hammered the ball into the right field stands. Ordinarily this would of been a home run, but as Baker was on first base
at the time the ball was hit, and scored the winning run, Pipp was credited with only a double.
Note: The rules have changed since then and Pipp today would have been credited with a walk-off home run. |
