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THE LAST ONE FOR 86 YEARS
One big inning sinks the Sox
August
3, 1918 ...
The Indians indicated right from the start that they were after the Red Sox and particularly starter Sam Jones, who was the Indian player traded to the Red Sox in the Tris Speaker deal. Sharp fielding from the Sox, kept them away from the plate for three innings, but from then on, the Tribe was not
to be denied. They trounced the Red Sox 5 to 1 at Dunn Field, and reduced the Sox lead to 3 1/2 games in the American League.
They ambushed Jones in the fifth inning by scoring four runs that ended up clinching the contest. But with a long lead, the Indians became careless and threw away runs. Their starting pitcher Jim Bagby held his team together though, by pitching his best game of the
year. He had perfect control and alternated his fadeaways and curves with an exceptional fastball, keeping the Red Sox batters off-balance every time they stepped to the plate. He did not strike out a man, but he did not have to, as long as the Red Sox persisted in lifting easy fly balls to
the outfield, or poking easy grounders to his infielders.
Not only did Bagby succeed in mystifying a team he has considered a jinx to him, but the Indians also disposed of a pain in their side named Sam Jones. They clouted him harder in this one contest than they have in all three previous engagements this year. Eleven hits
were gathered off Jones, five of them were doubles and not a fluke among any of them. Three of the two sacker's were produced in one inning and produced four runs.
The Indians look like real pennant winners, the Red Sox appeared anxious to have it all over. All enjoyment and interest in the game was removed for them in the fifth inning, when Jones made an error in the field and then lost his effectiveness. In the attack on Jones,
Tris Speaker and Sam Chapman were the leaders. Chapman had two singles and a double, and Speaker a single and two doubles.
The American League club owners met here in Cleveland today and, like their National League counterparts, decided to continue the schedule through Labor Day, and then play the World Series, contrary to the proposal of league president, Ban Johnson. Johnson said after
the vote that if the club owners wish to take a chance on acting contrary to the ruling of the war Department, that is their business. Those owners who voted to continue the season feel that Secretary Baker has clearly said he is not opposed to baseball and in every statement he has made,
has said he hoped that baseball would be able to continue, regardless of the enforcement of the work or fight order. They continued by saying that if any members of the two teams, who will take part in the World Series are cited to go to work, they will obey that order, but they feel there
are enough players on each team to continue the series to its completion on or about September 12th. |
