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ON THIS DATE (August
8, 1914)
... A
little more than 14,000 fans jammed Fenway Park today to see the
Braves and the Cincinnati Reds play the first game of their series.
For almost two hours the Braves were shutout and not feeling good
about themselves. But when the game was over they found themselves in
ecstasy, with a grand climax that was all they could be desired.
The Braves won the game by a score of 4 to 3
in 10 innings. Up until the time that one man was out in the ninth-inning, they
had not scored a run, while Cincinnati and piled up three in the first two
innings. Many of the spectators had begun to leave the stands, assuming at the
game was all but over and that the Braves were to be beaten again. And they had
good reason, because the Reds pitcher Phil Douglas had allowed only two base
hits to the Braves batters and had a 3 to 0 lead.
Then Douglas passed Joe Connolly and began
to show signs of fatigue in the ninth inning. Rabbit Maranville hit a grounder
down to Bert Niehoff at third base, whose throw pulled Fritz Mollwitz off the
bag at first. Charlie Schmidt came up and slapped a base hit into right field,
and after the ball took a bad hop that got by Doc Miller, Doc had trouble
finding where it was. Connolly and Maranville scored and Schmidt found his way
to second safely.
Manager Stallings sent
in Bill James to pinch-hit and he came through in fine shape by cracking out a
single to center. Pinch runner, Oscar Dugey, who was a fast runner, set sail for
a home. Bert Daniels' throw came slowly to the plate, and in his haste to get
the ball, catcher Tommy Clarke missed it altogether, allowing Dugey to make it
over the plate with the tying run.
The crowd was in full cheering mode when
Josh Devore opened up the Boston half of the 10th inning with a single. Possum
Whitted put Devore on second with a sacrifice and it was up to Joe Connolly.
Connolly waited on the ball and tried to push one between first and second base
which would've been good for a hit if it went through, but in the least would
put Devore on third. With Devore on third as planned, the Rabbit came up
and took his position in the batter's box. He shot a bullet on the ground by the
pitcher and it went through the box into centerfield. It was going so fast that
shortstop Buck Herzog never even a to try to stop it. Devore jogged home with
the winning run while the fans in the stands celebrated the Rabbit's game
winning performance once again.
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