(October 25) PHILADELPHIA– Last year, after Chief Bender (left, in color!) knocked off Chicago in Game 1 of the 1910 World Series, Cubs manager Frank Chance quipped, “That Indian was almost inhuman. The greater the tension, the better he pitched. He fairly reveled in the tumult of the stands and often laughed like a pleased boy.” Yesterday, the most beloved Redskin in Philadelphia got the last laugh once again, as after a shaky start he gathered his wits and hurled a gem.
Mathewson held a 2-0 career record against Bender, and in the first inning it looked like he was ready to make it a trifecta. Bender was clearly rattled in the first, as he gave up a lead off single to Devore followed by a triple to second bagger Larry Doyle. Snodgrass entered to catcalls as a result of his infamous slide last week, but hit a sacrifice fly to knock in Doyle, and though the game was only a few minutes old, the score was already 2-0. But Bender settled down, and over the next hour and 40 some minutes the Giants would not cross home plate again.
The A’s fans did not sell out the ballpark, but they were plenty raucous. In the bottom of the first, when Home Run Baker came to the plate, they let out a hearty song through megaphones:
“What’s the matter with Baker?
“He’s all right!
“What’s the matter with Baker?
“He’s out of sight!
“He’s the boy with the old home runs.
“He’s landed two and there’s more to come.
“What’s the matter with Baker.
“He’s all right.”
Baker would add no home runs to his totals on this day, but he would do nothing to dim his star either. In the bottom of the 4th, with the A’s trailing 2-0, he blasted a double into left-centerfield. Baker’s continued domination of him obviously flustered Mathewson, as he then gave up a double to Danny Murphy to almost the exact same spot, and the A’s merely trailed by 2-1. Up to the plate came first baseman Harry Davis. A former bank teller, the 37-year old Davis was only in the lineup because Stuffy McInnis was injured. But he paid Mack back for the time in 1901 when Mack convinced him to leave the bank and come to the diamond, as he hit a double past Fred Merkle and down the right field line. The game was tied at 2, and the Shibe faithful were in a frenzy. A few batters later, Ira Thomas hit a sac fly to score Davis. The A’s had a lead they would not relinquish, adding a run in the 7th when (guess who?) Home Run Baker hit another double to score Eddie Collins. Bender had long since settled down, and his fastball was sizzling. “Who can hit a pea when it goes by with the speed of lightning?” lamented Giants left fielder Josh Devore after the game.
The Athletics now take a 3-1 lead into the Polo Grounds today for the Game 5 tilt, which will be between Plank and Marquard. If there is a game 6, it will be held at Shibe Park on Thursday.
