The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1901-08-21
STANDING OF THE CLUBS.

Cardinal stock suffered another reverse
yesterday. With a big. hard. and resound-
ing thump the local aggregation of diamond
stars settled securely into the last place in
the first division. While Brooklyn passed
them like Cresceus would pass an army
mule.
After the carnage was over. the fans, who
had been razzle-dazzled into a comatose
state by the rapid slaughter. rubbed their
eyes and walked mournfully OF the grounds
haunted by visions of the bulletin board.
which. when the Pirates had decamped with
the spoils. read "Pittsburg IA, St. Louis ."
After all. It was a still further example
Of the Ill luck which has persisted In fol-
lowing the local team. Eddie Murphy
pitched for the first seven innings with a
sore shoulder. which gave him no end Of
trouble. At that he held the Smokeville
crew down for four innings, putting on the
whitewash in each round and keeping well
scattered the Pirates first five hits. Then
the visitors began to exercise with their
sticks and nailed the ball to every crevice
or hole that existed IN the Cardinal for
nation.
Murphy should have been retired after the
execution done by the Pennsylvanians In
the fifth inning. but he stayed in another
heat, just long enough for the Pirates to
take an unbreakable grip on the game.
Jack Chesbro was pitted against him and
had by far the hest of the argument. Even
with a big gap at third base occasioned by
Leach's enforced retirement, Chesbro re-
ceived his full measure OF support. Yeager
tried TO cover Leach's position and sue
ceeded fairly well. but he is a catcher and
not an fnhelder. AS far as the result OF the
game is concerned, the Pirates could have
won with no one on third.
Bob Wicker's Debut.
Bob Wicker, who has been the property
of the Robisons since early in July, made
his debut as a National League pitcher in
the seventh inning. Wicker has done little
since coming here. a few substitutions in
the field and at bat being the extent of his
laooTs- Wicker has been suffering for a Ions
time with a lame arm. 1t was a great deal
10 ask OF a youngster fresh from the minor
leaS ues to go into the game with the leaders
up against him and with such a handicap
TO work against. Wicker was called into
The game suddenly and entered the fray
without a w~arming-up. With everything
thus mitigating against him. and in view OF
the fact that he had not patrolled the box
for more than six weeks. the least that can
be said of Wicker's work was that II was
meritorious.
As was but natural. Bob was a trine wild
at first. but he put a stop to the cannonad-
Ing OF the Pirates. Before ne was through
he displayed some of the form which made
him the star of the Interstate League
twirlers last year. Wicker is a prime ia
vorite with the fans. and he had enough
vocal support to Undue him with plenty of
courage. Two Of the Pirate band struck
out after be began to get in the game,
and the hits registered by them after the
seventh inning We're andwich in between
outs. Tn one score made by the Pirates
in the seventh was the result of Clarke's
three-bagger. which was made off Murphy.
The score in the final essay was n gift. and
was secured mainly through loose fielding
and a fierce error.
II Ned Hanlon could have seen his erst-
while property. Lefty" Davis. he would
have shed tears of modification over the
recollection of setting Davis adrift. Davis
won the hearts of the fans by his brilliant
playing. Lefty" was ubiquitous. and by
fast work helped to spread whitewash on
the Cardinals in the closing innings.
Fatal Fifth Inning.
Cp to the fifth inning St. Louis was the