The San Francisco call., 1908-11-01
Pa Van HaIfren Pitches Just as
He Did Thirfy=fye Years
BY w. j. SIaffery

The Seals had all the class that was
displayed yesterday afternoon at the
valencia street lot, and therefore, the
taxing OF two games from the down
trodden Commuters was a task that
did not require any jolt of excess ex-
ertlon on the part of the victorS. The
first one was the contest that counted
Tor the last was merely an exhibition
same. however, 1t carries with It a
great deal of distinction as Pa Van
Haltren, .he Oldest player in the world
dld the twisting for Oakland.
Inc ancient boy was roughly treated
by the Seals. Before he had chance
to warm up his withered soupbone the
boys began to sting everything he
possessed. By the time the fifth inning
was reached San Francisco was there
with hVe runs, and Henley was pitch
ing good enough ball TO hold Oakland
safe at all times
When the double header was adver-
tiSed it was naturally expected that
both games would count in the per-
centage column. But when Secretary
Dan Long looked up the dope he dis
covered that the teams had no post
poned contests to be played off. and
therefore, under the rules, the second
contest had TO go as an exhibition
game.
For the first time in many weeks,
Harry Sutor showed a flash of the
form that made him feared by all the
batters of the league when the season
was In its infancy. Once he got over
a bad inning at the outset. he winged
the sphere over the pan with as much
grace and as much steam as ever. He
was there 40 ways and Oakland was
lucky>to start with run.
Loucks also displayed fine line of
stun and pitched the best he had
throughout, but a homer by Beck and
truck EaganS errors put the rollers
under him in the seventh when the
seals landed for q pair of taIlies, just
enough to bring the victory home.
Beck laced the ball over the right field
fence with two down and then the
others commenced their work.
Berry hit a grounder to short and
Eagan booted. McArdle waited and
was rewarded with pass. Sutor also
got the Eagan habit and again Truck
a chance for him and followed Sutor' S
lead. True to form, Truck fumbled
Tor the third time without a letup and
ON the play Berry arrived and the game
Old time fans who saw Truck per-
form say that he established world S
record. None of them ever saw a man
boot three in a row before. Many a
time q player Will make three or four
errors In game, but there is no record
to show where a tosser ever muffed
three of them, especially with two out
throughout, and aside from Eagans s
awful work not a man on either side
missed a. single chance. The Seal in
field worked like a bunch of eight day
clocks behind Sutor and fast. sensa
tional fielding pulled the big soslthpaw
out of many an ugly hole. Oakland
was slow on the bases and overlooked
many a chance in this way.
The second contest was called 10
minutes after the expiration of the
first one and, incidentally, it broke the
leagues record In the matter of time
used up. The boys were on their toes
from the moment the first ball was
pitched until the last man was declared
out. The contest was reeled off in
just an hour and 10 minutes, some
speed In any league.
Old Van trotted out on the mound
and the veterans were sure that he
looked just the same as he did 35 years
ago at the old Twenty and Har-
rison street grounds. Had he worn a
wig 1t is said that nobody could tell
the difference. Van pitched, he de-
clares, just to show DR.. Osler up. He
certainly made good in this line.
In the first three innings the Seals
got to the grandfather of the league
for five runs, enough to win any ordi-
nary game of ball. But he was not
disheartened and kept on pitching the
best he had at all times. His control
was perfect and had he been accorded
a little better support the chances are
that the game would have been a close
one.
Henley twirled a magnificent article
of ball. He was there with the perfect
brand of control and would have made
it a clean blank but for q double by
Hogan and a single from the bat of
Duffey Lewis in the seventh spasnl.
The score