New-York tribune., 1909-07-23
CUBS WIN THE FIRST
WTLTSE'S ERROR FATAL.
Wild Throrc Costs the Giants Three
Runs and the Game.

The Cubs beat the Giants by score OF 10 !
Yesterday and made the ten thousand or so rams
who weren't frightened off by the clouds ana lHe
threat of rain wish that deluge had fallen before
the 6fyh inning George Witse pitched against
ReuIbach and did vel enough in the box 10 smut
the champions out, but he threw his own game
away by the most complete piece Of foolish heidhs
ever seen on the Polo Grounds, or anywhere else'
7rorabIv As 4 result three runs were scored In
the first inning, after which none Of the Cubs got
near the plate The scored by the Giants was
helped along by error and bit Of bad 5udg-
uea5, so If the pitching alone had been IN
question nine innings wouldn't have been enough
TO settle the question of temporary supremacy.
It wasn't a big crowd that turned out but that
was 10 be expected in view Of the weather. quite
a heavy shower fell about $50 o'clock, making 1t
look as If there would he a postponement But
the clouds spit only now and then after that, and
there vas no reason for not playing the game
Report had II that Chance, who, by the way, seems
to have recovered fully from the effects of mis-
injury would send Brown in 10 do the pitchlhs
and that the decision TO Reulhach was due TO
the dark and gloomy weather That may he nut
with Reulbach as he is pitching now. it's good
deal Of a toss-up between him and the three
fingered
WIltse began by giving Evers a base on balls
Sheckard tried 10 sacrifice, hut what he meant 70
be a bunt rose and passed over Devlin's head Tor
> scratch single Schultz tried twice TO bunt and
then grounded 10 Shafer, who threw him out at
first while Evers and sheckard moved along Then
came Wiltse's foolish play and the sit OF 'ls
game to the Cubs.
IDENTIFY relied on 10 try To win the game at the
outset and Wiltse took the ball Evers was gong
for the plate at top speed and WiItse shouid nave
thrown TO Meyers, VINO could have started q fuii-
down play had Evers turned Instead ne uIeu !"
touch Evers cut himself and when the runner
eIuded him W!ltse, not more than a dozen feet
from the plate threw the ball over Meyerss head'
Sheckard also scoring on the error Chahce got
TO third while all this going on and scored on
Steinfedt's long fly to Murray, wnich should have
been the third out
There was little of moment after that until the
fourth inning except for fine catch Of foul by
Movers made IN the third inning when SheckaId
tried TO hunt. In the fourth inning the Giants
made their only run and escaped coat OF NhlIe-
wash Mccormick singled TO right. and TOOK
second when Schultz fumbIed the hit Murray
drove one 10 Tinker. who held the ball too long
70 catch either runner, though he could nave put
Mccormick ont easily enough at third. nara
struck out, but Mccormick scored on Devlin's long
fly TO Sheckard. Archer's beauuIul thFo" causuI
Murray trying 70 steal.
shafer cut big figure in disposing Of the Cubs
IN the sixth inning. First he threw Chance out
after beautiful stop, and he followed this 10y
brilliant play on Steinfsldts smash, which looked
ike a single.
The Cubs got even with him right away. Tenney
singled when the Giants came up, and Shafer
banged away at a ball that landed by the ieft
field fence If ever clean home run was nit
that was the one but Sheckard nailed the ball
after long run and made really wonderful
catch McCormick's line drive to centre looked
good for two or three bases. but Holman made
another fine catch and the best chance for New
York win gone
Chief Meyers sustained a split finger in the
seventh inning when he went after foul tip
from Archer's bat AS he has only just been re-
moved from the sick list. this was regarded as
hard luck. Schle relieved him
Doyle batted for Witse in the eighth inning,
and again made good 4 pinch hitter, singing
through short De Wore ran for him, and the
crowd wept when he caught mapping on the
Oldest trick in baseball, Eyers and Chance get
ting him when EYers used the prehistoric dodge
OF hiding the bali. Crandall pitched out the
game