The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1910-10-14
TOUCHING
SECOND
BY Johnny Evers and Hugh Fullerton
CONTINUED from last weekly
BY Johnny Eyers and Hugh Fullerton

llnKeT, TuS0luS eagerly FORWARD 10
the batter's position, knew that the
leash that had held the champions
had been cut and that he could hit
when he pleased, ever the first ball.
Crash, Tinker smoke the sphere a ter
rifle blow and like a swallow the ball
darted out to right field. high. higher.
until, soaring far over the heads of
the crowd it struck the sign above
the right-field seats and the crowd
went wild. Then, like soldiers attack
ing a preached wall, the champions
rushed to the assault and, before the
inning was over, they had made six
runs and their waiting game had won.
Chance had calculated from the
FIRST that Donovan was pitching with
too great speed, and that no human
being could hold such a pace through
nine innings, and during all the time
that the crowd thought Detroit would
win, the leader of the champions was
sitting watching every move, waiting
for the first sign that Donovan was
firing or beginning to lose his speed.
At the start of the seventh inning
he thought he detected signs of weari-
ness, but the Smiling Tiger still was
strong. After Holman scratched that
hit at the start of the eighth, Chance
saw Donovan lower his pitching arm
as if weary, and he issued his order
and after Tinker drove that home run
he ordered: take a crack at the
first one" Like a general, he had
f1,,~d Tho lroooh o~l 0rNoro1 tho
charge, and his men leaped to the
plate and began the bonbardment
that brought victory.
Baseball is almost as much psychol-
ogical as athletic. Why one team
can beat a stronger one regularly.
and lose to q weaker with the same
regularity; why one batter can hit
one pitcher and Is helpless before an
other; why n pitcher is effective
against a strong team and at the
mercy of another that cannot bat half
as hard, are psychological problems.
In 1908 Joe Tinker, who is only an
ordinary batter, became imbued with
the idea that he could hit Mathewson's
pitching at will. The confidence born
Of this idea enabled him to beat
Mathewson out of several games, and
after that Mathewson seemed to have
the same belief, for Tinker during the
season won five games from New
York by his individual hitting. and in
four of them MathsWson was the vic
tim. One Of the hits that Tinker
made OF Mathewson will be part OF
Chicago's baseball history for gen.
erations. The teams, with Mathewson
and Brown pitching, had battled for
four innings, neither being able to
score, and in the fifth Tinker came
to bat, first in the inning. Tinker
drove the ball on the line into the far
left field corner-and he raced around
the bases. At third base Zimmerman
who was coaching, leaped out, tackled
Tinker and threw him, trying to drag
him back to third base. but Tinker
broke away and scored with the only
run of the game, beating Mathewson
l to O. Twice later In the year
Tinker beat Mathewson by long
drives.
What probably was the most sensar
tional finish ever recorded in any
league was that in the Western league
on the last day of the season of 1909.
On that day the psychic struck
Omaha. The situation was this:
Res Moines and Sioux City practical
" we're tide for the pennant, and each
team was playing two games, the
Sioux City team playing at Omaha.
Sioux City had to lose two games and
pes Moines had to win n to give
Des Moines the championship. Sioux
City lost the first game, but had the
second won by three run in the ninth
inning. Manager "Ducky" Holmes OF
the Sioux did not feel the "break"
coming. He leaped into his automo-
bile after the first Omaha batter in
the ninth inning went out, called the
attention of the crowd to his cham
pions, and raced away toward home
to start celebrating the victory. Just
then the break" came. Omaha need
ed three runs to tie, four to win. Hits
and errors quickly filled the bases and
with two men out three men were on
the bases, and a home run drive
scored four runs, won for Omaha, beat
Sioux City, and gave the pennant to
Des Moines.
Manager Rourke fastened to the
press stand and sent a hurried tele-
gram to the police in a town between
Omaha and Holmes home. which read
thus:
Arrest Holmes, put him in hand
cuffs and a strait jacket, gag him
and then break the news. Omaha
won out in the NINTH"
Observe closely a pitcher when "the
break comes. Up to that time he
has been pitching coolly. taking his
time, studying each man-but, after
the break" he hurries. returns the
ball as fast as he gets it. loses head.
loses control, and loses the game.
Mathewson. one of the greatest Of
them all, has only that one fault, and
the instant the tide turns against New