Norwich bulletin., 1912-12-25

The longest game ever played by two major league baseball teams lasted "A innings and was played on the Bos- ton American league grounds on Sept. 1. 1906, between the Red SOX and the Athletics. ending in a 1 to 1 victory for Philadelphia just before darkness compelled a truce.
 The 1S,000 beam eating fans who paid their quarters, halves and dollars with the expectation of seeing a double header that afternoon for one price of admission received the largest divi- dendS for their investment yet record ed in fast company. They saw almost three games Of baseball that teemed with tense situations and kept every ones nerves tingling with excitement, while the two combatants fought on even terms through so many innings in many of which a single slip would have terminated the scrap
 There have been longer games of more or less authenticity in the minor leagues. Decatur and Bloomington of the Three Eyes league played 26 in nings at Bloomington on May 31, 1909. and Decatur won. ? to !. That fact is undisputed. But no major league teams ever have come close to the 24- round bout staged in Boston six years
  proach to it was 20 innings, which is the National leagues record for over time. The second longest game in the American league also went 70 innings. and, oddly enough, the Philadelphia and Boston teams were hooked up in that bout, too. in 1905. The Athletics won to ?, and it was played in BOs ten.
 Only Three Players Left.
 Six years is short time in the af- fairs of nation, but not in the career of ball player. of the 20 men who participated in that 24-inning record breaker, only three were connected with ma jor league teams at the close of the season of 1912. Most of them still are connected with baseball in some capacity, but two of them are dead-Mike Powers of the Athletics, who caught the entire game, and Charles (Chick) Stahl, the Boston out fielder.
 The pitchers engaged in the conflict were both comparative youngsters, but little known to fame at that time. They were Jack Coombs and Joe Har- ris, and they went the whole route without falter until Harris broke at the finish after two men were out in the first half of the 24th. Coombs has since earned far greater glory than he acquired that day, but Harris chief claim to fame still rests on his par ticipation in a record breaking per formance
 Thirty-four Strikeouts.
 A remarkable feature of Harris work was that he gave only two bases on balls during the game Coombs was lot steadier than he became in after years, for he allowed only si1 bases on balls, which would be an average performance in nine innings Moreover, three of those passes were issued Intentionally 10 dangerous l batsmen with men on bases. Coombs struck out 19 batsmen and Harris reg istered 15 strlkeouts.
 Some idea of what A innings mean to a ball player can be figured iron, the fact that it entailed IA putouts ! 12 on each side. Grimshaw, first base man for Boston, ruled up a total of 24 putouts, and Lou Criger Il. The work of Fred Parent, afterward with the White Sox. and Hobe Ferris was sen sational. Between them they accepted 2S chances around second base without l an error. Several times they cut of hits which would have ended the game The players of both teams were will 1 ing to stop with the score tied l to at the end of 23 innings. The outfield- 1 CTS complained it was so dark they could not see the ball when it was hi until 1t was well on it's way. The other | players were tired under the strain | but Tim Hurst, the bulldog of arbitrat | ors, made them go on and the next | round brought the knockout. Philadelphia scored the first run il | the third inning. After Powers hat | famed Coombs landed safely at first | when Harris Fell down fielding slow ! grounder toward third base. Being { recent collegian, Coombs did not know it was unfashionable for pitchers tt | run bases, so he proceeded to stea second. He went to third on Hartsel! infield out, and Bris Lord scored hin with single.
 Tied in Sixth.
 Boston tied the knot in the sixth In | ming. Hayden was thrown out at frs | by Monte Cross. Parent followed witt a triple and Stahl with a single whicl
 sent Fred across the plate and pro
 longed the game almost interminably
 For r innings the rival teams tried t
 break that deadlock without success