The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1913-04-27
.GRIFFMEN LOSE
F|RSTOF Series
Athletics Land Opening En-
counter by Lucky Hitting
by 3 to z Score.
MILAN MAKES STAR PLAY
Doubles Mclnnis at the Plate, Ain
smith Making 4 Rare
Catch.
MILAN MAKES STAR PLAY
BY WILLIAM PEET.

Philadelphia, Pa, April 26-Before 20
600 wildly cheering fans, Connie Mack's
Athletics won the opening game of the
series from the Climbers at Shibe Park
this afternoon, the much needed tally
coming in the eighth inning when Stuffy
McInnis dashed out the weirdest hit
known to science, a two-bagger to left
field, the ball dropping several feet in
side the foul line.
When McInnis larruped the sphere
Collins was on third base. Tom Hughes
had stuffy in the hole, two strikes and
one ball. Long Tom shot over what
is known in the language Of the national
game as the bean ball." high inshoot
calculated to drive timid batters away
from the plate. McInnis ducked and as
he bent over his bat accidentally landed
squarely on the ball very much as a
tennis player would negotiate the over
hand serve. Before the fleet footed
Howard Shanks could gain possession Of
the sphere Collins was over the plate,
the tie was broken and the game placed
beyond the reach of the Nationals.
There was little to choose between he
teams on the form displayed this after
noon Manager Griffith is offering no
excuses. for the Nationals had chances
galore 10 send in runs. Failure to hit
safely in the pinches Is the answer. and
yet at that il was a tough game for
Tom Hughes TO lose. The veteran worked
nine innings. and although frequently in
hole, invariably came through with
air-tight stuff His support when danger
threatened was also brilliant.
Free Run.
The run which the Athletics put over.
tieing the score, in the fourth smacked
of the gift variety; also the marker
which showed the Grirmen to the front
in the eighth was handed out on a sill
Yer platter.
Mack's young pitchers. Carol Brown
and Byron Houck, did not appear, TO
have a whole lot of stuff. but the Ma
tionals could do little with them when
hits meant runs
For spectacular fielding stunts the
Climbers put il all over their rivals. The
most sensational play of the game took
place in the Athletics seventh. when il
seemed that only miracle would keep
the platter clean. The bases were load
ed in this round, only one man out. and
Danny Murphy, pinch hitter of some
prominence. at the bat Stuffy McInnis
was prancing back and forth at third
base ready to dash home at the crack OF
the bat. Murphy sent Milan high fly.
and Clyde got the ball away from him like
fash. McInnis easily beat the throw
home. but when he tried to slide into
the plate his spikes bumped against
Ainsmths shin guards, and Eddie held
him six inches from the rubber as he
gathered up the ball and clapped it on
little Stuffy, completing a fancy double
play, the like of which was never seen
here before.
Some Real Ball.
The Nationals made the Athletics look
foolish in the eighth, when, with one
down and the bases full. Daley attempt
ed to bont. for the purpose of pulling
off the well-known squeeze play. A
pop fly to Frank Laporte resulted, and
McInnis, who had rounded third as the
ball was in the air. FASTENED back to
second. There was nobody over al the
midway station to take the ball. hut
Morgan started TO beat McInnis to the
keystone sack. Ray was 10 late to
make the play. but in returning to sec
ond il was discovered that McInnis had
failed to touch third, and Umpire Hart
called him out.
There were other critical and unique
situations. too numerous to mention at
Mr.. Mack's ball yard this afternoon. and
the game as whole was exciting
enough to satisfy the most exacting.
The ease with which the Nationals
stole bases on Catcher Lapp astonished
the natives No less than four pur-
Joined sacks are credited to the Grir-
men, more steals than all the other
teams who have subsequently played
the Athletics this season put together
In the first inning the Nationals pop-
CONTINUED ON PAGE TWO