Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-10-09
POOR JUDGMENT
BEATS PHILLlES
Athletics Leader Refused to
Take Chance in Ninth and
Lost Yesterday.
NEW YORK GETS BREAKS"
Tim Murnane Gives Expert Opinion on
Wednesday Struggle for Big
Title.

P6llaQ6lDnld, OSl Jill ASly
Mathewson, hero of thousand battles
on the ball field, never landed sweet
er winner than he passed to his breast
Yesterday, when the New York Giants
left the field after beating the Phila-
delphia Athletics, 8 to 0, thereby even
ing up the post-series contest with one
victory for each club.
For nine innings It was a battle
royal between two of the classiest vet
Grams known to the game. Both were
''primed" and were in rare good form.
The great Mathewson finished strong,
while Plank was perceptibly slowing
I'D and finally shot his bolt in the
tenth. when Mathewson smashed out
a safe hit that sent the winning run
over the plate.
NINTH PROVES A THRILLER.
The most interesting part of the
the bat in the last half of the ninth
inning, where one run would decide
the game. Strunk led off with a sharp
single and Barry hunted just out of
Mathewson's reach. Doyle picked it
up and threw sharply to first, out Of
position, and the ball rolled to the
grandstand Strunk went to third and
could have scored had he been wise
to the opening Barry was on second
and it looked like a 100 to l shot ti,St
the Quakers would land the second
game. =
Then Mathewson got down to hls
finest knitting and he worked Lapp
with low curve over the inside cor
ner of the plate and the ball was hit
to Wiltse, who rushed in, snapped
the ball off the ground on a short pick
up, and threw to Mclean at the plate.
He had his man we'll blocked off, and
Strunk was out. Plank was the next
man up. The Quakers held a con-
sultation in the dugout, for it was the
place to take chance and several Of
the men were anxious to see Dan
Murphy bat for Plank. Connie Mack
was afraid to take a chance on the
new pitcher at this stage of the game,
so after several minutes delay, Plank
went to the plate and perhaps the
most delighted person on the ground
was Napoleon McGraw.
PLANK PROVES A "MARK."
Plank was just the mark they we're
looking for at this stage of the enter
tainment Mathewson sized up his
man and then sent in one low and
close. Plank fired away and hit the
ball on a bound to Wiltse, who threw
Barry out at the plate. When Eddie
Murphy hit a weak bounder to Mathew.
son the New York players threw their
caps in the air and acted like a lot
Of wild kids just out of school.
McGraw would have taken a chance
here by sending in good hitter for
weak man and the chances are that
the Mackmen lost by not making this
move.
The awful disappointment Of not
landing a stubbornly fought game at
the last ditch must have affected the
veteran Plank, for in the tenth inning
Larry Mclean opened with a drive
to right Wiltse sacrificed and Mathew.
son, who had been hitting the ball hard
all day, smashed out a hit between
ASAN NOAICA Nhob easily eCOI6Q
Eddie Grant, who was running for
Mclean. Two more runs were added
to the Giants score after this, for
Collins hit a runner with the ball and
Fletcher sent two home with a single
that went bounding over Bakers head
into left field The Quakers were
easy picking for Mathewson in the
tenth inning, going out in order.
MEYERS INJURIES HAND.
Before the game Catcher Meyers
injured his hand, and was forced To
retired from the game, forcing Harry
Mclean to do the backstopping. Big
Larry not only caught in superb style
but made two hits, leading off with
the swat that spelled victory in the
tenth. Merkle was unable to take his
place at first, owing to sprained an.
kle, forcing Snodgrsss into the game
with a lame leg. After playing three
innings he was forced TO retire, Pitch
er Wiltse taking his place, and to the
surprise of every one this third-rate
pitcher proved to be the Giants life
saver. He played a remarkable game
at first.
The chances are, had the regular
men been In the game, the Athletics
would have scored their second victory
yesterday, but II is doubtful II this
kind Of luck will continue throughout
the series. Mathewson pitched an In
teiligent game, with plenty OF stuff,
several remarkable fielding stunt:
saving him from defeat IN nine innings
Burns in left field made two remark
able plays, one after a long run with
q man on, in the fifth.
NATTY UNW'oRRIED.
Eathewson took oceans Of time-ir
fact, he was deliberate and deter
mined-from the first ball pitched tc
the last He failed to land a victory
last fall against the Red. Sox. and was
badly beaten by these same Athletics
the last time he faced them. two years
ago. so Matty wes we'll groomed for
the task of a lifetime. Perhaps the
sweetest satisfaction OF all was when