The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-10-12
HOPES OF GIANTS
THWARTED AT END
OF MACK|AN BATS
CONTINUED From First Page.)

.no tnought was there that both had
fought brave battles, that thoy had
paved the way for glory. ana that it
should be theirs. Both could not win,
ana Slatty may rest secure in the
knowledge that he fought q good fight
In good way. not losing to tho bet
ter man. but victim OF the fates that
irrevocahly determine tho Anal out
come In all strifes human
Tho best team won: that in epitomo
LIS tho last word. Neither n Mathew
sim nor johnson could have turned
tue tido OF battle against that Phila-
deiphia avalanche. The Mackmen
wanted II ended. They were proud in
tho strength they had shown. Here
tofore Mathcwson had been stumbling
block. but now they knew neither
Mathewson nor my other force From
tho moment that Eddie Murphy broke
into curve ball for the. first hit of
tho game In tho first inning, tho game
was settled. They had found that
Mathewson could be hit. and they went
after him. Even with this compelling
force. certainly two of tho Mack runs
should not have scored. just Plank.
with his two-hit performance. should
not have been scored upon even once.
Merklo Is JuERlcr.
Fred Merkle. tho greatest 1uggler In
baseball. IL responsible for two OF the
Philadelphia TALES. Briefly no slum-
bercd. and during his spell OF dreaming
-
opportunity II vas not really try
ing moment yet &c was ono when the
real baseball player shows above tho
ordinary. Merklc never has been, nor
Will ever be, great baseball player.
In oil OF the great crises that have
arisen when upon him turned the pivot
that was to decide 4 series he has fail
cd lie repeated again to-day.
Tho play came in the third Eddie
Murphy started with driving single
to right field. and when Oldring toppled
ono ct Doyle. the captain booted.
though 1t was a mighty rap. Eddie
Collins dropped one right IN front OF
the platter. advancing both Murphy
and Oldring. Frank Baker followed
with soft drive straight ut Merkle
and he started to make the play right.
1t was obviously n throw 10 tho plate
to stop Murphy. but Baker got after
Aferkle and he fell for the ruac, losing
Murphy at the plato and. az II subse-
quently turned out, losing Baker at
first. Tho wobble went for q hit.
Unfortunately there is no place to
score these kind OF plays, therefore
they must be written about
1t was Merkle's play or failure TO
play that turned the lido of battle.
Experts may Disagree regarding this.
but those who sat dispnssionately. with
no desire save 10 SEQ tho best kind OF
baseball played, will all come TO the
Same conclusion. Matty had lost none
OF his cunning. He was pitching the
Same methodical ball that brought
him homo a To victor in = previous
game Nor did this horrible perform,
nnce cause him 10 waver. but II did
have It's effect upon his defense.
Charlie Her2og. one OF the heroes OF
the game. from purely defensive
standpoint. forgot his endless line OF
chatter. Even Captain Doyle showed
his disgust. 1t was too late to mend
fences. The damage had been done
and the Elephant had again outwitted
the Giant.
Studying tho box score closely, the
Giants should have had no runs and
the Athletics one. In other words. tho
nnal score should have been l 10 0.
The run scored by the Giants came be-
cause OF n miX-up on what would have
been 4 sure double play II happened
In the NTH and as the one blemish on
Plank's record. He gets an error be-
cause ne dropped Murray's A. ball with
ShaIcr on frst base.
However. he was worried by Baker
and Collins. both OF whom came in on
tho ball and either OF whom could
have grabbed II. II was poor judg-
nent tho part OF Plank. for he
should have left the ball alone and
allowed one Of his fe!ders TO handle
IT. Tho mum put men on first and
second, after which Larry Mclean, who
must be regarded as one Of the heroes
OF the series, even though Il sort OF
volunteer. drove the ;!rst real hit made
or Plank. and Shafcr scored.
Secure IN His Strength.
And as tor Plank. He stepped TO the
mound secure in his strength, having
been chosen over Shawkey at the last
moment. For four innings he had only
twelve men facing him. and not hit
had been made. Then came McLcan's
bin in the NTH. Mathewson got the
only other one. Otis Crandall was
cent to the front IN tho ninth 10 bat
for Matty but he was an easy out
from Collins to McInnis.
Never In his thirteen years has
Plank pitched better game. lie had
control, as is evidenced by the fact that
he issued but ore pass. We had cour-
age and Will power and ability; indeed.
he had everything. HIS curves broke
there Is little TO Judge between the
two. Matty and Plank. Both were in
prime shape and both pitched with
every drop OF blood in their veins. Mat
tvs defense was lacking; that's the
answer.
No one believes that todays game
was Plank's last any moro than that
Matty Is through. Plank's statement
was probably born OF a desire to show
how sincere he was about winning.
Matty, after tho gamc and in the club
house, In the spirit he has always
shown, said: I'VE were beaten by a
good ball club. Some unfortunate
things happened and the breaks were
mostly against us. L tnouSnt Wouid
win, and If tho boys had been able to
score a few more runs the series would
still be on. Everybody helped me. but
some were the victims of circumstances
Such is baseball and I heartily con-
graduate the Athletics upon their VIC
tory"
Rubber Test Between Teams.
1t was the rubber test between Nc
Graw and NlcGillicuddy Twice these
two had met in worlds series and each
had won a game. McGraw paid his
tribute to Comic Mack by saying he
had wonderful ball club Connie
Mack paid his tribute to McGraw by
saying that lie considered him one of
the gamest and squarest fighters he
had ever fought against. Hushie Jen-
nings reluctantly admitted that he had
Ea hl:sxs,oe
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