New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-09-21
Old Hans Wagner Deals
SuperbaS a Hard BlOW
Scores Only Run of Game
Marked by Clever Pitching
of Pfefer and Bob
Harmon.

Pittsburgh, Sept. 20.-Hans Wagner
has long since passed the day when he
may be referred to as an "Injia rubber
iiiot on a SPREE" but for all his years
and all his gray hair the venerable
German is still a first class fighting
man. He broke the Brooklyn square
this afternoon with his mighty bat, and
Douglas Baird seized the opportunity
and made the breach wider by laclng
the ball for a double and driving der
capting over the plate. That lone run
was of appalling size, for the Superbas
scored not at all, and the totals rested
at TO 0.
To-day's defeat was a bitter blow to
the Superbas, for it practically renders
their chances Of winning the pennant
nil The Phillies were held in idleness
by the rain, and gained in their lndo-
lence, but the Boston Braves were de-
feated by the rampant Reds. brooklyn
still holds with deathlike clutch to sec
ond place.
The teams tore at each others
throats for six innings, and then the
Pirates went ahead and won. Hans
Wagner hit the left field fence with a
two Dagger. which rapid fielding alone
held down. Wagner took third while
Jimmy Viox was being expunged at the
getaway sack Baird then made his
presence felt by driving double into
right field, and Wagner trotted across
the plate with the solitary tally Of the
afternoon. Baird stole third presently,
but he stayed right there, long, long
way from home in a baseball sense.
Bob Harmon saw TO it that Brooklyn
punched no brace Of doubles. Indeed,
he saw to it that Brooklyn got no dou-
blcs at all, and made them feel that
the three scattered hits he did allow
were the gifts of a magnanimous vic
tor who sought 10 ease the sting OF de-
feat
Buck Wheat's single was a scratch
which real fast work by Baird might
have converted into an out, but the
Pirate third sacker fell asleep, and the
weak. scraggly grounder crept into the
hit column. OMara singled in the
fourth inning, shattering a no-hlt game
but was forthwith nipped oil base by
Murphy as Daubert struck out. Boz
also issued two bases on balls, but he
never had any cause to rue his gener-
osity.
A good team may make its owl
breaks, but when jinx-ridden pltcher'
are checked up in the history Of base
ball Jcf Pfener Will eaten the eye U
students. jeff pitched another one OF
his deserved town games this after
noon. but it would seem that his very
presence on the mound inspires his op-
ponent to perform prodigies OF pitch
ing. He was hit for eight safeties this
afternoon, and it so happened that hall
Of these were for extra bases. Johnston
got triple, while Niox, Wagner anc
Roird rnada douhles
Yet, despite this abundance Of extrf
base hitting, JEFF pitched himself ou
Of the few situations that confronted
him with the skill of the true master
But no one can reckon on Hans Wag
ner. He just had 20 make his presence
felt Then there was the psychological
effect of his wallop, which Baird un
doubtedly felt. The result was that tht
youngster rushed in where veterans
feared to tread. and the old ball game
went riding 20 the right field fence.
Brooklyn never even remotely threat
oned the plate, but the Pirates did, OF
several occasions. Good fielding turned
them back, however, and there was al
ways the twirling of Pfeffer 20 be reck
oned with. O'Mara and Cutshaw wer'
effective on the defence.