New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-06-30
Only Twenty-seven Men
Face Virginian in
Opener.
M'GRAW'S MEN GET
ONLY FOUR HITS
Polo Grounders Fare Slightly
Better in Second Game
Whitfield Stars in Field.
BY FRANK O'NEILL.

Fppa j. RlXey, or tulpeppel. "a, al
that is implied in that terse description
of "tall and rangy," pitched a perfect
game of bail at the Polo GROUNDS
Yesterday afternoon in the presence CT
$4,000 fans. He was just one OF the
reasons why the champion Phillies de-
feated the Giants in both games or
double header. ,,.
Chief Bender, Lucky George Whitfield
and one or two others in the quaker
City encourage contributed TO the dual
disappointment of McGraws pand ana
the sympathizing fans. But when the
tale of lenders work on the mound IN
the second game had been told; when
tn. catches by Whitted had been re-
viewed, and the smuggling Of this same
worthy had been expanded upon, and
the home run of Demon Dave Bancroft
credited, the name of Rixey fingered.
The scores were 4 TO and to 2 re-
spectively.
Rixey was four notches away from
no-hit contest, and that margin, viewed
from the standpoint of the major
league players, is broad and expansive:
Pitchers have allowed that number OF
hits and been beaten, but in such
cases the drives were punched, and
other incidents Of the game combined
in the manufacture Of runs. There was
no combination of circumstances to
overthrow the tall Virginian. Just
twenty-seven batters faced Rixey, and
not one survived the journey to second
base. Milton Stock took to talking 20
himself as a means Of relieving the
monotony Of playing third.
Doyle Singles in Second.
Three Of the four hits were made TO
start the various innings. In the
second frame Doyle cracked one 70
centre. but he died stealing while
Arthur Fletcher took three Intellectual
swings at the ball and returned to the
bench. Fletcher licked the third
strike, but Killifer made a quick grab
and a beautiful throw to Bert Niehof.
In the third McKechnie singled, but
was doubled up when Bill Rariden
raped to the box. Rarlden indeed was
a child of misfortune, for in the ninth
inning, with McKechnie on first ne
again grounded to Rixey, who reached
up some twelve or fifteen feet, speared
the ball and threw to Bancroft. The
last named got Rariden at first by
full step. In the first inning, with two
out, Robertson beat out an inileld tap,
but died stealing, Killifer to Bancroft.
The three men TO an inning sequence
never was broken. Killifer had the
batters sized up 10 a nicely, and RiXey
had the stuff to carry him through with
bells on. He was rescued by Won
derful running catch by George Whit
ted in the fifth inning. Fred Merkle
took hold of fast ball and sent 1t
whistling and whining into left field
billed and ticketed for two bags, at
least. Whitfield was over there after a
bit Of run, and ne made a great catch.
This was not the only catch OF merit
that this stocky little fielder made. In
the second contest he grabbed a couple
on Merkle. Fred hit them far and
high or near and low, but he never nit
them beyond the clutch of Whitfield.
Whitfield Aids in Victories.
While on the subject of Whitted, he
just about clinched the first game with
a lusty clout which sped beyond the
range Of Bonnie Kauf and Darcy Rob-
ertson for three bases. Fred Luderus
was on first when this wallop rang out,
and he scored with ease. Bancroft's
rap 10 Doyle scored Whitfield. IL was
early in the game, to be sure, and none
can guess the eventualities of base
ball, so the fans did not rise and sing
aloha ball game" as they might nave
done if gifted with power prophetic.
If the first game were decided in
one crashing wallop, so, too, was the
second. Demon Dave Bancroft, who is
hitting only few points more than he
registers on the Fairbanks, was the
man who took up the burden while
Hercules Whitfield rested for another
day. In the second inning he came up
and found Luderus and Whitted on
bases-there as the result of couple
OF solid whacks for singles. The crowd
smiled through hslf-closed eyes as
Dave waved his mace menacingly, for
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