The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-08-03

CalamitleS occur IN sport doout a.
frequently as in other lines of human
endeav1r But calamities like the one
that slid down upon the Savages Wed
nesday are rare things. They axe the
kind of catastrophes that one never
wants to witness more than once.
A parallel to the situation would be
hard to imagine. The magnitude OF
the mishap is difficult to describe, but
here is a far fetched hypothetical case
that may help out: Just suppose TOT
instance, that the Deutschland shouiu
he sunk in midocean by an Engiish
Nyarshiu That would be a loss COM
parable t. the loss of the ordinary
ball game But suppose while Captain
Koenig and his crew were listening 70
their graphophone and carelessly
1oaffng on the bottom of the ocean.
{ said bottom should crop out and they
should be plunged to destruction with
out warming That would be catas-
trophe similar to the one that sucked
the SavaEes under Wednesday
Before the Blow Off.
Here is the situation as it was be-
fore thu heavens fell:
IT was the ninth inning. Engle 8
men had hammered in eight runs and
.'Pete" Hcnning had held the Duck
.lfngs scoreless. allowing only flve scat
tered hits Pete was apparently
as tight as cold tar and the team had
The spectators were ready to go home
gain singing the praise of their t'ase-
ball idols
But then the unexpected--the un-
heardof-began to happen. baltimore
sit one over third base that Cochran
an not even get in front of. Engle
went after the ball, none too glnSerIy
1t seemed. and by the time he mace
ibis peg LATHE was at second base
Hunter tripled to center, scoring Lat
,timore The fans begin to sympathlze
with Henning that his shut-out was
s~oiled.
More and More.
Z But no one dreamed of the disas-
tiers that were rushing onward ano
when williams and Johnson both went
down it still seemed like an easy win
for the locals. But the second ava
, ianche of the calamity came as on the
wings of lightning.
Gardner beat out an infield hit,
scoring Hunter Carlisle was hit with
a pitched ball and Smith singled. scor-
ing Gardner. Thomas was four balled
to first and Gregory, batting for Lo-
Der, singled. filling the bases
baltimore was next up He went to
the plate with a broad smile on his
face and seemed to have a Fremont
ton of what was coming. Certainly
he had confidence in his old pole stick.
He picked out good one and
. Slammed it to the centerfield fence,
/ 6riving in three runs and placing the
tying score on third base.
No Let Up at All.
The rest of the Lincoln team then
appeared to wake up to the fact that
victory was within their grasp. The
Savages also seemed TO realize that
they were being pushed under for the
+ tF.ird time, but they were too para
lived and too helpless to even grab at
straw. Henning hit Hunter and
became 90 disguised that he threw his
glove away. williams then lifted
long fly to left centerfield that was
really in Kruger's territory. but Engle
went after it, got his hands on it,
dropped it and baltimore scored.
.Edick" johnson singled and Hunter
counted the ninth run, following
which williams died at third, DEBATE
&c Cochran.
Gardner, who had been hit hard
and frequently from the first, took
the mound and buckled down to bust
ness 50 diligently that the Savages
were retired iE order in their last
round at bat.
"a It's InexplicabIc.
The above is a recital of the incl
n dents that made the disaster pos
sible. Probably every fan who saw
the horrible thing could give you
different set of why's and wherefores,
explaining and accounting for II all.
ously.
There is no way to explain or ac-
ncount for such an occurrence. Over
'aconfidencc. carelessness and sleeping
at the switch undoubtedly were con-
trfbuting factors. Luck and error of
judgment also entered into it, but
don't believe the man who says he
can tell you just how it happened, or
just where the blame belongs No
man knows.