The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-04-21
WON The OPENER
SayageS Took First Game of
Season From st. Joe.
Monroe and "Hi'' West the He
rOes of the Battle.

II. Joseph, Mo. April 21.-Wild
heaving by Pitcher Hovlick of the
Drummers, in the fourth inning and a
timely two base hit by Eddie Monroe
that scored the three previous bat
tiers who had been walked enabled
Manager Lattimore's Topeka Savages
10 start out the 1916 Western league
season with a victory Thursday after
noon.
The final score of the game was
to =, and although the Topekans won,
il was by a nOse-and narrow nose
at that-as the Drummers staged
ninth inning rally that resulted in the
scoring of three runs and that forced
'Bugs" Grover to retire from the box
after he had pitched almost six innings
of good ball
The game was played before one of
the smallest opening day crowds the
Western league has had in years. But
the blame rests entirely upon the
shoulders of the weather manutactur-
err Practically every prominent bus
mess house in st. Joe was closed in
honor of the occasion, but up until
. o'clock the intermittent rain threat
cned constantly to become a down.
pour. and when it did let up the mer-
curry began to drop SO rapidly that all
who were in the grandstand and
bleachers were chilled to the bone
The total paid attendance was an
nounced as S23.
on in the Lead.
The Topeka players got off in the
lead at the start. Alger, the first man
up. placed "a single in center field and
Goodwin waited EN- out and drew
walk. Schweitzer famed, but Han
son drove out shotgun single that
scored both Alger and Goodwin.
Kruger then followed with a double
that brought Hanson acI oss the plate.
In their nalf of the same frame the
Josies put across two. DaShner al
ri a he a
ager sullivan With a pitched ball
ISirkham sacrificed and Perry then
connected with a double that manu-
featured the runs
Again in the second, two singles
and a sacrifice gave the Drummers
another and in the third they counted
two more. knocking Dashner from the
box with two doubles in succession
and touching up Grover for a triple
The Savages again took the lead in
the first of the fourth. scoring four
runs Kruger, baltimore and COch-
ran, all drew walks and then Monroe
came through with his double that
cleaned the bases. Grover singled and
stole second. Alger famed but Good
win poled out n long sacrifice fly that
scored Grover.
Last Topeka Runs.
The last counting of the Savages
was done in the seventh inning. Agler
led off with a double to left, Goodwin
flew out and Schweitzer then hit one
of the longest triples of the afternoon,
bringing in Agler. Hanson was hit
with a pitched ball and Kruger was
safe on Kernan's error, SchWeitzer
scoring on the same.
At the beginning of the last half of
the ninth it looked as though 1t was
all Topekas with the score to 5, but
McCabe. the first man up, cracked his
bat on triple and then things began
to. happen very rapidly and very
threateningly. Manager Sullivan fol-
lowed with a double that scored Nc
Cabe. and Kirkham continued the
ombardment, getting a triple that
brought in his boss. Jordan doubled,
scoring the eighth run, and with a
man on second and no outs it looked
very much like a defeat for the Saw
ages or an extra inning engagement
was certain.
However, Manager baltimore jerked
Grover and sent in Hi" West and
the side was retired in quick order.
The lineup, score and summary:
TOPEKA