New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-06-15
Yale Sluggers Helpless
Before Princeton Pitcher
Link Skaters Hopes of
Eli by Remarkable
Twirling Feat.
By FRANK O'NEILL.

Princeton has produced many great
men. Some who trod the halls of the
New Jersey college have risen to the
highest honors and positions in the gift
of the people of these United States.
Some have been elected Governors Of
states and 70 other exalted posts; but
none is more secure in the heart of
every son OF Old Nassau to-day than
Robert A. Link
II was this stalwart young wizard of
the pitching mound who hurled the
Yale team back in defeat at Widenmay-
er's Park, in Newark, yesterday after
noon in the third and deciding game of
the 1916 series between the Tigers and
the Bulldogs. The score was 1 to 0.
No more thrilling diamond battle was
ever waged between college teams.
Never has victory been won by team
which more richly deserved il than in
this gripping struggle which for two
hours played tunes on the nerves of
some five thousand spectators.
Princeton improved one of its two
chances to strike, calling upon the
time honored squeeze play in the ninth
inning TO accomplish its purpose. Yale,
with only one remote chance TO do great
deeds, failed, and with that failure
vanished the hope OF Blue victory.
But to return to Robert A. Link, the
genius who directed the destinies of the
Tiger team with a right arm of finest
steel and a courage that knew no fus-
- ir,l
of the serpent, the intuition of the
woman and the power Of a Goliath, and
held the sons of Old Eli to one lone hit.
Press Bush, the big first baseman OF
TIE Blue. got clean line drive to cen
ire field in the fifth spasm. He stood
anchored on first base, enduring ex-
quisite mental anguish, while Munson
ard Kinney, who followed him, ended
the inning by striking out
Held Bulldogs Helpless.
Not Walter Johnson, a Grover
Cleveland Alexander nor a Christy
Mathewson could have done more sur
prising feats with the ball than did
Link. He kept the Yale batters off the
bases through the agency of tipping
fast ball that shot from the cover of a
side-arm delivery for all the world like
The ball came up with a wicked hop
that carried it beyond the swiftest
lunges of the flashing bats. Ten Yale
men bit the strkeout dust, and the
wonder was that the number was not
greater Just one Blue runner got as
far as second, and he by grace of an
error by briggs in the seventh inning.
IL was small wonder. then, that the
Princeton undergraduates leaped over
the barrier when the last inning was
played and, Selling this wonder-twirler,
raised him to their shoulders and car
red him around the field in the mad
gyrations Of a victory-maddened ser
pentine.
After a hard fight Link won his re-
lease and sprinted of the field with
detachment Of the hero worshippers
in mad pursuit. and he won the race
for the clubhouse. Having honored the
pitcher the dancers stopped in their
mad revel and cheered every man on
the team. then gave one long locomo-
tive for Bill Clarke, the coach who de-
veloped the team. That over. they filed
in front of the stand and cheered for
Yale. The courtesy was returned.
4 Dramatic Finish.
The ninth inning was a sizzler.
The teams had torn At each oti er's
throats for eight spasms. and 1t be
came a question Of whether Link would
outlast Garfield The break for which
both sides waited with feverish anxiety
came just when suppressed excitement
was about 10 break its bonds.
With one man down, Shea drew a
base on balls. and a shout arose from
the Princeton contingent. They sensed
the break in the game.
That roar was a whisper in compari-
son with the bedlam which arose when
Scully. the first baseman, sliced drive
to left that carried just beyond the
agonizing clutch of Johnson, the Blue
shortstop.
Shea scurried TO second base. A mo-
ment later he broke out and made
clean steal Of third Il seemed from
the stand as If Scully occupied the
attention Of Munson by making break
for second and then doubling right
back 10 first The Yale catcher hesi-
tated for Just second. and that tick
of the watch decided the game; for II
gave Shea time 70 slide safely into the
far turn.