New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-08-03
Yankee First Baseman Makes
Sorry Showing at Polo
Grounds
By w. J. MACBETH

Donovan's Inconsistents allowed Bob
Groom to shut them out In the first
contest of a doubleheader by score
of to 0.
In the closing engagement New York
tore off Eddie Plank, to /, but the
earlier reverse dulled this accomplish
ment so far as passing the beaten
Tigers and Indians was concerned.
Groom had about as much license
to stagger through TO shut-out as
the Kaiser just now would have to
pay his respects to Buckingham
Palace. Groom didn't beat the Yankees.
They beat themselves. This pitcher,
who was the easiest kind Of mark
for New York when he was with the
Washington club, but who now hangs
on to a major league pay check be-
cause Of his ability to beat the
Yankees, left himself open TO assas-
sination half a dozen times.
Wild as a Hawk
He was as wild as hawk, but the
locals absolutely refused to take ad-
vantage of the fact. Irrespective of
conditions Donovan's batters would
lam away blindly at every pitch that
came over the plate.
The trouble with Donovan's heavy
ordnance was top-heaviness. Most Of
the heft was above the shoulders.
Neither Pipp nor Baker could hit a
ball out of the infeld Nearly every
time either came up pinch hit would
have been damaging to Groom. Twice
Pipp hit into double plays, and later
the best he could do was to advance
two runners with the second out.
Pipp, the Picker, certainly looked
pickle. Baker was so far away that,
first up in the fifth, he hit with three
balls and one strike. Groom missed
the plate with his first three offer
ings. Later in the same inning he
passed Miller with two out.
st. Louis made the most Of its four
hits of this first game, punching them
all in the fourth inning for the three
runs. Evidently Allen Russell, who
started against Groom, needed dry
track. He pitched magnificent ball for
three innings.
With Sisler on first and one out in
the fourth heavy rainstorm broke,
causing halt for almost half an
hour. Play was resumed on diamond
ankle-deep in mud. Russell evidently
went back to the box cold. He was
hammered out in about three seconds.
1t rained again for another half hour
fin
of the fourth. But Urban Shoeker
proved a better mudder than Russell
and the Browns subsidized for the day.
1t did look at times after the rain
as if the Yankees were afraid OF
laundry bills, for after Pipp sprawled
full length in the mud the other boys
were careful Of their uniforms. They
were so careful, indeed, they wouldn't
run out hits for fear of splashing
themselves.
One Inning Enough
The story Of the first game is told
in description of st. Louis's fourth.
Sisler opened it with a hit to right
field. Pratt flied to Miller just before
the deluge came. When the teams re-
sumed the field Smith singled to right,
sending Sisler to third. Sloan singled
to centre, scoring Sisler. Severed
singled to left, scoring Smith and put
ting Sloan on third. Shoeker then re-
lieved Russell.
The first thing Urban did was to
take a Waterbury wind-up, on which
SEVERED walked down 10 second. he
was there before Walters got the ball.
But Walters foolishly made throw.
OF course nobody was covering secondi
the idea of covering was ridiculous.
The catcheT's error allowed Sloan to
tally.
Now as to Pipp, tho Pickle, in this
game. In the first inning he missed
on a hit and run attempt and allowed
Peckinpaugh to be cut down stealing.
Peck had singled with two out. Peck
singled with enc out in the fourth
Pipp hit TO Laven and into ridiculous
ly easy double play. He repeated the
same thing in the seventh, only more
SO. for Peck had walked to start this
inning.
Again in the ninth Pipp came up
with Maisel on second, Pecklnpaugh on
first and only one out. His gentle
erounder this time was aimed right at
Pratt. Elmer Miller contracted the
double play habit off the Pickle. He
hit into a double play and ruined
fine single by Marsans that started the
eighth. A moment later Walters got
two bases on Austin's wild throw OF
a hunt. but Lavan raced away back for
Hendryx's pulling Texas Lacquer,
clnching a shutout for Groom.
The grizzled Gettysburg wizard, Ed
die Plank, was beaten by Bob Shawkey
in the last game. Shawkey deserves
full credit for the victory, too. IL was
his hit that gave New York its first two
runs-enough 10 establish clear title.
plank showed a fine assortment OF
soutbpaw slants, especially when one
remembers he will be forty-two years
Of age the last day Of this month.
Plank Does Well
Plank. who in the old days used TO
make the Yankees play dead at will, Is
no longer possessed Of the whitening
cross-fre speed that made him terror
for nearly a decade. But he still Is
master of change of pace, with which he
fooled the Yankees often. But for
wildness In the second and nth inn
ings. Plank, too, might have established
shut-out.
Two were out in the second when
Plank passed Marsans. Miller singled
TO left, and when Shotten fumbled Mar
sans sprinted on to third. Plank pur>
posely passed Nunamaker, filling the
bases. Shawkey, however. crossed the
old fellow with a single to left, which
Lavan missed by. inches This hit
scored Marsans and Miller.
High walked to start the NTH.
Maisel hunted. Plank had an easy
4. A,.t AxftAn