New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-09-26
Home Run Baker
Fails in Pinch;
Yankees Lose
Trappe Farmer Finds Hoe
Useless in Batting Against
Willie Mitchell
By Charles A. TAYLOR

Home Run J. Franklin Baker lost his
batting eye during his soiourn on his
farm at Trappe. Nd. A hoe is useless
when it comes TO driving runs across
the platter. Just because Baker used
his bat like hoe, the Detroit Tigers
defeated the Yankees at the Polo
Grounds yesterday by score of to ..
All the runs came in the ninth inn
ing.
Willie Mitchell, who. it appears. has
succeeded Harry Coyeleskie as the
tanner of the New York baseball mines,
should received much credit for feed
ing Baker with just the sort of balls
that hoe cannot hit safely. II is true
that Willie was unable TO stand the
strain in the ninth inning, and had to
walk dejectedly to the exit gate in
right centre as Cunningham was or
dered to the mound But the fact re-
mains that while Mitchell was on the
job Baker was helpless.
A Pitchers Battle
1t was an interesting game TO watch,
for the effectiveness Of Mitchell was
pitted against the aspiring efforts of
Bob McGraw, Phi. B., University Of Col
orado. This Yankee rookie. obtained
from the Newark International League
club, pitched sensational ball until the
heavy artillery Of Jennings got busy
in the ninth. Up TO the fatal frame
the youngster had held the Tigers to
two infeld hits. whereas his veteran
opponent had allowed Ruppert's men
four.
Walter Pipp messed up the proceed
| ings for the Yankees by fumbling an
easy grouEder from the bat Of Stanage.
Hughie Jennings seized the opening by
sending Nicholson in to run for the cum
bersome Stanage. Mitchell tried vainly
TO sacrifice. and finally received base
on balls. Bush also attempted to make
gentle infield hit to advance his team
mates, but unfortunately popped
short fly. which Nunamaker grabbed
in time to double Nicholson off second
1t seemed as though Bob McGraw was
going to pull through in his first big
league game
! Oscar Witt spilled the dope By sim
, CLING sharply to centre field. Mitchell
pulling up at second The Great Ty
Cobb appeared with his bat at this
juncture and made his first hit of the
game, also single TO centre. on which
Miller made poor return 70 the plate.
/ Mitchell scoring and Witt reaching
third. Cobb stole second.
Veach followed with a liner to the
right field wall, on which he secured
two bases through Vick's failure TO
play the ball properly, and, naturally,
| Witt and Cobb tailed. Heilman fin
ished the rally with another single TO
centre, on which Veach counted.
Yankees Have Rally
The Yankees made brave effort to
overcome the four-run lead in their half
of the ninth. Wick started matters
with a hit to deep short. Fewster
! famed. Nunamaker beat out an in
field hit and Tim Hendryx. batting for
| McGraw, drove a safety over second.
which scored Wick.
Miller followed with a single 10 the
same spot, which Tailed Nunamaker.
Gilhooley, batting for Ward, drew a
base on balls, and the bags were filled.
! Up came Home Run Baker He ground
ed weakly to Cunningham and Hendryx
was forced at the plate. Walter Pipp
ended the hopes of the Yanks with a
roller to Young and persisted at first.
The star of the game in the fielding
line was Ward, who replaced Peckin-
paugh at short. The cub handled ten
chasces without an error and made one
hit in three times at bat. Witt. for the
Tigers, distinguished himself by a SEN
sational stop of Pipp's hard grounder in
the sixth. Heilman made a shoestyfrg,
one-handed catch of Fewster's bid for
hit in the fifth.
The score: