Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1920-04-23
COLTS OPEN WITH
q TO 0 VICTORY
Goober Davis in Ninth Stanza
Prevents Kircher From Pitch
ing No-Hit Game.
.SOUTHPAW'S GREAT WORK
Mayor Ainslie Tosses Out First
Ball-Lec Gooch Wallops
Out Two-Baser.
S0UTHPAW's GREAT WORK

mike" Kircher. a left-handed
pitcher of the Richmond Colts staff
OF hurlers. barely missed starting the
Virginia League season yesterday
afternoon, in the opening game at
Boulevard Field against Petersburg.
with a no-hjt game. The stocky
hurler held .the visiting battcrs hit
less for eight and two-thirds innings
and his chances OF reaching the goal
sought by every pitcher in baseball.
were wrecked after two men had
been retired in the-.ninth inning
Tom Clarke, manager of the
Coolers, sent In Davis. pinch HIT
ter. in an clevcnth-hour attempt to
win the first game from the Rich
mond team. Hopes of Kircher and
the fans were blasted, for Davis
came through with a line drive to
left field, for two bases. McMahan.
the next batter. repeated the per-
formance of Davis, and the Coolers
would have scored had not Davis cut
third base
Three RunS I'm the First.
Richmond won the game by the
score OF to o. the Colts having
scored three runS in the frs, inning
and single tally In the second.
The victory was the end of per-
feet day. but the lucky waliop of
Davis in the ninth inning resulted
in some warm comment upon the
outcome of the game. Practically
every spectator in the stands was
aware Of the fact that kirchcr had
held the Goobcrs hitlcss until Davis
came. to bat and the work of the
pitcher was the chief topic of dis
cussion after the game had ended.
Kirchcr's trusty left arm turned
the Goobcrs back inning after inning
and fast fielding on the part OF the
Richmond infeld came to the rescue
of the hurler on several occasions.
Only ono man reached third base
prior TO the ninth inning. Command
got as far as the look-in station IN
the third inning on n base on balls
and an error by Luke Stuart
McMahan arrived safely at second in
the fourth inning. hut 1t was due to
an error by Jim--Poole, first base
man. when he let Bakers throw got
Through him. The Coolers never
reached second again during the
fgame until the ninth.
Goorh Defends Davis.
Fans said some mighty EinEcry
things about Manager Tom Clarke
1or sehuinG IN pinch hitter to spoil
the chances OF n pitcher who had Sc
cured a glimpse of the hall OF fame.
Lee Gooch. manager of the Richmond
team. was indignant when Informed
OF the criticisms OF the local fans.
and defended the visiting manager
by saying. tom Clarke Is one OF the
clcanest men in baseball and feel
sure he was not aware of the fact
that our pitcher practically had
completed a no-hit game when he
sent in Davis TO bat for Command
in the last inning"
There were scattered few in the
grand stand who were debating rs TO
whether or not Ieiiman. the ipohcrs'
shortstop. should have been Ei".n
hit in tn" third inning on ground
ball - Eakcr. Tha Richmond short
| hf'Ier get his hands on the ball. but
tnmbled il, End Hei!mnn reached
flrst base. The scorers practically
were unanimous in the opin;oa .hat,
the shortfie!der should have been
given an error.
Yesterdays game marked the be-
ginning %: Virginia League baseball
in lIchmoni for 1920. and not in
the last five years has the weather
Continued on Eighth Pscc)