The Washington times., 1920-03-01

In Philadelphia this game always
has been looked back TO with th%
same bitter memory with which New
York fans remember the "Merkle'
game of 1908, when a technicality dr-
prived the New York Giants Of a pen
nant. The Athletics would have won
this game in the fourteenth inning
but for ruling by ; lk-O'Loughlin.
who threw out a twobase hit by
Harry Davis on the grounds that a
policeman prevented Sam Crawford
from making the catch.
For years after tho incident Mack
and Philadelphia fans Insisted they
were robbed of the 1907 pennsnt,
and il was unhealthy. for SILK
OLoughlin to appear in the Quaker
City. His appearance was always
greeted with boos and cat-calls, and
he was given special police escort
whenever he went to the Athletic
grounds. 1t was only a short time be-
| fore OLoughlin's untimely death
that Mack resumed pleasant relations
with the umpire, but to this day the
seventeen inning tie game of 1907 is
! the one sore spot of Mack's career.
The Athletics took the lead from
the Tigers in Detroit on September 4,
| and when they returned to Philadel-
phia on September 10 with a sub
stantial lead, it looked as though
Mack could start in selling worlds
series tickets. The Athletics were
| finishing at home, while Detroit still
had a hard Eastern trip ahead Of 1t.
Failed to Make stand.
But the Athletics failed to make
their expected strong stand at Co
| lumbia Park while the battling Tig-
ers toppled over tho Yankees and Red
Sox like so many ten pins. BY Sep
! tembor -, the Tigers had reduced the
! Athletics lead to tie, which lasted
| three days.
With the teams thus dcadloc ed,
they began their great series for the
championship in Philadelphia on Sep
| TENDER ~. Single games were sched-
| uled for Friday, Saturday and Monday.
As events shaped out Wild Bill Dono-
van pitched the entire series for De-
| troit, 20 innings, while Plank pitched
IL OF the 26 innings for the Athletics.
In the first game of the series,
played on September %. Donovan
beat Plank in a fiercely played game
/ by score Of ) to 4. The Athletics
got to Wild Bill for IS hits, against
0 for the Tigers OF Plank, but Bill
was bear in the pinches. The game
| broke the first place tic, and gave
Detroit "A scant lead.
On the next day, n Saturday, rain
held up the series, making a double
header necessary on tho following
Monday, September 80, 1907, when the
Athletics played their most important
game.
Had tho Athletics won tho long
game, 1t again would have tied the
league race, but had the Mackmen
won two games they would have re-
captured first place.
Bill Donovan, Philaelphian,
again was in the box for the Tigers,
while Jimmy Dygert, the little spit
baller. was Mack's pitching choice.
Dygert got off to bad start. lie
lasted only third OF an inning, in
which he was stung for hit. walked
| a man and made two errors. but RUDE
Waddell was rushed into the game in
tine to prevent any Detroit runs.
Then i'm the Athletic half of the
first inning. Harry Davis lifted one
over the garden wall with two pals
on base. Donovan. in those early In
nings proved as soft as a cream pun.
Tho Athletics kept banging him
around-binl bling! bang! and by
tho end OF the ffth inning they had
the score to l IN their favor.
Tigers Rush To Front.
Md then the inevitable ny was in
jected into the ointment OF Athletic
Joy. 4 muff by Rube Oldrlng. a base