Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1921-09-28
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CHESBROPULLS
FOR HUCCMEN
Pitcher Whose Heave Cost New
York Pennant In 1904 Is
Eager
BY Roy GROVE.

Jack Chesbro, the pitcher whose
hard luck cost the New York Ameri-
can team a pennant on the only 9th
er occasion the team has had a
chance to cop, is pulling strong for
the Huggmen now.
If Babe Ruth & Co. beat the Cleve.
land team to the wire, Chesbro says
he will shut up shop in his lum-
Der business at Conway, Mass, and
park himself in the Polo ground
stands to do his bit for the Yankees,
Back in 1904 the American League
race wound up in a Garrison finish.
Early in June Clark Griffith's New
York team, then known as the High
Iander's, went into second place and
were chasing the league-leading Bos-
ton team hard, The fight that fol-
lowed during the rest Of the sea-
son was one of the most bitter ever
staged in the league. Early in Au-
gust New York went into the lead
Then they were dislodged, fought
their way back and were dislodgeG
again. Chicago also remained pos
sibility until the last week in the
race
The teams went into the last Sc
ries almost neck and neck. And
then came the Chesbro catastropha
Chesbro during that season was at
the peak of his career With a record
Of Al wins and IL defeats for the
year, he had led all other Ameri-
can League pitchers by big mar
gin.
And with the Highlanders need
ing two more victories to cop the
flag and Boston needing one, Griffith
sent Chesbro in to pitch the "croo'
cial" game.
During the first part Of the game
Chesbro held Boston scoreless while
the Highlanders scored two runs in
the fifth. But in the seventh, Will
liams, on second. made a bad throw
to the plate and let in two Boston
runners, tying the score.
Everybody frightened up then, and
Boston came to bat in the ninth with
the score still tied. Criger singled
and moved over on Dineen's sacri-
flee.
Chesbro prepared to feed the next
batter a splitter. But his finger
slipped on the moist ball, the pitch
went wild and hit the stanSs and
Criger went home with the winning
run, giving Boston the American
League championship.
That wasn't the only time a team
has been erased as a pennant win
ner by an unlocked for possibility
Larry Laioie the former hard
hitting leader of the Cleveland Maps,
also looks back on an IF | only
had"
Back in 1903 all the western
American League teams were bunch.
ed so closely that at the end Of Sep
TENDER only about 20 points separat-
ed the four.
The season wound up with the
western teams meeting. st. Louis
humbled the league-leading Detroit
team. In TIE first Cleveland-CRi
cago game Addie joss pitched a no
hit game AGAINST Big Ed Walsh OF
the White Sos, beating him | to 0,
although Walsh famed is Maps in
eight innings.
Larry's disaster came in the next
game. The Cleveland leader came
to bat in the seventh Inning with
one man down and the bases full
Fielder Jones, White Sox manager
yanked Smith, who had started the
came. and sent in Ed Walsh to pitch
to Laioie. And Walsh delivered
for Harry struck out.
A hit would have won the pennant
for Cleveland. for on the following
dav Cleveland lost to st. Louis while
Detroit beat Chicago, winning the
pennant from Cleveland by just four
points. =,
Mer<le and Snodgrass can both
look back on eff only hadn't"
experiences. For their honers cost
the Giants the 1912 series with the
Red SoX.
Each team had won three games
One had been played to tie. In the
deciding game Matty was in the box
and the Giants were leading by one
run in the tenth.
Engle flied high to Snodgrass