The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-05-04
Topeka WON IT
Took the Opening Game From
MuskOgee, 8 to 4.
Contest Was a Thriller and Big
Crowd Was Happy.

was celebrated by Topeka wednesday
afternoon when it turned out a crowd
estimated at $500 or more persons TO
see the opening game OF tie South
western league season between Dick
Cooley's Solons and Muskogee. with
the big grandstand fairly well packed.
the governor occupying a box. and the
band playing 'neverythfng. it was one
OF those times when the home team
should. but rarely ever does. knock the
Stats out Of the opposition. which the
Solons did at the rate OF to 4.
Topeka has had a lot of league ball
in the past. including a Whirs or two
in the. Western league. which is sup
posed TO be a notch faste= than the
going in Ensley Barbour's circuit. but
seldom, IL ever. has the old park out
on East Fifteenth street furnished the
setting for a more thrilling contest
noon For the most part IL was 1aSt
and snappy. with plenty of tense sit
uations and stick work to keep the
fans on edge and the crowd roared
time and again its hearty approval.
when the band wasn't playing the
crowd was yelling and part of the
time the music was lost in the din
coming from hundreds of lusty
the fans are sold" on the Solons and
the brand OF baseball which the
southwestern league has brought to
Topeka.
won Bg heavy Hitting.
Topeka won the game by heavy
hitting, aided materially by the three
passes handed out by the visiting
pitchers. but not until after the Nets
had almost silenced the crowd by tax
ing healthy lead. 1t was in the
third inning that they put on their
batting toys and went after Smith,
Cooley's southpaw pitching choice, in
a rude manner and threatened to send
him to the shower. but after pushing
ram got out of fix and from then on
their offensive was weak. In the
meantime. the Solons overcan1e the
lead in the fourth and put the game
on ice by scoring in every inning after
that except the sixth Manager Cor
gan OF the Muskogee club did most of
the damage in the third by parking
the ball over the left field fence with
two members of his hired help ahead
of him.
The Solons threatened seriously to
register in the first inning. The Nets
had been retired in rather easy fash
ION, when Wiskeno, the diminutive In
olan from Mayetta, leading off for To-
peka. singled to left and advanced to
second when Hahn also hit safely
while trying 10 bunt the redskin down
the path. With two on and nobody
down the chances seemed good for a
counter or two but Rose forced Wis
Keno at third, Hahn was run down
near third base. and when Bockskopf
nit a dinky grounder to Pitcher J.
Williams. the rally wouldn't have at
tracted attention at a rummage sale.
Then Came Corgan's Homer.
Bross. who was called on to hold /
down third base for the SoIons when /
cooley decided that Ryan was not /
IN condition to play. doubled in the |
second. after two were gone, but the /
game went into the third inning before |
there was any scoring. 1t was then \
tnat the Nets had a regular fit. Mich I
OILS first up cracked out a double to \
IisnL ana advanced on a sacrifice by I
J. Williams which is the reason the
Muskogee hurler is not shown at bat /
IN the box score The sacrifice was
unnecessary. however. because Clinton /
also dumped out a double and WohI- /
stadter. which is even worse thar
BocEskopf. our own first sacker did |
the same trick.
The psychological moment had ar
rived. as they used to say. and after |
the count was two and three CorRan |
damned the ball entirely too far in a
northerly direction. OutfeIders are |
supposed to corral everything that 1
comes thelr way but they are helpless |
IN climbing a board fence when the /
BAN drops on the other side. That,s
what happened when Smith cut the 1
pate Tor Corgan and three more runs
were across Smith frightened, how /
ever, and forced the next two bafters
TO hit into the hands of waiting field
ers- Only twice again did the visitors |
threaten to score.
Topeka Got Revenge.
Putting four runs across like the Nets
oid was enough to arouse the fighting
blood OF any team, and the Solons /
came back with a vengeance. Sfrobm
singled Hardy struck wild at a third 1
one but the bases were dripping after
Williams lost his control and walked 4
bross and Benn- Smith can lose a few
games and still the bugs will remeul- I
Der him kindly for the manner in ]
which he delivered in the pinch that /
now confronted the Topeka team. /
Pitchers aren't supposed TO hit but /
Smith did the unusual by pokinE a /
sweet double into right field and when I
he drew up at the second station his /
three mates were over the plate.
Already reeking with joy the crowd /
went into a wild frenzy when Wiskeno
a moment later, cracked out his third |
hit OF the day, Smith coming home !
with the tying run. That was enough !
for Williams who retired in favor of /
Rush. so tall he could eliminate at I
least half OF the pitching distance If /
he would only lie down. Rush was /
inclined to be wild, and when Nichols \
passed one up. Wiskeno scored put /
ting the Solons in the lead.
BocksIzopf Hit a Triple.
Topeka scored again in the sixth |
when Strohm doubled after one was
down. went to third on an infield out 1
and completed the circuit while Cor ]
gan was trying to throw Bross out att
first. but didn't. Bockskopf tripled to
start the seventh and scored when |
Strohm hit a tall fly to center field.
three runs to the good. the
Solons put two more across in the
eighth with two gone. Chief Wiskeno
singled just to keep up his record for
the day. stole second and scored when
Rose singled. Hahn. who had walked
IN the meantime, went to third on
~hn gau1e hit and stole horne a second
later when Rose engaged half of the
AFuslxogee team in a foot race between
first and second base. Then after the
run was over the plate. Rose managed