The New York herald., 1922-04-12
GIANTS SURPRISED
BY PRINCETON NINE
Collegians Play Good Ball and
Lead Till Last Of Ninth
Inning.
by SAMUEL ). BRooKMAx.


A mere college team came near beat
ing the baseball champions of the uni
verse at the Polo Grounds yesterday.
Only a rally in the ninth saved the
Giants the humiliation of defeat AT
the hands OF band of Princeton un-
dergraduates VINO, contrary to all ex-
hibition game precedent. refused to
allow the major leaguers to walk all
over them. Such was the audacity OF
the collegians that for the greater part
of eight and half innings they led
their proud opponents by run or
more. A base on balls and an error.
the only Princeton error. by the way.
paved the way for the Giants in the
ninth and the latter finally scored a
belated victory by s to q
OF course there was no great in
centive for tie world champions. who
before the affair started regarded the
game as lark, final practice for
the long awaited opening of the season
this afternoon. TheJ were not keyed
up for aHy sort of tusslc. end after
pounding out a four run lead in the
first inning they were all the more
convinced that they would have to
hold firm rein on themselves to pre-
vent the score from mounting too high
and shame their college guests too
keenly.
But. 10 and behold! the Princeton
undergrads began to act with strange
seriousness as though they actually
intended to win. began swatting the
bali to every corner of tho lot as
though they were accustomed to big
league pitching all their lives. hurled
themselves at hard hit balls with an
abandon, not to say skill, that was
astonishing. threw out runners and
stifled rallies with not the sign OF
slip.
A Real Rail- Game.
1t began to look like a ball game,
and it continued to be a ball game. and
let no one tell you that In the latter
innings the Giants did not try real
hard to catch up with the collegians.
With three one-sided victories already
to their credit. the Tigers played with
surprising confidence and earnestness.
They were not afraid to stand up at
the plate and whale away at all sorts
of sharp breaking curves. They have
some mighty sweet hitters on their
roster. the Princetonians have, and they
ought to prove 1t in most Of their games
this season.
Bill Ryan, after getting by two innings
without any trouble, began 10 take lib
critics with the collegians in the third
and the Tigers soon made him regret
it. Doubles by McIlvaine and Gotschalk
ard singles by MacPhee aud Jefferies
chased home three runs. Two innings
later the Princetonians greeted Claude
.Jcnnard with another four ait rally and
the collegians drew into the lead by two
runs They added another in the sew
cnth on a triple by McIlvainc. real
hitter if ever there was one and Mac
Phee's single.
In the meantime the Giants were hav-
inc all sorts OF trouble connecting with
he curves OF Do Thomas. called Red foI
short. DO didn't have a world OF speed
hut he had sharp breaking drop thai
started high and suddenly shot dowr
shoulder high as 1t crossed the plate
II had the Giants guessing. Do alsc
cut the corners and had the Dig leaguers
biting at bad ones, and the result was
n,ighty few safe lfits for the Giants after
the first inning.
Happy Tigers.
Do did not try to conceal his happi-
ness as inning after inning followed with
the Tigers still in the lead. ard entering
the ninth lie looked as tick,ed as a KID
with a new toy. He opened the ninth
however. by passing Groh. Young hit q
hard shot to Gotschalk, who made 8
perfect stop and then threw on the line
to catch Groh running to second. The
throw was right over the bag, but was
bit too hasty, as the second baseman
did not have a chance to reach the base
and the ball in time. The sphere went
seooting to center field and the runners
reached third and second. Then Irish
Meusel poled his third hit 20 left. and
the tying and winning runs tame home.
An unusual play stopped TIE Giants In
the eighth inning when they had the
bases full and two out. Rawlings hit or
a line 10 right field for what looked like
the cleanest sort OF a hit. and the
Giants began tearing around toward the
plate. Jefferies. however, ran in. caught
the fast travelling ball on the first bound
and threw Rawlings out at first by a
stride. retiring the side. The Princeton
right fielder got a great hand for the
play and he deserved IT, The crowd
rooted hard for the Tigers to win In
the ninth, but It was not 10 be. But
over in Princeton to-day the undergrads
are telling each other how lucky the
worlds champions were TO beat them,
and the event will go down In Princeton
baseball history for all time. The score
HAyTHE&