The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-05-08
SATURDAY WAS AN OFF DAY
Topeka Lost a Slow Game to Sapulpa,
to Cooley Files n Protest.

to Cooley Files n Protest.
All ball players have their off days.
This was the case with Pitcher Earl
Smith and half of the two clubs in
! the game Saturday, which Sapulpa
annexed from Topeka by a score of
to 6. Even his jumps. the veteran
! Shuster. wasn't seeing things as they
were and Manager Cooley has pro-
tested the game on account of a deci-
sion in the third inning. Neverthe-
less, the Sooner tribe outplayed the
/ Solons and deserved to win. None of
Topeka's runs were earned.
Not only was Smith lambasted hard
but he walked eight men, and both
teams had a bad day in the field. Sa-
pulpa making six errors and the So
Ions five In addition to that there
were several other questionable plays
that could have been scored either
way. and if the score sheets had a
"bonehead'' column it wouldn't have
blank.
The session was a long drawn out
affair, requiring two hours and TWEEN
ty-four minutes to get it over with
and the few hundred bugs who saw
the contest got home for late suppers.
But despite the eleven errors and the
slow progress the game was not with
out its bright spots. Two fast double
plays were manipulated, one by each
team. and in addition to some nifty
punches in the pinches. there was the
pitching performance of Nose Jeffer-
son, who let the SolonS down with
seven hits. He walked only two men
and struck out six.
Smith failed to show the form he
displayed in the opening game with
Muskogee. He appeared to have
plenty of stuff on the ball but his
control was bad and frequently when
he found himself in the nine hole and
had to cut the plate, one of Barney
Cleveland's sons would crack 1t for u
base or two. Smith was in trouble
in every inning. Part of the time it
wasn't his fault because his support
was ragged, and again fast fielding
saved him several times after he had
been too liberal in issuing free trans
portation to first base. In the fourth
inning Smith walked the first two bat
ters but double play by his mates
saved his bacon. Again in the sixth
when he allowed two hits and issued
walk, the infield kept down the
score.
After Topeka had scored a run in
the second on Strohm's double and
Ryan's single the visitors came back
in the third and fifth for five runs
giving them a lead which the Solons
were not able to equal until the sew
enth when the score was tied. 1t was
in that inning that Rose demonstrated
his ability as pinch hitter With
one down, Smith doubled and Wis
keno reached the first station safely
out. Then the crowd appealed to
Rose to tie it up and he did. He re-
sponded with a smacking triple to |
right field and the two runs were over. |
But tying it for the moment was the |
best the Solons could do while the
Yanks pounded out another tally in |
the eighth and two more in the ninth. |
Shuster's ruling in allowing Miller
to take three bases and score on |
Strohm's overthrow of first base in /
the third inning was the basis of /
Cooley protesting the game. To start /
the inning Willis walked and went to
second on a sacrifice. Miller walked.
F1ippin then hit a hot one to Strohm
whose throw went over Bockskopfs |
head. Before the ball could be re-
turned. Willis and Miller had scored |
and Flippin was perched on third
base. The Topeka players protested |
to Shuster with the result that Flip
pin was finally sent back to second,
It being the rule to allow one base on |
an overthrow of first base, but Shus-
ter refused to order Miller back to 4
-hird permitting the run to count, in
stead. In protesting the game Cooley
contends that Miller was entitled to
1ne base on the hit to Strohm and one
base on the overthrow which would
have held him at third. Shuster con-
ended. however, that Miller was past
second base when the wild heave was
made. The score: