New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1927-08-30

VIII lett nook TO the Jaw cost
the Pittsburgh Pirates the 1927 Ma
tional league pennant?
If either the Chicago Cubs. st.
| Louis Cardinals or New York Giants
nose out the Buccaneers, it will be
only fitting and proper that the sue
cessful manager OF the victorious
/ club extend a vote of thanks to
Catcher oil Smith for his pugilis-
tic activities on the diamond.
| 1t will be recalled that late in
June there occurred at Forbes Field
in Pittsburgh. a one-rOund argument
! between the Pirate backstop and
Manager Dave Bancroft Of the Bos-
ton Braves.
The bout was a one-sidcd affair,
the lighter Bancroft proving no
match for Smith, who won as he
pleased. a LEFT hook to the jaw. fol-
| lowing a series of punches to the
stomach. sending Bancroft down for
the count.
That impromptu ring affair, which
resulted in a Pirate triumph, may
eventually cost Pittsburgh the PEN
nant and tn" right to share in the
rich spoils of a world series.
There are two strong reasons for
such belief.
! First, President I!eyGler of the
National league handed down a aus-
pension that deprived Pittsburgh of
the services Of Catcher Smith for 50
days. While Smith may have his
away from the fact that he is a
mighty valuable catcher. The Pi-
rates missed him over that long
stretch of suspension. Had Man.
ag"r Bush been able to call on him
IN a number of the close score
games that were lost. the results
might have been different.
More important to the chances of
the Pirates, however, has been the
i feud developed between Boston and
, Pittsburgh as a result of the fight
, between Smith and Bancroft. It
apparently stirred up an ill-fcrling
among the BOSTON Braves for Pitts
| burgh that threw a mon'-cy wrench
into the smooth working Pirate ma
| chine.
Get PITTSBURGH" seems to have
i been the inspirational slogan of the
/ Boston Braves ever since the d2v
Smith so ANONYMOUSLY knocked out
their manager. Dave Bancroft.
Since that time the Pirates and
! the Braves have FLASHED in eight
i games and the results have been six
! victories for Boston and two for
! Pittsburgh, In more or less spirit
! OF revenge. a seventh place club
/ rose 10 dizzy heights and defeated
the league leaders six games out OF
eight
cutting tn" lead OF the Pirates a
/ matter OF four games caused the
| club to drop out of first place and
| since that tim" il has been trailing
by Just about tn" margin Of SUI
! pr"macy tn" Braves registered in tn,
eight game series between the two
clubs.
Kent Greenfield. stwhie Giant
! who recently went to tn" Braves in
a trade for Pitcher Larry Benton
played the leading role in the set
back administered to the Pirates.
On July 81, Greenfield opened =
! five game series in Boston against
| Pittsburgh. He beat the Pirates
~, allowing only five hits. With
/ only on" days rest. figuring Green
held was Il INK to Pittsburgh Man
aS"r bancroft sent him back and he
! justified tn" confidence by Is vic
tory Boston won three Of the five
! games.
On July 50, the Braves invaded
| Forbes Field for a thrrr-game series
! With Greenti"lds Guccess against
! Pittsburgh fresh in his memory
/ Manager Bancroft started him. de.
| spite the fact he had only two days
rest. He hold Pittsburgh to two
runs in eight innings, when he was
removed for y pinch hitter Green
Wich eventually winning for Boston
in the extra session.
Two days later. Bancroft played a
| bunch and used Greenfield again
| Dame Fortune smiled on him once