The Washington times., 1931-10-03
STRANGE PLAY.
ALMOST MADE
W|LSONGOAT
BY JAMES L. KILGALLEN

"a. LOO10, Wv. Or CPPCA NF
by Pepper" Martin and the fact
they have tied the world series in
a knot, the st. Louis Cardinals
a rejuvenated, fighting ball club
prepared to entrain at noon to-
day for Philadelphia, where, on
Monday, they will resume hostili-
ties with Connie Mack's Athletics
in the third game Of the annual
baseball classic.
wilson's Strange Play
The AS already have departed
by special train and, this morn
ing, were halfway home. Three
games will be played in Philadel-
phia and, If the issue is not then
decided, the teams will return to
st. Louis. Indications are that
Lefty" Grove will be selected to
pitch the opening game in Phila-
delphia for the AS, while Man.
ager Gabby Streets choice for
mound duty probably will be Bur-
leigh Grimes.
Catcher Wilson's strange play
in the ninth was the subject
today Of endless discussion, and
the debate will continue in
baseball circles for years.
Opening the AS ninth, with the
Cardinals leading, 2 to 0. Foxx
walked. After Miller flied out,
Dykes also walked. Williams
famed for the secora out. Moore
was sent up to bat for Earnshaw,
and then came the play that
threatened, for a time, to write
the highly capable wilson's name
in history alongside that of Fred
Merkle and other goats" of
world series play.
More Runs to First
Hallahan pitched two strikes
and one ball to Moore. On the
next pitch Moore swung at a
sharp breaking curve and missed.
Wilson scooped up the ball on the
first bound. Moore, thinking he
had famed, walked diSgustedly
toward the bench. At the same
instant Wilson pegged the ball to
Jake" Flowers at third base and
started for the Cardinal bench.
The entire Cardinal team
started to trOt off the field.
However, the veteran Eddie Col
Iins, coaching at third, was.
alert. He raced franticaIly to-
ward the home plate and yelled
to Moore to run to first. Moore
did.
Collins rushed up to Umpire
Nallin at the home plate and
found the umpire agreeing with
him that Wilson had caught the
ball on the bound and the batter
was entitled to a base, and, con-
sequently, the bases were filled.
When Flowers at third caught
the throw from Wilson he seemed
to be standing on the bag. If he
was he had a force out, auto
matically. But he elected to tag
the runner, Foxx. Umpire KLEIN
at third, ruled that Flowers failed
to touch Foxx.
BOttOmIey's Great Catch
Later Flowers said he was sur
prised at the play from Wilson
and he did not know what had
happened at the play for after
Moore missed the third swing
he, Flowers, was "stymied'' be-
cause the batter threw his body
in an unnatural position.
And SO the Cardinals, after q
protest, went back on the field
with the bases loaded. Bishop
came up to bat. If Bishop had
hit, Wilson would today be a
"GOat," but fortunately for the
Cardinals catcher, Bishop fOuIed
one off toward the boxes in
short right field.
Sunny Jim" Bottomley elec-
trified the $4,000 spectators by
racing to the boxes and just as
the ball was dropping on the
heads of the Spectators, leaped
headlong into a box and caught
the ball with one hand for the
final put out, thus ending one
of the most thrilling world series
games ever staged.