Now it's time for Game 1 of the 1909 World Series from the West Side Grounds in Chicago. The date is Friday, October 8:
A's 1st: After two out, second baseman Eddie Collins lined a single to left center, but third baseman Frank "Home Run" Baker grounded to Johnny Evers at second to retire the side. After a half, it's A's nothing, Cubs coming up.
Cubs 1st: Evers' two-out single off of A's starter Eddie Plank was negated when center fielder Solly Hofman popped up to Collins at second. Through one in Game 1, we're scoreless.
A's 2nd: A three-up three-down inning for Cubs starter Ed Reulbach. After an inning and a half, there was no score.
Cubs 2nd: First baseman/manager Frank Chance drew a leadoff walk, then was caught stealing for the second out of the inning following third baseman Harry Steinfeldt's pop-up to short. Left fielder Frank Schulte reignited the rally with a base hit that just eluded Plank's reach and scooted into center field, and catcher Jimmy Archer reached base when Baker's throw to first of his grounder pulled Philly first sacker Harry Davis off the bag for an error. Reulbach came to the plate in prime position to help his cause, but he bounced into a fielder's choice to end the inning. After two, it was still A's nothing, Cubs nothing.
A's 3rd: Catcher Paddy Livingston led off with a seeing-eye single to left, then stole second after one out. Reulbach then took a bad step off the pitching rubber in an effort to execute a pickoff and was called for a balk by home plate umpire Jim Johnstone. He protested the call as much as he dared without getting himself ejected, and he was obviously still rattled when he returned to business, as he walked Davis and right fielder Topsy Hartsel to load the bases. He got Collins to bounce into a force play for the second out as Livingston scored to give Philly a 1-0 lead, but his effort to get the third out ended up costing the Cubs another run, as Tinker misplayed Baker's bad-hop grounder and was charged with an error. Davis scored on the play, and the A's led 2-0. Left fielder Danny Murphy was next, but Steinfeldt scooped up his grounder and stepped on third to force Collins and retire the side. Still, the AL champs had struck for two runs and led 2-0 after two and a half.
Cubs 3rd: Right fielder Jimmy Sheckard doubled down the right field line with one out, but remained at second while Evers flew to Rube Oldring in right center and Hofman grounded to short. After three, it was Philly 2, Chicago 0.
A's 4th: Another one-two-three inning for Reulbach, with Oldring's fly to left center being the only ball that left the infield. After three and a half, the A's still led the Cubs 2-0.
Cubs 4th: Schulte beat out an infleld hit to short with two out, but Archer's grounder to Baker at third ended the inning. After four, the Cubs still trailed the A's 2-0.
A's 5th: The Chicago defense spelled trouble for them and success for the A's once again. After one out, Davis slapped a routine ground ball to Steinfeldt. Harry went to throw to first, but couldn't get the ball out of his glove, and Davis was on. Steinfeldt redeemed himself in part with a diving stop of Hartsel's liner for out number two, but Collins hammered a triple to deep center to bring home Davis and extend the A's lead to 3-0. The lead soon grew to 4-0 on Baker's base hit to right center, which scored Collins. Baker was caught trying to steal second to end the inning, but the A's had scored twice more to lead 4-0 halfway through.
Cubs 5th: Sheckard tried to ignite a two-out rally by dumping a double in front of Oldring in center, and Evers beat out an infield hit to short, which put Cubs on the corners. But Hofman snuffed out the uprising by fouling out to Livingston, who made the catch at the third base box seat railing to retire the side. We're now through five with the A's leading 4-0.
A's 6th: Murphy led off the inning by blooping a double into right center. Reulbach then walked Oldring, and after one out Livingston brought Murphy home with a single to left, which gave the visitors a 5-0 lead. Archer then threw Livingston out trying to steal second, but Plank helped himself out by scorching a pitch into the left center power alley for a double. Oldring trotted home, and it was 6-0 Philly. Davis flew to left to retire the side, but two more runs for the A's means that the Cubs' deficit is six after five and a half.
Cubs 6th: Chance's leadoff base hit to left was erased when Steinfeldt grounded into an around-the-horn double play. Schulte then popped to short, retiring the side. Plank had a shutout going through six, and the A's led 6-0.
A's 7th: With one out, Collins grounded a single into left, then stole second. Next up was Baker, whose base hit to left center scored Collins and made it 7-0 Swingins. Cubs reliever Irv Higginbotham struck out Murphy swinging for the second out, but Oldring reached on Tinker's throwing error to keep the inning alive. Higginbotham came back to strike out shortstop Jack Barry (no apparent relation to the later host of The Joker's Wild) to end the inning, but the A's had tacked on another run to lead 7-0 as we stretch at the West Side Grounds.
Cubs 7th: A one-two-three inning for Plank, who's now retired six Cubs in a row. After seven, it's Philly 7, Chi-Town 0.
A's 8th: After one out, Higginbotham walked Plank on five pitches. After two out, Hartsel drew another walk. That brought up Collins, who murdalized a 1-2 pitch far over the fence in right center for a three-run homer which gave the A's a 10-0 lead. Collins was now four for five on the day with three runs scored and five RBIs. Baker followed up the dinger with a base hit, but Murphy grounded to first, retiring the side. Collins' homer has extended the Philadelphia lead to double digits as we move to the last of the eighth.
Cubs 8th: Sheckard led off with a base hit to right, but Evers' line drive found Davis' glove for out number one, and Hofman bounced into a fielder's choice for out number two. Chance's fly to Hartsel in right center retired the side. After eight, the A's still led the Cubs by ten.
A's 9th: Higginbotham led off the inning by hitting Oldring in the arm with a pitch, but Barry lined out to third and both Livingston and Plank popped up to third. The only question left was, could Plank preserve his shutout bid in the bottom of the ninth? After eight and a half, it was still A's 10, Cubs zip.
Cubs 9th: Plank got the first two outs with ease, as Steinfeldt's fly down the left field line was caught by Murphy for out number one and Oldring ran down Archer's deep fly to left center for out number two. Archer's base hit to left extended the game temporarily, but pinch hitter Heinie Zimmerman (batting for Higginbotham) fouled out to Davis at first to wrap things up. Final score: A's 10, Cubs 0, and the A's lead the best-of-seven series one game to none.
The unofficial Player of the Game award went to Plank for pitching a shutout, in spite of the fact that the Cubs had managed nine hits, and also in spite of Collins' offensive heroics. Baker also got a few votes here and there by virtue of his three-for-five, two-RBI afternoon.
Final totals: A's 10-11-1, Cubs 0-9-3.
W- Plank (1-0)
L- Reulbach (0-1)
HR- PHA: Collins (1)
The two teams will reconvene tomorrow here at the West Side Grounds for Game 2. Chief Bender will pitch for the A's, while Orval Overall takes the hill for the Cubs.
Next: We look at Game 2.
Thoughts?
A's 1st: After two out, second baseman Eddie Collins lined a single to left center, but third baseman Frank "Home Run" Baker grounded to Johnny Evers at second to retire the side. After a half, it's A's nothing, Cubs coming up.
Cubs 1st: Evers' two-out single off of A's starter Eddie Plank was negated when center fielder Solly Hofman popped up to Collins at second. Through one in Game 1, we're scoreless.
A's 2nd: A three-up three-down inning for Cubs starter Ed Reulbach. After an inning and a half, there was no score.
Cubs 2nd: First baseman/manager Frank Chance drew a leadoff walk, then was caught stealing for the second out of the inning following third baseman Harry Steinfeldt's pop-up to short. Left fielder Frank Schulte reignited the rally with a base hit that just eluded Plank's reach and scooted into center field, and catcher Jimmy Archer reached base when Baker's throw to first of his grounder pulled Philly first sacker Harry Davis off the bag for an error. Reulbach came to the plate in prime position to help his cause, but he bounced into a fielder's choice to end the inning. After two, it was still A's nothing, Cubs nothing.
A's 3rd: Catcher Paddy Livingston led off with a seeing-eye single to left, then stole second after one out. Reulbach then took a bad step off the pitching rubber in an effort to execute a pickoff and was called for a balk by home plate umpire Jim Johnstone. He protested the call as much as he dared without getting himself ejected, and he was obviously still rattled when he returned to business, as he walked Davis and right fielder Topsy Hartsel to load the bases. He got Collins to bounce into a force play for the second out as Livingston scored to give Philly a 1-0 lead, but his effort to get the third out ended up costing the Cubs another run, as Tinker misplayed Baker's bad-hop grounder and was charged with an error. Davis scored on the play, and the A's led 2-0. Left fielder Danny Murphy was next, but Steinfeldt scooped up his grounder and stepped on third to force Collins and retire the side. Still, the AL champs had struck for two runs and led 2-0 after two and a half.
Cubs 3rd: Right fielder Jimmy Sheckard doubled down the right field line with one out, but remained at second while Evers flew to Rube Oldring in right center and Hofman grounded to short. After three, it was Philly 2, Chicago 0.
A's 4th: Another one-two-three inning for Reulbach, with Oldring's fly to left center being the only ball that left the infield. After three and a half, the A's still led the Cubs 2-0.
Cubs 4th: Schulte beat out an infleld hit to short with two out, but Archer's grounder to Baker at third ended the inning. After four, the Cubs still trailed the A's 2-0.
A's 5th: The Chicago defense spelled trouble for them and success for the A's once again. After one out, Davis slapped a routine ground ball to Steinfeldt. Harry went to throw to first, but couldn't get the ball out of his glove, and Davis was on. Steinfeldt redeemed himself in part with a diving stop of Hartsel's liner for out number two, but Collins hammered a triple to deep center to bring home Davis and extend the A's lead to 3-0. The lead soon grew to 4-0 on Baker's base hit to right center, which scored Collins. Baker was caught trying to steal second to end the inning, but the A's had scored twice more to lead 4-0 halfway through.
Cubs 5th: Sheckard tried to ignite a two-out rally by dumping a double in front of Oldring in center, and Evers beat out an infield hit to short, which put Cubs on the corners. But Hofman snuffed out the uprising by fouling out to Livingston, who made the catch at the third base box seat railing to retire the side. We're now through five with the A's leading 4-0.
A's 6th: Murphy led off the inning by blooping a double into right center. Reulbach then walked Oldring, and after one out Livingston brought Murphy home with a single to left, which gave the visitors a 5-0 lead. Archer then threw Livingston out trying to steal second, but Plank helped himself out by scorching a pitch into the left center power alley for a double. Oldring trotted home, and it was 6-0 Philly. Davis flew to left to retire the side, but two more runs for the A's means that the Cubs' deficit is six after five and a half.
Cubs 6th: Chance's leadoff base hit to left was erased when Steinfeldt grounded into an around-the-horn double play. Schulte then popped to short, retiring the side. Plank had a shutout going through six, and the A's led 6-0.
A's 7th: With one out, Collins grounded a single into left, then stole second. Next up was Baker, whose base hit to left center scored Collins and made it 7-0 Swingins. Cubs reliever Irv Higginbotham struck out Murphy swinging for the second out, but Oldring reached on Tinker's throwing error to keep the inning alive. Higginbotham came back to strike out shortstop Jack Barry (no apparent relation to the later host of The Joker's Wild) to end the inning, but the A's had tacked on another run to lead 7-0 as we stretch at the West Side Grounds.
Cubs 7th: A one-two-three inning for Plank, who's now retired six Cubs in a row. After seven, it's Philly 7, Chi-Town 0.
A's 8th: After one out, Higginbotham walked Plank on five pitches. After two out, Hartsel drew another walk. That brought up Collins, who murdalized a 1-2 pitch far over the fence in right center for a three-run homer which gave the A's a 10-0 lead. Collins was now four for five on the day with three runs scored and five RBIs. Baker followed up the dinger with a base hit, but Murphy grounded to first, retiring the side. Collins' homer has extended the Philadelphia lead to double digits as we move to the last of the eighth.
Cubs 8th: Sheckard led off with a base hit to right, but Evers' line drive found Davis' glove for out number one, and Hofman bounced into a fielder's choice for out number two. Chance's fly to Hartsel in right center retired the side. After eight, the A's still led the Cubs by ten.
A's 9th: Higginbotham led off the inning by hitting Oldring in the arm with a pitch, but Barry lined out to third and both Livingston and Plank popped up to third. The only question left was, could Plank preserve his shutout bid in the bottom of the ninth? After eight and a half, it was still A's 10, Cubs zip.
Cubs 9th: Plank got the first two outs with ease, as Steinfeldt's fly down the left field line was caught by Murphy for out number one and Oldring ran down Archer's deep fly to left center for out number two. Archer's base hit to left extended the game temporarily, but pinch hitter Heinie Zimmerman (batting for Higginbotham) fouled out to Davis at first to wrap things up. Final score: A's 10, Cubs 0, and the A's lead the best-of-seven series one game to none.
The unofficial Player of the Game award went to Plank for pitching a shutout, in spite of the fact that the Cubs had managed nine hits, and also in spite of Collins' offensive heroics. Baker also got a few votes here and there by virtue of his three-for-five, two-RBI afternoon.
Final totals: A's 10-11-1, Cubs 0-9-3.
W- Plank (1-0)
L- Reulbach (0-1)
HR- PHA: Collins (1)
The two teams will reconvene tomorrow here at the West Side Grounds for Game 2. Chief Bender will pitch for the A's, while Orval Overall takes the hill for the Cubs.
Next: We look at Game 2.
Thoughts?
Last edited: