Content from the Pittsburgh Courier - Saturday July 17, 1926

In This Edition

Table of Contents

• Grays Pound Ball for 102 Hits and 78 Runs as They Win Five More
• Pittsburgh Giants Win
• Homewood, Traders, Beaten
• Diamond Dope
  • A Player's Superstition
  • Newspaper Hokum
• Oscar Owens Performs "Iron Man" Stunt as Grays Defeat Mingo Nine in Double Bill
  • First Game
  • Second Game
• American Giants Gain Edge Over Dayton Marcos
• Giants Take Slugfest from the Dayton Marcos, 7 to 4
• Rube Foster Seeks Rest in Seclusion
• Advertisements

GRAYS POUND BALL FOR 102 HITS AND 78 RUNS AS THEY WIN FIVE MORE

Sensational Pace Being Set By Cum Posey's "Wreckers" Establishing Many Records—Face Hard Road Campaign.

The Homestead Grays, noted for their wonderful slugging ability have been hammering the ball in unprecedented fashion lately. In fact some of the batters seem to be "hitting over their heads" judging from the way in which they have been nicking the opposing pitchers.

In the games which were played with Irwin, Torreyson Stars, North Side Traders and Mingo Junction O. (double header), the Grays literally murdered everything which was served to them.

They started out against the Irwin club pounding three hurlers for 26 hits and 24 scores, while Irwin was held to seven bingles and four tallies. Irwin jumped off to a three run lead in the opening frame and when the Grays did not score in their part of the second things did not look so rosy, but thereafter the Homesteaders solved the Irwin pitchers and in one inning counted 14 tallies.

Next came the Torreyson Stars, who were drubbed 10 to 2, while the Grays registered 19 hits to nine for the Stars. The North Side Traders were the third victim, being crushed under a 17 to 2 score. The Grays made 22 hits and the Traders were limited to four. They would have been whitewashed but for a mishap, their tallies coming as a result of a fluke home run when the ball was lost on a short drive to right field with one runner on the bases.

At Mingo Junction on Sunday the Grays won rather easily in two games, 18 to 0 and 9 to 2. Oscar Owens pitched both games and was in superb form, yielding only four hits in each of the games and only two scores. The Grays had their heavy artillery working in this brace of contests, getting 23 hits in the first game and 12 in the second. In the opening encounter Dennis Graham and Cleo Smith batted out five hits.

In these five games the Grays scored a total of 78 runs and made a total of 102 hits. The runs averaged slightly over 15 a game while the hits averaged slightly over 20 a game. While the Grays were engaged in making life miserable for the opposing twirlers, Manager Posey's hurlers were throwing their deceivers in a manner which kept the enemy from doing a great deal of trouble.

An average of two runs a game was scored against the Grays and the five teams made a total of 28 hits, or slightly over five a game. The Traders and Mingo were able to get only four, the Torreyson Stars nine and Irwin seven.

But the Grays cannot expect this sort of stuff to prevail for any length of time. In fact, there is certain to be a check put to this promiscuous hitting and scoring before the expiration of this week, as some difficult contests are listed.

Wednesday evening the Grays play at Butler. Thursday they travel to Wampum, Friday play at Duquesne and on Saturday will go to Greensburg. Sunday, July 18, they are scheduled at Parkersburg, W. Va., and returning from Parkersburg they will stop off at Moundsville for a game next Monday evening.

The schedule for the second half of July is a rather difficult one. This is particularly true of next week. After the game at Moundsville the Grays play at Beaver Falls on Tuesday, July 20, where they were beaten in 10 innings recently; then they will go on the road for a five days' trip into Ohio.

This jaunt will open at Massillon Wednesday, July 21. The Grays are the only colored club which has ever beaten the Massillon club on its home field. Thursday, July 22, Manager Posey's charges will jump to Coshocton. Friday and Saturday, July 23 and 24, they are to appear at Zanesville, and Sunday, July 25, they jump into Cleveland for a game with the Elites of the National Colored League.

The next appearance of the Grays at Forbes Field will take place Saturday afternoon, July 31, when they will meet the General Tires club of Akron, O. The General Tires won the pennant in the first half of the O. & P. League season and have one of the strongest clubs in Ohio. To win the pennant they won 16 straight league games and an exhibition game, giving them 17 consecutive triumphs before they suffered defeat. This is one of the biggest attractions which the Grays will offer at Forbes Field this season.

The General Tires have on their roster two pitchers who have been making a wonderful name. "Hippo Jim" Vaughn, who has been with the club for seven years, has the distinction of pitching 56 consecutive innings without being scored on, and turned in a 20-inning shutout. In 1923 he won 15 straight games before taking the count.

The other hurler is named Ketchell and between he and Vaughn the General Tires have been able to play the best ball of any of the Ohio teams. Ketchell is younger than Vaughn and he is destined for a big league career if he continues to flash the form which characterized his twirling in May and June. He or Vaughn will hurl for the Tires against the Grays. It doesn't matter which of them is chosen, the Grays' players know that the task ahead of them when they go against the General Tires is going to be one which will make them go every inch of the distance at top speed.

The General Tires have several players who have been offered contracts by big league and strong minor league clubs, but their financial connection with the General Tires Rubber Company makes it possible for them to spurn these offers. The Generals have been in existence for several years and they are the best club in Akron, and one of the real topnotch nines in the entire State of Ohio.

PITTSBURGH GIANTS WIN

Willis Moody, former Homestead Gray player, carried his Pittsburgh Giants to McKinley park and handed the P. F. Rileys an 11 to 3 beating. Lefty Mellix was on the mound for the Giants and only allowed the Rileys five scattered hits. The Giants are booking all good teams. For games write Willis Moody, 516 Gearing avenue, Pittsburgh, Pa., or call Lafayette 4996-R.

HOMEWOOD, TRADERS, BEATEN

Homestead Grays were in a hitting mood Saturday and won two one-sided games. In the afternoon, the Grays met the Torreyson All-Stars at Edgar Thomson Field, Braddock, and won, 10 to 2. The evening performance took place at Forbes Field, and Jimmy Black's North Side Traders took a neat lacing, 17 to 2.

The afternoon game found Homewood facing the Torreyson All-Stars team. Carl Stewart started, but did not finish. Four runs in the second stanza were enough to send Carl to the showers. Bimmy Steele then went in, and was nicked aplenty. The All-Stars found Williams for nine hits, though they were well scattered.

The evening game found the Grays hitting the ball all over Forbes Field. Baer, the new young pitcher for the Traders, started but could not hold the Grays. In the fifth inning Kelly relieved Baer, though he did not fare any better.

The score:

DIAMOND DOPE

WILLIAM G. NUNN

THE war of opinion as to whether the Grays could or could not make a favorable showing against the Pittsburgh Pirates, goes on unabated. Working along the lines as set forth by their more active brothers, latest opinions continue to carry a "doubting" tone, but at the same time carry a haunting undercurrent of "mebbe they can and mebbe they can't."

W. C. A. (from Columbus) — Well, the Grays were here a short while ago, and you can take it from me that they played a brand of ball that would make it hard for anyone to beat them. They showed wonderful offensive power, a sterling defense and a "heads-up" attitude that went extremely well. They may not beat the Pirates, but they'll give 'em a run for their money.

B. W. (East End)—Take it from me, the Pirates would have all they could do to take two out of three from the Grays right now. Don't let anyone tell you the Grays would be outclassed. Those fellows can hit and they hit just as good as anyone else, and that, against the best kind of pitching. That fellow Uhrinsko, who pitched for McKeesport, and is now with the Washington Senators, is a tough proposition in anybody's league, and the Grays wore him out. They've shown they can hit any kind of pitching, and they're just as liable to beat Pittsburgh as Pittsburgh is to beat them.

B. A. (Downtown)—Well, I'll tell you. Pittsburgh, to me, looks a couple of classes removed from the Grays, but in a short series, the Homesteaders might make things interesting. In a long series, however, the strain would tell on Cum Posey's men, and the Pirates would make an average of .700 in a 10-game series. Tell the Grays, for me, though, that I'd sure be out there to see the games "Smoky Joe" and Streeter pitched.

A PLAYER'S SUPERSTITION

"Lefty" Streeter, the Homestead Grays' southpaw "ace," has one peculiar superstition that refuses to be downed. Streeter has absolutely refused to have his picture placed in the paper. They tell a good one on him while with "Dizzy" in Birmingham. Streeter refused to get in a group photo, and "Dizzy," always a disciplinarian, told him that it was either the picture or $25. Streeter took the fine with a smile. We're working hard now, though, to have him change his mind.

NEWSPAPER HOKUM

When will the public learn to realize the newspaper hokum behind most of these "grudge fights?" Now comes the news that Roger Bresnahan, acting manager of the Giants, has asked for police protection. Oh, boy! That grudge fight will certainly pack 'em in, while Barney Dreyfuss staged his vacation in the Hinterland, but after the game, if you visit some places, you'll find 'em laughing and talking together—we mean, the players of both teams.

Oscar Owens Performs "Iron Man" Stunt As Grays Defeat Mingo Nine In Double Bill

Oscar Owens, veteran pitcher of the Homestead Grays, staged the iron-man act last Sunday pitching the Grays to two victories over the Mingo team, the scores being 18 to 0 and 9 to 2. The first game was a slugfest, but the Grays did the hitting, Owens holding the home team to four hits. The second game was interesting until the fifth inning when the Grays scored five runs and put the game on ice. Owens pitched wonderful ball, allowing eight hits over 16 innings.

FIRST GAME

Grays ....................... 214 421 031—18
Mingo ....................... 000 000 000—0

Two-base hits—V. Harris, Valuski, P. Williams. Three-base hits—M. Harris 2, Graham, Smith. Stolen base—Graham. Double plays—Koskey, Zimmerman and Maxwell; Schilling, Zimmerman and P. Williams. Bases on balls—Off Owens 2, off Green 1, off Koskey 2. Hit with pitched balls—B. Williams, Pierce. Sacrifice bunt—Graham. Sacrifice fly—Pierce. Struck out—By Owens 5, by Green 2, by Koskey 3. Umpire—Reese.

SECOND GAME

Grays ....................... 120 051 0—9
Mingo ....................... 010 000 1—2

Two-base hits—Britt, M. Harris, Pierce, P. Williams. Home run—Roberts. Stolen bases—Valuski. Double plays—Zimmerman, Brown and Maxwell 2. Bases on balls—Off Owens 2, off Stozic 2, off Maxwell 1. Sacrifice fly—L. Williams. Struck out—By Owens 8, by Stozic 3. Umpire—Reese.

AM. GIANTS GAIN EDGE OVER DAYTON MARCOS

CHICAGO, Ill., July 10 — The American Giants started out after the pennant in the second half with a win from the Dayton Marcos Saturday at Schorling Field, 4-1. It was the fastest game played in the park, being completed in 1:10. Both clubs put up a snappy brand of baseball and Meyers and Rube Foster held their opponents to a low hit average. Only ten hits were made off both, Foster allowing four and Meyers six.

The score:

Score by innings:

Dayton ........................ 000010000—1
American Giants ............ 22000000*—4

Summary: Errors—Kirksey, Dandridge (2), Palmer. Two-base hits—Kirksey, Palmer. Sacrifice hits—Jackson, Russell. Bases on balls—Off Meyers 1, off Foster 0. Struck out—By Foster 6, by Meyers 2. Left on bases—Dayton 1, Chicago 4. Double plays—Brown to Jackson to Brown. Time of game—1 hour and 10 minutes. Scorer—Williams. Umpires—Anderson and Willings.

GIANTS TAKE SLUGFEST FROM THE DAYTON MARCOS, 7 TO 4

CHICAGO, Ill., July 11 — The American Giants and the Dayton Marcos engaged in a slugfest Sunday afternoon at Schorling Park, but the Giants had the best of the slugging, two to one, winning handily in spite of many miscues by the infield, 7-4. Both clubs booted six chances apiece. Dayton would have given the locals a hard fight had their fielding been better.

Harney, Jackson and Thompson led the hitting for the Giants with three singles each and Malarcher and Hines each contributed two singles to the day's hits, while Meyers and Russell contributed triples for the Marcos. Meyers' triple came in the ninth frame, when he went in to hit for Blanchard. Newsome, pitcher of the Marcos, who played first base in today's game, performed like a veteran, accepting ten chances with not a miscue except on a low and wide throw by Blanchard in the eighth of Gardner's easy roller.

The score:

* Batted for Blanchard in 9th.
** Batted for Williams in 9th.

Dayton Marcos ................ 000010021—4
American Giants ............ 10210102*—7

Summary: Two-base hit—Russell. Three-base hits—Russell, Meyers. Sacrifice hits—Brown, Boggs. Double plays—Blanchard to Brooks to Newsome; Blanchard to Newsome; Williams to Russell to Newsome; Harney to Malarcher; Russell to Newsome.

Rube Foster Seeks Rest In Seclusion

CHICAGO, Ill., July 12.—Andrew Rube Foster, president of the Negro National League and boss of the Chicago American Giants, left last Friday for Michigan to rest up for a month. Mr. Foster, who has been in ill health for several months, decided that seclusion from baseball altogether would be necessary to bring him around to his old-time form. Only a very few of his closest friends know his retreat. He is expected back at his office about the first week in August.

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