Democratic Sentinel, Volume 11, Number 31, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 September 1887 — UPON THE BALL FIELD. [ARTICLE]

UPON THE BALL FIELD.

How the Clubs Stand for the Eighteenth Week of the Leagne Pennant Race Chicagos Great Games with Records of League Pitchers and Catchers. • [CHICAGO CORRESPONDENCE.] The close of the eighteenth week of the* League pennant race for 1887 finds th* Western clubs doing battle upon Eastern grounds with their Eastern rivals. The Detroit team still leads the League clubs in the race, and the Philadelphia team by splendid work has passed Mike Kelly’s men in the struggle for front place and is now close upon the heels of the New York giants for third place. It would surprise no one to see the Phillies in third place and leading both. New York and Boston before another week passes. The Chicago team closed its third home season last week upoa the Chicago grounds in the final games of the series begun on' Saturday, the 13th inst., with Detroit, and it is needless to say that these games will exist for many a day to ccme in the recollection of all who witnessed them. In team work, in brilliancy of fielding, in wonderful spurts of batting, in base-run-ning, in splendid pitching, in individual and collective playing, the work of these two teams was something which the most gifted pen could but faintly outline, however greatly inspired. Each game was a battle of the giants from first to last, and in attempting to give just credit to those of the players who most deserve it one i* puzzled where to begin. With but little hesitation, however, it can safely be said that of the twenty or more players who participated in the three games, none did nobler work than did John Clarkson. Starting in upon Saturday, he gave such an exhibition of pitching skill as is seldom seen. Not only did he show himself master of the ball from the pitcher’s standpoint, but without exaggeration it may be said that if it is possible for one man to win a ball game, Clarkson accomplished the feat in the first game of the series with Detroit. In his delivery upon that day he seemed bent upon showing the 13,000 people present every strategy and peculiarity known in the science of modern pitching, and being familiar, through careful and systematic Study, with the batting peculiarities of every Detroit batsman who faced him, he was wonderfully effective. It may safely be said, brilliant as his record has been, that Clarkson never covered his position in such splendid form. He pulled down and stopped balli from the bat that many a man upon the lines of the diamond would have hesitated before, aud with the 1 in his hands he was a tower of streuglh to his team. He went in again Monday and pitched another winning game, making almost as brilliant a record us upon tho Saturday before. He went in again on Tuesday, and although he pitched a great game for Chicago, Detroit won by a lucky stioke of batting and some really wonderful work in the field. To show how determined Detroit was to win the third and last game of the series, a little piece of strategy upon the part of Getzein and Bennett—tne Detroit battery—may be cited.- It was full of risk, and might have lost them the game; but, fortun .tely for Detroit, it was successfully accomplished, and saved the game to them. It was in the eighth inning, with Pfeffer upon second base and Sullivan upon third, when Williamson came to bat. Three strikes had been called upon Ed, who throughout the game seemed wholly unable to gau r e “Pretzel’s” delivery. When just as he was almost in the act of sending the ball over the plate again, Getz slopped and called Penuett down the path toward him. The two conversed for ten seconds in low’ tones, Getzein the while glancing toward Sullivan on third. Then they separated, and Getzein, stepping back into the box, sent a ball over the plate on a line with Williamson’s head. The next ball was to one side of the p late and low down, with but little speed. Nevertheless, it struck Bennett’s hand squarely, bounded off' about leu feet to one side (the result of an intentional muff ), and Sullivan started in from third. Getz jumped toward the plate almost at the same moment the ball left his hand, and received the ball from Bennelt, who captured it with a single bound, easily putting Sullivan out at the home base. Teen the Detroiters started in for their bench and the White Stockings went to the field. The nature of Bennett and Getzein’s little consultation dawned upon tho spectators, and a roar of mingled laughs and cheers went up from the big crowd. Since Chicago’s departure for the East it has not played the ball expected of it. Of the four games commenced with Pittsburgh, one was postponed by rain with the Pittsburghs in thd lead when game was called, two wore won by Pittsburgh and one by Chicago. Detroit is playing much too strong a game just now for Chicago to let down in its speed, even a little bit. The following table, showing the work of the prominent League pitchers and catchers up to Aug. 16, inclusive, is of interest: PITCHER 3. Name. Won. Lost. Percent. Clarkson 29 11 -.-.55 Keefe 27 12 3 09 Galvin 17 16 2.78 Rail bourn 17 16 3.92. Casey '6 10 2.57 Getzein 16 9 4.14 Whitney 15 12 2.-5 Madden 1) 7 2.00 Buihnton 15 13 3.74 Welch ..15 10 2.72 M Baldwin 14 14 339 lerguson 15 9 2.93 Tw i chell 12 1 3 15 80y1e....*. 10 19 2.72 Healy 10 20 4.53 McCormick 8 18 3.60 Morris 8 11 4.53 l omvay (Bostonj 7 10 3.47 Gilmore 6 9 3.03 Shaw 6 12 5.91 ODay 5 12 4.05 Steiumyer, , 5 4 3.52 George..... 3 8 3.50 CAT CHER 9. Games. Put out. Astd. Errors. Av. Clements 31 2J2 ;2 35 .875 Bennett 15 61 16 11 .673 Ganzel 45 209 50 37 865 Tate 33 134 70 41 ,835 Flint 38 ’/06 52 54 .827 Myers 33 I>s 37 35 .822 Daly 3J 215 90 64 .821 Miller '...16 15z 37 45 .80$