Evening Republican, Volume 22, Number 205, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 25 August 1919 — WORTHLESSNESS OF PITCHERS’ RECORDS [ARTICLE]

WORTHLESSNESS OF PITCHERS’ RECORDS

Peculiar Instance Recited of Game at Cincinnati. Adolpho Luque, Cuban Twlrler, Given Credit for Winning Contest Although Not in Lineup When Winning Runs Scored. The worthlessness of “won and lost” records for' pitchers is shown in. the following instance as recited by Jack Ryder in Cincinnati Enquirer: Adolpho Luque, the Cuban righthander, received credit for winning the opening game of the season at Cincinnati from the Cardinals. He pitched only one inning, ami was not actually tn the lineup when the winning runs were scored, but hls credit for a victory in the records was in accordance with the rules governing the of games to pitchers.

Luque went into the game at the start of the eighth inning, with the score 2 to 1 in favor of the Cardinals. The state of the score at that time eliminated Reuther, who had pitched the first seven rounds, from any chance of receiving credit !for the game if the Reds should win. Reuther left the contest with a loser on his hands, and if no more runs had been scored by the Reds he would have been charged with the defeat. Luque pitched the first half of the eighth inning with success, shutting out the enemy and retiring the side in order. In the last half of the inning the Reds staged a batting rally and eventually scored five runs, giving them the lead, 6to 2. In the course of this rally Luque was taken out of jthe game to let Walter Rehg bat for him at a critical time, and it was a base on balls to Rehg, batting for Luque, which. forced over the winning tally. By the time the inning was completed the Reds had the victory well In hand. Hod Eller went in and pitched the ninth inning, retiring the opposing batters in one-two-three order. But Eller was not in the lineup when the Reds went to the front, and by the time he went to the box the Reds had the game.won with a lead of four runs. Therefore he could not receive credit for winning the game, which had been won before he was picked to go into the box. The credit therefore reverts to Luque, who was the pitcher in charge of the game when the winning round was staged.