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GRAPE JELLY SERIES - TUESDAY WRAP
Tuesday the Biscuits tasted sweet victory over the Smokies - Cameron Seitzer drove in a pair of runs and Torrez added one of his own as the Skitz won 4-3..JPG) |
| 1b Cameron Seitzer |
A pair of ninth inning walks by Tn reliever McNutt turned into a three run inning for the Biscuits. The win for Montg. evens the series at two games apiece, with the rubber match being held tomorrow.
Enny Romero pitched well, five innings, six punchouts and allowed four hits including a second inning solo homer by Jon Mota.
BULLETPROOF BULLPEN
The Skitz bullpen was bulletproof again, Fleming-Sandoval-Riefenhauser becoming a fearsome sight for opposing hitters, who may soon start adjusting their approach to Biscuit starters knowing there arent many hits coming against the relievers.
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| Some Biscuits are tough, like our relievers |
SKITZSTICKS
For the visiting Biscuits, the lumber is heating up as the weather warms. April is a time of odd stats from small sample sizes, but the team has been improving the totals quickly.
Cameron Seitzer had another two hit game, his .263 batting clip has picked up and he is looking like he has the cleanup spot in Billy Gardners lineup for the time being.
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| Lineup cards sometimes write themselves |
Riccio Torrez, though he only had one hit in Tuesdays game, has been quietly putting together a very nice start to the year, hitting .293 with a pair of homers and 8 runs batted in.
RUBBERGAME
The Smokies will not start Matt Garza as they had planned to - the rehabbing big leaguer is said to be experiencing "dead arm". It will probably be Matt Loosen or Johnny Bullpen-Wholestaff getting the ball for the Cubs affiliate against Mateo for the Skitz.
I look for a tight game, both teams usually have solid defense and have started hitting the ball well - a mistake in the field could lead to a big inning which could be hard to overcome. Both teams can turn small opportunities into big innings. However I tend to favor Montgomery, the Smokies may not be in the best situation for their starting pitcher and the Biscuits have been hitting the ball well late in games, so no lead is safe.
LUCKYS STORY
WORLD SERIES GAME THREE
INTRIGUE OF THE CURSES
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| Game Three ticket |
Former Montgomery Climber George Whiteman is again batting cleanup for the Red Sox as Ruth rides pine in the World Series, watching Lucky as he gets a hit on a Hippo Vaughn pitch in the second inning and quickly stealing second base.
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| Cubs James Hippo Vaughn |
Carl Mays starts for Boston and is stingy on the hill, allowing just one run and tossing a complete game.
Whiteman also robs Paskert of an extra base hit in left field to preserve the lead.
Starting the game in right field and leading off for Boston is an interesting guy, Harry Hooper. Hes got the unique distinction of playing on a whopping FOUR RedSox championship teams. Starting in 1912, 1915, 1916 and now in 1918.
The Red Sox take a two games to one advantage home to Boston with the victory.
INTRIGUE
During the 1918 World Series, players on both teams met
with each other on the train ride between cities to discuss the lacking compensation owners were giving
as World Series shares. As the shares were pretty much equal to most
players annual salary, it was a bone of contention among players when it
was felt that they were getting shorted by ownership, due in part to low attendance.Players demanded more guaranteed cash, and refused to play unless it was given.
How serious were they? In Boston the first game is delayed an hour until players were assured that they were getting the money they expected to get from owners. They had to get that in writing before they would take the field.
From the start of game four onward, there are those who point to certain actions by players in the series and statements by others about the possibility of the Cubs throwing games.
Thats a copy of the deposition given by White Sox pitcher Eddie Cicotte when asked about his involvement in fixing world series games in the following season. Not exactly ironclad evidence, or even specific information. However there is sufficient evidence to warrant concern, as the Cubs were heavily favored to win before the start of the Series. Also several questionable plays and bad stats from Cubs stars make for more than raised eyebrows.
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| 1918 Chicago Cubs - did they thow the World Series? |
Interesting to note that two consecutive seasons the World Series was held at Comiskey, and both came under scrutiny for gambling and fixes, sharing suspicion as well as location.
Also interesting is that the 1919 Series fix that eventually became baseballs biggest scandal was uncovered during an investigation into a 1920 midseason Cubs-Phillies match that was rigged.
During questioning about that regular season matchup someone involved said "If you think this is a big deal, its nothing compared to what the WhiteSox made for throwing the World Series!"
Players on the WhiteSox admited to throwing World Series games in 1919, however they were acquitted in court but not in public opinion. Newly appointed baseball commissioner Landis didn't care what the legal end of it was, just the admission of throwing games was enough to warrant a ban.
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| Cicotte, center, claimed to hear the Cubs talking about throwing the 1918 World Series |
As it wasnt until 1945 that the Siannis mascot was refused entry, by then the Cubs had already been turned away repeatedly before the goat was involved. Its the likelyhood that the Chicago Cubs sold their last shot at an honest world championship and futility ensued. The Curse was on. They would make it to the Fall Classic in the 1929, '32, '35, '38 and 1945 but were obviously overmatched and quickly turned away each time.
And there to see it start was Lucky Whiteman, former daredevil and ex-Montgomery Climber. That wasnt the only Curse that Lucky would have to worry about, but first he had a World Series to win!
MORE LUCKY TOMORROW!
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