On this date (October 20, 1901) a pair of future Hall of Famers—Addie Joss and Rube Waddell—squared off against each other in a semi-pro game for the unofficial state championship of Wisconsin. Racine Journal GREAT WADDELL COULD NOT WIN Racine Defeats Kenosha in Game of Ball by Score of Four to Two GREATEST GAME AND CROWD EVER SEEN AT THE PARK Waddell Struck Out 19 Men But was Unsteady—Joss Showed Up Well—Home Team Played Professional Ball—Kenosha Drops Much Money When Racine baseball team won the state championship by defeating the Appleton club the best two out of three games, an aggregation of ball players from Kenosha believed that they could wrest the honor from them. They had previously engaged the great “Rube” Waddell, the professional pitcher, with a record second to no other man in the business, and hoped that he would materially assist in the coup. Challenges were sent to Manager Armstrong, and after considerable wrangling in regard to the conditions and place, where the contest should take place, it was agreed to play the game in Racine and the Mr. Cunningham, a professional ball player, should umpire the game. The time set was yesterday afternoon. Racine fans were on the tip-toe of expectancy, but little money was offered on the result, for the reason it was hinted Kenosha, in addition to Waddell, was going to bring in a number of professionals from league teams and it was safer to wait for a glimpse of the line-up. The day was an ideal one for baseball, the atmosphere being just cool enough to make it pleasant outside. Kenosha people were just as enthusiastic over the event as Racine. The hired a special train on the Chicago & Northwestern railway, bought all the horns and cow bells to be found in that burg and boarding the train came up, but the promised music was left behind. The crowd numbered fully 1,500. They left the cars at Racine Junction and crossed lots to the Athletic park, and reminded one of a small army out hiking. Thousands of Racine people were also hurrying to the park, afoot, on street cars, in carriages, and any old way to get there. It was the largest assembly of people at a sporting event in the city and variously estimated at from 5,000 to 8,000, but this number is probably a trifle large. Kenosha was confident of success. Waddell hauled off his sweater and warmed up on the side and the fans were astonished at his work. He threw a powerful ball and with all the twists imaginable. Money was plenty on the side of Kenosha and Racine was slow in taking it. They knew that the home boys were up against a tough proposition when they faced Waddell, who is the funniest and most erratic ball player in the business. He displayed his funny business before the game was over by applauding with the crowd at time turned hand-spring for their edification. He stands over 6 feet tale and is powerfully built and every inch of him is muscle and bone and his pitching was revelation. To make a long store short he played the game almost alone for Kenosha, but Racine with Joss in the box, won out after a hard struggle, by a score of 4 to 2. When the game started in it looked dark for the home boys, for Waddell struck out the first nine men straight and in the second innings when he came up to bat, with two men on base, he line out a three-base hit over the cement track and scored Hanks and Staffan, but he was caught out trying to steal home. These were the only runs scored by the Kenosha players. The total strike-outs of Waddell figured up at nineteen but he was unsteady, sending five men to bases on balls and hitting one man with the ball and Racine got five scattering base hits. While striking out more men than Joss, who is credited with seven, he was not so reliable, for Joss did not give a single base on called balls and hit but one man, and only five hits were made off him. On both sides there were two errors. Racine’s were not costly, but Kenosha did not fare so well, for two runs can be attributed the poor ball, one being credited to the muff of Possehl at third base. Racine made their first run in the fourth inning. Olle had struck to 2d base and went out at first. Uhler got his base on balls, stole second and reached third on an error of second base, Quinn batted a long fly to center field and was caught out, but before the ball could be field Uhler crossed the plate. Herman battled out a base-hit to left field. McFarlane struck out. It was at this stage of the game that Waddell applauded and turned a hand spring. Another run was scored in the fifth. Joss struck out. Duffy made a base hit and stole second. O’Rourke got a base on balls. Duffy stole to third and scored off a throw of Breen to 3d and which was muffed by Possehl. In the sixth Uhler was given a base on balls, stole second, went to third on a hit of Herman and scored on a long fly of McFarlane to center field, beating the ball home. The fourth run was made in the eighth inning. Olle started the trouble with a base hit. Uhler also made a safe hit to center advancing Olle to third base. He scored on a little hit of Herman to short stop. The feature of the game of course was the pitching of Waddell and Joss, and the base running of Racine, a total of seven being credited. Uhler was surely the attraction at that work. In the last stages of the game money flowed around like water and Kenosha sports went home out $500 and with horns stopped and bells muffled. Racine played professional ball and it was a fitting end for the season of 1901. A noticeable feature of the struggle was that Waddell was the last man to bat and he struck out. Joss was the hero of the crowd and he was carried off the field on the shoulders of the crowd. It was the most exciting game ever witnessed here and no mistake.
Posted on: Mon, 20 Oct 2014 14:36:04 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015