Wednesday, May 28, 2008

Sox Men Downed In Game Two

If the Bostons of the American League are to re-create their world championship performance of the prior campaign, their batsmen will have to cannonade at a higher rate in games away from Fenway Park. On this night, only the Amazing Man Ramirez, idol of the Boston enthusiasts, would meet with the dong gods, clouting the 499th of his all-time count.

The Nauticals stole away with this contest at its culmination, as a grounded ball eked past Lowell at the third square, fracturing the deadlock. Our Red Sox walked away with 3 to the Seattles' 4.

Batista's right-handed shoots puzzled many of the gray-clad Boston swingers. And Ichiro was a nagging pain in the side of the Bostons, pilfering a base once and beating Matsuzaka's toss to third on a bunt play, crossing the home plate twice. "Dice" took his leave from center-stage early for reasons unknown, and the sub-staff showed steady nerves for the remainder of the meet.

The Wildman Lugo didn't last much longer than "Dice," as the third base official ordered him off the diamond right from his shortstop position, on account of arguing. Master Francona protected his man, and was extricated from the proceedings as well, causing Mills to head up the reins until the finish.

The two teams meet in the series-decider Wednesday.

This reporter, while broadcasting the above-described ball game, followed the happenings in Baltimore on a personalized home-version of the device described here. The Greater New Yorks jumped ahead with a four-run frame. The Baltimores matched them. Then it was repeated all over again, the Orioles again erasing another four-tally deficit. Nine over-the-wall blasts were witnessed by the often wet spectators. After a delay while foul weather glided past, the contest was resumed. In extra frames, the New Yorks filled the sacks before a man was retired. Rodriguez again proved his salary far exceeds his true worth, hitting one that caused the lead and second-lead runner to be put down, one of the worst fates a wood-wielder can hope for in that role. Matsui seemed to rescue his mates, knocking in the go-ahead after all, but in the bottom half, with third-shifter Rivera spent, the Yankee squad allowed the tyer and the winner. After 11 innings, it was the Baltimores 10, the New Yorks but 9, the latter plummeting below the former back into the familiar basement.

Comments:
For comparision, here is some of the Boston Herald-Journal's game story for July 11, 1918:

"Babe Ruth swept his range finder around towards the left field fence at Fenway Park yesterday, realizing for the first time the possibilities of home run clouts in that direction, practised all afternoon off the expert hurling of Eddie Cicotte and got three doubles. ...

Someone must have told Cicotte that Babe was a cripple against pitching that kept the ball well on the outside of the plate. The Colossus of Clouters simply ruined that theory. He spanked the ball with almost nonchalant ease, twice hitting his two-sacker on the very first pitch. The field in that direction is the shortest at the park, and if Babe starts raising them, they'll easily sail over the crest of Lewis Ledge and the lad's home run record will look as if it had eaten some food of the gods."

***

All writers at that time used some form of the latin word for rain (something like "pluvius") and something to do with Jupiter, I think, but I can't quickly find an example.
 
Also, from April 16, 1918, check out this opening graph:

"Just as they were dusting off a seat for Blonde Carl Mays in the far-famed Hall of Fame that little imp who makes it his special business to rob pitchers of no-hit games, danced on to Fenway Park yesterday afternoon in the eighth inning, caused Davey Shean's foot to slip on the edge of the grass as he was about to spear a grounder from Joe Dugan's bat, the ball rolled away as a safe hit and with it rolled Carl's chance, for the nonce, of joining the no-hit bridgade."

Whew!

I think the era Jere is copying was a bit early than 1918, though.
 
Here is a description of thunder from July 12, 1918:

"The old men of the mountains were playing their celestial tenpin game all afternoon."

The writer, Burt Whitman, also refers to Ruth as "the master man of maulers".
 
Thanks, those are great. I'm not really going for a specific area, as I've been inspired by articles anywere from late 1800s to the 1940s. Plus my own twist of dong-action. Sometimes, I think I'm getting too over-the-top, then I read stuff like you just sent, and it's like, Wow, I haven't even scratched the descriptive surface!
 
What redsock's comments have really accomplished is reminding us just how funny a phrase like "two-sacker" can be...
 

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