1905 Chicago Cubs replay update: Cubs walloped by Phils and the Crab gets hurt

by Scott Fennessy

West Side Grounds

Chicago, IL 6/22/1905

The Cubs face the Philadelphia Phillies today in the final game of this long homestand. Bill starts today for the Phillies and the Bob Wicker for the Cubs. Unfortunately for the Cubs today was not their day from the first pitch. Roy Thomas subbing for the injured Hugh Duffy hits a Wicker fastball to left for a leadoff single. Bill Gleason is heating up at the plate so the hit and run is on. After a couple of pick off attempts to try and keep the speedy Thomas close Gleason hits one just over the reach of a leaping Johnny Evers and runners are on the corners with nobody out and John Titus at the plate and probably the best hitter on the team.

Titus takes Bob’s 0-1 curveball into the right center gap, and both runners score and sliding in well ahead of Tinkers relay throw to third with his 5th triple of the season. Wicker settles down and gets two easy plays for Casey at third to keep Titus on third with two out now. Unfortunately Ernie Courtney gets a pitch to his liking and strokes a single to left and Titus scores easily. Courtney thought the throw would be going home so he heads into second but Hofman’s throw is on the money and Ernie’s out with ease, but not before the Phillies take a 3-0 lead.

Duggleby comes out strong and simply overpowers the Cub hitters in the first for a perfect first inning to keep the score the same. Not much changes until the third when Titus gets a one out single to left and one out later runners are on the corners after Mickey Doolan hits a single to right. Wicker looked to get out of the inning, but Courtney guess right on an 0-1 change and rips a double to left center scoring both runners and now the Phillies are in total control as the inning ends one hitter later 5-0 Phillies.

Duggleby cruises through the third and the Phillies are determined to press the attack. William Bransfield who has been moved to the bottom of the order as he continues to struggle offensively gets a leadoff triple and holds on Duggleby’s pop to Kling behind the plate. Thomas gets his second hit of the day scoring Bransfield, and finally knocking Wicker out of the game. Lundgren comes in to finish the inning and it ends 6-0 Phillies.

Into the 6th with the score the same Jeff Pfeffer now pitching and Courtney hits a shot that eats Chance up at first and the leadoff hitter is on for the third time today. Dooin hits a grounder moving him to second and Bransfield gets yet another hit scoring Courtney and he then steals second as Pfeffer paid him no mind.

Bad things are piling up quickly for manager Frank Chance because Kling’s throw, Bransfield’s shoulder and Evers’ glove all arrive at second at the same time. Evers (left) has a pretty bad injury on his wrist. Being a J-3 this could be real trouble as the only other rated second baseman is Art Hofman who is a 2B-5. Johnny is going to miss 14 games, and the Cubs will have to put their depth to test. Fortunately after the Cubs send Jimmy Slagle in at left field as Hoffman moves over to second Duggleby hits a shallow fly to Maloney in center and Bransfield is thrown out trying for third to end the inning 7-0 Phillies.

The now lifeless Cubs waste a couple of walks to Slagle and Chance and the Phillies come to bat in the 7th and the hits just keep on keepin’ on. Thomas draws a walk, and moves to third on yet another perfectly placed hit and run single by Gleason. Gleason then steals second and after a two out sac fly by Sherm Magee the inning ends one batter later with the Phillies on top 8-0.

Another perfect inning for Duggleby and the phils continue to hammer away in the 8th. Courtney drills his third hit of the day to left and moves to third on cather Red Dooin’s double to left. Slagle makes a great throw and Courtney is held at third. Bransfield is having the best game of his life today as he hits his second triple of the day scoring both runners and keeping the pressure on Pfeffer, who one out later walks Thomas again. Gleason hits a soft grounder to Hofman at second who makes the routine play and runners are on 2nd and 3rd, and Titus makes Jeff pay again with a two RBI single, knocking him out of the game. Knowing the pitchers spot is up Chance brings in reserve catcher Jack O’Neill, who promptly strikes out Magee to finally end the inning.

Duggleby gets a perfect inning and has now retired 7 straight batters and Herb Briggs comes in to try and finish the ninth inning for the Cubs pitchers. Although he does walk Doolan, Courtney hits a 3-6-3 double play and finally the Phillies have been silenced. Hofman reaches on an error by Gleason, and Chance executes with a single to left, but Tinker strikes out and Frank Schulte hits a hit and run liner right at Bransfield at first who turns the unassisted DP to mercifully end the game 12-0 Phillies.

For the Phillies, while they did lose the series, they proved they are a borderline threat to get back into the race. Duggleby gets his third shutout of the year and 9-6 with a 2.39 ERA for the year. Thomas who had not played much this year had two hits and scored three times. Titus and Courtney each had three hits but “Kitty” Bransfield was the player of the game for Philadelphia going 4 for 4 with two triples, 3 RBI, 2 runs scored, and a stolen base, his 11th of the year.

For the Cubs Evers injury is bad news, but thankfully “Big Ed” Reulbach will return to start two days from now as the Cubs travel to St. Louis to face their archrivals, and the Cardinals have been playing much better lately, but still are well below .500.

Johnny Kling got two of the 3 Cub hits today and this was easily their worst effort to date. Making this loss worse was the Giants terrific come from behind in the 7th to eventually beat the Reds 6-5 in 12 innings in Cincinnati earlier today.

Cubs 37-11 .755
Giants 36-13 .740

[photo credit]