1905 Chicago Cubs replay update: Irv Young strikes back

by Scott Fennessy

Chicago, IL 8/6/1905

The Cubs face the Braves in the series finale today. I expect a great pitcher’s duel as Irv Young, who has pitched brilliantly against the bruins this year, but has nothing to show for it against Mordecai Brown. The Braves have lost all 4 games so far, but have played much tougher than at any time all year and could have actually taken every game.

As expected both pitchers look good and there is no score coming into the bottom of the third. Billy Maloney draws a one out walk and the hit and run is on. Johnny Evers hits one up the box, but second baseman Fred Raymer makes a terrific diving stop in the outfield grass towards first base. His momentum kept him from trying for the lead runner, but he gets Evers at first for the second out. Frank Schulte then gets a curve ball that he drops into center for an RBI single. “Wildfire” has had a tough couple of weeks, so it’s nice to see him get this hit. Young then gets the final out of the inning, but the Cubs get a tough 1-0 lead.

The game continued to be dominated by solid pitching, but Brown did seem a bit wild today as he walked 4 batters coming into the 9th. With the score still 1-0 Cubs the Braves heart came alive again. With one out outfielder Tom Needham slips a single to right and manager/catcher Pat Moran at the plate. Chance is expecting the hit and run so he repositions the infielders a bit, and Moran sees this and drops a sacrifice bunt down. Unfortunately for Moran it’s too hard and Brown gets the lead runner and now there are two out and a not so fast runner on first. It looks like Young is going to lose yet another heart breaker to the Cubs when reserve Virgin Cannell, who has looked great in a sub role this series, and may have locked himself into a starters role as he stuns Brown by slapping a 0-1 fastball into the gap in left. This rolls all the way to the wall, and Moran who was off with the pitch as there were two out comes all the way around third and scores the tying run. OH NO!! OH NO!! OH NO!!

Well, Young keeps pitching like his life depends on it and shuts the Cubs down for another inning, and we get bonus baseball. The Braves seem to have found their second wind now as Ed Abbaticchio, who has committed several key errors this series gets a one out single in the inning and the speedy shortstop is off with the pitch, and Fred Tenney, the team’s leading hitter rips this one deep to right, Schulte plays this off the wall, and unfortunately the Braves now have a 2-1 lead. Brown is clearly upset with himself gets the next two hitters, and the Cubs suddenly find themselves on the short end of the stick in the bottom of the tenth inning against arguably one of the best pitchers in the NL.

Art Hofman pinch hits for Brown and hits one to Raymer at second and his throw is to anywhere but Tenney at first, and Hofman is given second on the errant throw and we have a possible come back on the way. Two out later and still on second Schulte is drilled by a pitch and runners are on first and second with the sizzling Frank Chance at the plate. Unfortunately Young completely overpowers him to win the game 2-1.

This had a little of everything, except for a win for the Cubs. While I am not pleased with the results, I will tip the cap to the bravos who played hard for 5 games and Irv Young who really should have 20 wins this year for finally breaking through against the Cubs.

No time for sorrow now, as the Cubs wait for their next visitor on this home stand as the New York Giants come to town, and this may be the season at this point as the Cubs are still close enough to catch them with a good series, but if they lose this one like last time it may well be over.