1905 Chicago Cubs replay update: Cubs beat fading Phillies

by Scott Fennessy

Philadelphia, PA 7/24/1905

The Cubs continue their road swing moving from Boston to Philadelphia to face the fading Phillies.

The Phillies had at one time looked like a threat to enter the then two team race with the Cubs and Giants, but then Hugh Duffy suffered a severe injury and even after his return they have not really recovered and are now at an also ran status at this time. Herb Briggs who had his best outing of the year last time out faces Frank Corridon who is a better threat with his bat than his arm lately and has a triple and three homers to prove it. The Cubs are almost completely back on track, but still are minus the services of Ed Reulbach for another 11 games.

The Cubs go down quietly in the first while the Phillies scare Briggs early as Sherry Magee takes an 0-1 changeup over Frank Schulte’s head in right. Bill Gleason then hits one into foul territory and Jim Casey drifts over, shades his eyes with the glove and makes the catch. John Titus, probably the best hitter this season for the Phils hits a rocket and Casey has to leap to get this and he does. Magee thought it would not be caught and Casey steps on the bag for the unassisted double play! The inning ends with no score.

The Cubs immediately start things in the second as the red hot Frank Chance rips a double into the left field gap. Casey then hits a fly to deep right field and Duffy is there for the catch, but Chance moves into third with one out. This pays off as Johnny Kling hits a fastball hard to left and Titus makes the catch, but the throw is cut by shortstop Mike Doolan and the Cubs take the early lead. Jimmy Slagle who has cooled off lately and moved into the 7 spot gets a single and is stranded there as the inning ends. Briggs looks a little stronger in the bottom of the inning and the score remains 1-0 Cubs.

The Cubs come right back in the 3rd with two out and Johnny Evers on second after a single to center and stealing second. Schulte then hits one to center field where Magee waits. The throw home and it is not even close and partway up the first base line. Corridon then gets Chance to end the inning. Briggs gets another scoreless inning, and has been solid so far today 2-0 Cubs lead into the 4th.
Once again the Cubs get a two out rally. This time it’s Slagle getting his second straight hit, a single to left. He is off with the pitch. Joe Tinker who is finally starting to hit again hits one to left field and deep. Titus is still going back, and plays the carom off the wall well. Slagle scores easily and Tinker is coming in hard around third. The relay from Doolan is on the money and Tinker slides home, but Red Dooin blocks the plate and Tinker is out easily. The inning is over, but the Cubs now have a 3-0 lead. Briggs gets a 1-2-3 inning and we go to the 5th.

The Cubs get a one out double by Billy Maloney but fail to score. The Phillies however finally get to Briggs as Doolan gets a single to right. Moving to second on Bill Bransfield’s grounder and Ernie Courtney then bloops one just over Evers head and Doolan scores the first run of the day for the Phillies. Doon then moves the runner over to second and Corridon comes through with a solid single up the box and Courtney scores just ahead of Maloney’s throw. Magee pops up to end the inning, but the phils are back in this one trailing by just one run.

Neither team scores in the 6th, but the Cubs get the bats working again in the 7th as Tinker slips a single just under Doolan’s glove at short and Chance sends him trying to avoid the DP. The light hitting Briggs gets enough contact to get this into the vacated hole on the left side and Tinker moves into third. Maloney then hits one hard and it eats up Bransfield at first. Tinker scores and runners are on the corners. Corridon gets a visit from the manager and it calms him down and the inning is over. Briggs struggles through the bottom of the inning but does not allow anyone to score and the lead is now 4-2 Cubs.

The Cubs get some help from the Phillies in the 8th as Chance hits a routine grounder to Bill Gleason at second and he kicks this one away. Chance is off with the pitch and Casey hits one hard and this one goes all the way to the wall in right center field. Duffy fires a bullet to Gleason and the relay is on the money and Casey is out at the plate! Chance scores but the Cubs have their second runner cut down at the plate. Two quick outs later the inning ends 5-2 Cubs. Briggs is showing signs of fatigue in the 8th as Corridon gets his second hit of the day and Magee lays down a solid sac bunt. Gleason atones for his earlier error with an RBI single to left. Briggs stops the rally after that but the game is still close 5-3 Cubs on top.
The Cubs have another rally in the 9th as Tinker gets a leadoff walk and moves to second on Briggs ground out. Maloney then hits one to right for a single. Tinker scores, but after the play Bransfield is hobbling around between first and second. The manager and trainer come out. It appears to just be a cramp in his leg and they will take him out as a precaution (J-0) Willie Suthoff in to relieve Corridon and former Cub Mike Kahoe is in to finish the game at first. Suthoff gets two quick outs and the inning is over. For the Cubs a tired Briggs comes out in the ninth, but despite a one out single by Courtney the rally ends with him still on second and the Cubs win 6-3.

This was a good game for the Cubs. Briggs pitched a decent game, but is clearly holding on until Reulbach returns and is now at 4-4 for the season. There were plenty of hits scattered throughout the lineup and the Cubs are scoring in multiple innings again which is a return to their early season form. The Phillies did well but the rallies just came up short. Unfortunately for the Cubs the Giants steal victory from the jaws of defeat. Down 1-0 with one out in the ninth Mike Bowerman gets a two run single as the Giants beat the Reds 2-1 before a sellout crowd in New York.

Giants 56 18 .757
Cubs 52 23 .693
Pirates 46 28 .622

[photo credit]