by Scott Fennessy
Due to some schedule whacking to bring the season down to my 140 game desires the Cubs find themselves back at home to face the Reds. While cincy is struggling this year, they have made some lineup changes and have seen some players make some big improvements. Since moving into the leadoff spot Fritz Odwell has gone on a massive tear and if I am not mistaken now leads the majors in home runs. James Seymour is finally starting to hit like the monster Monday card he has indicated he would. Jimmy Sebring is still hitting worse than he should be but is coming around, as is Harry Steinfeldt since coming off the DL and Joe Kelley is hitting well and has hits in 7 of his last 10 games. George Schlei who had spent about a month on the DL has returned and while he is still struggling has recently started to come around too. Today’s starter Orval Overall has been near the top of the K per 9 so this could be interesting. Jake Weimer makes his first start since his no hitter last week for the Cubs.
6/25/1905
Chicago, IL
This game was off to a slow start by Cub standards. Nothing happened through the first inning and Weimer is perfect through 2. Joe Tinker slaps a single just past the reach of Steinfeldt and is on to start the inning. He is moved to second by Kling, but is still there with two out and Casey at the bat. (Sorry I could not resist) Jim is pretty hot right now, and works a tough walk to put runners on first and second. Apparently not happy Overall loses focus and walks Weimer to load the bases with two out and the heating up Billy Maloney at the plate. Maloney hits a rocket that Miller Huggins makes a great play on, but throws the ball to nobody, and Tinker and Casey both score. Weimer moves to third and Maloney to second but Overall gets the third out and the inning ends 0-2 Cubs on top.
We move to the bottom of the 3rd, and Jimmy Slagle hits a solid single to right and steals second with ease. Frank Schulte, who has certainly earned his nickname “Wildfire” this month takes an Overall fastball back up the middle scoring Slagle. Schulte then steals second himself and scores two batters later on Tinkers sac fly. Kling hits a double to keep the inning alive but Overall strikes out Hofman to end the inning 0-4 Cubs.
No further scoring although Seymour did get a two out single to break up the perfect game, so into the fifth we go, and Weimer appears gassed and the Reds take advantage. Kelley gets a one out single and moves to scoring position on a grounder by Corcoran. Schlei gets a solid single and Kelley score. Overall who is not a great hitter takes advantage of a mistake and hits a double over Maloney’s head and Schlei scores. Odwell grounds to Hofman at short and the inning ends with the lead cut to 4-2 Cubs. The Cubs come right back though as Schulte pulls the first offering from Overall down the right field line. Sebring makes a strong throw to Huggins, and the relay throw is in and….. He’s SAFE!. Leadoff triple for Schulte. Frank Chance hits one into the hole for a single scoring Schulte. Overall gets the next three hitters so the inning ends 2-5 Cubs leading.
Weimer still pitching, but clearly is not looking as strong as normal. Huggins gets the dreaded “leadoff walk” and moves to second on a ground out. Sebring gets a change up and splits the gap between Slagle and Maloney scoring Huggins. Weimer gets the next two hitters, but the pesky Reds continue to fight and with Weimer not as sharp as normal this could be anyone’s game. The Cubs appear to have this one broken open though as Casey gets a single to start the inning. Chance goes for the surprise hit and run with the pitcher at the plate and he slips one into the hole and runners are now on the corner with nobody out. Maloney then punches a single just over the infield dirt and Casey scores and Weimer heads for third, Billy sees the throw to third and is headed for second. Corcoran cuts the throw and fires a bulled to Huggins at second and Maloney’s out by a mile. The day is now over for Overall and reliever Tom Walker comes in. He gives up another run on a sac fly by Schulte, but the Cubs extend the lead to 3-7.
In the 7th Weimer still grinding this one out, and Schlei is on second after reaching on an error and moved to second on Walker’s sac bunt. Odwell gets a pretty well thrown fastball, about shoulder high and to the upper left of the zone, but he crushes this one for his 7th homer of the season and suddenly the Reds are within striking distance again. Weimer gets the next two hitters but Chance now has doubts about leaving him in to finish this. Those doubts appear to be erased when Tinker reaches on an errant throw by Steinfeldt and after Kling’s second hit of the day runners are on the corners with no outs. Solly Hofman (left)then rips a double down the third base line scoring both runners, but Walker settles down and ends the inning. The Cubs now lead 5-9.
Nothing in the 8th, but into the 9th and Weimer still struggling along as the light hitting Corcoran and Schlei get back to back singles to put runners on the corners. Shad Barry who has hit well off the bench this year and is threatening to take Corcoran’s job gets another single, scoring Corcoran and runners still on the corners with nobody out. Chance has seen enough and calls in Lundgren to try and close this out. Although he does allow a one out walk to Huggins, and Schlei scores on a sac fly by Seymour looks solid and the Cubs win this one 7-9.
For the Reds, it was another tough loss. They have had several games like this Odwell continues to rake Seymour and Sebring looked good, and Schlei had his first 2 hit game since April. Barry is hitting .304 from the bench this year but probably will be starting if this keeps up much longer.
For the Cubs, Weimer looks great through 4 then suddenly fell apart a little at a time. He got the win, but was really lucky this time. I think he tied the record with longest consecutive no hit innings. Maloney has a 2 game streak, Slagle 3 games, Schulte had 3 hits. Lundgren got his first save of the year.
Cubs 39 12 .765
Giants 38 13 .745
![[photo credit]](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Solly_Hofman.jpg){kind=link}
hey Scott,
this is 1905 right? So you’re not adverse to the Giants throwing a few games?
just kidding ;-)
Well if it was the Yankees, “Prince” Hal Chase was on the roster that year.
For those of you not familiar with Hal Chase, it is said he was the best defender at first, third and second base ever during his playing time, but his numbers will never reflect it as he has admitted publicly that he would routinely fix games to make money during this time frame.
Eventually Norman Elberfeld, a teammate and eventual manager had enough and he went to management/ownership and Hal got tossed from the game.
Chase had wanted to be manager, and it is frightening to think how many more games could have been influenced this way.
Unfortunately the G-men are on a monster role, as Sam Mertes is finally starting to hit over .210 for the year, giving Donlin even more runners to do damage with.
Bresnahan has been hitting over .400 since starting for Bowerman and really except for Strang and Dahlen there is not a lot of chances for a pitcher to get out of an inning untouched. I have lately considered it a good effort if they don’t score 7 in a game.