Chicago Cubs 1905 replay update: Bums vs Tornado Jake

by Scott Fennessy

West Side Grounds, Chicago, IL

6/15/1905

The Cubs face the Brooklyn Dodgers for game 2 of their series today. Brooklyn has the worst record in the NL, almost 100 points behind the equally brutal Boston Braves. Only the amazingly bad St. Louis Browns have a worse record. But while only Jimmy Sheckard and Henry Gessler actually constitute a threat offensively, Their front two pitchers are not that bad. Today’s Starter Scanlan is 2-11, but only has a 4.10 ERA, has a 1.14 WHIP, 2.04 BB per 9, and a 3.09 K per 9. Tornado Jake Weimer (left) goes for the Cubs and he has been almost untouchable all year. He is making his first start after stopping the hated Giants cold and possibly turning the season back on track.

Gessler leads off with a walk, and steals second on a 1-1 count. Sheckard hits a grounder to Tinker and he moves to third, and I am wondering if this is a game where Weimer may get into trouble early, just as this thought pops into my head Emil Batch hits a one hop rocket between Evers at short and third baseman James Casey makes a superb diving grab, and from his knees throws Batch out on a bang-bang play at first to end the inning. Billy Maloney hits a tailing slider the opposite way for a leadoff single. Billy’s been struggling a bit lately, but now has hits in two straight games. He steals second easily and moves to third on Evers fly to Harry Lumley in right, and then scores on Art Hofman’s sac fly to Sheckard in center. Chance draws a two out walk, but Tinker hits a fly to Lumley to end the inning 0-1 Cubs ahead.

Not much happened until the bottom of the third when Maloney leads off with another single and stolen base. Chance rips a two out double scoring Billy easily, and now has a two game hit streak, and I believe 3 of his last 5 games now. Joe Tinker who is really hitting now slips a single to left center scoring Chance, and he steals second, but Schulte hits a pop to Gessler at first to end the threat and the inning 0-3 Cubs leading. Scanlan settles down and nothing happens for either team. As Scanlan fans Weimer to end the fifth I suddenly realize Weimer has a no hitter going. Scanlan hits a weak grounder and Evers gets him easily to start the 6th. Gessler hits a fly to Schulte in right and now we have two down in the inning. Unfortunately Jimmy Sheckard ends my dreams with a bullet past Tinker at second and steals second. Weimer retires Lumley to end the inning and that was that.

Neither team scored again and although the Cubs do have a big threat in the 7th, Hofman hits a grounder Batch who goes around the horn to end the threat.

For Brooklyn, Sheckard went 2 for 4 with his 20th stolen base. He is hitting .333 for the year. Defensively they looked bad again committing their 72nd error.

For the Cubs Billy Maloney had 3 hits and three steals and scored twice. Tinker had two more hits now and appears to be on a roll. Frank Schulte is as hot as anyone not named Napoleon Lajoie who is currently riding a league high 15 game hit streak for the Indians now had another hit drove in a run and is hitting .304. I am seriously going to consider moving him up in the lineup soon. Kling and Casey’s small hit streaks have ended. The big story today was Jake Weimer. He allowed just the two hits to Sheckard and walked three while striking out 2 and gets his 5th shutout of the year.

Cubs 34-11 .756
Giants 31-12 .721

[photo credit]