Chicago Cubs 1905 replay update: Cubs defeat Dem Bums

by Scott Fennessy

West Side Grounds

Chicago, IL 6/15/1905

The Cubs and Dodgers meet today and I am not sure what to expect. Brooklyn has been downright awful so far, but Mordecai Brown is kind of struggling this year. That said the Dodgers have only 2 hitters above .200. Elmer Stricklett (right) goes for Brooklyn.

Neither team did anything in the first, and the Dodgers score first when Louis “Old Dog” Ritter leads off with a walk. I find it interesting a man who is only 30 years of age being called “old”. Anyway Ritter steals second and scores when Phil Lewis ropes a double over Hofman’s head and the Dodgers take a 1-0 lead. Brown gets the next two hitters to finish the inning. The score was still the same when the Dodgers putrid defense strikes again. Frank Schulte hits a sharp single to center, and normally dependable Jimmy Sheckard kicks the ball away and Schulte moves to second. This was big as the red hot Johnny Kling rips a single to center as well scoring Schulte to tie the game. Stricklett gets the last two hitters to leave the game tied.

The Cubs take the lead in the 5th when Evers leads off with a walk and moves to third on Chance’s one out single. Chance steal second, and on a 1-2 count Tinker hits a deep fly to left. Lumley makes the catch, but has no play at the plate and Evers scores. Schulte then delivers 3 pitches later with a single and the Cubs finish the inning with a 3-1 lead.

While Stricklett struggled with control the rest of the way he allowed no further damage. The Dodgers continued to fight though and Bob Hall led off the 8th with a grounder between Casey and Evers. Brown then gets a little too cozy with the pitcher at the plate and Stricklett sends one down the right field line. It rolls to the corner and hall scores, Stricklett stops at second with his first extra-base hit of the year and the score is now 3-2 Cubs. Sheckard draws a two out walk, but Brown gets Lumley and Batch to end the inning.

Brooklyn gave it a final gasp in the 9th with a one out single by Owens who moved into scoring position on Lewis’ ground out, but Hall hits a weak roller to Chance who takes it to the bag himself to end the game.

For Brooklyn, Gessler’s steal in the 3rd was his team leading 20th. Defensively they looked bad again. They did turn two DP’s in the 8th and 9th, but committed two errors giving them 71 for the year in just 40 games.

For the Cubs who now have won 3 of 4 Brown won and is now 8-6 on the year pitching a 5 hitter that I hope puts him in a groove. Johnny Evers continues to struggle, but did reach base 3 times today and is still hitting .291. Frank Schulte and Johnny Kling are raking now. Schulte had 3 hits, and has had hits in 9 of his last 10 games. He stole his 10th base of the year and has now moved over .300 for the year. Kling also had a hit and has hits in 11 of 12 and now has a 2 game hit streak. Jim “Doc” Casey who has been horrible so far this year has started turning things around and has a 3 game hit streak and now is at .205 for the year and has added about 15 points this month. Frank Chance went 2 for 4 and stole two more bases giving him 23 for the year.

Cubs 33-11 .750 (sorry I think I messed this up in my last update)
Giants 31-11 .738

[Photo credit]