1919 World Series Replay: Game 3

By Mike Lynch

CHICAGO-Despite a furious ninth inning comeback, the heavily favored hometown White Sox spoiled a festive Chicago day by falling to the visiting Cincinnati Reds 6-5 in the third game of this splendid Fall Classic. Veteran hurler, Ray Fisher, who won 14 of 19 decisions this season, after missing all of the 1918 season to fight in The Great War, lasted eight innings to record the win over rookie lefty, Dickie Kerr. The 26-year-old Kerr was forced into action because of an ankle injury to Red Faber. The Cincinnati offense took advantage of the rookie's lack of control, drawing six walks, three of which resulted in runners coming around to score, before Kerr was removed in the eighth inning with the score reading 6-1 in favor of the Reds.

The city was in a jovial mood before game time. The street outside Comiskey Park was lined with as many as 5,000 fans, who sustained themselves with sandwiches and whiled away the hours by throwing dice in makeshift craps games. Meanwhile, Cincinnati fans, who had made the all-night trip and set up quarters at the Congress Hotel, marched through the streets with giant red pennants and rejoiced at their good fortune. Inside the grand cathedral, two brass bands paraded through the aisles, the group from Cincinnati playing older tunes, while the musicians from Chicago answered back with the new.

The Reds wasted little time dampening the spirits of the locals, as they parlayed a first-inning base on balls to third baseman Heinie Groh into a run, after Groh pilfered second base and scored on a single by center fielder Edd Roush. The crowd had little to cheer about until the bottom half of the third, when White Sox right fielder Nemo Leibold drove a pitch to deep right center field. But the ball was caught at the wall for the third out and the Sox were left with another goose egg on the scoreboard.

Kerr, the diminutive Chicago rookie, had settled down, however, and was turning the Reds away with regularity, allowing only two walks and a safety to the next 15 batters. Unfortunately for the White Sox and their faithful, Fisher was equally efficient. Seventeen Chicago sluggers stepped up to the plate in the first five innings and only second baseman Eddie Collins and left fielder Joe Jackson reached base, the latter on a throwing error by shortstop Larry Kopf. Neither man made it as far as second.

But the little lefty with the big heart could hold down the fort no longer. Kerr wrapped two outs around a double by Groh and a walk to left fielder Pat Duncan that put runners at first and second in the top of the sixth. But Kopf broke Chicago's back with a smash that went over the head of usually reliable center fielder Happy Felsch, scoring both Groh and Duncan to make the score 3-0, before Kerr coaxed catcher Bill Rariden to ground out to end the inning.

The local nine finally pushed their first run across in the bottom of the seventh, when Felsch doubled down the right field stripe and first baseman Chick Gandil swatted a clean single to left. Felsch was barely plated before Gandil was gunned down at second base while trying to advance. It was an obvious attempt to breathe life into his team, but it put an end to a much-needed rally.

Perhaps sensing another comeback by the American League champions, the visitors displayed a sense of urgency that resulted in three more tallies that put the game virtually out of reach. Groh drew his second free pass of the game and advanced to third on Roush's second hit, a blistering single to right center. Roush scampered to second on the next pitch, before Duncan lifted a seemingly harmless fly ball to center. Groh faked a dash to home, then scored when Felsch threw wildly to the plate. Roush advanced to third on the ill-advised heave, forcing White Sox manager Kid Gleason to intentionally walk Kopf to set up a potential double play.

But Kopf spoiled Gleason's strategy when he stole second base to the chagrin of frustrated Chicago backstop, Ray Schalk, who had yet to throw out a larcenous Reds baserunner. Pinch-hitter Ivey Wingo grounded out to first, before Rariden knocked Kerr from the contest with a bloop single to left that scored both Roush and Kopf, making the score 6-1. New hurler, Roy Wilkinson, received a rather rude welcome when shortstop Swede Risberg kicked Fisher's grounder for an error, but he recovered to retire second baseman Morrie Rath to end the onslaught. 

The favorites were reeling when Risberg doubled and moved to third on consecutive walks to pinch-hitter Eddie Murphy and Leibold, which loaded the bases for Eddie Collins and third baseman Buck Weaver. But Fisher was up to the task, getting Collins to fly out to left and Weaver to ground weakly to Kopf to end the threat.

But the Cincinnati nine knew better than to begin an early celebration. After failing to score against Erskine Mayer in their half of the final frame, they took the field in support of Fisher, who was looking to finish what he started. Jackson smoked a two-bagger that touched down inside the left field chalk line, but Felsch hoisted a routine can of corn to right, which brought a collective groan from the remaining patrons. Their groan turned to cheers, however, when right fielder Sherry Magee, a late replacement for Greasy Neale, mishandled Felsch's pop up, allowing Jackson to land on third, while the White Sox center fielder scurried safely to first.

Felsch wasn't at first base long, though, as he gave Cincinnati a taste of its own medicine and stole second. Gandil followed with Chicago's second double of the inning and, suddenly, the Reds' lead was cut in half. Alas, Fisher was spent, forcing his removal from the game in favor of Dolph Luque, who was making his third appearance in as many games. Risberg extended his second rude greeting of the game by singling to right center and Gandil, apparently not learning from his earlier baserunning miscue, raced around third and headed for home. Luckily, he beat Roush's throw, which allowed Risberg to advance into scoring position.

Schalk continued his lackluster performance with a weak fly ball to center, but Murphy collected the local's third double of the inning, scoring Risberg and making the score 6-5. Then Gleason confounded everyone by ordering pinch-hitter Fred McMullin to bunt. McMullin was successful and pinch runner Shano Collins moved to third, but an out was clearly wasted. Instead of having a runner in scoring position with only one out and Eddie Collins at the plate and Weaver on deck, the White Sox had the tying run 90 feet away with no room for error. But Collins failed to plate the runner as he grounded out to first baseman Jake Daubert to end the game, putting the Chicagoans in a 2-games-to-1 hole.

Eddie Cicotte will try to right the ship tomorrow in Game 4 against Jimmy Ring, who won only 10 games while alternating between Cincinnati's bullpen and rotation, but posted a fine 2.26 ERA in 183 innings.

Game 3

10/3/1919:

Cincinnati at Chicago (A)

BATTING:

Doubles: H. Groh (1, 6th inning off Kerr, 0 on, 1 out.) L. Kopf (1, 6th inning off Kerr, 2 on, 2 out.)

Stolen Bases: H. Groh (1), E. Roush (1), L. Kopf (1)

FIELDING:

Errors: L. Kopf (1), S. Magee (1)

Doubles: J. Jackson (1, 9th inning off Fisher, 0 on, 0 out.) H. Felsch (1, 7th inning off Fisher, 0 on, 2 out.) C. Gandil (1, 9th inning off Fisher, 2 on, 0 out.) S. Risberg (1, 8th inning off Fisher, 0 on, 0 out.) E. Murphy (1, 9th inning off Luque, 1 on, 1 out.)

Runs Batted In: C. Gandil (3), S. Risberg (1), E. Murphy (1)

Stolen Bases: H. Felsch (1)

Sacrifice Hits: F. McMullin (1)

FIELDING:

Errors: S. Risberg (1)

PITCHING:

Attendance: 29,126

Phil Rogers, Chicago Tribune