And welcome to a beautiful (simulated) October afternoon in Philadelphia. We’re at Columbia Park for Game 4 of the 1902 World Series. Connie Mack has sent Fred Mitchell to the hill for the Athletics and Pirates manager Fred Clarke will counter with Sam Leever.
Things were quiet until Pittsburgh’s Chief Zimmer opened up the top of the third with a walk. After Mitchell got Sam Leever on a strikeout and Ginger Beaumont on a ground ball, Claude Ritchey scored the first run of the game with a double off the right field wall. The Pirates added a second run in the top of the fourth on Kitty Bransfield’s one-out single and Wid Conroy’s double.
The Athletics got on the board in the bottom of the fourth when Socks Seybold hit a booming one-out home run over the right field fence. From there, both the Pirates and the Athletics went quietly until the Pirates’ seventh. With one out, Mitchell gave up a single to opposing pitcher Sam Leever. Leever moved to second on Ginger Beaumont’s ground-ball out. Claude Ritchey then doubled the Pirates’ third run in. Mitchell loaded the bases, intentionally walking Honus Wagner and walking Fred Crolius, but Mitchell managed to strike out Lefty Davis to end the bases-loaded threat.
Pirates’ pitcher Sam Leever led off the top of the ninth with a walk. Ginger Beaumont singled Leever to second. After Claude Ritchey struck out, Mitchell intentionally walked Honus Wagner to put men on first and second, but he then got Fred Croilus on a strikeout to end the inning.
The Athletics mounted a mild threat in the bottom of the ninth. With one out, Harry Davis reached on a base hit and Danny Murphy reached on an error by Pirates’ shortstop Wid Conroy. But with men at first and second and the Pirates leading 3-1, Sam Leever bore down and struck out Topsy Hartsel. He then ended the game by getting catcher Ossie Schreckengost on a line out.
Image courtesy of Pixabay by Steppinstars (no changes).