Today, we’re at the Municipal Stadium in Freeport, New York, home field of the New York Black Yankees, for Game 1 of our next 1936 (Simulated) Wild Card Series – the Newark Eagles vs. the New York Black Yankees. Newark manager Abe Manley is sending Hall of Famer Leon Day to the mound for game 1, and New York manager Bob Clarke has named Bill Holland as his game 1 starter.
Newark got off to a strong start by mounting a two-out threat in the top of the first. Ed Stone got things started with a two-out base hit to right. Mule Suttles followed with a sharp base hit up the middle. Thad Christopher was the next hitter. He worked the count to 3-2, taking Holland through 15 pitches, before driving a three-run home run to straightaway center.
The Black Yankees tied the game in the bottom of the first with an almost identical rally. With two outs, Fats Jenkins lined a base hit to left. Walter Canady doubled off the right field wall. Third baseman George Scales then tied the game with a booming home run to right field.
The Eagles took a one-run lead in the top of the third. Paul Dixon and Harry Williams led things off with back-to-back base hits. Holland loaded the bases with a four-pitch walk to Ed Stone. Mule Suttles then scored Dixon with a base hit to left. The Eagles then added one more in the top of the sixth on a home run by Ray Dandridge which just barely got over the right field fence.
The Eagles lengthened their lead even further in the top of the seventh, striking for two runs against New York reliever Barney Brown. With one out, right fielder Ed Stone stroked a single up the middle. Mule Suttles then hit a ground rule double to left, putting men on second and third. After Thad Christopher hit a ground ball, Hall of Famer Willie Wells scored both Stone and Suttles with a triple to right-center. With that, New York manager Bob Clarke called on Paul Carter to try to shut Newark down, which he did on a ground ball by Ray Dandridge.
The Black Yankees pulled to within three in the bottom of the seventh. Leon Day got two quick outs against Fats Jenkins and Walter Cannady, but third baseman George Scales worked him for a fourteen-pitch at bat before driving pitch #15 over the left field fence for a home run.
With Leon Day tiring rapidly, the Black Yankees tied things up in the bottom of the eighth. Center fielder Marvin Barker drew a four pitch walk to lead things off. After Day struck out pinch hitter Benny Brown, pinch hitter Pete Washington reached on an error by second baseman Harry Williams, putting men at first and second. New York first baseman George Giles slammed a ball off the left-center field fence for a double, scoring both Barker and Washington to pull New York within one. After Day whiffed Jake Stephens, Fats Jenkins evened the scored with another double, this time up the right-center field gap. At that point, manager Abe Manley had seen enough, and he brought Robert Evans in to try to stop New York’s rally. Evans got Walter Cannady on a ground ball to third.
The Black Yankees mounted a serious threat in the bottom of the ninth inning. With one out, right fielder Jim Williams lined a base hit, and with Marvin Barker up, Evans balked Williams to second. Newark then opted to put Ameal Brooks on base with an intentional walk. New York sent up Spoony Palm – nope, no idea about that nickname either – to hit for pitcher Roosevelt Davis, and he reached on a one base error by Newark shortstop Willie Wells, loading the bases. But Evans managed to get George Giles for the third out on a weak ground ball to first baseman Mule Suttles.
So it’s off to extra innings in Game 1.
Newark broke the game open in the top of the twelfth. With one out, shortstop Willie Wells drew a six-pitch walk and stole second. After Ray Dandridge was out on a ground ball to second, catcher Johnny Hayes singled Wells in. Pinch hitter Hawk Thomas hit a line drive single to right, sending Hayes around to third. Bob Clarke then waved in Willie Burns from the bullpen to try to bring things under control. Thomas got that off to a good start by stealing second on Burns’ first pitch, putting two men in scoring position. With Paul Dixon at the plate, Burns then uncorked a wild pitch, scoring Hayes and sending Thomas to third. Burns seemed to recover a bit of concentration, working Dixon to a 3-2 count before giving up a base hit to right, scoring the Eagles’ third run of the inning. Three pitches later, Harry Williams launched a booming fly ball which just cleared the right field foul pole for a two run homer to put the Eagles up 12-7.
Newark manager Abe Manley brought in the one and only Terrible Terry McDuffie (presumably an ironic commentary on his ERA) in hopes of wrapping up the win in the bottom of the twelfth. George Giles greeted him with a line-drive base hit, but he then got Jake Stephens on a line drive right at Mule Suttles which Suttles nearly turned into a double play, as Giles just barely beat him to the bag. Fats Jenkins forced Giles at second on a bouncing ball to short, and Terrible Terry wound up Game 1 by whiffing Walter Cannady.
So our final for today – Newark 12, New York 7. And for the Series, Newark takes a 1-0 lead.
Image courtesy of Pixabay by Alexas_Fotos (no changes).