Today, we’re turning the clock back all the way to October 3, 1924. We’re at the Baker Bowl in Philadelphia for Game 1 of the (Simulated) 1924 Negro League World Series between the National League champion Kansas City Monarchs and the Eastern League champions, Hilldale. For Game 1, Kansas City manager Jose Mendez is sending Hall of Famer Bullet Joe Rogan to the hill, owner of a 16-5 record and a 3.14 ERA during the season. Hilldale manager Frank Warfield is countering with Phil Cockerell as his starting pitcher. Cockerell finished the season with a 10-1 mark, although his ERA was 4.17.
Newt Allen led things off in the top of the first for the Monarchs by drawing a five-pitch walk. After Cockerell got first baseman Lemuel Hawkins on a pop up to third, left fielder Heavy Johnson, owner of a .366 batting average during the regular season, boomed a double that slammed off the left center field fence and bounced back toward the infield. With men on second and third, Hurley McNair brought in the first run of the game, lofting a sacrifice fly to center. The Monarchs added one more in the top of the third when pitcher Bullet Rogan – one of the best hitters on the team, who played outfield on his days off – pounded a double into the left-center field gap and two outs later, Heavy Johnson slammed his second double in three innings.
The Monarchs broke the game wide open in the top of the fourth. Dobie Moore, Newt Joseph and Dink Mothell started the inning with three straight base hits to load the bases. After Cockerell got catcher Frank Duncan on a called third strike, Bullet Rogan singled home the Monarchs’ third run of the game. Newt Allen, next up, lofted a sacrifice fly to bring in Newt Joseph. With two outs, Lemuel Hawkins and red-hot Heavy Johnson launched back-to-back triples into first the right field corner and then – Johnson’s slam – into the left-center field gap, plating three more runs. Cockerell managed to ring up Hurley McNair on a pop up, but with the Monarchs up 7-0 and Bullet Rogan on the mound, the game looked over.
And Rogan sailed through the fourth and fifth, allowing only one hit. Hilldale managed one run in the bottom of the sixth on George Carr’s leadoff walk, pitcher Cockerell’s sacrifice bunt and Otto Briggs’ run-scoring single. But then Rogan shut them down, ringing up manager Frank Warfield on strikes and getting Hall of Famer Biz Mackey on a line drive speared by first baseman Hawkins.
Hilldale managed a mild threat in the bottom of the seventh when Hall of Famer Louis Santop led things off with a double to right. But Rogan bore down and managed to get Clint Thomas, Hall of Famer Judy Johnson and George Johnson on to pop ups and a strike out.
The Monarchs threatened to add further to their six-run lead in the top of the ninth when Heavy Johnson capped his 4-for-5 day with a base hit followed up by a base hit for Hurley McNair. But Hilldale managed to shut things down when Dobie Moore was called out on strikes.
In the bottom of the ninth, Bullet Rogan capped his complete game, quickly getting Frank Warfield and Biz Mackey on a pop up and a fly out to center (respectively). Rogan lost Louis Santop to a walk, but got Clint Thomas on a pop up caught by third baseman Newt Joseph to end Game 1.
So Game 1 of the Simulated 1924 Series ends pretty much the same way real life did: in real life, the Monarchs took it 6-2. In computer-world, the Monarchs triumphed 7-1.
Image courtesy of Pixabay by AnnBoulais (no changes).