Red Ames was the first switch-hitting pitcher to appear in the World Series.
Sort of.
Ames never got a chance to hit, at least in 1905.
It was the second game of the second World Series, as the event was not played in 1904.
The New York Giants got a splendid pitching performance from Christy Mathewson in the opener. The sure needed it, as the Giants got but 3 runs off Eddie Plank of the Philadelphia A's.
Game 2 saw the A's turn to Chief Bender to try and draw even. The Chief provided the A's with some much needed relief after the spanking the A's took in game 1. Actually, Bender needed no relief. It was Ames who pitched some relief for the Giants.
Bender went out there and pitched a gem of a game that must rank up there with Christy's crisp performance in the opening tilt.
The Giants got only 4 hits and 3 walks off the Chief, who also K'd 9 batters. He faced just 34 batters on this day.
What about the Giants' pitching?
Well, it wasn't bad. Joe McGinnity, a 35 game winner the year before (but only 21-15 in 1905) went out there and pitched well enough to give New York a 2-0 lead in the Series.
But it didn't happen.
Just a cheap run on an error, a sacrifice bunt (by Bender himself) and a groundball out led to the game's first run. Which is all Philly needed, as it turns out.
It all happened in the third, with plenty of time left for New York to come right back. But Bender broke their spirits. He was making that one run look a lot bigger than it really was.
Finally, in the to of the 8th, the Athletics got some much need insurance. And as it turns out, they never scored again in this game.
Or again in this Series!
Philly scored twice in the top of the frame, but neither run was earned. An error by catcher Bresnahan meant neither run was earned. Yep, the game ended without an earned run.
Art Devlin led off the bottom of the 8th for the Giants and singled off Bender. Bender got the next hitter, Billy Gilbert, out on a flyball.
With McGinnity due up to hit, the Giants turned to Sammy Strang to pinch hit.
But Bender K'd him.
The Giants then received a gift from the A's as Bresnahan reached on an error. But Bender got George Brown to ground out and end the inning.
So in came Red Ames, the first ever switch-hitting pitcher to appear in the World Series. But he was here to pitch the top of the 9th for the Giants.
It was a tough inning as third basemen Lave Cross led off with a walk. Then, with one out, Danny Murphy stroked a single. Ames was in a jam.
Could Ames extinguish the flame and keep the Giants in the game?
Monte Cross, who was not related to Lave, was the batter. Must have been odd having a third basemen and a shortstop named Cross. Wonder if anyone ever got them crossed up at the same time? Or maybe just plain got them mixed up?
It was Red who must have been a little crossed at the thought of and uprising at this point. He K'd Monte. Then he got Ossee Schrecongost to ground out. Yes, I got his name right!
The Giants got the first two batters on in the bottom of the 9th. Then with two outs, New York had runners on 2nd and 3rd. But Art Devlin ended the game with a groundout to second.
Had he and the next batter (Gilbert) reached, it would have been Ames scheduled to hit. If he had, we would have seen the switcher pitch and hit. But it was not to be, at least in this Series. So that kind of history was not quite made. But it would be in next year's World Series.
Ames would go on to bat in a World Series almost a decade later, 1911.
Sort of.
Ames never got a chance to hit, at least in 1905.
It was the second game of the second World Series, as the event was not played in 1904.
The New York Giants got a splendid pitching performance from Christy Mathewson in the opener. The sure needed it, as the Giants got but 3 runs off Eddie Plank of the Philadelphia A's.
Game 2 saw the A's turn to Chief Bender to try and draw even. The Chief provided the A's with some much needed relief after the spanking the A's took in game 1. Actually, Bender needed no relief. It was Ames who pitched some relief for the Giants.
Bender went out there and pitched a gem of a game that must rank up there with Christy's crisp performance in the opening tilt.
The Giants got only 4 hits and 3 walks off the Chief, who also K'd 9 batters. He faced just 34 batters on this day.
What about the Giants' pitching?
Well, it wasn't bad. Joe McGinnity, a 35 game winner the year before (but only 21-15 in 1905) went out there and pitched well enough to give New York a 2-0 lead in the Series.
But it didn't happen.
Just a cheap run on an error, a sacrifice bunt (by Bender himself) and a groundball out led to the game's first run. Which is all Philly needed, as it turns out.
It all happened in the third, with plenty of time left for New York to come right back. But Bender broke their spirits. He was making that one run look a lot bigger than it really was.
Finally, in the to of the 8th, the Athletics got some much need insurance. And as it turns out, they never scored again in this game.
Or again in this Series!
Philly scored twice in the top of the frame, but neither run was earned. An error by catcher Bresnahan meant neither run was earned. Yep, the game ended without an earned run.
Art Devlin led off the bottom of the 8th for the Giants and singled off Bender. Bender got the next hitter, Billy Gilbert, out on a flyball.
With McGinnity due up to hit, the Giants turned to Sammy Strang to pinch hit.
But Bender K'd him.
The Giants then received a gift from the A's as Bresnahan reached on an error. But Bender got George Brown to ground out and end the inning.
So in came Red Ames, the first ever switch-hitting pitcher to appear in the World Series. But he was here to pitch the top of the 9th for the Giants.
It was a tough inning as third basemen Lave Cross led off with a walk. Then, with one out, Danny Murphy stroked a single. Ames was in a jam.
Could Ames extinguish the flame and keep the Giants in the game?
Monte Cross, who was not related to Lave, was the batter. Must have been odd having a third basemen and a shortstop named Cross. Wonder if anyone ever got them crossed up at the same time? Or maybe just plain got them mixed up?
It was Red who must have been a little crossed at the thought of and uprising at this point. He K'd Monte. Then he got Ossee Schrecongost to ground out. Yes, I got his name right!
The Giants got the first two batters on in the bottom of the 9th. Then with two outs, New York had runners on 2nd and 3rd. But Art Devlin ended the game with a groundout to second.
Had he and the next batter (Gilbert) reached, it would have been Ames scheduled to hit. If he had, we would have seen the switcher pitch and hit. But it was not to be, at least in this Series. So that kind of history was not quite made. But it would be in next year's World Series.
Ames would go on to bat in a World Series almost a decade later, 1911.
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