1912 World Series: Game 2

"In one of the most desperately fought games ever witnessed on a ball field, the champion teams of Boston and New York had scored six runs each, with the 11th inning over, when Umpire “Silk” O’Loughlin called off hostilities at Fenway Park yesterday, as it was growing quite dark." (TH Murnane, Boston Globe)

The second game of the World Series was the first series game played in Fenway Park which opened in April 1912.  This photo is of the left field grandstand (which today is covered).  You can also see the first version of Fenway's wall with fan sitting IN FRONT of it.

What was most surprising was seeing the Giants ace, Christy Mathewson, give up six runs.  As hard hit as he was the Globe still paid tribute to his skills:

 "Never were two teams more evenly matched. The veteran Christy Mathewson, for years the greatest pitcher in the game, with much cunning still left and with his nerve as strong as ever, went through the entire game, being always an inspiration to his fellow-players.

 Every Boston man was forced to hit the ball, not one being passed or hit by pitched ball. Although hit hard at times, Mathewson’s confidence was always supreme, showing a master mind, with his speed somewhat diminished, but his brain as clear as ever."

Less unexpected was the performance of young Ray Collins, the Sox pitcher who was "far from effective" according to the Globe.  Unusually for this era of baseball, the teams combined for 11 extra base hits.

The Giants fell quickly behind in the bottom of the 1st when two errors (including one by Mathewson) resulted in three Red Sox runs. The Giants got back a run in the second and the teams exchanged tallies in the middle inning.

Entering the top of the 8th the Sox still led by 4-2.  Then things started to unravel.  With two runners on and one out, Murray doubled for the Giants driving in a run.  The next batter, Buck Herzog, lifted a pop foul which was dropped by Bill Carrigan, the Boston catcher.  Given a reprieve, Herzog doubled on the next pitch driving in two runs and giving the Giants the lead for the first time.

The Sox scored a run in the bottom of the 8th to tie the game and when both teams failed to score in the 9th, the contest went into extra innings.  

Leading off the 10th, Fred Merkle (who's "boner" cost the Giants a crucial game in 1908 - see Pennant Races) hit a long triple to center field and then scored on a sacrifice fly.  It looked like the Giants had won.  And then in the bottom of the 10th, Tris Speaker hit what was described by the Globe as "one of the longest hits ever seen on the field".  Speaker was trying to make it a home run and would have been cleanly out at the plate but the Giants catcher dropped the ball and the game was tied again.(Tris Speaker)

The play generated some controversy.  According to one account, Speaker was interfered with by three of the Giants infielders during his trip around the bases.  According to the Globe it was the Giants third baseman, Buck Herzog, who was at fault. 

"Speaker hit to center, and as he turned third Herzog got in front of the runner and clearly blocked him off. It was a clear case of vicious interference, and it slightly injured the Boston man, who walked very lame after that.Umpire Rigler failed to take notice of the play, and O’Loughlin passed it up." (Buck Herzog)

 After Speaker was called safe he went out to third base to argue with Herzog and the two had to be separated.

The next batter, Duffy Lewis, hit another long drive to centerfield which missed being a home run by about two feet.  With Lewis know on second as the potential winning run, Mathewson regained his composure and retired the side.  

In the top of the 11th, two Giants baserunners were cut down while attempting to steal by Carrigan and the Sox failed to score in the bottom of the inning after which the umpires halted the game.

Murnane of the Globe captured the general feeling at the end of the game:

"Both teams had struggled as never before in their careers. More than 30,000 persons had seen a game never to be forgotten, and all were perfectly satisfied to see the contest called.

Both the Giants and the Red Sox displayed remarkable grit, coming across with timely drives that sent a thrill through the crowd, as first one team and then the other tied the score or took the lead."

 Box score from Baseball-reference.com

Wednesday, October 9, 1912 at Fenway Park (Boston Red Sox)

                                 1  2  3    4  5  6    7  8  9   10 11     R  H  E
                                 -  -  -    -  -  -    -  -  -    -  -     -  -  -
    New York Giants              0  1  0    1  0  0    0  3  0    1  0     6 11  5
    Boston Red Sox               3  0  0    0  1  0    0  1  0    1  0     6 10  1

    PITCHERS: NYG - Mathewson
              BOS - Collins, Hall (8), Bedient (11)

               WP - none
        LP - none
             SAVE - none

   HOME RUNS: NYG - none
              BOS - none

  ATTENDANCE: 30,148