100 Years Ago Today 10/10/1920: Brooklyn Robins Lose Troublesome Game Five; Trail Indians 3-2

From the desk of: FINGERPRINTS OF DEM BUMS

100th Anniversary

BROOKLYN ROBINS
1920 NATIONAL LEAGUE CHAMPIONS

WORLD SERIES: Sunday, October 10, 1920 - GAME FIVE

Brooklyn Robins vs. Cleveland Indians

League Park

"I've been in baseball for 40 years and I never saw one like this." - Wilbert Robinson

Game Five at Cleveland features a historical if not ponderous series of events Brooklyn Robins fans for all the wrong reasons will not soon forget.

Although no longer the perennial 20-game winner while with the Giants, 33-year old Rube Marquard during the 1920 season is nothing short of clutch.  When Uncle Robbie needs him most his old friend repeatedly comes through with vintage performances.  Scheduled to pitch this day for the Robins, Rube Marquard prior to the game is arrested by Cleveland police outside League Park on charges of ticket scalping.  Marquard maintains his innocence claiming a misunderstanding.  But an incensed Charles Ebbets will hear non of it and releases Rube on the spot.  

Inside the park Burleigh Grimes hurriedly prepares for an unexpected start.  Looking on in attendance is former Cleveland Spider legend and baseball's all-time wins leader Cy Young.  Pitching on three days rest, Burleigh Grimes by game time is still noticeably unprepared.  In the first inning Cleveland leads off with consecutive singles and a successful bunt hit by Tris Speaker.  With no outs and the bases loaded, right fielder and clean-up hitter Elmer Smith crushes a Grimes offering to deep right for a grand slam home run, the first in World Series history.  With Burleigh Grimes still pitching in the fourth, Indians starter Jim Bagby aides his own cause by homering deep to center field with two runners on giving Cleveland a commanding 7-0 lead.  His home run is the first hit by a pitcher in World Series history.  The Indians score one last time in the fifth inning off reliever Clarence Mitchell.

Brooklyn is not without its chances.  They strand a runner on second in the first.  Ed Konetchy triples in the second but on a sac-fly attempt is thrown out at home by left fielder Charlie Jameison.  In the third Burleigh Grimes bounces into a double play and the Robins strand two runners.  Hi Myers in the fourth removes himself from the base paths by getting thrown out attempting to steal third.  The fifth inning really makes all Robins shake their heads in dismay.  With no outs and Pete Kilduff and Otto Miller on base, Clarence Mitchell lines out to second baseman Bill Wambsganss, who immediately steps on second to retire Kilduff then tags an approaching Otto Miller to complete an unassisted triple play, again the first in World Series history.  Otherwise, the Robins go quietly until the ninth when Ed Konetchy drives in his first run of the series.  Alas it is too little too late.

Cleveland's 31-game winner Jim Bagby avenges his Game Two loss against Grimes, allowing one run on 13 hits and no walks over nine innings complete.  Grimes in turn takes the loss after yielding seven runs on nine hits and a walk in just 3.1 innings pitched.