OTD 5/23/1926: Connie Rector, Cannonball Redding Hurl Brooklyn Royal Giants to Twin Bill Sweep at Buffalo's Bison Stadium

From the desk: DEM BARNSTORMERS

Buffalo Courier (Buffalo, New York), May 24, 1926

DOUBLE-HEADER

Sunday, May 23, 1926

BROOKLYN ROYAL GIANTS

BISON STADIUM, BUFFALO

Buffalo, N.Y. - On Sunday, May 23, 1926, the Brooklyn Royal Giants win both games of a double-header against Easter Brands club and the Buffalo Colored Giants at Bison Stadium.  In this season, the Royal Giants are members of the Eastern Colored League, but they never abandon their barnstorming roots.

GAME ONE

Brooklyn Royal Giants 11

EASTER BRANDS          4

Easter Brands batters stake southpaw Frankie Ahrens to a four-run lead after four.  Facing Brooklyn right-hander Connie Rector, the locals score once in the first, twice in the second, and once more in the third.  Frankie Ahrens, in return, is sharp, tossing five scoreless innings.  But once the Royal Giants breakthrough in the sixth, they proceed to score in bunches.  Brooklyn takes a 5-4 lead with a four-run outburst in the seventh, then adds a trio of runs in both the eighth and ninth innings for a decisive 11-4 victory.  Rector recovers with six scoreless innings for the win.  Poor infield defense plays a role in Easter Brands' demise.

GAME TWO

Brooklyn Royal Giants 14

BUFFALO COLORED GIANT  8

Brooklyn jumps out to a prompt 2-0 lead in the top half of the first.  But it does not last.  Facing 36-year old Royal Giants starter Cannonball Dick Redding, Buffalo answers back with five runs in the bottom of the frame.  Brooklyn recovers to score four times in the third for a 6-5 lead.  However, resilient Buffalo again rallies for two runs and a 7-6 lead.  But whereas the local Colored Giants would score once more in the fifth, Brooklyn surges ahead with an equal measure against Buffalo twirlers Hendon and Holmes with four runs in the fourth and an additional four in the sixth.  After a scoreless seventh, the game is called due to the retiring sun.