On Thursday, August 8, 1940, not more the two miles from where I presently live, the Bay Parkway Dukes defeated the New York Black Yankees at Erasmus Field, McDonald Avenue at the Avenue M station along the Culver Line.
Bay Parkway starter Gene Bowe hurls a gem, limiting the Black Yankees to just one late run on seven hits and no walks with twelve strikeouts for the win.
Visiting left fielder Marvin Barker wields the only extra-base hit against Bowe. Not until the eighth inning did the Yankees manage to bunch together three hits to spoil the shutout. Center fielder Charlie Biot was Gene Bowe's twelfth and final strikeout victim who ended the game. Yankee third baseman Henry Spearman and first baseman Johnny Washington each wield two hits apiece. Catcher Johnny Hayes hits safely and scores the Yankees' lone run.
With two runners in scoring position in the home fourth, left fielder Larry Fischer singles in Bay Parkway's first run. With the bases loaded in the fifth, Yankee starter Purnell Mincy walks Larry Fischer, forcing the runner from third. In the home eighth, center fielder Pete Gray singles, advances on a walk, steals third, then scores when Yankee reliever Jesse Brown throws errantly on an ill-fated pickoff attempt to first.
Yankees starter Purnell Mincy is nothing short of erratic. He allows three runs on six hits but walks eight batters in a self-inflicted losing effort.
