OTD September 29, 1935: What's A New York City Baseball Fan To Do?

From the desk: TAKE ME OUT TO THE BALL GAME

September 29, 1935: 

What's A New York City Baseball Fan To Do? 

On a chilly day in Gotham, with the general baseball season drawing to a close, fans throughout the boroughs scattered about one last time to cheer their favorites on.  Whether you lived in Queens, Manhattan, the Bronx, or Brooklyn, once you stepped outside your place of abode, a high-quality ball game could be found within walking distance or at most just a few miles down the road.

DEXTER PARK, Woodhaven, Queens

GAME ONE - Behind the pitching of long-time Brooklyn Dodger Dazzy Vance, Bushwick sweeps both ends of a doubleheader against the Cuban Stars of Havana before a crowd of 7,500 fans.  The 44-year old right-hander holds the Cuban Stars to no runs on two infield hits with nine strikeouts over six innings pitched for the win.  Charley Perkins hurls three scoreless innings in relief of Vance to preserve the shutout.  Bushwick pushed across two runs in the third.  Afterwhich, the score remained unchanged.  

GAME TWO - Bushwich and the Cuban Stars dual through ten innings to a two-all tie - the game was called on account of darkness.  Starter Jim Duffy yields just two runs.  Bushwick scores single runs in the fifth and sixth innings.  The Cuban stars score twice in the visitor's seventh.

DYCKMAN OVAL, Harlem, Manhattan

Before a crowd of 10,000 fans, Babe Ruth headlines a team of All-Stars in a doubleheader against the New York Cubans featuring future Hall of Famers Martín Dihigo, Alejandro Oms, and Lázaro Salazar.  The New York Cubans win both games.  Babe Ruth flawlessly handled twelve chances playing first base in game one, along with a walk and double in five trips to the plate.  Playing without Ruth in game two, the All-Stars fall to the New York Cubans by a 14-6 final score in six innings.

YANKEE STADIUM, Bronx

In the last two games of the season, before a crowd of 16,000 at the stadium, the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox split games of a doubleheader.  Shortstop Nolan Richardson goes 2 for 3 with a triple and two runs batted in, but Jumbo Brown takes the loss in game one.  In the final game of the season, future Hall of Famer Red Ruffing hurls a two-hit shutout over the Red Sox.  The Yankees finish three games out of first place behind the Detroit Tigers.

EBBETS FIELD, Brooklyn

The Brooklyn Dodgers close out their regular season with a doubleheader against the Philadelphia Phillies before 5,000 fans.  Brooklyn's Van Mungo hurls a two-hit shutout with no walks and a season-high fifteen strikeouts for the win in game one.  Third baseman Joe Stripp homers for the Dodgers.  Philadelphia and Brooklyn play to a four-all tie through eight innings in game two.  Dodger second baseman Vince Sherlock goes 4 for 4 with a run batted in.

BAY RIDGE OVAL, 15 Avenue at 86 Street, Brooklyn

Not more than two miles north from where I presently live, the Bay Ridge Club closes out their regular season with a twin-bill sweep of the New Brunswick Club of New Jersey.

ERASMUS FIELD, Gravesend Avenue at Avenue M, Brooklyn

Not more than two miles east from where I presently live, the Bay Parkway Dukes defeat the New York Black Yankees in the first game of a doubleheader by an 8-7 final score.  The teams then duel to a three-all tie in game two after eight innings.

• Times Union (Brooklyn, NY), Monday, September 30, 1935

OTD at Ebbets Field 9/8/1935: In the Crispus Attucks Community Council Benefit Doubleheader, the Philly Stars and New York Cubans Play to Nine-Inning Tie; Pittsburgh Crawfords Defeat Brooklyn Eagles

From the desk: WHERE THE EAGLES LEARNED TO FLY

The New York Age, Saturday, September 7, 1935

On Sunday, September 8, 1935, a charity doubleheader is staged at Ebbets Field for the Crispus Attucks Community Council of Brooklyn.  "The Council, named for a Negro patriot killed in the Boston Massacre of 1770, conducts relief work among Brooklyn's Negros."

The Brooklyn Daily Eagle, Saturday, September 7, 1935

The first game pits the New York Cubans, winners of the Negro National League's second half, against the 1934 champion Philadelphia Stars.  The second game features the Pittsburgh Crawfords, the Negro National League first-half winners, versus the Brooklyn Eagles.  No less than ten future Hall of Famers, including the Cuban Baseball Hall of Fame, participate in the twin bill benefit.

The New York Age, Saturday, September 7, 1935

Times Union (Brooklyn, NY), Saturday, September 7, 1935

"The Cubans-Philly game will be a grudge battle because it was the Cubans, second-half champions, who knocked the Stars out of a chance to defend their league title in a series the other weekend." - Times-Union.

NEGRO NATIONAL LEAGUE

PHILADELPHIA STARS vs. NEW YORK CUBANS

GAME ONE - The Philadelphia Stars and New York Cubans duel to a two-all tie.  Extra innings are not played to begin the second game on time.  

Right-hander Webster McDonald starts for Philadelphia and is opposed by Johnny Taylor for New York.  After five scoreless innings, Philly takes a 2-0 lead in the sixth.  The Cubans knot the game in the eighth.  Johnny Taylor yields just two hits and three walks with five strikeouts through seven innings pitched.  In relief of Taylor, southpaw Neck Stanley allows one hit and one walk over the final two innings.  Webster McDonald surrenders nine hits, two for extra bases, and three walks with six strikeouts. 

Left fielder Chaney White, second baseman Obie Lackey, and center fielder Lloyd Davenport account for Philadelphia's three hits.  Meanwhile, first baseman Jud Wilson and catcher Biz Mackey are held hitless in four at-bats apiece.  Right fielder Ted Page and McDonald score for Philly.

New York left fielder Lázaro Salazar leads the Cubans with three hits, including a double.  Center fielder Alejandro Oms also doubles.  Playing third base, Martín Dihigo and right fielder Clyde Spearman each singled and scored.

The Brooklyn Daily Eagle, Monday, September 9, 1935

NEGRO NATIONAL LEAGUE

PITTSBURGH CRAWFORDS vs. BROOKLYN EAGLES

GAME TWO - The Brooklyn Eagles open with a run in the third, but the Crawfords promptly answer with two in the fourth.  Brooklyn ties the score in the bottom half of the fourth, then retakes the lead in fifth.  But the Eagles would score no more.  Pittsburgh left-hander Leroy Matlock holds the Eagles scoreless over the final four frames.  

In the meantime, the Crawfords erupt for two runs in the sixth, three in the seventh, and five more in the eighth.  After holding Pittsburgh hitless over the first three innings, Brooklyn Eagle starter Leon Day is knocked out of the box, but not before yielding twelve runs on twelve hits and five walks with three strikeouts through 7.1 innings pitched.  Right-hander Will Jackman fares no better, allowing four hits while failing to retire a batter.  In relief of Jackman, Terris McDuffie limits the Crawfords to a single hit over the final 1.2 innings.

The Crawfords get credited with eight outfield putouts and fifteen infield putouts but only three infield assists and one by shortstop Chester Williams.  The point here is the Brooklyn Eagles make solid contact, alas to no avail.  First baseman George Giles and second baseman Harry Williams lead Brooklyn with two hits each.  Williams and left fielder Fats Jenkins both hit for extra bases and scored.  Catcher Tex Burnett accounts for Brooklyn's third run.  But it's worth noting Ted "Double Duty" Radcliffe was not a participant.  Otherwise, Pittsburgh Crawford starter Leroy Matlock allows eight hits and no walks with three strikeouts for the win.

All nine Crawford batters hit safely.  Chester Williams and Matlock lead the team with three hits each.  Leadoff man Cool Papa Bell wields two hits and scored twice; catcher Josh Gibson goes 2 for 4 with two runs scored; first baseman Oscar Charleston singled and scored in four trips, and third baseman Judy Johnson and right fielder Jimmy Crutchfield each hit for extra bases.

The Negro National League championship games between the 

Pittsburgh Crawford and the New York Cubans are forthcoming.

OTD 6/28/1935: Bay Ridge Falls in Ninth Inning to New York Cubans at Dykman Oval

From the desk: NEGRO LEAGUES & BROOKLYN SEMIPOROS

Times Union (Brooklyn, New York)

On Friday, June 28, 1935, Brooklyn's Bay Ridge nine fall in a tightly contested affair against the New York Cubans at Dykman Oval, Inwood section of Manhattan.

New York opens the scoring in the sixth, and Bay Ridge ties the game in the seventh.  Lopez scores for the Cubans, and starter Joe Stryker crosses the plate for Bay Ridge.   Otherwise, Joe Stryker and the Cubans' tandem of Heliodoro Diaz and Luis Tiant duel to a one-all tie through eight.

Facing Stryker in the home ninth, right fielder Alejandro Oms triples off the right-field wall, then scores the winning run on first baseman Lazaro Salazar's base hit.

In a hard-luck loss, Joe Stryker yields but two runs on six hits and just one walk through nine.  Diaz walks one and strikes out three but exits to a no-decision.  Luis Tiant earns the win in relief of Stryker.

Fritz Knothe leads Bay Ridge with three hits, and Jeff McDonald wields a triple in the seven but is left stranded.

OTD 5/27/1934: Bay Parkway Semipros Drop Double-Header to Cuban Stars at Erasmus Field, Brooklyn

From the desk: BROOKLYN SEMIPROS & BÉISBOL

Times Union (Brooklyn, New York), Monday, May 28, 1934

SUNDAY

CUBAN STARS (EAST)

vs.

BAY PARKWAYS

FROM

ERASMUS FIELD

Times Union (Brooklyn, New York)

On Sunday, May 27, 1934, less than two miles from where I live, the Cuban Stars East take both games of a doubleheader from the local Bay Parkway semipros at Erasmus Field; present-day McDonald Ave at the Avenue M station along the Culver Line.

GAME ONE

Times Union (Brooklyn, New York)

Toeing the slab in Game One, Bay Parkway's Jim Smith is opposed by right-hander Rodolfo Fernández for the Cuban Stars.  Both teams trade a pair of runs in the first.  The visitors then build a 6-3 lead after three and a half.  But the Bay Parkways rally for four runs in the home fourth for a 7-6 lead.  The score remains unchanged until the eighth, when the Cuban Stars tie the game at seven.  In the top of the ninth home runs by second baseman José Abreu and left fielder Lázaro Salazar gives the Cuban Stars a 9-7 lead, their final margin of victory.  Rodolfo Fernández yields seven runs on ten hits and no walks with one strikeout for the win.  To say Bay Parkways starter Jim Smith lacked control is putting it mildly.  Besides allowing nine runs on ten hits, he walks ten, plunks five other batsmen, and strikes out five batters.  First baseman Salvador Massip is the third Cuban Star to register multiple hits. Bay Parkways right fielder Caldwell finishes 3 for 4 with a home run.

GAME TWO

Times Union (Brooklyn, New York)

GAME TWO: Cuba Stars starter Lázaro Salazar allows the Bay Parkways just five hits but six walks, with two strikeouts in a nine-inning complete-game shutout.  Bay Parkways manager Joe Press with great confidence, hands the ball to Harry Kowenhover.  But he is roughed up for 13 runs on 13 hits and four walks with five strikeouts and one hit batsman over 8.2 innings pitched for the loss.