Sox Century: June 10, 1917

Today revealed another unique aspect of the schedule 100 years ago: the one-game series.

After splitting the series with the Senators, the Chicago Tribune said the White Sox had to hustle to catch a 6:15 p.m. train to Cleveland, where they were only scheduled to play one game before heading to New York. There’s no indication that this was a makeup game anywhere in the accounts -- they just made a circuitous route to New York because teams couldn’t let Sunday attendance figures get away.

Apparently it was worth Charles Comiskey’s while financially. Something like 12,000 fans showed up to League Park, and both the Chicago Examiner (“The White Sox grabbed off a bunch of coin...”) and the Tribune (“For the Comiskey forces not only gathered their portion of the gate money...”) made note of the monetary gain in their ledes.

The White Sox also made it count in the standings. They blew through town like a storm, using a six-run second inning to issue a 10-4 thumping of the Indians.

Joe Jackson started the end of Fritz Coumbe’s day with an infield single. Happy Felsch singled him to third and Chick Gandil singled him home. A sac bunt moved both runners up, a pair of walks brought a second run home, the second of which made Lee Fohl go the bullpen.

Ed Klepfer couldn’t stop the bleeding. Pants Rowland pinch-hit Nemo Leibold for Shano Collins to regain the platoon advantage, and Leibold rewarded his manager with a two-run double. After that, Cleveland’s defense unraveled, starting with a sloppy rundown.

[Buck] Weaver bounced to the pitcher and [Lefty] Williams was run down [between third and home], Leibold taking third and Weaver second. Eddie Collins then walked, but the fourth ball was a wild pitch, which let Leibold count, Weaver going to third while E. Collins rounded first. [Steve] O’Neil recovered the ball and tossed to Klepfer at the plate, who became fussed when he saw Collins racing to second. Klepfer finally heaved the ball there, but it was wild, going to center field, and Weaver scored, while Eddie went to third.

The Sox tacked on three more in the third on a Swede Risberg double and a two-run Leibold triple.

The massive lead made it an easy day for Williams, who, like Dave Danforth before him, hadn’t seen regulation-game action since May 19. The southpaw went the distance, allowing four runs on nine hits and four walks. Early wildness prompted Rowland to get Reb Russell warming in the bullpen during the first inning, but the Tribune said eight of Cleveland’s nine hits came well after the White Sox took their huge lead, ultimately causing no concern:

The wee southpaw hurler, who has been sort o’ excess baggage so far on the trip, earned the worth of his railway fares and hotel bills by his keen and steady pitching.

Record: 33-15 | Box score