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Despite trailing 9-2 in the sixth inning, the Yankees’ Lou Gehrig still busts it down the line on a ground ball out as Athletics first baseman Jimmie Foxx takes the throw. The remarkable thing about this image is Gehrig had hit it back to the pitcher George Earnshaw and from the looks of it the Iron Horse still almost beat the throw.
Connie Mack’s A’s would add another run in the 8th to make it 10-2 and Earnshaw would shut the door on New York getting the four-hit complete game win to give the second year right-hander his 20th win of the season. The only real blemish was a fifth inning home run to Gehrig but along the way he struck out five including Babe Ruth twice.
The heroics with the bat for Philadelphia was slugger Al Simmons, the left fielder hit two doubles and knocked in four runs off Yankees pitching, his first victim was starter George Pipgras who failed to even get out of the first inning when the A’s scored five times. Also for the A’s second baseman Max Bishop hit only his second homer of the season while third baseman Jimmy Dykes hit his 12th.
The loss pushed the two-time defending champs a stunning 14.5 games behind the first-place Athletics, something I’m sure every Yankee didn’t envision before the season started after coming off their second straight World Series title and third consecutive American League pennant. The fact that the Athletics won the pennant wasn’t that all surprising considering they only finish 2.5 games behind the Yanks the previous season and had young rising stars such as Foxx, Simmons and catcher Mickey Cochrane , but to do it with such ease was impressive and unexected.
In the end the A’s would finish with a 104-46 record and 18 games in front of the Yankees and in the World Series would have little trouble with the Chicago Cubs, winning the series in five games.
Note in the photo the glove on the ground in foul territory – most likely it was Gehrig’s as was the custom for infielders to leave their gloves on the grounds and not carry them back in the dugouts.
Also in photo is first base umpire Bick Campbell, only in his second year on the job.
Like to give a big tip of the hat to my friend Jay Gauthreaux, for finding this wonderful photo.
-Ron A. Bolton
