Reading Ties Up Series with 3-2 Comeback Win

CHICAGO, IL. August 28, 1914 -

		1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10		R	H	E
Reading		0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	3			3	5	0
Chicago		0	0	0	0	0	2	0	0	0			2	7	1

It was a defensive battle through 5 1/2 innings. In the bottom of the 6th, Chicago put two runs on the board with a home run from Dutch Mcdaniel over the left field wall.

The Whales cruised through the next two innings, and in the top of the 9th sent out Charlie O'Donnell to finish the complete game shutout. But things didn't go according to plan.

Reading hit two straight doubles, scoring a run. A walk put runners on 1st and 2nd with no outs. Then, pinch hitter Mose Drew came to the plate and hit a double off of the wall. The man on second came home easily, but the runner on first, Angus Mulkey, ran faster than we've ever seen him run. He darted home as the ball came in, and with the umpire giving the "safe" sign, the Reds had come back and taken the lead.

Solomon Maurer went back out onto the mound for the 9th inning. A quick groundout gave him confidence, but a single put a man on with 1 out.

Then, one of the greatest plays we've ever seen occured. With Duck Bucher up for the Whales, he hit a towering flyball to right center field. It looked like a clear double, maybe even a triple, but there was absolutely no doubt that the run would score. But right fielder Hunkey Howel would have none of it. He darted toward the wall and in a magnificent lunging motion, he put his glove on the ball but couldn't squeeze it. Tumbling over himself, Chicago fans cheered. But the ball wouldn't find the ground. As Howel tumbled over, he caught sight of the ball, stuck out his glove, and watched the ball fall into it.

But, it wasn't over yet. Another single put runners on 1st and 3rd with 2 outs. Maurer put the hitter in a 1-2 count, but missed with two straight pitches, making it a full count. After a hard foul ball down the left field line, Layman hit a weak ground ball to 1st base. The defender picked it up, tagged first base himself, and Reading took game two tying the series at 1-1.