On this page we will look back at life in the city during the war years. Here we will provide the visitor with the stories making the news, what was happening in sports and entertainment, city politics, the social scene and the prominent people at the time. We will also recount the events occurring in the war on that day. So, check back each day for new editions.
To share your family or neighborhood stories, please email PhillyWWIyears@gmail.com
TODAY IN PHILADELPHIA – SATURDAY, OCTOBER 9, 1915
The skies will be bright and sunny over the city today for the 2nd game of the World Series. There will be a gentle westerly breeze with the high only reaching 60° and the low tonight about 38°.
SPECIAL WORLD SERIES EDITION – GAME 2
Game 2 of the World Series started at 2:11pm today at National League Park as 20,036 people looked on including the President of the United States. Mr. Wilson received a rousing ovation when he entered the grandstand accompanied by his fiancée Mrs. Edith Galt. He was greeted by Phillies president William Baker, former Governor of Pennsylvania and current National League president John Tener and Mayor Rudolph Blankenburg.
Like yesterday the streets around the Park were filled with people. It being a Saturday even more youngsters were on hand today. And again rooftops around the field were full of spectators. The windows of the Ford building and the Moore & Wright factory on Lehigh Avenue were also jammed with onlookers.
The game began with President Wilson throwing out a new ball to Umpire Rigler (shown below). Erskine Mayer took the mound today for the hometown team. Mayer racked up a 21-15 record this year. Mayer’s first pitch was a ball which the umpire retrieved from catcher Ed Burns and took to President Wilson as a souvenir.
Mayer was a bit wild in the 1st walking Harry Hooper and giving up a hard single to right by Tris Speaker. Hooper was now at 3rd. The Red Sox then tried a double steal but Speaker was tagged going into 2nd. Hooper headed for home and would have also been out but Burns dropped the ball. Burns was charged with an error and the Red Sox were up 1 to 0. George “Rube” Foster (shown below) took the mound for Boston. Foster put together a 19 and 8 record for the season.
The score stayed 1 to 0 till the bottom of the 5th when the Phillies bats came alive for a short time. Gavvy Cravath led off for the Phillies with a double down the 3rd base line. He was followed by Fred Luderus who with a 2 strike count smashed a double to center field scoring Cravath and tying the game. The crowd was now going wild and hoping for a big rally. But Foster regained his composure and retired the next 3 batters.
The game stayed tied till the 9th. Mayer had pitched a good game but seemed a bit tired when he took the mound. He walked Larry Gardner but then retired the next 2 batters. Next up was pitcher Foster. On the first pitch he slammed a double to center which scored Gardner. Mayer then struck out Hooper to end the inning.
As Foster took the mound in the bottom of the 9th there was a palpable tension throughout the crowd. Milt Stock led off and sent a hard line drive down the 3rd base line but Duffy Lewis snatched it out of the air. Next up was shortstop Dave Bancroft who on a 3-2 count was called out on strikes by Umpire Rigler. The pitch looked high but Rigler didn’t see it that way. The crowd did and let out a hearty round of hooting and boos. Next up was Dode Paskert who smashed a long drive to center. The crowd rose in expectation and gasped almost with one voice as it went back toward the wall. But Tris Speaker jumped for it and grabbed it just before it cleared the fence. The game was over. The Red Sox had won 2 to 1. The Park was quiet.
Players for both teams gave full credit for the win to George Foster who not only held the Phillies to 3 hits and 1 run and racked up 8 strikeouts but also went 3 for 4 at the plate and drove home the winning run. Game 3 will be on Monday in Boston.
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