SAHARA - In what has proved to be an exciting inaugural season, the Sahara Jihad, paced by two hits in the bottom of the eleventh inning,
defeated the Mississippi Misfits in Game 1 of the 1928 DBS World Series. The Jihad took the opener despite strong pitching by one of the
Misfits dual aces, Carmen Hill.
The pre-game festivities that preceded the game were just as opulent as the game itself. The Sahara National Guard was on hand for a
21-gun salute to the DBS and its fans. Shortly after, the National Anthem was sung by Academy Award winning actress Janet Gaynor of
Seventh Heaven fame. Following Ms. Gaynor's stirring rendition, Democratic Presidential nominee Al Smith along with recently retired
Hershey outfielder Ty Cobb both threw out ceremonial first pitches, with Cobb's sailing well over the head of Jihad reserve catcher Moe
Berg. A awesome crowd of 51,977 were on hand all with the sense of history.
The first game began with Herb Pennock getting a strike on Misfit leadoff hitter George Sisler at 1:02pm. Sisler would double for the first
hit in series history, but he would be stranded by his fellow batsmen.
After the Jihad went quietly in the bottom of the first, Mississippi shortstop Jackie Tavener laced a Herb Pennock offering into the
left-field stands for a quick 1-0 lead. The homer was a surprise for everyone in the ballpark, for Tavener only connected on two long balls
the entire season. "I was running hard for second, hoping to get into scoring position," Tavener said, "I was surprised as anyone when it went out."
Sahara evened the score in the bottom of the fourth with a not-so-surprising home run off the bat of left fielder Chick Hafey. Hafey's blast
landed in almost the identical spot as Tavener's, and seemed to breath life into the Jihad, who had only one hit to that point.
From there, it was the pitcher's turn to take control of the ballgame. Carmen Hill and Herb Pennock quickly turned the game into a personal
dual of matching zeros on the scoreboard.
Things remained quiet until late in the game. In the top of the seventh inning, the first scoring situation since Hafey's home run arose.
Hack Wilson led off the inning with a single, and moved to second on a walk to Gabby Hartnett. Frankie Frisch laced a screamer to the hole,
but Jihad shortstop Joe Boley dove full extension got up and picked Wilson off second base for a double play. "I was sure that was a base hit.
Boley made a helluva play." Wilson said.
Mississippi had its own defensive gem in the bottom of the seventh. Jihad second baseman Otis Brannan led off the inning with a hit, and was
replaced by pinch runner Andy Reese. Joe Boley walked moving Reese to second. Reese, who has excellent speed, took off for third on the next
pitch. "That was my fault," said Carmen Hill, pictured left, after the game, "I should have been paying more attention to Reese." However
Hill made up for his miscue on the next batter. Muddy Ruel hit a tapper back to Hill, who noticed Reese tearing for home. Hill quickly tossed
to catcher Hartnett who tagged out Reese, and had the presence of mind to throw to first to nab the slow running Ruel. Base running blunders
also ended another great scoring chance for the Jihad in the bottom of the ninth. With two out, pinch hitter extraordinare Beauty McGowan
laced a double to the gap in right. Seemingly losing his nerve, Hill, who was still throwing strong, walked Muddy Ruel. Doug Taitt came up
as a pinch hitter, but the bat was taken out of his hands when McGowan was thrown out at third attempting to steal. At the time, it seemed to
be a devastating play for Sahara, the pinch-hitting move took closer Jack Scott out of the game, and the caught stealing removed one of
Sahara's most lethal pinch hitters.
However, Sahara's bullpen stepped to the front when its team needed it most. Maligned first round pick Larry Benton entered the game in the
top of the tenth, and Benton pitched a strong two innings of relief to get the win. Benton who was vocal earlier in the week about his
demotion to the bullpen for the series was more subdued following Game 1. "It's all about the team...if we win that's really all that matters."
Sahara finished the game in the bottom of the eleventh. With one out and Carmen Hill still in the ballgame, Jim Bottomley tripled. Babe
Herman brought him home and ended the game with a single to center. Mississippi manager Burt Shotten defended his decision for keeping
Hill in the game. "He's been our horse all season... he deserved to be in there."
MISSISSIPPI AB R H RBI SAHARA AB R H RBI
Sisler, 1B 5 0 3 0 Kamm, 3B 5 0 0 0
Lindstrom, 3b 5 0 0 0 S.Rice, rf 5 0 0 0
Goslin, rf 4 0 0 0 Hafey, lf 5 1 2 1
H.Wilson, cf 4 0 1 0 Bottomley, 1b 4 1 1 0
Hartnett, c 3 0 0 0 Herman, cf 5 0 2 1
Frisch, 2B 3 0 0 0 Brannan, 2b 3 0 1 0
Stephenson, lf 4 0 0 0 Reese, pr 0 0 0 0
Tavener, ss 2 1 1 1 Bartell, 2b 1 0 0 0
Schang, ph 1 0 0 0 Boley, ss 2 0 1 0
Kress, ss 1 0 0 0 McGowan, ph 1 0 1 0
Hill, p 1 0 0 0 Sand, ss 0 0 0 0
Ruel, c 3 0 1 0
Pennock, p 3 0 0 0
Scott, p 0 0 0 0
Taitt, ph 0 0 0 0
Benton, p 1 0 0 0
TOTAL 35 1 5 1 TOTAL 38 2 9 2
MISSISSIPPI 010 000 000 00 - 1 5 2
SAHARA 000 100 000 01 - 2 9 1
E: Wilson 2, Bottomley. DP: Mississippi 1, Sahara 4. LOB: Mississippi 5, Sahara 8.
2B: Sisler. 3B: Bottomley. HR: Tavener (1), Hafey (1). SB: Hartnett, Reese. CS: McGowan.
BB: Boley, Ruel, Bottomley, Hartnett, Frisch, Hill, Goslin
SO: Ruel, Stephenson
MISSISSIPPI IP H R ER BB SO
Hill (L 0-1) 10.1 9 2 2 3 1
SAHARA IP H R ER BB SO
Pennock 8 5 1 1 3 0
Scott 1 0 0 0 0 1
Benton (W 1-0) 2 0 0 0 1 0
Hill pitched to two batters in the eleventh. Umpires: Home, Klem; 1b, Wilson; 2b; Nallin; 3b; McGowan; lf; Owens; rf; McCormick
T: 3:09 A: 51,977