JACKSON, MISS. - As has been consistent throughout the series, Game 3 of the 1928 World Series was dominated by yet another superior pitching performance.
This time, both Garland Braxton of Sahara and Ted Lyons of Mississippi were outstanding. Lyons allowed only three hits during the game, but one of those
was a long home run to center by Jihad left fielder Chick Hafey. Hafey's blast was all that Jihad hurler Braxton would need to earn the victory in the
first Series game ever played in Mississippi.
The pregame festivities for Game 3 were highlighted by the introduction of a new product sold by concessionaires. At a pregame press conference held by
the Fleer company, Walter Diener introduced what he coined "bubble gum" and stated that it would be test-marked for the remainder of the series.
Diener, 23, was confident that Fleer's new product would "revolutionize baseball." Time will tell.
Bill "Bojangles" Robinson, the star of the award winning Broadway musical, The Blackbirds of 1928, performed the National Anthem. Freeman Fisher Gosden
and Charles J. Correll, better known to radio listeners as Amos & Andy, delivered the ceremonial first pitches, much to the delight of a record setting
crowd of 60,835.
As has been a hallmark of the entire series, both starting pitchers had very little difficulty in retiring enemy batters to start the game. Lyons, in
fact, was perfect his first time through the Jihad order. Braxton, meanwhile, was able to establish some early dominance as well. After a leadoff single
by red-hot George Sisler, Braxton managed to strike out Freddie Lindstrom, Hack Wilson and Gabby Hartnett. All told, Braxton would ring up five Misfits
batsmen on strikes.
Both offensive squads showed little signs of life throughout the game, but two long blasts seemed destined to reach the scoreboard. The first one came
off the bat of Jihad first baseman Jim Bottomley in the top of the fourth inning. However, much maligned center fielder Hack Wilson was able to get a
bead on the ball, catching it as he crashed in to the wall in left-center. Wilson got up slowly, but stayed in the game. "I got a late bead on the ball,
because at first I made the mistake of thinking it was gone," Wilson said. "The ball hung up just long enough for me to get under it."
The second long out of the game was produced by Misfits shortstop Red Kress, making his first Series start. Again, a much-maligned fielder came to the
rescue. Babe Herman, who in Game 2 made a costly error and misplayed two others in a 9-0 Jihad loss, came through with a leaping catch in right-center saving a certain home run.
"After what happened on Sunday, I felt I was due for one to stay in there," said Herman, all the while grinning and pointing to his often questioned
glove.
Braxton and Lyons used these defensive gems to work a scoreless game into the seventh inning. By that point, the Jihad had only managed one hit in the
game and Mississippi could only get two runners as far as second. This changed, when Chick Hafey belted a Lyons fastball to dead center with one out in
the top of the seventh. The blast sailed over the head of an exasperated Wilson and well back into a stunned crowd to give Sahara a 1-0 lead.
It was Hafey's second home run of the series, both of which have been instrumental in Sahara's two victories so far. In fact, Hafey has been the only
hot hitter on the Jihad's roster. Following Game 3, Hafey is batting .364 with two home runs and has half of the team's extra base hits.
Sahara threatened to score again in the top of the eighth when Riggs Stephenson made the defensive play of the game. With one out, Jihad shortstop Joe
Boley doubled. An intentional walk to catcher Muddy Ruel and a fielder's choice play by pitcher Braxton put Boley on third and Braxton on first with
two out. Willie Kamm laced a hard liner to left for a single which was quickly scooped up by Stephenson. Noting that Braxton is a slow baserunner,
Stephenson fired to second baseman Frankie Frisch who made the put out to end the inning before Boley could score from third. The play seemed to
motivate the entire Misfit squad, not to mention the fans.
Anticipation seemed to overflow from the stadium, as these fans had watched the Misfits win a game in their last at bat 24 times during the regular
season. Indeed, Stephenson's play kept it a one run ballgame, where anything was possible.
Alas, it was not to be. Jihad stopper Jack Scott came in and retired the heart of the Misfit order with little difficulty to earn the first save of
the Series and give Sahara a 2 games to 1 Series lead.
SAHARA AB R H RBI MISSISSIPPI AB R H RBI
Kamm, 3b 4 0 2 0 Sisler, 1b 4 0 2 0
S.Rice, rf 3 0 0 0 Lindstrom, 3b 4 0 0 0
Taitt, rf 1 0 0 0 Goslin, rf 4 0 1 0
Hafey, lf 3 1 1 1 H.Wilson, cf 4 0 1 0
Bottomley, 1b 4 0 0 0 Hartnett, c 3 0 0 0
Herman, cf 3 0 0 0 Frisch, 2b 3 0 1 0
McGowan, cf 0 0 0 0 Stephenson, lf 3 0 0 0
Brannan, 2b 3 0 0 0 Kress, ss 3 0 0 0
Bartell, 2b 0 0 0 0 Lyons, p 3 0 1 0
Boley, ss 3 0 1 0
Ruel, c 2 0 0 0
Berg, c 0 0 0 0
Braxton, p 3 0 0 0
Scott, p 0 0 0 0
TOTAL 29 1 4 1 TOTAL 31 0 6 0
SAHARA 000 000 100 - 1 4 0
MISSISSIPPI 000 000 000 - 0 6 0
DP: Sahara 2, Mississippi 1 LOB: Mississippi 5, Sahara 3.
2B: Boley. HR: Hafey (2).
BB: Hafey, Ruel, Hartnett.
SO: Lindstrom, HWilson, Hartnett, Lyons, Kress, Braxton.
SAHARA IP H R ER BB SO
Braxton (W 1-0) 8 5 0 0 1 5
Scott (S 1) 1 1 0 0 0 0
MISSISSIPPI IP H R ER BB SO
Lyons (0-1) 9 4 1 1 2 1
Umpires: Home, Owens; 1b, McCormick; 2b, Klem; 3b; Wilson; lf; Nallin; rf; McGowen;
T: 2:17 A: 60,835