HARTNETT HAMMERS JIHAD, 7-2

JACKSON, MISS. - Led by catcher Gabby Hartnett's four hits, the Mississippi Misfits beat the Sahara Jihad 7-2 in Game 5 of the 1928 DBS World Series and stand one game away from being its first champion.

Hartnett, who also had 2 runs batted in and scored four more, led a nine-hit Misfit attack that propelled Missisippi starter Burleigh Grimes to his second win of the Series. Grimes, who won Game 2 with a shutout, held the Jihad to five hits and retired the last fourteen batters in a row. The Jihad were not without its standout plays, as they became the first team this season to turn a triple play in the bottom of the eighth inning.

Sahara, shortly before Game 5, made the first major controversial move in the Series. It was announced late in the afternoon that Larry Benton, and not Waite Hoyt, would get the nod for Jihad to start the crucial contest. It was explained that Hoyt was not ready to start the game and Benton, who struggled this year after being Sahara's first round pick, would get the assignment.

The last Series game in Mississippi was treated to a special premiere before the contest. Fledging filmmaker Walt Disney presented his newest animation short Steamboat Willie on the jumbotron center field scoreboard. The new film received a lukewarm reaction from the fans whose attention was focused on Game 5. After the film, the national anthem was performed by Lillian Gish, star of the film The Wind. Shortly thereafter, comedian Charlie Chaplin entertained the huge throng of Mississippians before comically delivering the first pitch to Misfit reserve catcher Wally Shang.

However, the other Misfits catcher, Hartnett began the scoring in the top bottom of the second. Gabby led off the inning lining a triple into the left fielder corner. After Benton walked to Frankie Frisch, Riggs Stephenson grounded into a 6-4-3 double play to bring Hartnett home with the first run of the ballgame.

Sahara responded in the top of the fourth. Babe Herman, who has had a fairly unpredictable Series smacked a Grimes offering into the right-center stands with two outs to tie the game at 1-1. It was the first run Grimes had allowed in the post-season, and it blast initially seemed to give the Jihad a renewed confidence.

This momentum continued in the top of the fifth. Shortstop Joe Boley hit a sharp grounder right back to Grimes who inexplicably threw the ball over first baseman George Sisler's head. Boley scampered to second, and later to third on a single by Muddy Ruel. Larry Benton followed with a single to help his own cause and give Sahara the lead. With no one out, runners at second and first, and the Misfit's ace on the ropes, it appeared that the Series was about to turn in the Jihad's favor.

Just as quickly however, Grimes and the Misfits were able to turn that momentum. Following Benton's single, Willie Kamm grounded into a double play, and Sam Rice, who is still hitless in the Series grounded out. Larry Benton seemed unfazed by this vanished opportunity to put the game away. Through five innings, he only allowed three hits and looked overpowering as he worked his way through the Misfits lineup.

Unfortunately, just as happened to Herb Pennock in Game 4, Benton and the Jihad would experience a nightmare in the sixth inning. In that inning, nine Mississippi batters came to the plate, had three hits and scored five runs. Adding to the cause was a hit batsman and a throwing error by Benton. When the dust settled on the bottom of the sixth, the Misfits led 5-1, and, again like Game 4, the ballgame was over.

The sixth began with a throwing error by Benton that allowed Freddie Lindstrom to reach base. After Hack Wilson doubled to move Lindstrom to third, Gabby Hartnett singled to drive both runners home. A shaken Benton then hit Frankie Frisch with his next offering, walked Riggs Stephenson on four pitches, and allowed a two-run bases clearing double to shortstop Red Kress. Grimes drove in the final run of the inning with a fielder's choice.

The Mississippi fans were not cheering Grimes for his bat. After the game turning double play in the fifth, Grimes did not allow another baserunner. The fact that Grimes easily mowed down the Jihad hitters for the remainder of the game was not a surprise, however the way that he did was. Following the fifth, Grimes shunned his traditional spitball as his pitch of choice and relied exclusively on his fastball. The strategy worked, as Grimes clearly dominated the late stages of the game.

The last remaining dramatics of Game 5 came in the bottom of the eighth. With Jack Scott now taking on the pitching chores, Mississippi scored one run and had runners on second and third with no one out. Red Kress hit a screaming line drive to center field toward the ever present Herman who was initially out of position. Herman raced and dove for the ball to make the catch. However, the runners Frisch and Stephenson were both at home plate, sensing that Kress' drive was a sure safety. Herman relay the ball into the infield where Joe Boley caught it. Boley threw to Kamm for the second out, and Kamm finished the play by throwing to Brannan for the final out of the inning.

                                         
     SAHARA         AB   R   H RBI       MISSISSIPPI    AB   R   H RBI	
     Kamm, 3b        4   0   1   0       Sisler, 1b      4   0   1   0
     S.Rice, rf      4   0   0   0       Lindstrom, 3b   4   0   0   0
     Hafey, lf       4   0   0   0       Goslin, rf      4   1   1   0
     Bottomley, 1b   4   0   0   0       H.Wilson, cf    4   1   1   0
     Herman, cf      4   1   1   1       Hartnett, c     4   3   4   2
     Brannan, 2b     3   0   0   0       Frisch, 2b      0   1   0   0
     Boley, ss       3   1   0   0       Stephenson, lf  3   1   1   2
     Ruel, c         3   0   2   0       Kress, ss       4   0   1   2
     Benton, p       2   0   1   1       Grimes, p       3   0   0   1
     McGowan, ph     1   0   0   0                                     
     Scott, p        0   0   0   0  
     TOTAL          38   2   5   2       TOTAL          30   7   9   7


  SAHARA       000  110  000 -  2  5  1
  MISSISSIPPI  010  005  01x -  7  9  2

E: Frisch, Grimes, Benton.
DP: Sahara 3, Mississioi 2 LOB: Mississippi 7, Sahara 5. 
2B: Wilson, Hartnett, Stephenson, Kress.
3B: Hartnett.
HR: Herman (1).
SB: Boley (1).
BB: Stephenson, Frisch 3.
SO: Bottomley, Hafey.
HBP: Frisch (by Benton).


     SAHARA                   IP   H   R  ER  BB  SO
     Benton (L 1-1)            7   7   6   3   3   0
     Scott                     1   2   1   1   1   0

     MISSISSIPPI              IP   H   R  ER  BB  SO	
     Grimes (W 2-0)            9   5   2   1   0   2

Umpires: Home, Nallin; 1b, McGowab; 2b, Owen; 3b; McCormick; lf; Klem; rf; Wilson; 
T: 2:47 A: 60,515