The Base Ball Life of Patrick O'Farrell

[Carlton]

I officially proclaim this report

as "TigerFan Worthy"

Keep up the great work Big Six, Christian Gentleman, Matty!

[Big Six]

Wow...what an honor! Thanks! I'm glad you're enjoying it.

And very cool nickname references, too! *grin*

[tward13]

So what's up with our favorite Dead ball era star? Things should get interesting the next couple of years.

[Big Six]

(The Red Sox won the pennant in an exciting finish, clinching when they defeated the Browns on Sept. 23, as the Tigers lost to Cleveland.)


Boston Globe, September 26, 1913


O’FARRELL TO REPORT FOR GLOBE
Second Baseman Will Record His Impression of World Series


BOSTON—Throughout the upcoming World Series, Red Sox star Pat O’Farrell will provide readers of the Globe with a most exclusive look at the inside story of each thrilling contest against the National League champion Cincinnati Reds.

The second baseman’s stories will appear in each morning’s edition of the Globe, beginning on the 29th, the day after the Series opens here. The reports will travel back to Boston via telegraph once Jimmy Collins’ men move on to Cincinnati.

O’Farrell’s strong play was one of the most important factors in the Sox’ exciting drive to the American League pennant. Over a forty-eight game span beginning on August 1, Pat notched 83 base hits in 175 times at-bat, for a sizzling average of .474. He also clouted five home runs, scored fifty runs, and knocked home forty-two more.

Pat spent several off-seasons trading his baseball cap for that of an Amherst College scholar, so his dispatches will surely make fine reading.

[Big Six]

Boston Globe, September 29, 1913


BOSTON OPENS SERIES WITH VICTORY
“Smoky Joe” Wood Shines as Sox Win, 6-2

BOSTON—There are few thrills in baseball to equal the beginning of a World Series. I have been fortunate enough to have participated in four of these championship match-ups, and each time, the excitement reaches new heights. And, what better way to begin the Series than with a win, in front of the rooters of Boston.

The “fans” filled Fenway Park, and their support never wavered, from the first pitch to last. I have always felt that the rooters of Boston were the best around, and today they certainly proved it once again.

The game itself turned in the third inning, when Big Ed Konetchy connected with a Roy Hitt delivery for a long homer, good for three runs. Joe Wood was in top form all day long, and his control was very sharp. The Reds are a great hitting club, but Joe held them in check today.

Roy Hitt pitched for the Reds, so the game matched up two men who won more than twenty games during the season. I have never had much success against Hitt, and today was unfortunately not going to change that. The important thing, however, is that several of my teammates hit better!

The Reds scored first. Bob Bescher used his great speed to beat out an infield hit. Joe Burns then shot one down the right field line, and Bescher just beat Chet Chadbourne’s peg to third base. Burns took second on the throw. Eddie Tiemeyer then walked, and with the bases full, clean-up man Mike Mitchell hit a hard grounder right at me. I had no chance to nip Bescher at home, so I quickly flipped the ball to Walt Thomas, who completed the double play with a hard throw over to Konetchy. One more ground ball to me by Rebel Oakes, and the inning was over. Joe did a fine job of pitching out of the jam.

We got the run back for him in our half of the inning. Harry Hooper led off with a hard double into the right field corner, and he went to third when Dick Egan misplayed Roy Jansen’s hard smash. Tris Speaker hit one deep to right, and Harry scored without a throw. I drew a base on balls, the only time Hitt would allow me to visit the basepaths all day. And I did not remain there long, as Konetchy forced me at second. At least, I got the chance to slide and get my uniform dirty!

I came up again in the bottom of the third inning, with runners on second and third and one out. Tris had just belted a long double, and I suppose I became too anxious to drive those runners home and give Joe a lead to work with. Hitt fooled me badly with a change of pace, and I tapped the ball right back to him. I was frustrated with my inability to drive in the run in that situation.

My scowl became a smile, however, as Konetchy hit the very next pitch over the fence in left-center field. I joined my teammates on the field to congratulate him, and Joe said to us, “That’s all you need to do, boys. I’ll take it from here.”

Joe proved true to his word. We decided to do a little more hitting anyway, as Chadbourne drove in two runs with a single in the seventh. With a six-run advantage, Joe allowed the Reds a run in the ninth. Mitchell drove this one in as well, with a ground out that scored Burns from third.

As for myself, Hitt gave me the hoodoo all day. I struck out twice looking and hit an easy ground ball to third in my final three trips to the plate. If anyone cares to know why Roy is regarded as one of the supreme twirlers in the National League, all they need to do is ask this American Leaguer. To-morrow, the Reds will send Jean Dubuc to the hill. Dubuc is a fine young pitcher, but I hope to have better luck with him. We will have Ralph Glaze throwing, and I am confident that he will give us every chance to win the game.

[Big Six]

Boston Globe, September 30, 1913


SERIES EVEN; TEAMS NOW MOVE TO CINCINNATI
Dubuc Pitches Gem; Reds Win 6-0

BOSTON—The Reds needed a strong outing from Jean Dubuc to avoid a long, unpleasant train ride back home, on the wrong end of a two games to nothing standing. Dubuc proved more than equal to that task. He shut us out on six hits, while his teammates got to Ralph Glaze for thirteen of their own. They beat us 6-0, so the Series will move to Cincinnati all tied up.

Ralph felt badly about his performance, but a few of us reminded him that we had not helped him much. Pitchers have told me that it is much easier to work when their teammates have given them a lead, and the Reds did just that for Dubuc today, just as we did for Joe yesterday.

Our biggest threat came in the very first inning. Had Oakes not made a splendid throw to nail Hooper as he tried to advance to third on Speaker’s single, we might have broken the inning up and gone on from there. We loaded the bases back up again but Dubuc bore down and ended the inning without allowing a run.

The Reds scored four times in the third and twice more in the ninth. The top of their order, especially Ed Tiemeyer, have been tearing the cover off the ball the past two days. Tiemeyer got three more hits today, and it seems that every time we look up, Bescher and Burns are on base.

I had another disappointing day at the plate. I walked to keep that first inning of ours alive, but I went from there to fly weakly to center, ground out to third, strike out, and ground out to first. I hoped the good luck I’d enjoyed in the last two months of the season would carry over into the Series, but so far, exactly the opposite has been the case. Hopefully I can snap out of this dry spell in Cincinnati.

The train ride out West tonight will, of course, be more subdued than it would have been had we won today and opened up a 2-0 lead. Some of the boys will play some cards; some will read the papers; many of us will probably sleep. I plan on writing a letter or two and going to my berth in the sleeper early. Fortunately, I am able to sleep on a train fairly well, so I should arrive in Cincinnati early tomorrow morning feeling fine. We won’t play tomorrow, so I’ll have the opportunity to relax some more.

We have played well on the road all season long, as Jimmy Collins, our manager, reminded us in the locker room after the game today. I feel good about our chances of taking a couple of games from the Reds out in Cincinnati and gaining control of the Series. On Wednesday, Chuck Rose, who won 24 ballgames for us this year, will be pitching against Del Mason, who won 23 himself. It would not surprise me if Wednesday’s game is one of those low-scoring affairs in which every play might make the difference between victory and defeat.

[Big Six]

Boston Globe, October 2, 1913


REDS WIN CLOSE ONE; TAKE SERIES LEAD
Rose’s Throwing Error Allows Winning Run to Score

CINCINNATI—Today’s game did turn out to be one of those close ones. Unfortunately, our side came out on the short end. Both pitchers were in fine form, but the Reds did that much better a job of taking advantage of the opportunities they were given to score. They tallied twice in the fifth inning to beat us, 2-1.

Chuck Rose felt awful about the error that let in the winning run, and worse about the baserunners he’d allowed in the first place. Without his strong work all season, however, we would be doing what fourteen other clubs are doing right now: returning to their off-season endeavors. We, on the other hand, are playing once again for the World Championship. And, despite today’s set-back, we are only one game behind.

I hate to lose, but I am somewhat comforted by the fact that my batting stroke came back to me today. I was the first man up in the second inning, and Del Mason left a pitch where I could hit it hard. Del seldom ever gives the hitter a good pitch to hit, so I jumped on it and pulled it down the right field line. I went into second base standing up. The next man up, Bob Peterson, hit one even harder to left, and I scored easily, with Bob pulling into second. Ed Konetchy hit the ball on the nose, too, but Dick Egan, who was back at his normal second base post after filling in for Terry Turner at shortstop, caught Ed’s line drive and doubled Bob off second.

That one run would be the only one we would score. The Reds did us one better by scoring twice in the fifth. Two substitutes, Pete Knisely, who played center field today, and their reserve catcher, Mike Konnick, did the major part of the work. Knisely led off with a singe, and Konnick scored him with a double. Rosey bore down hard and struck out a tough hitter, Bescher. That brought up Del Mason. He hit the ball right back to Rosey, but he bobbled it a little bit. He had to rush his throw, and fired it past first and into right field. Konnick barreled home with what turned out to be the winning run.

I got one more hit, a single to right, in the top of the ninth as we tried to rally and extend the game, but Mason proved why he has been one of the best pitchers in the game for several years now. He has pitched well against us in the Series several times, and we never look forward to facing him.

Tomorrow it will be Wood and Hitt again on the mound, and hopefully Joe will be as sharp as he was in the Series opener. If we can win tomorrow, the Series will be guaranteed to return to Boston; we would like very much for that to happen.

[Carlton]

So whatcha gonna do with Smokey Joe Wood MG?
Will he continue as a P?

And since the Bambino is coming up...what's the plan with him?

[Big Six]

Wood will stay on the mound. Hopefully he won't develop the arm problems that shortened his pitching career; I'd like to see how things might have turned out for him.

I've been wondering what to do with the Babe. Any suggestions?

[Henry]

I just read through this beginning to end again, and it was just as thrilling as the first time. You have to promise us to finsih Pat's career BigSix. To do otherwise would truly be a cardinal sin !! Keep up the great work, and start thinking about a title for this story - like "The Baseball Diaries of Pat O'Farrel".... or something like that

Henry

[Carlton]

Well since you are the BoSox you could do this trick

He comes in as a P, so insert him into the rotation, then change his position to the OF, and have him back up LF or RF 10% of time or start...so when he is not pitching he is playing the field.

To be realistic, Babe's 1st season should be pitching, 2nd season maybe at the end of August do that trick, 3rd year do it for the whole year...4th year plug him as on OF for good or keep him as a pitcher.

But with using this method he will probably gain more ratings, you can do it the other way...change him to OF plug him in the depth chart and lineup and THEN cahnge him into P...that way he will gain in pitching ratings...but when you look at it...what is he more valuable as...then go from there

[Henry]

bump

[Big Six]

Thanks for your kind comments, Henry! I'm really glad you're enjoying it. I am, too.

You don't have to worry about me finishing Pat's career. When I've been too busy to have much time for it, I really find myself missing it, and it draws me back in again. In fact, I'll miss it when it ends. I can already tell you

Sometimes I actually have to remind myself that Pat wasn't a real player! *laugh*

[tward13]

Pat doesn't happen to have a much younger brother does he?

[Big Six]

No, TWard, but he does have a wife and a daughter! The O'Farrells would like to have more children, and both of them, Pat especially, would like to raise a son. (I flip a coin to determine what the babies' genders will be.)

Perhaps by the 1930s, the O'Farrell dynasty will continue...

[Big Six]

That sounds good, Carlton. I was wondering how best to develop a dual-role player like the Babe, and I think you've clued me in very well.

Like the real Red Sox management would do, I'll be looking closely at what kind of player will best help the club. He'll be coming onto a strong team, with a good, young outfield. There's a little bit of age on their pitching staff, so I think the logical thing to do is see how he develops as a pitcher.

If his batting ratings go off the charts, like any manager, I'll be tempted to get his bat into the lineup more often. Then, we'll see what happens.

[Big Six]

Boston Globe, October 3, 1913


WOOD'S GEM TIES SERIES
Young Red Sox Hurler Throws Two-Hit Shutout
Sox Bats Produce Just Enough to Win


CINCINNATI--If you could have seen the look in Joe Wood's eye yesterday morning, you would have known immediately he was as mentally prepared as a man can be to do his very best work. Yesterday, we saw just how masterful Joe can be. He didn't allow the Reds a baserunner for three innings, and only two batsmen managed to hit safely. It's a good thing Joe was so fine, as Roy Hitt was nearly as good. Fortunately, we managed to string some hits together in the sixth inning and push a run across the plate for a 1-0 victory.

I have seen every game Joe has pitched in the big league, and I have never seen him pitch so well. His control was superb, and his fastball had even more pop than usual. Joe passed only two batters, and struck out an even dozen.

I was encouraged by the fact that I had my first real success against Hitt. In the sixth, I batted with two outs and the bases empty. Hitt quickly got two strikes against me, and for a moment it appeared that this at-bat would be yet another in my long story of futility against him. I think he wanted to put the next pitch outside and see if I would fish for it, but he left it too close to the plate. I reached out and slapped it over the third baseman's head, and barely beat Bescher's throw to second. Ed Konetchy then lined a single to center. Since two men were out, I was running with the pitch, and scored easily. It felt good to feel my spikes dent the plate, and to contribute to the attack more meaningfully than I have had the chance to do very often in the Series.

That would be all the scoring on the day. Hitt pitched plenty well enough to win, but this time, Joe Wood was that much better. To-morrow, Ralph Glaze will have a chance to reverse his fortunes from the second game, back in Boston, when the Reds treated him pretty roughly. We expect to face Dubuc again, and with his impressive "stuff" and a big home crowd behind him, he figures to be a tough man to beat again.

[tward13]

Originally posted by Big Six
No, TWard, but he does have a wife and a daughter! The O'Farrells would like to have more children, and both of them, Pat especially, would like to raise a son. (I flip a coin to determine what the babies' genders will be.)

Perhaps by the 1930s, the O'Farrell dynasty will continue...

Of course I know about the wife and daughter, I've been following this thread for a little while now. I was just grasping for straws to keep it going when Pat retires.

Maybe Pat would be interested in managing?

(Can you tell that I enjoy your writing and this story?)

[Big Six]

(I recently noticed how common it was for journalists in the early 20th century to print things about rivals that would never make it into print today...the kinds of things that would go straight up on the clubhouse bulletin board. I thought I'd work this into the tale as well...)


Cincinnati Times, October 3, 1913


...Pat O'Farrell is undoubtedly glad to be playing his base ball in the American League, rather than in the National. While he has acquired quite a reputation as a batsman in the other circuit, he has done very little to uphold that reputation against the Reds.

Base ball men whose judgment I trust have assured me that O'Farrell is the genuine article, but at least at bat, I cannot see that he is the equal of the better men in the National League. He would have a regular job at second base on most of the clubs in our league, but he would have to surrender his clean-up slot in the order, and his annual trip to the All-Star game would become a memory, replaced by a few mid-season days off ...

[Big Six]

Miss Emily O'Farrell

Emily,

Your brother picked up the Cincinnati paper this morning and read the comments about him. I was hoping he would not see it, but by the time I saw him in the lobby, it was obviously too late.

I would not say he was angry. As you well know, he is not the type to lose his temper over something a scribbling scribe puts into the papers in an attempt to get some attention. He did have a set to his jaw, however, that let me know he is determined to show the whole National League that he knows what to do with a bat in his hands. If Dubuc is smart, he won't give Pat a good pitch to hit this afternoon.

I hope to see you before we leave for Boston on the train this evening. I have truly enjoyed the company of you and your family these past few days. And, thank you so much for your kind words about my pitching. Allow me to say that among the compliments I have received, yours have been the most flattering.

I am, sincerely,
Joe Wood