Wednesday, January 04, 2006

CHARLIE SLAMS THE STARS!

Oscar Charleston’s two round trippers, the second of which being a game winning, two out, eighth inning grand slam, led the Harrisburg Giants to their second straight come from behind win over the St. Louis Stars. The two game to one series victory all but mathematically eliminates any possibility of the Stars defending the Hoverter-Reed Cup at the end of the year.

Leroy Matlock was on the mound when the Giants tallied the game winner but today’s loss went to Double Duty Radcliffe who – tiring after catching the second game of this series and pitching 7 2/3 innings today – loaded the bases before leaving in the bottom of the eighth. Charleston, who struck 41 homers in ’05-I, greeted the southpaw Matlock with his second homer of the game giving Lucas the win. Cliff Carter worked a scoreless ninth for a rare Giant save. A total of 2,573 fans were in attendance.

The line score:

 

StL       201      021      010      - 7 14 0 LP – T. Radcliffe

HBG    111      002      04x      - 9 10 0 WP – Lucas 1-0; Save - Carter

HR – Charleston 2 (2)

NOTE: In the twenties, when a Negro League team was going to play a big game against a solid group that perhaps featured several major leaguers, the two most sought after ringers to add to a lineup were always Oscar Charleston & John Beckwith. It is no surprise therefore that the Harrisburg Giants, featuring both in 1927, were the highest paid team in Negro League baseball that year.

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