The Montgomery Advertiser · Montgomery, Alabama · 1927

Jax Goes Seven Frames Without Hit Off M'Phaul

Montgomery, 1927. A Brewton schoolboy no-hits the Tars for seven frames and loses anyway, Bear Cat Cantwell survives seven bingles, and two Lions collide over a bunt to settle it. The Southeastern League, ladies and gentlemen.

“It looks like the Tars have a monopoly on these ninth inning victories.”

So opens the Advertiser on Jacksonville’s third straight over the Lions, a 4 to 3 verdict, and the star of the piece is the pitcher who lost it. T. D. McPhaul, the Brewton schoolboy, “pitched his heart out against the Tars, and held them without a bingle for seven long innings, only to crumple in the eighth and allow three runs to cross the pan.” The paper spells him McPhaul in the headline, McPhald in one paragraph and McPhauld in another, which is what happens when a boy is too busy pitching to introduce himself properly.

His opposite number gets the line of the day: “‘Bear Cat’ Cantwell didn’t look like such a ‘bear cat’ during the early innings, the Jungaleers reaching him for seven bingles.” The Jungaleers, mind you, being what the paper calls the Montgomery club. Cantwell’s mates “squelched the winning thrusts of the Lions” until the schoolboy cracked, and after the Tars tied it “the locals went hitless for the last three innings.”

The rest is a roll call built for this establishment: “Shorty” Long and “Butch” Simons “took the major laurels with the stick.” Danny Seremba “parked one in left field for a homer with nobody aboard.” Narlesky, the “Tar shortsmith,” was “the big noise afield” and handled a round dozen of chances. Lopez “led the base knocking” with a brace of singles.

The end deserved its own headline. In the final frame Bourg singled and scored the decisive tally when “Goat” Walker and Joe Untz “collided trying to field Cantwell’s bunt along the first base line.” A one-run game, decided by two men arriving at the same bunt at the same time.

And tomorrow, per the closing note: “The Saintly crew from St. Augustine will trek up to the Capital City this afternoon, for a series with the Jungaleers.” On the same page the Advertiser carried a cartoon about pitchers, gamblers and a tipped hat, in case anyone thought the ninth inning was the only place money changed hands.