For Pete’s sake

Grover Cleveland – call me “Pete” – Alexander scatters eight hits 109 years ago today as the Phillies beat the Boston Red Sox 3-1 in Game 1 of the 1915 World Series before a Friday afternoon crowd of 19,343 at Philadelphia’s Baker Bowl.

Among the batters Alexander retires in the ninth inning is a 20-year-old pinch-hitter for the Red Sox, some rookie named Babe Ruth.

Ruth does not appear in any of the next four games as Boston wins all four of those to finish off the Phillies, who do not win another World Series game until the first game of the 1980 World Series.

Babe Ruth

In between, Alexander goes on to win a World Series title in 1926 with another team, the St Louis Cardinals.

The rookie from 1915 named Ruth, well, he does even better, winning three World Series titles with the Red Sox and then another four with the New York Yankees.

Ruth may well win another title in 1926 with the Yankees, but that Series against the Cardinals ends with Ruth – the would-be tying run – being thrown out trying to steal second base with two outs in the ninth inning of the deciding Game 7.

The Cardinals pitcher on the mound at the time? That would be Grover Cleveland – call me “Pete” – Alexander.