Player #74P: Edgar C. "Sam" Rice Part 1. Outfielder for the Washington Senators in 1915-1933. 2,987 hits and 34 home runs in 20 MLB seasons. 1924 World Series champion. 1920 AL stolen base leader. He was inducted into the MLB Hall of Fame in 1963. Led the Senators to three AL pennants (1924,1925, and 1933). Best known for controversial "over the fence" catch in the 1925 World Series. He had many excellent seasons, but one of his best was 1930 as he posted a .407 OBP with 121 runs scored in 669 plate appearances. He had 63 stolen bases in 1920. He last played in 1934 with the Cleveland Indians. His early life was marred by tragedy when his wife, two daughters, parents, and two sisters were all killed by a tornado in Indiana.
Carroll takes us to the end of the 1933 season and, sadly, the end of Rice's time with the Nationals: After the Giants were finally set down (after gaining a one-run lead in the top of the eleventh inning of Game 4 in the 1933 World Series, a Series they led two-games-to-one), the bottom of the eleventh began. It was an inning that would haunt (Washington player-manager, Joe) Cronin all offseason and perhaps for the rest of what would turn out to be a brief managerial stay in Washington.
Cornered into a desperate situation, (Fred) Schulte got Washington hopes going, singling to left field to begin the inning. (Joe) Kuhel, who had started the fourth-inning rally with a bunt that Hubbell mishandled, laid one down again. And he was safe again, a bunt single that put two men on base with nobody out.
(Ossie) Bluege, up next, made the first out of the inning on a sacrifice bunt. It was Cronin's first strategic call of the frame. It wouldn't be his last.
The Senators now had runners on second and third with just one out. A base hit would likely win the game and knot the series at two games apiece. But now it was time for Terry to counter Cronin's move, and he intentionally walked (Luke) Sewell to load the bases. He made one more key move -- though he was in trouble in the eleventh, Terry, after consulting with his ace, decided to stick with Hubbell.
Now it was decision time for Cronin. The pitcher's spot was up, and the young manager scanned his dugout for a man who could come up clutch with the season potentially on the line. Dave Harris had already entered the game earlier, taking over for Manush in left field. His choices came down to Rice and catcher Cliff Bolton. . . . (To be finished tomorrow.)
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