Seventh inning, Bashers lead the Mashers, 5-3. Game is being played at Masher Park. A steady rain has been falling since the fifth inning.

THE PLAY

In the top of the seventh, Bashers Yaffe and Keenan single with two outs, and Reed cracks a two-bagger, plating two runs for a 7-3 Basher lead. The teams head to the bottom of the seventh. Leading off for the home-team Mashers, Hancock smacks a double, and this is followed by a Mitropoulos infield hit, putting runners on first and third for Masher cleanup hitter, Loewenstein. Already with two extra-base hits in the game that knocked in all three of the Masher runs, Loewenstein gets a 2-2 pitch in his zone and belts it out of the park, cutting the lead to 7-6. As the next batter, Mullaney, steps to the plate, the rain gets heavier. Mullaney singles up the middle. Juneau then cracks a double to left-center, putting the tying run on third and the go-ahead run on second. Still no outs. Before the next hitter gets to the batter’s box for a chance to tie the game for the Mashers or put them in the lead, the rain forces the umpire to suspend play. After a two-hour wait, the game is called, thus ending baseball for the day.

Runners on first and third. One out. Mashers at bat in the bottom of the ninth, trailing the Bashers, 8-7.

THE PLAY

With Casto on third and Cirrone on first, DiGangi, the Mashers leading hitter, skies one to deep right center and the centerfielder catches it on the warning track after a long run. Casto tags up and scores easily. Cirrone, thinking the ball would not be caught, takes off and rounds second on the way to third when the third base coach frantically waves him back. Cirrone puts on the brakes, retouches second base, and darts back to first. The throw from the centerfielder, however, beats him back to first base. The Bashers celebrate Cirrone’s bonehead baserunning, thinking they have put the game into the "W" column to keep their winning streak alive at five with a game-ending double play. But, the Mashers manager, Hurley, charges out of the dugout to argue the run counts, making it an 8-8 game and going into extra innings. The Bashers manager, Forcina, joins the discussion, arguing vehemently that the play at first base was a force play on Cirrone and that the run, therefore, did not count because the force play was the third out of the inning.

Top nine, one out, runners on first and second, Bashers lead Mashers 9-8 in a see-saw battle between the bitter rivals.

THE PLAY

Siderewicz is on in relief of Kilpatrick for the Mashers. Kilpatrick got banged around on this day, not having his good stuff. Siderewicz, the league’s top closer, gets the first hitter, but gives up back-to-back singles to Foster and Bono. MacCausland strides to the plate. With the count 1-1, Siderewicz comes to the set position, checks Foster at second and Bono at first and then, while still in the set position, removes his hand from the ball to swat an insect hovering near his eye. The first base umpire and the home plate umpire immediately holler "Balk" in unison. However, with the pitcher’s sudden movement, Bono moves well off the bag and Siderewicz throws wild to first base in an attempted pick-off, the ball sailing deep into foul territory. Foster motors all way home. Bono dashes for second and is waved on to third. The hustling second baseman for the Bashers gets to the ball quickly and guns a strike to third base, nailing the sliding Bono. Both managers rush onto the field. Bashers skipper, Berg, heads straight to the home plate umpire, contending that it is a dead ball on the balk, and each runner automatically must advance one free base, placing Foster on third, Bono on second. At the same time, Mashers manager, Hurley, storms out to the first base umpire, loudly arguing that it was not a balk in the first place because all his pitcher did was swat a bug, and since it was not a balk, any ensuing play should be nullified, with the runners returning to their original bases. Two arguments going on. Players standing in front of the dugouts, the crowd hollering. Bedlam reigns.

Mashers come to bat in the bottom of the first inning. Just as the leadoff hitter, Glionna, strides to the plate. Basher manager Berg asks for time and goes to the home plate umpire, pointing out that Thomas was listed on the lineup card as the DH, but had taken his spot in RF in the top of the first. Therefore, argues Berg, Thomas must remain the rightfielder, and the Mashers must forfeit use of a DH for the entire game, with the pitcher now forced to bat in the fifth spot occupied by Flaherty. The umpire, Guanci, calls Hurley from the dugout and explains things. Hurley argues that, since Thomas had not come to the plate, he is still the DH. Berg maintains he is correct and that Hurley has misinterpreted the rules.

THE SITUATION

Bashers lead Mashers, 8-3. Top of the seventh inning, Bashers at the plate. Runner on first, one out.

THE PLAY

Masher and Bashers going at it once again at Basher Field. Score stands at 4-4, bottom of the ninth, with the Bashers having a runner on third with one down. Bashers have battled back from an early 4-0 deficit. Spooner is sent up to pinch hit for Rountree. Game had been interrupted twice by rain, but the field was drenched in sunlight now. Mashers skipper Hurley had been tossed in the second inning for arguing a strike call. It was his second early gate in three games vs. the Bashers. Siderewicz was acting manager in Hurley’s absence.

THE PLAY

Bashers lead Mashers 4-3, Mashers just coming to bat in the bottom of inning six. The Mashers fifth inning had ended with Fessenden being thrown out attempting to steal, while O’Quinn was at the plate and Cignetti, who followed O’Quinn in the batting order, was in the on-deck circle. Fessenden had no jump at all and was gunned out by 12 feet. (On the pitch, O’Quinn had foultipped strike two into the catcher’s mitt.) Fifth inning over. Bashers go down 1-2-3 in the top of the sixth. Here we are in bottom six.

THE PLAY

THE SITUATION

Bashers hitting in the top of the 3^rd inning, tied at 1 with the Mashers. No outs. Keenan on first, Cookson at the plate.

THE PLAY

Bashers and Mashers playing the last game of a four-game series at Masher Park. Mashers, looking for a sweep, lead 3-2 in the bottom of the eighth.

THE PLAY

Leading off for the Mashers, the big slugger Renwick hits a shot to the gap in left center. The ball takes a huge bounce and disappears over the fence. The ever-alert second-base umpire, Mortimer, immediately signals a ground-rule double and the ball is dead. Renwick, head down and motoring, flies around first and pulls into second. Standing on second base as a new ball is put into play, Renwick, realizing he missed first base, returns to the bag, touches it, then jogs to second for his ground-rule double. The next hitter, Frick, strides to the plate. The first pitch hits the dirt about two feet in front of the plate. Frick swings, makes contact, and sends a bloop single to right, scoring Renwick.