Wednesday, August 20, 2014

August 20, 1917: The Birds Double Steal a Game In Boston

     On August 20, 1917,  the Cardinals stole a game from Braves in Boston, as a ninth inning double steal was executed that had outfielder Walton Cruise swiping home. The play gave the Birds a 7-6 edge that proved to be an edge that would hold as they came away with the victory.  Cruise hit .270 with 15, home runs, and 126 RBIs over five seasons in St. Louis. The 1917 season proved to be his best year on the diamond, as he belted out a .295 average in 153 games played. He also hit 5 home runs that year, which was good for the seventh most dingers in the National League. The next season he played in just 70 games, and cranked out six home runs, which was good for second most in the league. While the information I could find about him was rather scarce I can tell you he was sold to the Braves in 1919, and he spent the rest of his career with the National League squad that called Beantown home. When it was all said and done he called Boston home for six seasons before hanging up the cleats. I'm sure Cruise had great memories of playing in both cities, and one of those great memories came when the Birds stole one from Braves with a double steal in the ninth.

Another great stolen base effort that Cruise participated came in June of that 1917 season when he was a part of a triple steal in St. Louis: http://onthisdayincardinalnation.blogspot.com/2014/06/june-14-1917-cardinals-pull-off-triple.html

You can view Cruise's career numbers here: http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/c/cruiswa01.shtml?redir

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