Editor’s note: The Reds Decade Tournament games are being played with Strat-o-Matic cards and dice. Injuries will only be used during the game when they occur. For this tournament, the rules include a three-man pitching rotation that starts over with each best-of-three game series. If a real life starter is not in the rotation, he can be used in relief. Cincinnati squads that did not made the post-season are featured in this event as one team from each decade from the 1910s to the 1980s were selected.
A walk-off single in the 10th inning by Edd Roush had the 1924 Cincinnati Reds celebrating a 3-2 opening round victory over the 1964 Cincinnati Reds in the Reds Decade Tournament.
In his 10th frame on the mound, 1964 starter Jim O’Toole was hoping to set the tone for the inning as he fanned Bubbles Hargrave.
However, O’Toole got in trouble quickly as three straight singles by pinch-hitter Boob Fowler, Hughie Critz and Jake Daubert loaded the bases.
Sammy Ellis was called from the bullpen to face Roush, who promptly smacked the game-winning single.
O’Toole (0-1) surrendered 11 hits with four strikeouts as he suffered the hard-luck loss.
Eppa Rixey (1-0) went the distance for the 1924 squad as he gave up nine hits with four walks and a strikeout.
Leo Cardenas knocked home the first score of the affair on a ground out in the second.
In the fifth, a RBI single by Tommy Harper made it 2-0.
The 1934 team began its comeback in the seventh when Curt Walker hit a sacrifice fly that scored Roush, who led off the inning with a triple.
Roush tied it in the eighth with a run-scoring single to set himself up to be the hero in extra innings.
Carl Mays will start for the 1924 squad in the second contest of the best of three-game series, while the 1964 team counters with Jim Maloney.
First Round Schedule and Results
(Best two out of three)
1911 Reds vs. 1955 Reds (5-4, 1911 Leads 1-0)
1934 Reds vs. 1977 Reds (3-7, 1977 Leads 1-0)
1948 Reds vs. 1986 Reds (5-1, 1948 Leads 1-0)
1924 Reds vs. 1964 Reds (3-2 (10), 1924 Leads 1-0)