[chucksabr]

A Wild and Thrilling Match

Unlike association football, in which a single goal can put away an entire match early in the proceedings, no amount of runs can make a club comfortable with its lead, and we saw that yet again at Old Trafford.

Crewe Alexandra furnished the opposition on the occasion of 21st of August under wet and windy skies and in front of twenty five hundred or so Red Devil partisans otherwise unengaged for the afternoon. United took a three runs to none lead in the third innings, after which the Railwaymen came roaring back with ten runs in the top of the fourth innings, and an extra tally in the top of the seventh. A lead of eight runs with three frames remaining is considered so safe as to be a sure thing, and only the tedious retirement of the remaining United batsmen awaited.

But baseball is not football, and United roared back with their own rally, scoring three in the seventh, one in the eighth and four more in the bottom of the ninth, to draw the match at eleven all and send the game into the rainy tenth, which was delayed by half an hour for a passing rain shower, and in which the clubs traded single runs to perpetuate the game.

Crewe finally took the measure of Manchester United with four in the top of the twelfth innings and a shutting out of the Red Devils in the bottom of the twelfth innings. Thus, United was denied victory resulting from their heroic riposte. It was, nevertheless, a thrilling conclusion to what had been a dull and dreary beating for the first hour and a half.