The 35-year-old Ehmke's first-game appearance was no sentimental move by Mack even though he was considered "over the hill", having won only seven games for the slugging A's, pitched only two complete games and worked a scant 55 innings in the regular season. Mack chose Ehmke over Grove or George Earnshaw because he thought Ehmke's pitching technique would surprise the hard-hitting Cubs, and that his sidearm delivery would make it hard for them to pick up the ball against the white-shirted "bleacher bums" of Wrigley Field. He proved his shrewd manager right, striking out 13 Cubs for a Series record that would stand until . Mack had rested Howard's arm by sending him to scout the Cubs for the last few weeks of the season, with both the A's and Cubs far ahead in their respective standings.