how Boehling feels. I know how I felt after Lavender beat me in Chicago last year after I had won nineteen straight, and I can sympathize with the Washington youngster." Lavender would have continued success against the Giants throughout his career. Lavender's primary pitch was the spitball, and his method of preparation was to lick the ball. In a game on July 19, Lavender was about to load the ball when he smelled a liniment on the ball. He reported this to the home plate umpire, who then ejected the Phillies manager, Red Dooin, from the game. Dooin had been caught doing this to another spitballer, Marty O'Toole, a few days earlier. On September 26, Lavender and the Cubs were ahead 9–0 in the top half of the ninth inning versus Cincinnati, when the Reds scored 10 runs against Lavender and two other pitchers to take the lead 10–9. The Cubs ultimately prevailed and gained the victory by scoring two runs in the bottom half of the ninth. Lavender started just one more game in 1912, a 3–2 victory on October 5 against St. Louis. Following the season, the Cubs played a series of exhibition games with the Chicago White Sox of the American League called the City Series. Lavender started the first game against Ed Walsh, and the game ended after nine innings with a scoreless tie. Lavender gave six hits and Walsh just one. After the two teams played to a 12-inning tie two days later, Lavender pitched the Cubs to victory in game three. Two additional victories gave the Cubs a 3–0 series lead, but the White Sox were able to win four straight games, twice defeating Lavender, including in the series finale. He completed his rookie season with his career-high 16 victories, against 13 losses, and a 3.04 earned run average (ERA) in 251 innings pitched. To begin the 1913 season, Lavender was the team's opening day starting pitcher in a 5–3 loss to St. Louis on April 12. After his successful rookie season, he was largely ineffective in the first half of 1913 season; so much so that manager Johnny Evers was contemplating putting Lavender on waivers if he had not regained his form from the previous season. Lavender showed signs of improvement, surrendering just three hits in a 12–2 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates on June 30, followed by a 5–1 win over the