. ▁ ▁Bruce ▁Pet way ▁took ▁over ▁catch ing ▁duties ▁in ▁ 1 9 0 6 ▁and ▁the ▁talent ▁improved ▁dram atically ▁in ▁ 1 9 0 7 ▁as ▁R ube ▁F oster ▁( HO F ), ▁P ete ▁Hill ▁( HO F ), ▁" Big ▁Bill " ▁Gate wood , ▁" M ike " ▁Moore ▁and ▁four ▁other ▁players ▁came ▁from ▁East ▁Coast ▁teams . ▁The ▁ 1 9 0 7 ▁team ▁compiled ▁a ▁ 1 1 0 – 1 0 ▁record , ▁including ▁ 4 8 ▁straight ▁wins . ▁ ▁The ▁Gi ants ▁went ▁ 6 4 – 2 1 ▁against ▁sem ip ro ▁teams ▁in ▁ 1 9 0 8 ▁and ▁tied ▁a ▁cross - region ▁match - up ▁with ▁the ▁Philadelphia ▁Gi ants ▁at ▁three ▁games ▁ap ie ce . ▁The ▁team ▁was ▁managed ▁by ▁F oster ▁in ▁ 1 9 0 9 ▁and ▁was ▁just ▁ 8 – 1 0 ▁against ▁other ▁top ▁black ▁teams . ▁ ▁The ▁team ▁faced ▁off ▁against ▁the ▁Chicago ▁C ubs ▁in ▁a ▁mid - Oct ober ▁series . ▁Johnny ▁E vers ▁and ▁Frank ▁Ch ance ▁sat ▁out . ▁In ▁game ▁one ▁the ▁C ubs ' ▁Three - F inger ▁Brown ▁beat ▁Walter ▁Ball ▁ 4 – 1 . ▁The ▁L eland ▁Gi ants ▁were ▁leading ▁ 5 – 2 ▁in ▁the ▁bottom ▁of ▁the ▁nin th ▁the ▁next ▁day ▁as ▁F oster ▁faced ▁Ed ▁Re ul bach , ▁but ▁R ube ▁allowed ▁four ▁runs ▁in ▁that ▁frame ▁to ▁fall ▁on ▁a ▁controvers