Baseball – 1901

Baseball in 1901

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January

January 4The Baltimore AL club incorporates‚ with John McGraw as manager and part owner.
January 18The New York Giants trade Jack Doyle to the Chicago Orphans for Virgil Garvin‚ Sammy Strang (called William in the newspapers) and John Ganzel. Speculation in the papers is that Doyle will be named captain‚
January 22Connie Mack‚ Philadelphia A’s manager-GM‚ signs a 10-year lease on grounds at 29th and Columbia to be called Columbia Park. A contract is set for the construction of single-deck stands to hold 7‚500.
January 28The AL formally organizes: the Baltimore Orioles‚ Philadelphia Athletics‚ and Boston Somersets are admitted to join the Washington Nationals‚ Cleveland Blues‚ Detroit Tigers‚ Milwaukee Brewers‚ and Chicago White Stockings. Three of the original clubs-Indianapolis‚ Minneapolis‚ and Buffalo-are dropped. League power aggregates in Ban Johnson as trustee for all ballpark leases and majority stockholdings‚ and with authority to buy out refractory franchises. Player limit is 14 per team‚ and the schedule will be 140 games. AL contracts give the Players Protective Association what it asked for‚ with 5-year limits on the rights to player services.
January 29Newly named Rules Committee of Connie Mack‚ John McGraw‚ and Charles Comiskey‚ after rejecting a proposal to ban the bunt‚ recommends no changes at this time.

February

February 8News leaks out that Napoleon Lajoie‚ the Phillies star 2B and leading NL hitter‚ has jumped to the new Philadelphia AL club‚ along with pitchers Chick Fraser and Bill Bernhard.
February 9Giants and Pirates outfielder Tom O’Brien‚ 28 dies in Phoenix. A popular player with the Giants‚ O’Brien played for Pirates in 1900‚ then accompanied the Giants and Dodgers last fall on a trip to Cuba for a series of exhibition games. On the boat trip over‚ he was told that if he drank enough seawater he’d be sick‚ but would then be cured of any sea sickness. Both O’Brien and Kid Gleason became violently ill following the prescription‚ but O’Brien was so affected that all his internal organs were damaged‚ and he never recovered.
February 26NL officials meet with Charles “Chief” Zimmer‚ Pittsburgh catcher and the president of the PPA‚ and agree to contract concessions granted by the AL for NL players who will agree not to sign with AL clubs. Zimmer promises suspensions for PPA jumpers to the AL.
February 27The NL Rules Committee decrees that all fouls are to count as strikes‚ except after 2 strikes. To cut the cost of balls fouled and unrecovered‚ the committee urges that “batsmen who foul off good strikes are to be disciplined.” The AL will not adopt this rule for several years. Other new rules: catchers must play within 10 feet of the batter; a ball will be called if the pitcher does not throw to a ready and waiting batter within 20 seconds; players using indecent or improper language will be banished by the umpire. One rule states that a ball will be called when a batter is hit by a pitch but‚ in a mail vote‚ the owners will rescind this in April‚ and an HBP will earn a batter first base.

March

March 2Jimmy Collins‚ Connie Mack‘s choice for the all-time best third baseman‚ leaves the Boston NL club to manage the AL’s new Boston Somersets. The Beaneaters also lose OF Hugh Duffy‚ who will manage Milwaukee (AL)‚ and C Billy Sullivan‚ who signs with the Chicago White Stockings. More than half the AL rosters-a total of 185-will be filled by NL players.
March 5The American League approves a 14-player limit to go into effect 14 days after the start of the season. As noted by Cliff Blau‚ the limit is changed at the last minute‚ the deadline was postponed for two weeks‚ and the limit was increased to 15 by Ban Johnson‚ after 6 teams request the change.
March 11The Cincinnati Enquirer reports that Baltimore manager John McGraw has signed a Cherokee Indian named Tokohoma. It is really black 2B Charlie Grant‚ who McGraw is trying to pass off as an Indian‚ but the ruse does not work.
March 28Phillies owner John Rogers files for an injunction prohibiting Nap Lajoie‚ Bill Bernhard‚ and Chick Fraser from playing for any other team-the most serious legal test of the reserve clause to date.

April

April 3Connie Mack accuses Christy Mathewson of reneging on a Philadelphia contract signed in January. The young pitcher had accepted advance money from Mack‚ but jumped back to the Giants in March. Mack considers going to court‚ but eventually accepts the loss of the pitcher.
April 18At Baker Bowl‚ Brooklyn’s Jimmy Sheckard has 3 triples against the host Phils to lead his team to a 12-7 Opening Day win. The loser is Jack Dunn‚ who will have more success in the 20s as the owner of the Baltimore Orioles. Three other NL openers are rained out.
April 19At the Polo Grounds‚ the Giants open a day late‚ losing 7-0 to Boston. Dummy Taylor is hit hard and takes the loss.

In an exhibition game in Detroit‚ the Tigers beat Grand Rapids‚ 8-0. It is the first game ever between a National Agreement club and an American League team.
April 20The Reds open at home with a 4-2 loss to Pittsburgh. Sam Leever wins over Noodles Hahn.
April 24Three rainouts give Chicago the honor of hosting the new AL’s first opener. Cleveland 2B Erve Beck hits the first HR in AL history‚ off Chicago’s Roy Patterson‚ and adds a double. But the White Sox prevail‚ 7-2.
April 25In its AL debut before 10‚023‚ Detroit scores the greatest Opening Day rally with 10 runs in the bottom of the 9th for a 14-13 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers. Detroit spots the Brewers a 13-3 lead-7-0 after 3 innings-by making 7 errors‚ including three by SS Kid Elberfeld. Tiger 1B Pop Dillon hits 4 doubles‚ tying the ML record‚ including a pair in the record 9th inning‚ the last is the game-winner off reliever Bert Husting. Dillon’s four doubles is an opening day record that will be matched by Jim Greengrass in 1954.
April 26Eight days after the Phillies’ opener before 4‚593‚ the Athletics‚ home opener at Columbus Park draws 16‚000 for a 5-1 loss to the Washington Nationals. Chick Fraser is the winner. Nap Lajoie has a groundout then 3 hits for the Athletics‚ and will go 3-for-3 tomorrow 4 in the 3rd on the way to an AL-record .422 batting average.

After 6 postponements‚ the New York Giants down the Brooklyn Superbas 5-3 for their season’s first win and Mathewson’s first ML victory. Matty allows 4 hits and strikes out 8.

The visiting Boston Americans play their first game‚ losing to Baltimore‚ 10-6. Iron Joe McGinnity strikes out 9 in the win‚ and Mike Donlin cracks two triples off losing pitcher Win Kellum.
April 27The Cleveland Blues (AL) record their first victory‚ beating Chicago‚ 10-4‚ behind the pitching of Bill Hart. The vet Hart will lose his stuff and finish the season as an AL umpire.

Behind Sam Crawford‘s 5 hits‚ including a triple and an HR‚ the Reds beat Chicago‚ 9-2. Jack Taylor surrenders the hits and loses.
April 28Veteran SS Hugh Jennings‚ teammate and roommate of John McGraw in Baltimore’s great days‚ will play for Mack’s Athletics after getting his law degree at Cornell. McGraw persuades him to play for Baltimore instead‚ touching off a battle royal with Connie Mack and Ban Johnson. The result is ill feelings that never heal. Jennings winds up playing for the Phillies.

Cleveland’s rookie pitcher Charles “Bock” Baker gives up an AL record 23 singles in a 13-1 loss to the White Stockings. Bock will pitch only one other game‚ also a loss‚ in the ML‚ and that will be in 2 weeks with the Athletics. Bock’s 23 singles allowed is short of the ML-record of 28‚ set by Jack Wadsworth in 1894.
April 29Admiral George Dewey‚ the Spanish American War hero‚ throws out the first ball. Then he and other prominent guests watch Washington defeat Baltimore 5-2 in the AL opener in the nation’s capital. Joe McGinnity is the loser to Bill Carrick.

At Philadelphia‚ the Athletics beat the Boston Americans‚ 8-5‚ behind Nap Lajoie‘s continued hot hitting. Nap has 2 singles and 2 triples to run his consecutive hit to 10 straight. He was 3-for-3 on the 28th in an 8-5 loss to Washington.
April 30At Baker Bowl‚ the Giants edge the Phils‚ 3-2‚ behind Mathewson’s 3-hitter.

At Philadelphia’s Columbus Park The Boston Americans beat the Athletics‚ 8-6‚ in 10 innings‚ the AL’s first extra-inning game. Nap Lajoie grounds out in his first at bat‚ ending his consecutive hitting streak of 10-for-10. Tris Speaker will top this AL record in 1920 (as noted by Trent McCotter).

Thomas “Dude” Esterbrook‚ a star in the 1880s with the Mets‚ dies in a fall from a moving train. Esterbrook is on his way to a mental hospital in Middlebrook‚ NY when he squeezes through a lavatory window and falls to the rail bed below.

May

May 1An AL first: 2 HRs in one game‚ and both grand slams-by Herm McFarland and Dummy Hoy in the White Sox’ 19-9 win over Detroit. The Tigers’ 12 errors-10 by the infield-set another AL record‚ which the White Stockings will tie on May 6‚ 1903‚ against the Tigers.
May 2Under overcast skies at Chicago‚ the Tigers score 5 runs in the top of the 9th to take a 7-5 lead over the Sox. Clark Griffith then decides to stall‚ hoping that rain will wash out the last inning and the score will revert to the 8-inning total. Umpire Tom Connolly is in no mood for the slowdown tactics and forfeits the game to Detroit‚ the first forfeit in the AL. Detroit will win a forfeit against Baltimore on May 31st.
Against the Philadelphia Athletics and their untested rookie pitcher, Pete Loos‚ the visiting Boston Somersets score a pair in the first inning‚ explode for 9 runs in the 2nd inning‚ then do better in the 3rd by scoring ten runs‚ an ML record scoring spree of 19 runs for consecutive innings. The aptly named Loos walks the first 4 hitters in the 2nd‚ then exits after going 2-0 on the 5th batter. Vet Bill Bernhard relieves with little effect. The final score is 23-12‚ with a record 9 players scoring two or more runs. The A’s have four players scoring twice for 2-team ML-record 13‚ a mark not tied until the same two teams match it in 1950. For Pete Loos‚ it is his only major-league appearance. Parson Lewis is the winner.
May 3In a matchup of future Hall of Famers‚ the Giants beat Boston‚ 2-1‚ as Christy Mathewson wins his 3rd straight‚ beating Kid Nichols‚ on a 3-hitter. Bobby Lowe‚ who has all of Boston’s hits‚ scores the Beaneater’s only run on a passed ball.
May 4Fire destroys the wooden grandstand at League Park in St. Louis and halts St. Louis and Cincinnati with a 4-4 tie in the 10th inning. The 6‚000 fans‚ a third in the 35 cent grand stands beat a leisurely retreat. The city refuses to permit a duplicate park to be reconstructed‚ but wants a steel or fireproof grandstand instead.
May 5At Milwaukee‚ the White Sox jump to a 4-1 lead over the Brewers before the hosts roar back against Bob Patterson‚ scoring 8 runs in the 4th on their way to a 21-7 win. The Sox make just three hits. Patterson‚ meanwhile faces 57 batters‚ 53 official at bats-both 20th C major league records for 9 innings-and is pasted for 25 hits. Patterson‚ the pitcher who won the first AL game two weeks ago‚ will give up 345 hits this season‚ a distant 2nd to Baltimore’s Joe McGinnity.
May 6Christy Mathewson wins his fourth straight game‚ blanking Philadelphia‚ 4-0‚ on 5 hits. It is Matty’s first career shutout.
May 8Amos Rusie‚ onetime Hoosier Thunderbolt‚ makes his first start for the Cincinnati Reds after a two-year layoff and is bombed 14-3 by the Cards. Emmett Heidrick makes 5 singles off Rusie. After 2 more appearances‚ he goes back to digging ditches‚ having won 245 games‚ mostly for the Giants‚ in 9 years.

At New York‚ the Giants edge the Phillies‚ 9-8‚ using a hidden ball trick to end the game. 1B Jake Ganzel applies the tag to Harry Wolverton for the 3rd out in the 9th.

In their long-delayed AL home opener‚ Boston defeats Philadelphia’s Bill Bernhard‚ 12-4‚ behind Cy Young‚ who jumped from the St. Louis NL team and signed in the second week in March. Boston is led by Buck Freeman‚ who has a single‚ triple and homer. Young complains that he does not like the rule against pitchers warming up but he will still lead the AL with his 1.62 ERA. His 33 wins are 41.8 percent of his team’s 79 victories‚ a post-1900 record‚ it will stand until Steve Carlton wins 45.8 percent of the Phils’ 59 wins in 1972. Young also complains about catchers. “I do not like the league rule compelling the catcher to stand behind the bat all the time. It handicaps a pitcher. I cannot extend myself as I would like.”

In a letter to AL team owners‚ Ban Johnson says that the rule requiring clubs to cut their players to 14 will not be enforced until May 20th.
May 9In Cleveland‚ rookie P Earl Moore‚ purchased from Dayton for $1‚000‚ allows two unearned runs but no White Sox hits through 9 innings. Cleveland matches the White Sox with 2 runs of their own in the 3rd inning. In the 10th‚ with rain coming down‚ the Sox use singles by Sam Mertes and Dutch Hartman off Moore‚ “The Steam Engine in Boots”‚ to score 2 runs and win‚ 4-2. The threatening weather keeps the crowd to 400 at League Park. For years this will be considered the AL’s first no-hitter‚ but in 1991 Moore will lose this accolade.

The Pirates beat Chicago‚ 8-1 as Deacon Phillippe tops Jock Menefee. It is the 8th game in 9 days between the 2 teams‚ half in Pittsburgh and the last four in Chicago.
May 11The largest NL crowd of the year so far (8‚500) fills Brooklyn’s Washington Park to view the Boy Wonder from Bucknell‚ Christy Mathewson. Matty doesn’t disappoint‚ topping Brooklyn’s William Kennedy‚ 7-0‚ as Brooklyn manages just 2 hits off the Giants budding star. New York moves into 3rd place with the win.
May 12The Reds Noodles Hahn cooks the Pirates‚ 6-1‚ allowing 9 hits‚ one to each batter.
May 13Bock Baker‚ just acquired from Cleveland‚ goes the first 6 innings for the A’s before concluding his short major league career (2 games) with another loss. Two appearances‚ 2 losses. Eddie Plank makes his first ML appearance and pitches the last 2 innings giving up 3 runs in the 14-5 loss at Baltimore.

In New York‚ Brooklyn and the Giants square off and at the end of 8 innings‚ the Giants lead 7-6. Brooklyn loads the bases with 2 outs in the 9th and Dahlen strokes a hard single resulting in a forceout of Daly at 2B. Brooklyn then takes the field confident that 2 runs scored‚ but umpire O’Day answers the crowd’s questions by saying just “one.” When the Brooklyn players confront him and continue their argument‚ O’Day declares a forfeit‚ 9-0‚ in the Giants’ favor.
May 15Mathewson (6-0) tosses his 3rd straight shutout outpitching Jack Taylor to beat the Colts‚ 4-0. The Giants move into 1st place with the win over Chicago.

Washington beats the Boston Somersets‚ 4-0‚ to record the AL’s first shutout. Watty Lee is the winner on a 3-hitter.
May 17The Philadelphia Common Pleas Court rejects the Phillies’ suit against Lajoie‚ Fraser‚ and Bernhard. The decision is appealed to the State Supreme Court‚ but the trio remains with the Athletics all season. Lajoie will hit .422‚ while Fraser wins 22 and Bernhard 17 for the 4th-place Athletics.
May 21Giants fractious owner Andrew Freedman accuses umpire Billy Nash of incompetence and bars him from the Polo Grounds. Pirate Chief Zimmer and the Giants John Warner are forced to officiate. Mathewson then wins his 7th straight‚ 2-1‚ but his scoreless streak stops at 39 innings when the Bucs score an unearned run in the 9th.
May 22At Cincinnati‚ Reds ace Noodle Hahn strikes out 16 Boston batters en route to a 4-3 Reds win. He strikes out the side in three innings and his 16 K’s will stand as the club record until it is matched by Jim Maloney in 1963.

Boston takes a pair from the St. Louis Nationals by 5-4 scores. In game 2‚ a triple play in the 2nd inning helps though Cupid Childs scores on the play. St. Louis also scores in the 1st inning of game 2 when Jesse Burkett leads off with a homerun. He’ll do the same thing tomorrow to tie a ML mark.
May 23In Chicago‚ the A’s score 2 in the 9th to close to an 11-7 deficit with the White Stockings. Sox manager Clark Griffith relieves with the sacks filled and no outs and pays the supreme compliment to Philadelphia’s Nap Lajoie-he issues him an intentional walk. Griff then gets 3 ground outs and Chicago wins. Not until (possibly) Mel Ott‚ on the last day in 1929‚ and Swish Nicholson in 1944‚ will a batter be passed intentionally with the sacks filled.

At Cleveland’s League Park‚ the Blues score a ML record 9 runs with 2 outs in the 9th inning to defeat the Washington Nationals 14-13. Cleveland is down to one strike‚ on Jack McCarthy‚ but they put the next ten men on base‚ winning the game on an error. Winning pitcher Bill Hoffer‚ who had given up the 13 runs‚ is carried off the field by the delirious crowd. Patton and Watty Lee pitch for Washington. The scoring (as noted by Bill Kirwin) occurs as follows: Hoffer strikes out‚ Pickering grounds out‚ McCarthy singles‚ Bradley singles‚ LaChance with two strikes on him) singles scoring McCarthy‚ Wood is hit by pitch‚ Scheibeck doubles (Patton‚ replaced by Lee)‚ Egan walks‚ Beck (batting for Hoffer) doubles‚ Pickering singles Beck home to tie the game‚ and then moves to 2B on a passed ball. McCarthy‚ who started the whole thing‚ singles him home for the victory.
May 24At the Polo Grounds‚ Christy Mathewson wins his 8th straight‚ beating Cincinnati’s Bill Phillips‚ 1-0. Matty gives up just 3 hits.

Reversing yesterday’s 9th inning rally‚ the Washington Nationals‚ down 5-0 at the end of 8 innings‚ score 5 runs to tie the Blues. When Cleveland fails to score in the 9th‚ the game ends at 5-5.
May 273B Jimmy Burke of Milwaukee makes 4 errors in the 4th inning‚ a ML record tied by Cleveland’s Ray Chapman in 1914 and the Cubs Len Merullo in 1942. The A’s score 7 times in the frame and Eddie Plank coasts home with an 8-3 win.
May 28Behind the shutout pitching of Jack Powell‚ St. Louis hands Christy Mathewson his first loss‚ 1-0. Matty’s lone walk‚ in the 2nd inning‚ results in the games only run.
May 30An NL record crowd of 28‚500 sees St. Louis beat the Giants 6-5 in 10 innings in the afternoon game of a split holiday doubleheader at New York. Christy Mathewson takes the loss in relief‚ after coming on in the 7th with the game knotted at 5 apiece. A passed ball with a runner on 2B and a sacrifice fly is Matty’s undoing. New York wins the A.M. game‚ 6-4 in front of 2‚500 fans.
The Boston Americans play their first doubleheader‚ dropping both to Chicago‚ 8-3 and 5-3.

June

June 1At the Polo Grounds‚ the first-place Giants top Boston Somersets’ Kid Nichols‚ 2-1‚ behind Christy Mathewson‘s 5-hitter. Matty fans 10 Boston batters‚ much to the delight of the overflow crowd. He strikes out Gene DeMontreville in the 6th and when the bat sails out of DeMontreville’s hands on the 3rd strike‚ Matty tosses it to 1B to complete the play.

In the Reds 4-3 win at Pittsburgh‚ umpire Cunningham calls out Kitty Bransfield at 1B on disputed call in the 9th that would’ve tied the game. 2‚000 fans then chase the ump who is shielded and escorted to safety by manager Fred Clarke and Hans Wagner.
June 2Milwaukee P Bill Reidy surrenders 10 consecutive hits to the Boston Somersets with two outs in the 9th inning to set a ML record. Nine runs score‚ an ML-record-tying number set a week ago‚ as Milwaukee loses 13-2. Boston pitcher Charlie Beville‚ who took over at 1B in the 5th after Jimmy Collins and Buck Freeman had been tossed by umpire Haskell for arguing and kicking dirt‚ contributes two doubles-the only hits of his career in the big inning.
June 4In a 7-3 victory over the host Reds‚ Brooklyn’s Jimmy Sheckard is called out at 2B by umpire Cunningham-who is definitely having a bad week-and curses him so vehemently that he is slapped with a $5 fine by the ump. Cunningham returns to home plate and Sheckard follows‚ spitting in his face. Cunningham calls the cops and Sheckard is removed by the police. Cunningham later says‚ “I don’t know what kept me from pitching into Sheckard but if a player ever does that to me again I’ll pick up a bat and smash him. That’s the limit and the players can take a warning.” Brooklyn’s win is helped by the pitching of the Reds Barney McFadden who gives up 11 hits and 11 bases on balls.
June 8At Cincinnati‚ the 2nd place Reds beat up on New York’s Christy Mathewson‚ clubbing him for 9 hits and 6 runs to win‚ 6-4.
June 9Overflow crowds ringing the outfields of small parks is a frequent occurrence. At Cincinnati on this Sunday afternoon‚ the first-place Giants lead 15-4 after 6 innings before 17‚000 fans. Ground-rule doubles multiply‚ and 19 more runs score in the next 2 1?2 innings. When the crowd edges onto the infield with two outs in the 9th and the Giants leading 25-13‚ umpire Bob Emslie forfeits the game to New York‚ the 2nd of 2 forfeits this year. The Reds make 18 hits. The Giants register a 20th C. record 31 hits‚ led by the outfield: Kip Selbach is 6-for-7‚ and “Piano Legs” Hickman and George Van Haltren have 5 hits apiece for a NL record 16. Hickman and Van Haltren score 5 runs apiece. The Giants also set a ML record for most runs without a HR‚ a mark that will be tied by Cleveland in 1930. The two teams combine for a NL record 36 singles‚ 22 by New York. Only one Giant will return to the team in 1902: 5 will go to the AL‚ and 3 will retire.
June 10The Brooklyn-Colts game draws only 450 fans in Chicago as the visitor win‚ 9-1.

In Cincinnati‚ Boston’s Vic Willis is victorious over the Reds‚ 9-5. Willis hits his only career homer‚ off Doc Newton‚ to help his win. His batterymate Kittredge also homers. Noteworthy at the game is AL prexy Ban Johnson‚ who is the guest of Reds owner John Brush.

At Washington‚ the Washington Nationals overcome an 8-run deficit in the 8th to tie the game at 10-10 with the White Sox. Clark Griffith pops out as a pinch hitter in the 9th but stays on to pitch for the Sox. In the top of the 10th‚ Hoy‚ who earlier homered‚ singles to start the inning. Two outs later Frank Isbell walks and Fred Hartman homers to end the scoring‚ 13-10.
June 11In Pittsburgh‚ the Pirates score 4 runs in 4 innings off Christy Mathewson to beat New York‚ 4-0. The game is called because of rain after the Giants bat in the 5th.
June 15After two losses to the Giants‚ Chicago gets back on track‚ 9-2‚ behind the 10 strikeout twirling of Rube Waddell. The Colts trample Christy Mathewson for 9 runs and 13 hits and hand the phenom his 4th loss in a row.

At Boston‚ Gettysburg College grad George Winter wins for the Somersets‚ 12-4 over the Tigers. The rookie will win his next 6 in a row.
June 17The Boston Somersets sweep a Bunker Hill day twinbill‚ 11-1 and 10-4‚ part of 5-game sweep over the White Sox. Chicago relinquishes 1st place to Boston. Buck Freeman has a homer and triple in the two games to back Mitchell and Cy Young.
June 18Trailing its AL rival the Somersets in attendance‚ the Boston NL club reduces its admission price from 50 cents to the AL’s 25 cents. The Somersets will outdraw the Beaneaters by 200‚000 this season.
June 20Pittsburgh’s Honus Wagner has 3 stolen bases and steals home twice as Jack Chesbro blanks the Giants‚ 7-0.
June 24After Cincy loses 8-0 in the opener of a twinbill‚ the Reds Bill Phillips sets several records in game two as he gives up 19 runs and 22 hits at Philadelphia‚ losing‚ 19-1. In 8 innings he faces a record 55 batters‚ with 49 official at bats-both NL records for the 20th century. Phils pitcher Doc White has 4 hits‚ including an inside-the-park homer.

The Chicago Nationals lose 2-1 to Brooklyn when Bill Dahlen hits a sac fly to bring home Brooklyn’s Wee Willie Keeler. Brooklyn C Deacon Maguire throws out 5 Chicago runners.

The Giants edge St. Louis‚ 3-2‚ when Sammy Strang singles home Piano Legs Hickman in the bottom of the 9th. Christy Mathewson allows 6 hits in beating Willie Sudhoff‚ though the Cards’ pitcher hits a two-run homer‚ his only major league round tripper.

Turkey Mike Donlin is 6-for-6 with 2 singles‚ 2 doubles and 2 triples‚ and scores 5 runs as Baltimore trounces Detroit‚ 17-8. The other 2 outfielders total 6 hits to set an AL record of 12 two weeks after the NL mark for hits by an outfield is set. Roscoe Miller toils the whole game for Detroit.

At Philadelphia‚ the A’s and White Sox battle for 14 innings before Chicago pushes across 3 runs to finally win‚ 7-5. Callahan and Fraser are the starters and finishers for the two teams. Socks Seybold has a triple and HR for the A’s.
June 26Boston arrives in Philadelphia for an expected game against the A’s‚ unaware that the schedule had been changed and they are supposed to be in Baltimore. The Orioles squad and 4500 fans wait for an hour and a half in 90-degree heat for Boston to arrive. The AL umpire assigned to the game showed up in Philley as well. The Athletics read the revised schedule and play in Washington‚ losing 5-4.

New York’s Mark Baldwin surrenders only 3 hits‚ but is out dueled by Ed Stein‚ who pitches his 2nd one-hitter of the season to lead Brooklyn to a 3-0 victory.

At Brooklyn‚ the Pirates lose 16-3. Tommy Daly has 5 hits including 4 long hits for Brooklyn-3 doubles and a triple. He adds a stolen base‚ one of 7 in the game. In September he’ll have another 5 hit game.

July

July 1Colts 1B Jack Doyle‚ harassed by a Polo Grounds fan‚ jumps into the stands and hits him once with his left‚ reinjuring his hand‚ which he had broken several weeks before. The Giants’ “Dummy” Taylor trims Chicago’s Jack Taylor‚ 6-4.

The Phillies hand the Pirates a 1-0 loss‚ for Pittsburgh’s only shutout of the year in 139 games. This is a 20th century NL record that will hold up; the 1894 Boston and Philadelphia teams went through the 132-game season without being shut out.

With Boston leading 5-2 over the Orioles in the 6th inning‚ the O’s score 2 runs off starter George Cuppy‚ and he leaves with 2 runners on base. Reliever Ted Lewis allows the runs to score‚ and Baltimore goes on to win 7-5. Lewis is charged with the loss under the existing rules.
July 2The Colts (aka the Remnants-the Chicago Tribune) lose to New York‚ 6-3‚ to run their current road trip record to 2-13. Both wins occurred in a DH against Brooklyn.
July 4In Pittsburgh‚ the Giants split a doubleheader‚ winning the a.m. game 5-3‚ then lose to the Bucs 12-0 in the afternoon game. Christy Mathewson is the winner in the morning‚ scattering 11 hits‚ striking out 10 and walking 6.
July 5Cy Young notches his 300th win in the Boston Americans 5-3 win over the Philadelphia Athletics. Cy gets relief help from Bernhard in topping McPherson.
July 6NL president Nick Young accedes to a protest regarding umpire Harry Colgan and allows the Giants and Pirates to officiate their own game in Pittsburgh. New York’s Charlie Buelow and Pirate Jack O’Connor call the game‚ won by the Bucs‚ 6-2.
July 8An 8th-inning decision favoring the Brooklyn Superbas infuriates St. Louis fans. When the 7-5 Brooklyn win ends‚ they rush umpire Hank O’Day‚ who suffers a split lip before St. Louis players and police can rescue him.

At Chicago‚ the Colts and Phils both score in the 9th and Chicago plates a run in the 10th to win‚ 2-1. After the game‚ Chicago releases veteran Cupid Childs‚ who went hitless today.

Player-manager George Davis leads the Giants to a 9-3 win over Cincinnati with four hits‚ including 2 inside-the-park homers‚ and four runs RBIs. Mathewson beats Dick Scott for the 2nd time this year‚ though Matty’s control is off. He walks 4 batters and hits two‚ including Cincy 1B Jake Beckley‚ who is hit in the head with a Matty pitch and knocked out for 5 minutes.
July 10The Boston Nationals rap out 15 hits in 12 innings against Pittsburgh‚ but fail to score. The Pirates finally push over a run to win 1-0. Boston sets a ML record for most hits‚ no runs‚ in an extra inning game; They’ll tie the record against the same Pirates in 1918.

Harry Davis hits for the cycle to lead the A’s to a 13-6 victory over Boston.

At a secret meeting‚ the NL Board of directors votes to abrogate the National Agreement that has governed organized baseball‚ effective September 30.
July 12The host Cardinals edge the Giants‚ 3-2‚ in 11 innings‚ beating Mathewson on an error.

Boston Somersets’ Cy Young scatters 7 hits in beating the Athletics‚ 5-3‚ for his 300th victory.
July 13At Detroit‚ Bill “Doc” Nance has 6 hits-5 singles and a double-off 4 Cleveland pitchers to pace Detroit to a 19-12 win. Giving up the hits are Gus Weyhing (soon on his way to the Reds)‚ Pete Dowling‚ manager Jimmy McAleer‚ in his only pitching appearance (0.1 IP‚ 2H‚ 3BB)‚ and 3B Bill Bradley‚ in his only pitching appearance (1IP‚ 4H).
July 14The White Sox top Milwaukee 4-0‚ and are prevented from further scoring by a bases loaded triple play when umpire Joe Cantillon rules that Dummy Hoy left 3B before a catch. 1B Jiggs Donahue‚ catches a line drive to retire the Sox‚ Frank Isbell‚ then steps on first to double up runner Sam Mertes. Jiggs throw to second baseman Billy Gilbert‚ in an effort to nail Fielder Jones‚ but Jones was on the base. Meanwhile, Hoy crosses the plate. Gilbert throws to the 3B Bill Friel‚ who touches the bag‚ and Cantillon’s rules that Hoy is out for leaving third base early on the line drive.
July 15Christy Mathewson‚ 22-years-old‚ of the Giants pitches a no-hitter‚ blanking St. Louis 5-0 at League Park. Matty saves his own no-hitter in the 6th when an Otto Krueger hit caroms off 1B Chick Ganzel’s glove to Mathewson‚ who throws back to 1B for a 3-1-3 putout.
July 16In Cleveland‚ Boston’s Cy Young notches his 12th straight win‚ staggering to a 10-8 victory over the Blues. Buck Freeman has 3 hits including a triple off losing pitcher Moore.
July 18In Boston’s 6-5 loss at Cleveland‚ 1B Buck Freeman injures his foot chasing a foul ball. Lou Criger replaces Freeman‚ leading the AL with 7 HRs. Buck will be back in the lineup on July 27.
July 19In Chicago‚ Jack Taylor allows 10 hits to the Giants‚ but is unscored on until the 9th. The Colts paste Mathewson for 12 hits to win‚ 5-2. Chicago has now won three in a row over the visiting New Yorkers‚ and will take the next two games in the series as well.
July 22At St. Louis‚ the Colts blow a 5-0 lead and the Cardinals win‚ 6-5‚ scoring a run in the 8th against reliever Rube Waddell. Pete Childs‚ recently acquired from St. Louis to take over 2B from veteran Cupid Childs‚ scores the last Chicago tally after hitting a triple in the 5th.

The A’s are victorious in Chicago over the first-place White Sox‚ winning 2-1 in 12 innings. Eddie Plank wins over Roy Patterson‚ the St. Croix wonder‚ as all 3 runs are the result of errors.
July 23Brooklyn batters a wild Christy Mathewson for 6 hits in two innings‚ knocking him out of the game in the 3rd‚ the first time this season Matty has not finished a start. The Giants lose‚ 8-3.

Jack Chesbro stops the visiting Reds‚ 9-2‚ and Fred Clarke backs him up by hitting for the cycle.
July 24In a baseball rarity‚ the Pittsburgh Pirates score in every inning‚ a ML record of course‚ defeating the Reds 11-2. Deacon Phillipe is the winner over Tannehill.

Milwaukee’s Pink Hawley beats Boston‚ 4-3‚ and beans C Lou Criger with a pitch. Criger is unconscious for 5 minutes before being taken away. Ossee Schreckengost moves from 1B to C and Dowd moves to 1B.
July 25Brooklyn righty Frank Kitson outpitches Christy Mathewson‚ allowing just one Giant hit in beating New York‚ 5-0. Four of the Brooklyn runs are unearned. Algie McBride has the only safety‚ a single‚ for NY.
July 29At the Polo Grounds‚ Boston’s Kid Nichols and Christy Mathewson square off for a ten-inning shootout‚ with Boston prevailing‚ 5-4. Matty gives up 11 hits in bringing his record to 15-11.
July 30Ban Johnson says the AL will place a team in St. Louis in 1902. The Milwaukee franchise is seen as the most likely to be transferred. New York will likely have a franchise while Cleveland and Baltimore will likely lose theirs.

Paced by Nap Lajoie‚ who hits for the cycle‚ the Athletics roll by Cleveland‚ 11-5. Its the 2nd A’s cycle this month.
July 31In Cincinnati‚ the Reds take 14 innings to subdue the Chicago Colts‚ 5-4. Reds pitcher Noodle Hahn strikes out 11 in the win‚ while Chicago pitcher Tom Hughes records 15 strikeouts.

August

August 1Kid Nichols‚ in relief‚ and Christy Mathewson face each other for the 2nd time in 3 days‚ with Matty winning this outing. Nichols relieves in the 7th with the score‚ 5-5‚ but New York scores 4 runs to take a 9-5 lead. Boston retaliates with 3 runs to put Matty on the ropes‚ but he escapes with a 9-8 win.
August 2The Boston Americans coast to a 16-0 win over the A’s behind the pitching of Cy Young. It is Cy’s 20th win of the year versus 5 losses.
August 3Cleveland pitcher Ed Scott goes all the way against Milwaukee and hits a solo HR in the top of the 10th to win 8-7. It is the last game of Scott’s career. Bill Reidy serves up the homer in the loss.
August 4Before the Pirates 6-3 win at Cincinnati‚ Reds and Pirates players are clocked while running from home plate to 1B. The fastest time for the 90-foot sprint is 3 seconds flat‚ by Pirates OF Ginger Beaumont.
August 5In the first of two in Philley‚ Giant OF Ike Van Zandt makes an 11th inning error and Philadelphia goes on to score 3 runs and win‚ 6-3. Van Zandt came on in the 9th after starting LF Kip Selbach is tossed for protesting strike calls. Christy Mathewson takes the loss for New York.

At Cincinnati‚ Topsy Hartsel strokes two inside-the-park homers‚ but they are not enough as Chicago loses to the Reds‚ 10-7. Whitey Guese takes the decision over Jock Menefee.

In Baltimore’s 9-0 win in game 2 against Boston‚ Oriole 1B Burt Hart is called out at 3B on his long hit‚ and punches umpire John Haskell. George Winter takes the loss‚ which follows a 3-1 Boston victory.
August 7Ban Johnson suspends Baltimore 1B Burt Hart for striking umpire John Haskell yesterday‚ stating “This is the first time a player in the American League has struck an umpire‚ and it is an offense that cannot be overlooked.” The 31-year-old Hart will never play again.

The hits keep coming. In Cleveland‚ Milwaukee manager Hugh Duffy hits umpire Al Mannassau when a ?y ball nicking the foul line is called fair‚ scoring the winning runs in a 5-4 win for the Blues. Duffy is suspended indefinitely.

In Boston’s 10-5 win in game 1 at Baltimore‚ the Bostons pull off a triple play. Pitcher Lewis starts the TP‚ which goes to Jimmy Collins (3B)‚ Schreckengost (C)‚ Ferriss (2B)‚and Parent (SS). The Orioles take game 2‚ 10-4.
August 8At the Polo Grounds‚ the Giants and Brooklyn split two‚ Brooklyn winning the opener‚ 3-0‚ before losing the nitecap to Christy Mathewson‚ 4-1. Brooklyn threatens in the 6th‚ putting two on with no outs‚ but Matty K’s Cozy Dolan‚ allows a single‚ then strikes out Tom Daly and Bill Dahlen to end the threat.
August 9In a split at Boston‚ Baltimore 3B Jack Dunn is knocked out in game 1 by a foul ball off his own bat. He will be out of action for a week.
August 10In the 2nd game of a DH‚ Washington National’s P Dale Gear gives up an AL record 41 total bases in losing 13-0 to the Athletics. The 23 hits include 4 doubles‚ 4 triples‚ and 2 HRs. Gear also establishes an AL Mark by allowing 10 extra base hits; Luis Tiant will tie the record in 1969. Philadelphia A’s pitcher Snake Wiltse‚ brother of Hooks‚ has 2 doubles and 2 triples‚ an AL record‚ and “could’ve had another base if he had run hard.” (Washington Post) He is just one of 3 hurlers in history to collect 4 extra-base hits in a game‚ and his 10 total bases is a ML record for a pitcher. For Snake‚ acquired last month from the Pirates‚ it is the 2nd shutout over Washington in a week. Snake’s batterymate‚ Doc Powers‚ also has 4 hits including a triple and homer. In the opener‚ a 9-4 Washington win‚ Nats’ pitcher Win Mercer becomes the first AL hurler to steal home. Hall of Fame second baseman Napoleon Lajoie has a pair of homers for the A’s in game 1‚ his second game in a row with 2 homers‚ but then gets tossed in the 7th for arguing a call. He hit 2 homers in yesterday’s game 2 victory. Lajoie will lead the AL in homers with 14‚ drive in 125 runs‚ and hit .422 to win the Triple Crown.

Before a crowd of 5‚000 in Cleveland‚ the AL-leading White Sox cannot overcome a 7-0 lead and fall‚ 11-7. Frank Isbell sets an AL record for LOB by leaving 11 on base for the Sox.
August 13Kid Nichols and Christy Mathewson face each other again and both throw shut out ball for 9 innings. Boston finally scores three in the 10th to win‚ 3-0. Matty’s record in the past month is 3-7. Nichols and Mathewson will go at each other tomorrow‚ in the 2nd game of two‚ with the match ending in an 11-inning 5-5 tie.
August 19Kid Nichols and Christy Mathewson square off for the 3rd time in 7 days‚ with Nichols winning easily‚ 11-6. New York makes 4 errors‚ but a tired Matty is pasted for 13 hits while striking out just one.

At St. Louis‚ the Pirates knock out the NL’s leading pitcher Jack Harper (21-8) in the 3rd en route to a 9-5 win. Harper‚ 21-7 at the start of the day‚ will end up at 23-13.
August 20Umpire Bob Emslie becomes ill before the 2nd game of the Superbas-Phils twin bill and Phils P Al Orth and Superbas C Jim McGuire fill in for him. However‚ it is a close game‚ and Orth is needed as a PH in the 9th. Doc White then becomes the 2nd umpire as Orth hits a single and scores a run. Brooklyn holds on for a 3-2 win.

At Boston‚ Cy Young pitches a 6-0 shut out over visiting Milwaukee. Boston (59-40) is a game behind the White Sox (60-39)‚ but will lose 12 out of their next 17 to drop out of contention.
August 21At Washington‚ umpire John Haskell is involved in another violent incident during the Washington-Sox game when Sox SS Frank Shugart punches Haskell after a disputed ball four call‚ followed by a Nationals bases-loaded triple. Teammate John Katoll tries to add his two cents‚ and a fan jumps in punching Shugart. The police intervene and both players are arrested. Shugart will be expelled. Washington’s Win Mercer lives up to his name with an 8-0 win over Chicago. The incident starts in the 4th inning with the score 1-0 when Haskell calls a ball four to load the bases. Clingman then triples and the battery of Sugden and Katoll start berating the ump for the ball 4 call. Sugden then lets a pitch go by him that strikes the umpire‚ and Haskell waves in Clingman from third. Katoll then fires a pitch at Haskell that strikes him on the leg. At the start of the next inning Shugart follows Sugden at the plate and the two start in on Haskell before Shugart swings.

In Baltimore‚ Orioles pitcher Joe McGinnity is tossed for spitting in the face of umpire Tom Connally. When Detroit’s Kid Elberfeld intervenes‚ he is decked by Baltimore’s Mike Donlin. Bill Keister also gets involved‚ as do some fans‚ and the police‚ who arrest the players and a fan. Judge Harry Goldman‚ a part-owner of the O’s‚ releases the players and fines the fan a $100. McGinnity is suspended for 10 days for the spitting‚ which he says was not spitting but throwing his tobacco quid at him. Ban Johnson will reduce the suspension after meeting with McGinnity and John McGraw.
August 24Irate Boston fans jump on umpire Joe Cantillon after a call goes against the Somersets. Chick Stahl and Parson Lewis rescue the umpire. Cleveland prevails over Boston‚ 4-2.
August 26New York’s Christy Mathewson allows just 3 hits in beating the Phils‚ 3-1.
August 27At Boston‚ Cy Young goes 15 innings to defeat Detroit‚ 2-1‚ for his 25th win of the year.

September

September 2Detroit sweeps a Labor Day doubleheader from Washington‚ picking up an AL record 21 infield assists in game 2. This is still the AL record. SS Kid Elberfeld has 12 assists to back up Roscoe Miller.
September 3Baltimore P Joe McGinnity hurls two complete games against Milwaukee‚ winning 10-0 and losing 6-1. The Brewers manage 15 hits on the afternoon off McGinnity‚ who will set a 20th-century record for most hits allowed during a season (401).

The Colts drub the Giants‚ 10-4‚ putting New York in last place. New York will next play Pittsburgh‚ hosting the Pirates in three straight doubleheader. Pittsburgh will win all 6‚ scoring not less than 10 runs in each game. Not until the year 2000‚ when the Mariners lose 7 straight from August 13-20‚ all by 9 or more runs‚ will a team allow 9+ runs in 7 straight games.

Cleveland rookie Bill Cristall debuts with a 4-0 gem over Boston‚ a first in the fledgling AL. Cristall allows 5 hits in the game 2 win. Teammate Earl Moore shuts out faltering Boston on 2 hits in the opener to win‚ 1-0‚ over Ted Lewis.
September 4Pitching for Dayton (Western Assoc) Clarence Wright hurls his second consecutive no-hitter‚ beating Grand Rapids‚ 2-0. On September 1‚ Wright beat Columbus‚ 9-0‚ allowing no hits.
September 5In the first of two in Detroit‚ Tiger ace Roscoe Miller puts on a disgraceful exhibition against the A’s. lobbying in the ball‚ grinning as the A’s batters hit it‚ and throwing a bunt into the stands to allow 3 runs to score. Miller settles down in the last 3 innings‚ allowing only a single‚ but the Tigers lose 11-9. His performance is explained by writers in that he is in one of his sulks. The A’s light up rookie Yip Owen in game 2 to win‚ 9-3.

In Chicago‚ the heads of seven minor leagues meet to set guidelines. Attending are Pat Powers (Eastern League)‚ Tom Hickey (Western League)‚ John Farrell (NY State League)‚ Michael Saxton (Three-I League) William Myer‚ Jr. (Western Assoc)‚ W. H. Lucas (Pacific NW League)‚ and T.H. Murnane (New England League). Proxies of compliance are sent by 4 other leagues as well. The meeting sets roster sizes‚ fines‚ and a reserve clause. Importantly‚ it also establishes the league classifications of A‚ B‚ C and D.

The first-place Pirates have an easy time in New York, beating the Giants, 15-1 and 15-7. Larry Hesterfer makes his only ML appearance in game 2, going the distance and allowing all 15 runs. Only 5 are earned.

In Brooklyn, the Reds lose 3-2 in 10 innings when George Magoon and Bill Fox make errors in the fading light. A peculiar play occurs in the 8th when a wild pitch bounds in the stands and back out again enabling Dodger catcher Duke Farrell to nab Harry Steinfeldt at the plate.

In the bottom of the 9th in Boston, Gene DeMontreville hits a two-out, three-run homer to give the Nationals a 6-5 win over the Cards. Boston comes back from a five-run deficit after 7 innings. St. Louis is led by Jesse Burkett who has a single, triple and homerun. The St. Louis Post Dispatch noted that after Burkett hit his second-inning homer, he stood at home plate and watched it clear the left field fence before trotting around the bases behind Bill Magee.
September 6In Detroit‚ with the Tigers leading the A’s 8-0 in the 6th‚ word comes that President McKinley has been mortally wounded by an assassin and‚ at the request of the two managers‚ the game is called. Yeager is the winner.

The National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues is formed to help the minor leagues protect their interests.
September 7The first-place White Sox dispose of slumping Boston by beating them 4-1 in a Saturday game at South Side Park. Nixey Callahan‚ enjoying his switch from the North side to the South side‚ is the victor over Ted Lewis.

Thankful to be back in New York after losing 3 straight doubleheaders in Pittsburgh‚ the Giants play a solo 5-2 win over the Cardinals. Dummy Taylor is the winner.
September 8The Players Protective Association instructs members to sign one-year contracts only‚ and not recognize the reserve clause.

In a rare Sunday game (Sunday games are not outlawed in Chicago) before an estimated 20‚000 fans‚ the largest AL crowd of the year‚ White Sox OF Dummy Hoy laces a 2-run single in the bottom of the 9th off Boston’s Cy Young to give Chicago a 4-3 win.
September 9The White Sox sweep a doubleheader and the 4-game series-with Boston by topping the Somersets‚ 4-3 and 6-4. Boston’s Buck Freeman belts his 12th homer of the year. Chicago (75-46) now has a seven-game lead over Boston (67-52).
September 12Baltimore’s Joe McGinnity hurls 2 more complete games‚ winning over Philadelphia 4-3 and losing 5-4. The A’s reach McGinnity for 10 hits in the nitecap.
September 13The Baltimore Orioles edge the A’s‚ 12-10. In the 9th‚ the A’s have the tying runs on base with 2 out when Connie Mack sends up pinch hitter Doc Powers to bat for Nap Lajoie‚ who was sulking and refused to hit. Powers flies out to end the game.
September 14Boston’s Cy Young records his 30th win of the year‚ beating the visiting Washington Nationals‚ 12-1.

W. A. Phelon‚ Jr.‚ writing in today’s issue of Sporting Life reports: “Noiseless umpiring is to be attempted at the South Side park Monday [the 16th] afternoon. Impossible as this may seem at first hearing‚ it is to be attempted‚ and there are even bets that it will be a go. George W. Hancock‚ famed in Chicago as the man who invented indoor base ball‚ will be responsible for the success or failure of the scheme. The umpire is to wear a red sleeve on the right arm and a white one on the left. For a strike he will raise the right arm‚ for a ball the left; for an out he will hoist the right arm‚ for a ball [sic] the other. People at the far end of the park‚ unable to hear even that human buffalo‚ Sheridan‚ can see the colors‚ and there seems a good chance for the trick to make a hit.” There is no report that this was put into effect.
September 15In the 2nd of 2 games with Milwaukee‚ the White Stockings hit a ML record 5 triples in the 8th inning against Milwaukee. Their total of 6 (Hoy‚ McFarland‚ Shugart‚ Sullivan‚ Mertes‚ Hartman) in the game is an AL record not duplicated until September 17‚ 1920. Chicago wins 9-4 after taking the opener‚ 5-4‚ and hitting 4 triples. Chicago with 9 and Milwaukee with 1 will go into the record books for most triples by two teams in a doubleheader (10). In 2004-05 researchers will confirm that the record is 12‚ set in a July 4‚ 1907 doubleheader by the Browns and Detroit.

It could’ve been worse. The Detroit Tigers rolls over Cleveland behind Ed Siever with the most lopsided score in AL history: 21-0 (equaled on August 13‚ 1939). Cleveland pounds out 24 hits off rookie Jack Bracken as Pop Dillon leads the way with 4 hits. The game is mercifully called after 7 1?2 innings to allow Cleveland to catch a train. Bracken’s ERA is not helped by this outing and he will end this season‚ his only one in the majors‚ with a 6.21 mark‚ the highest in the Deadball Era.
September 19All games are canceled out of respect for the funeral of President William McKinley‚ who died on September 14th from gunshot wounds.
September 21Tom Hughes of Chicago and Boston Beaneater Bill Dinneen pitch 16 scoreless innings before the Colts’ Dexter scores in the 17th on an error‚ hit batter‚ force-out‚ and a single by “Pete” Childs‚ his fourth hit of the game. Each pitcher gives up 8 singles. This will stand as the longest shutout ever by a Cub pitcher. Hughes fans 13 in 17 frames. The 17 innings sets the ML record for the longest game [at 60′ 6″]. The record will be broken a number of times.

An AL record that still stands is set when Cleveland and Washington make 22 errors in a doubleheader‚ 16 by Cleveland. Washington wins both games‚ 18-7 and 11-3.

In Cincinnati‚ Christy Mathewson allows just 3 hits in beating the Reds‚ 5-1. It is Matty’s 20th win.
September 23At League Park‚ Brooklyn ties their highest score ever (May 20‚ 1896) in blasting the Reds‚ 25-6. These are the most runs they will score this century. Jimmy Sheckard and Joe Kelley both connect for grand slams‚ with Kelley adding a 2nd homer. Jim Hughes collects 4 hits and a win while Tom Daly scores 5 runs. Starter Archie Stimmel (4-14 for the season) gives up 18 runs in 5 innings.

Doc McJames‚ who pitched for Brooklyn last year (5-6) dies after he falls out of a carriage in Charleston‚ SC. He was 28.
September 24Jimmy Sheckard becomes the first 20th-century player to hit grand slams in 2 consecutive games‚ as Brooklyn pounds Cincinnati 16-2. Frank Kitson homers and takes the victory. The 41 runs in 2 games is a franchise record. Sheckard’s mark won’t be tied until 1937.
September 25The first-place Pirates jump on Christy Mathewson for 3 runs in the first inning on their way to a 10-5 win over the Giants. The Bucs tally 14 hits off Matty to whip the visiting Giants.

At Boston‚ Cy Young wins his 33rd‚ beating the White Stockings‚ 5-2. Nixey Callahan takes the loss.
September 26The Reds are glad to not be playing Brooklyn‚ and whip Boston‚ 7-2‚ behind Noodles Hahn. Bill Dinneen takes the loss‚ though he hits his lone ML career homer today.
September 27Boston (AL) rookie George Wilson‚ purchased from Albany (NY State League) tops Milwaukee 7-2 in his first game. Next year he’ll play under the name George Prentiss.

Behind Deacon Phillipe‚ Pittsburgh defeats the Superbas‚ 5-4‚ to clinch the NL pennant. Except for a few hours on July 4‚ the Pirates have been in 1st place since June 15.

At Philadelphia‚ the A’s beat Cleveland‚ 14-6‚ behind Snake Wiltse. Nap Lajoie has 3 hits including his AL-leading 14th HR‚ off Bracken.
September 28In the 2nd game of a doubleheader‚ Boston rookie Jake Volz walks 9 Brewers‚ but still wins 10-9 in a game called after 7 innings. Manager Jimmy Collins has 2 homers and Hobe Ferris wins the game with a 2-run triple in the bottom of the 7th. This is the season finale for Boston and it is the 3rd doubleheader in a row shortened because of darkness. Boston takes the opener‚ 8-5.
September 29The AL season ends with the White Stockings in first place by 4 games over Boston. Jimmy Williams of the Baltimore Orioles leads the AL in triples‚ with 21‚ two years after leading the NL with 27. This feat will be topped by Sam Crawford in 1902-1903.
September 30The visiting New York Giants drop a pair to the Cards‚ as McGraw uses position players on the mound. Heinie Smith‚ primarily a second baseman‚ makes his only career start in game one and completes a 12-4 loss to the Redbirds. He bats 7th and hits a HR. Jim “Sheriff” Jones also makes his only career start in the second match and loses 6-5 in a game called in the 6th inning because of darkness. Jones bats 2nd in game 1 and plays RF‚ and bats leadoff in game 2 going 0-for-4 in each.

October

October 5The Brooklyn Superbas sweep two from the Giants‚ 8-0 and 4-2. Wild Bill Donovan pitches the opener‚ allowing 3 hits‚ in winning his NL-high 25th game. Christy Mathewson umpires the first game‚ then loses the 2nd game‚ also umpired by a ball player.
October 20Seven Cardinals‚ including the 3 top hitters-Jesse Burkett‚ Emmet Heidrick‚ and Bobby Wallace-and half the pitching staff‚ jump to the new St. Louis AL team.

November

November 5Sportsman’s Park in St. Louis is leased for 5 years by Ban Johnson and Charles Comiskey for an AL team; 2 weeks later the Milwaukee franchise is officially transferred.

December

December 3At the league meeting‚ the Milwaukee franchise is officially dropped from the AL and is replaced by the St. Louis Browns. “Messrs. Comiskey‚ Shibe and Postal were appointed a committee to perfect the transfer of the Milwaukee club and franchise to St. Louis.” Second day – “…the greater part of the time was consumed in adjusting the various details connected with the transfer of the Milwaukee team and franchise to St. Louis‚ with the Killilea brothers‚ of Milwaukee‚ as the principal owners of the new club” (1902 Reach Baseball Guide).

The Reach Guide of 1902 also states‚ somewhat contradictorily‚ “In St. Louis also there was an important shift‚ the Killileas‚ of Milwaukee‚ disposing of their entire holdings to a local syndicate of wealthy business men‚ composed of Messrs. R.L. Hedges‚ Ralph Orthwein and R. Gardner. The club was then reorganized as the ‘St. Louis American League Base Ball Company‚’ with $50‚000 capital‚ and with Messrs. Orthwein‚ Hedges‚ McDiarmid‚ Bruce and Gardner as Directors.” Ralph Orthwein‚ President of the new St. Louis team is described as the youngest (“not yet 30”) and possibly the wealthiest (“rated a millionaire in his own right and the son of a millionaire”) of the league’s presidents.”
December 10In St. Louis‚ lefty pitcher Ted Breitenstein breaks his right arm and sprains his left when his carriage rolls over after his horse bolts.
December 14Suffering from too much infighting and no leadership‚ 4 NL clubs elect A. G. Spalding as president. Two days later‚ a court voids the election and enjoins him from serving‚ and he will eventually quit.