Baseball – 1911

Baseball in 1911

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January

January 3At Laughery club house‚ near Rising Sun‚ Indiana‚ the National Baseball Commission adopts a rule that bars World Series winners from playing post-season exhibition games. This obscure rule will lead to a direct confrontation between Babe Ruth and Commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis in 1921.
January 12The Tigers sell veteran outfielder Matty McIntyre to the White Sox. Matty will hit a career best .323 this year‚ but then fade.
January 14Bobby Wallace‚ the era’s outstanding AL SS‚ is named manager of the Browns. But St. Louis will finish last‚ and he will be an infielder again by June 1912.

February

February 11The Cubs acquire 2B Dave Shean from Boston for 3B Scotty Ingerton and righty Big Jeff Pfeffer. The is the 2nd time that Boston has traded with the Cubs for Big Jeff.
February 14At the NL’s annual meeting‚ the Giants and Phils get an okay for new home uniforms: white flannel with a fine stripe‚ an innovation that predates the famed Yankee pinstripes by 4 years. Reach introduces a cork centered ball and the number of .300 hitters will jump from 8 in 1910 to 27 in 1911 in the AL. The ERA will go from 2.53 to 3.34.

March

March 17Plumbers at work on the drain pipes at Washington’s ballpark start a fire that burns down the grandstand. Since the water has been shut off‚ fireman can do nothing. Stands will be rebuilt to play the home opener on schedule.
March 24Matthew Stanley Robison‚ president of the Cardinals‚ dies unexpectedly. He leaves the club and the bulk of his estate to his niece‚ Mrs. Helene Hathaway Britton‚ the first female owner of a ML club.

April

April 1NL president Tom Lynch reveals he had asked all umpires to produce certificates as to their eyesight; tests showed all have perfect vision.

In Atlanta‚ the Crackers play an April Fool’s joke on the New York Giants‚ beating them 6-5. Larry Doyle‘s error in the 10th lets in the lead run.
April 4The idea of selecting a Most Valuable Player is introduced. Hugh Chalmers‚ the automobile maker‚ offers a new car to the player in each league chosen MVP by a committee of baseball writers. This is in response to last year’s controversy where Chalmers ended up presenting cars to both Lajoie and Ty Cobb‚ the AL batting leaders.
April 12President Taft throws out the first ball at Washington’s opener‚ and holdout Walter Johnson signs a 3-year contract at $7‚000 a year and does not pitch the opener. He won’t miss another until 1922. Dolly Gray takes the mound for the Nationals‚ winning 8-5‚ over Boston’s Joe Wood and Ed Karger.

In front of Mayor Gaynor and a record crowd of 30‚000 at the Polo Grounds‚ the Phillies’ Earl Moore walks 8 but shuts out the Giants‚ 2-0‚ in the season opener. The Phils score twice in the 9th on a double by Fred Luderus. Red Ames is the loser as Mathewson is being held out for Saturday’s game. The game takes 1 hour‚ 50 minutes (this game is often noted as taking just 50 minutes).

Before the start of the opener in Philadelphia‚ 2B Eddie Collins‚ the best player on the champion A’s‚ is presented with a new automobile. Jumbo Vaughn and the A’s Chief Bender then display tough pitching‚ each allowing a run apiece through seven innings‚ but Jack Barry‘s error in the 8th allows Otis Johnson to score the winning run for the Yankees. Vaughn allows 4 hits in the 2-1 victory.

The Reds suffer their worst Opening Day ever‚ losing to the Pirates‚ 14-0. Babe Adams tops Art Fromme with a 4-hitter. The Bucs 17-hit attack is led by Wagner‚ with 3 hits‚ Dot Miller with 4 hits and Bobby Byrne with 5 hits‚ a walk‚ and 5 RBIs. Reds reliever Jesse Tannehill‚ pitching his first NL game since jumping the Pirates ship in 1902‚ gives up 6 hits and walks 3 in 4+ IP. The shock is so great that Tannehill retires after this game.
April 13With Cleveland leading St. Louis 3-1 in the 9th inning at Cleveland’s League Park‚ the game is stopped because of a severe storm. Many fans are bruised by hailstones.

Phillies P Jack Rowan allows just 3 hits while his teammates pepper Christy Mathewson for 14 hits in 18 innings. The Quakers beat the Giants‚ 6-1. Hours later‚ the Polo Grounds grandstand and LF bleachers ignite in a mysterious fire‚ lighting up the night sky with flames. President Frank Farrell of the Highlanders invites the Giants to use the AL grounds‚ Hilltop Park; the offer is accepted‚ paving the way for the Giants’ invitation for the AL team to use the Polo Grounds when the Hilltop Park lease expires after the 1912 season. A $500‚000 steel-and-concrete structure will replace the wooden stands of the Polo Grounds.
April 14Cleveland’s great pitcher Addie Joss dies unexpectedly from tubercular meningitis. Beset with arm injuries last season‚ Joss made just 13 appearances last year‚ but his career ERA of 1.88‚ compiled in 9 seasons‚ will earn him a plaque in Cooperstown.
April 15Walter Johnson ties a ML record by striking out 4 batters in the 5th inning of Washington’s 6-2 loss against Boston. The 5th inning runner scores the games 1st run‚ and Boston scores 3 more in the 6th‚ plus runs in the 7th and 9th to beat the Nationals ace.

Grover Cleveland Alexander makes his ML debut‚ but an unearned run in the 9th by Boston gives the Phils rookie a 5-4 loss. Bill Klem makes the call behind the plate.

At Hilltop Park‚ the Giants beat Brooklyn‚ 6-3.

The Reds and Cards swap catchers‚ with Mike Gonzalez going to Cincy and Ivy Wingo to St. Louis.
April 17The Giants pick up 4 stolen bases in a 3-1 win over Brooklyn‚ the start of a post-1900 record 347 steals for the year. Eight Giants will steal 19 bases or better‚ topped by Josh Devore‘s 61 and Larry Doyle‘s 38.

Addie Joss‘s funeral is held at Toledo with Billy Sunday preaching the sermon. The funeral is the 2nd largest in the city’s history. His Cleveland teammates insist on being there‚ forcing postponement of the season opener.

A bill to permit Sunday baseball is refused in the lower house of the New Jersey legislature.
April 18Ty Cobb starts the scoring for the Tigers by swiping home in the first inning on the front end of a double steal. The battery is George Kahler and Syd Smith for Cleveland as Detroit wins ‚ 5-1.
April 21In the snow at Philadelphia‚ the Red Sox sweep a pair from the A’s‚ winning 13-4 and 4-3.
April 24Battle Creek of the South Michigan League makes 2 triple plays in the first 2 innings against Grand Rapids‚ a trick never performed in the ML.

NL President Lynch orders his umpires to stop catchers‚ especially Roger Bresnahan‚ from verbally attacking batters.
April 25In his last full season as a player‚ 38-year-old Pirate player-manager Fred Clarke is kept busy with 10 putouts in LF.

The Giants beat Boston‚ 3-1‚ with Mathewson outpitching Patsy Flaherty.
April 26In the first of two with Brooklyn‚ Grover Cleveland Alexander wins his first ML game‚ 10-3. Alex strikes out six and walks six‚ while slapping two of the Phillies 7 hits.
April 28In Philadelphia‚ Walter Johnson picks up his first win of the year‚ edging the A’s 2-1. Frank Baker hits a solo HR off Johnson‚ the first HR over the fence the Washington ace has allowed: there have been two inside-the-park homers hit of Walter.
April 29Before 15‚000 at Washington Park‚ Mathewson hurls the Giants to a 7-3 win‚ defeating Cy Barger.

In the Highlanders 10-6 loss to the A’s‚ New York pitchers Hippo Vaughn and Jack Quinn throw just 7 pitches to the A’s Stuffy McGinnis‚ who has five singles. Stuffy hits a first pitch 3 times and the 2nd pitch twice.

May

May 1Detroit rolls by Cleveland 14-5 as Cobb again steals home against off George Kahler. This time‚ Grover Land is the catcher: Smith was behind the plate on the 18th.

The Phillies long-time trainer (17 years) Mike Scanlon dies at age 70.
May 4Staked to a 6-0 lead‚ Giants’ ace Christy Mathewson coasts to a 7-2 win against Boston.
May 6The Yankees top the Red Sox‚ 6-3‚ and turn their first ever triple play as well. It happens in the 9th inning with Russ Ford on the mound when Bill Carrigan lines into a game ending triple play.

The A’s Eddie Collins hits the first homer at Washington DC’s stadium‚ but the Nationals prevail over Philadelphia‚ 7-6.
May 7Cobb goes 4-for-5 and drives in the tying and winning runs to help Detroit beat lefty Doc White and the Chicago White Sox‚ 5-4.
May 8The Phillies Grover Alexander records his first shutout‚ stopping Brooklyn 5-0 on 3 hits. Alex fans 9 to run his record to 3-1.

At New York‚ Smoky Joe Wood beats the Yankees‚ 4-0‚ in 6 innings. He gives up just one hit‚ a single to Caldwell.
May 9At Hilltop Park‚ Christy Mathewson and Three Finger Brown renew their rivalry‚ Matty emerges the winner‚ 5-2 over the Cubs ace.

In Boston‚ the Reds Fred Beck booms a grand slam in the 1st off Lefty Tyler and Cincinnati wins‚ 6-3.
May 10The Detroit Tigers lose their first home game of the year 6-2‚ as New York hands George Mullin his first loss. The Tigers have a 21-2 record and will lead the pack until July 4th.

The Reds do all their scoring with homers in outlasting the Braves‚ 8-7‚ in 15 innings. Dick Egan has his only homer of the year-a grand slam in the 5th-and Beck‚ Hoblitzel and Tommy Clark all hit solo homers. The Reds will hit only 21 homers all year‚ and Hoblitzel will hit 11 of them.
May 11Against a coasting Grover Alexander‚ the Pirates rally for 6 hits and 7 runs in the 9th inning‚ but fall far short as the Phillies win‚ 19-10. Honus Wagner is 1-for-2 before being tossed by umpire Bill Finneran.

The White Sox pound Senator pitcher Bob Groom for 20 hits and 20 runs to win‚ 20-6.

The Red Sox sell Frank Smith to Cincinnati. Smith was a 25-game winner in 1909 with the White Sox‚ but fell to 5-11 last year. He’ll go 10-14 with the Reds this year.

Kansas City’s Homer Smoot is 6-for-6 in an AA game against St. Paul.
May 12Against the Yankees at Bennett Park‚ Cobb scores a run from 1st on a short single to right‚ scores from 2B on a wild pitch‚ then doubles home two runs in the 7th to tie the game. When New York C Ed Sweeney vehemently argues the call at the plate‚ the rest of the infield gathers‚ leaving Cobb untended at 2B. With no time out called‚ Cobb strolls to third base‚ and then ambles in to observe the continuing argument. When he spots an opening in the circle of players‚ he quickly slides in with the go-ahead run. The Tigers win‚ 6-5.
May 13At Hilltop Park‚ Fred Merkle has 6 RBIs in one inning-on a double and an inside-the-park home run-as the Giants tee off on three St. Louis pitchers for 13 runs in the first inning‚ including 7 before an out is recorded. Merkle adds a 3-run double in the inning and then scores the last run on the front end of a successful double steal. The spree ties a first inning ML record enjoyed by the Boston Beaneaters against the St. Louis Cardinals in 1900‚ and it remains a Giants club record through the 20th century. John McGraw decides to save starter Mathewson for another day and lifts him after one inning‚ but the official scorer credits Matty with the win. McGraw wants to give Marquard some experience in pitching without pressure and brings in Rube to finish. He works the last 8 innings and strikes out 14‚ setting a 20th century NL record‚ and a since broken ML record‚ for strikeouts by a reliever: Walter Johnson will K 15 batters in 1913 and Randy Johnson will match it in 2001‚ while Denny McLain will rack up 14 in 1965. The Giants roll‚ 19-5‚ pinning the loss on Harry Sallee.

At Philadelphia‚ Grover Alexander relieves George Chalmers with the score 1-1 in the 9th and shuts out the Reds for 8 innings. Pete gives up no hits while striking out 8. The Phils finally score in the 16th to win it.

Paced by Ty Cobb‘s 3rd inning grand slam‚ his first ever‚ the Tigers take a 10-1 lead over the Red Sox after 5 innings. But Boston ties it in the 9th on Duffy Lewis‘s grand slam‚ and wins it in the 10th inning‚ 13-11. Boston outhits Detroit‚ 20-14.
May 14More than 15‚000 turn out for Cleveland’s first Sunday game‚ and they see a 14-3 win over the New York Highlanders. George Stovall paces Cleveland with 4 hits.

NL president Tom Lynch asked umpires to “hustle the games along.”
May 15With the score tied in the 10th inning‚ Boston’s Smoky Joe Wood intentionally walks Ty Cobb‚ issuing one of two intentional free passes the star will receive all season. Two batters later Jim Delahanty drives in Cobb for Detroit’s 5-4 win. With two safeties today‚ Cobb starts a 40-game hit streak.

In Philadelphia‚ the Phils tally 43 total bases and paste the Reds‚ 21-5.

Ring Lardner writes‚ “They are using a new ball this year. It’s livelier and that means more hitting‚ and more hitting means longer games‚ and that’s the devil. It appears to be impossible to finish a game in less than two hours.”

The Giants beat the Cardinals 10-6 in a game that takes 2 hours 20 minutes to play. The New York Times headlines “Giants Win Long‚ Uninteresting Game”. The Times writer seems to think the new cork-centered ball is partly at fault (according to R.J. Lesch)
May 17Fred Luderus cracks an 11th-inning HR to give Grover Alexander a 4-3 win over Pittsburgh. The Phils (23-9) move back into first place.
May 18Babe Adams pitches the Pirates to a 6-1 win over the Giants. The Bucs gang up on Mathewson for 10 hits in 7 innings.

The Superbas edge the visiting Reds‚ 2-1‚ behind Doc Scanlan and Al Burch‚ who has 3 hits and drives in both runs. Reds reliever Bill Burns is suspended and sent home for laziness‚ after falling asleep on the stoop of the Brooklyn clubhouse. During a recent game in Boston he was sent to the bullpen to warm up and after throwing a few balls he went into the clubhouse and fell asleep. “As a result Manager Griffith sent him home to get all the sleep he desires” (New York Times‚ May 22‚ as noted by Kevin Gertsen).
May 19Detroit edges the A’s 9-8. Cobb chips in with a triple and 2 runs and starts a DP from center field doubling Frank Baker off first. A’s starter Jack Coombs is hit in the head with a throw while backing up home in the 1st inning. He has to be carried off but will start tomorrow. Tiger starter Lively is hit in the head with pitch in the 2nd frame‚ but woozily continues for several innings. Stanage’s homer wins it in the 8th as the Tigers are outhit 19-8.
May 20The A’s outslug the Tigers to win 14-12‚ as Cobb goes 3-for-4 against the winner Jack Coombs. Coombs‚ who will end up as the top winner in the AL for the 2nd year in row‚ was the starter yesterday when the Tigers won. A Coombs pitch in the 1st inning breaks the wrist of Tiger 1B Del Gainor (spelled Gainer in the record books; Gainor in contemporary accounts) effectively ending both the Tigers’ chances this year and Gainor’s promising career (he’ll play part-time through 1922). He is not expected to play for 6 weeks‚ but that will stretch to September. His replacement Jack Ness starts a 1-6 triple play to Bush.

A New England League game is called in the 7th inning because of dense fog in Lynn‚ MA. Lynn is leading until Weaver of Fall River hits a ?y ball to the OF with a man on. The Lynn outfielders are unable to locate the ball‚ and both runners score to go ahead 6-5. After a dispute‚ umpire Walsh rules that the game has to revert to the 6th inning with Lynn winning by a 5-4 score.
May 22Boston (NL) hurler Cliff Curtis sets a ML mark by losing his 23rd consecutive game‚ 3-1‚ to the Cardinals. The streak began on June 13‚ 1910‚ the season he lost 18 in a row.
May 23Detroit beats Washington’s Walter Johnson‚ 9-8. Detroit loads the bases in the 8th inning for Ty Cobb‚ already 3-for-4 with 3 stolen bases‚ and Walter Johnson‚ in relief of Gray‚ walks him to force in what will be the winning run.

At Hilltop Park‚ New York’s Christy Mathewson continues his mastery of the Reds‚ beating them‚ 7-2‚ for the 18th straight time.
May 24An abdominal ailment sidelines Nap Lajoie. He will get into only 90 games for the year and bat .365.
May 25The Tigers lose to Walter Johnson and the Senators‚ 6-2‚ although Cobb nicks him for 2 hits.

In St. Louis‚ Grover Alexander beats the Cards‚ 4-3‚ to stop the Phillies 6-game loss streak. The Card score 3 in the 9th‚ but Pete hangs on for the win.
May 26In one of the few games in which both appear‚ Christy Mathewson and Grover Cleveland Alexander are relievers in a 5-3 win for the Giants over the Phillies. Matty takes over for Bugs Raymond in the 8th after the starter gives up 2 quick runs. With runners on 1B and 3B‚ Mickey Doolan flies to Devlin in right and his perfect strike to Chief Meyers is good for a DP. The Giant score to give Matty the win over Bill Burns‚ though by today’s standards‚ it would be a save.
May 27Pitching his 2nd game in a row‚ Mathewson hurls the 1st-place Giants to a 2-0 win against the Phillies. Thousands are turned away at Hilltop Park.

Art Fromme allows just one hit-a double by Wagner in the 2nd-in pitching the Reds to a 1-0 win over Pittsburgh.

At Chicago‚ Cleveland and Chicago battle to a 5-5 tie after 9 innings‚ before Ed Walsh takes over in the 10th. The Naps rattle him for two doubles and a run‚ and ace rookie Vean Gregg‚ who takes over in the 8th‚ holds on for a 6-5 win. Frank Lange strikes out 10 Naps in 9 innings‚ but gives up 9 hits and five walks. Joe Birmingham has three hits to pace Cleveland.

After giving up 3 runs in 6 innings‚ the roof caves in on the Browns Bill Bailey‚ as the Tigers send him home a 9-3 loser. In the 5th inning‚ Browns catcher Jim Stephens‚ attempting to catch Bush’s pop foul‚ crashes into the grandstand‚ knocking himself senseless‚ and sustaining a sprained ankle. Melly Meleon has his 2nd homer in a week for St. Louis‚ off winning pitcher Doc Lafitte.

At Washington‚ the Nationals knock Ray Collins out of the box and beat Boston‚ 9-4‚ behind Long Tom Hughes. Tris Speaker‚ batting for Ed Cicotte in the 9th‚ has the longest hit of the day‚ a triple.

In New York‚ a team from the University of Keio tops Fordham‚ 11-6 in 8 innings. “The American collegians outplayed by Little Men From Orient at Bronx Oval” banners the New York Times‚ which then relates that most of the American crowd of 5‚000 cheered for the visitors.
May 29Carrying the Cubs from St. Louis‚ the Pennsylvania Railroad sets a speed record‚ covering the 191 miles from Columbus‚ OH‚ to Pittsburgh in 215 minutes. Arriving in time for the game‚ the Cubs win‚ 4-1‚ with 4 runs in the 4th inning. Joe Tinker‘s triple is the big blow.
May 30New York takes the NL lead‚ winning two from Brooklyn. Giants C Art Wilson makes the first 9 putouts in the morning game as four Superbas fan‚ three foul out‚ and two are thrown out at home trying to score on base hits. The Giants win‚ 4-1‚ before 8‚000. Before a turnaway crowd of 25‚000 in the nitecap‚ Bugs Raymond gives up just a single in 5 innings before leaving with acute stomach pain “just southwest of the fourth rib” (NY Times) caused by eating a strawberry sundae between games. Red Ames allows two hits the rest of the way as the Giants whip the Dodgers Nap Rucker‚ 3-0.

After one day at the top‚ the Cubs drop to 3rd‚ as the Pirates sweep a pair from Chicago‚ winning 1-0 and 4-1. But the first game is protested by Chicago‚ presumably for batting out of order‚ and the protest will later be upheld. All the records including Babe Adams 4-hit shutout (he’ll still lead the NL with 7) and Honus Wagner‘s hitless game are tossed. Thanks to the successful protest‚ Wagner will end the season at a league-leading .334‚ one point ahead of Dots Miller. In the afternoon contest‚ Howie Camnitz tops Ed Reulbach‚ who is drilled for 6 hits and all 4 runs in two innings. Wagner has a pair of hits in the nitecap.

In the afternoon contest in Boston‚ Phils rookie Pete Alexander pitches the 2nd game of a holiday doubleheader‚ winning‚ 11-4. Philley also wins the morning game‚ 3-0‚ in 10 innings behind Earl Moore‘s three-hitter.

June

June 3In Chicago‚ Cubs slugger Frank “Wildfire” Schulte hits a grand slam off Rube Marquard to beat the Giants‚ 8-4. Schulte will slam four this season‚ a record tied by Babe Ruth in 1919 and topped by Ernie Banks‘ five in 1955. The four this season are Schulte’s only grand slams in his 11-year career. Ed Reulbach picks up the victory.

Led by Cobb’s 3 hits‚ including 2 triples‚ the Tigers beat the Senators’ ace Walter Johnson‚ 7-2.
June 4The Reds roll over the Braves‚ setting a since tied record of 13 different players scoring. Four runs come in on Eddie Grant‘s grand slam off Jiggs Parsons.
June 5In Pittsburgh‚ Pete Alexander tops the Pirates‚ 5-4‚ in the 10th‚ with the Phils winning run scoring on a fumble by Honus Wagner. Pirate Tommy Leach also helps the Phils by losing a fly ball in the sun that drops for a triple. Rookie star Alexander‚ pitching in his 100th inning‚ commits a balk‚ the only balk he’ll make in his career of 5‚088.2 innings.

At Chicago‚ the Giants jump on Harry McIntire for 7 runs in the 9th to win‚ 7-1. New York is led by Fred Merkle who doubles and triples in the big inning. Mathewson wins for New York‚ to even the series at two games apiece and keep New York atop the NL.

Boston reliever Smoky Joe Wood strikes out 3 White Sox pinch hitters in the 9th inning to save a 5-4 Red Sox win.

At Boston, the Cincinnati Reds beat the Boston Braves, 9-2. Johnny Bates goes 4-for-4 to run his consecutive hit streak to 9. He has reached base 13 straight times. Meanwhile, back in Cincinnati, the team’s board of directors interviews manager Clark Griffith on the team’s mediocre performance and gives him a vote of confidence.
June 7After 2 years on the vaudeville circuit with his wife Mabel Hite‚ and occasional sojourns to jail for drunkenness and assault‚ “Turkey Mike” Donlin is reinstated by the National Commission. He rejoins the Giants‚ but John McGraw‘s willingness to put up with him ceases after 12 games‚ and the .333 lifetime hitter is traded to the last-place NL Boston Rustlers.

Donlin doesn’t play‚ but Pirates pitchers have the Giants hitting the ball on the ground all day. Pittsburgh has 55 total chances on a ML record 28 assists and 27 putouts. Seven errors help the Giants to a 9-4 win.

In the 7th inning against the Dodgers‚ Chicago’s Heinie Zimmerman and Al Kaiser both steal home-the only time in history the Cubs have pulled the feat off. Chicago will swipe home an NL-record 17 times this year.
June 8The Cards chase Bugs Raymond and the Giants‚ scoring 8 runs in 6 innings off Bugs. McGraw is furious with Raymond‚ suspecting him of drinking again. He suspends him and fines him $200. A week from now‚ Raymond will turn up in Connecticut‚ making a lone pitching appearance for the hamlet of Winsted in a 4-0 loss to Torrington. Bugs will return to the Giants where he’ll be used sparingly.

At St. Louis‚ 4 Browns batters reach base on errors in the 4th inning and St. Louis beats the Red Sox‚ 11-5.

In the White Sox game against the host Hilltoppers in New York‚ pitcher Russ Ford hits Sox SS Roy Corhan on the head with a pitch (as noted by Retrosheet). New York manager Hal Chase allows Ping Bodie as a courtesy runner for Corhan‚ even though Bodie is already in the lineup. In the bottom of the frame‚ Bodie returns to CF‚ with Tannehill moving from 1B to SS. Pitcher Doc White finishes at 1B.

In a Mountain States League game at Huntington‚ Charleston beats Huntington‚ 1-0‚ in 11 innings behind a no-hitter by Niehaus. George W. Baumgarner of Huntington matches him for 10 hitless innings before giving up 3 hits in the 11th. Niehaus strikes out 16 batters and Baumgarner 14 batters.
June 9Pete Alexander tosses 4 innings of relief to preserve a 4-3 Phillie win over the Reds.

At Forbes Field‚ the Giants keep their hold on 1st place with a 6-3 win against Pittsburgh’s Lefty Leifield. Christy Mathewson is the winner.
June 10At Pittsburgh‚ the Bucs Bobby Byrne steals 2B‚ 3B‚ and home in the same inning against Brooklyn. His swipe of 2B is on the back end of a double steal with Fred Clarke scoring on a contested play. When Brooklyn C Bill Bergen and pitcher Doc Scanlon argue the call with Bill Klem‚ Byrne sneaks to 3B. Doc Scanlon gets tossed by umpire Bill Klem and the remaining 8 runs are rung up against reliever George Bell. After Dots Miller walks‚ he and Byrne pull of another double steal. Up 8-0 in the 8th‚ Pittsburgh tries a triple steal‚ and scores a run on a throwing error. But no steals are handed out on the play. The final is 9-0.

Washington rolls by the White Sox‚ 18-7. Ewart Walker‚ father of Dixie and Harry Walker‚ makes his ML debut and collects a single‚ double‚ and triple in the win.

The Cubs trade C Johnny Kling‚ P Orlie Weaver‚ P Hank Griffin‚ and OF Al Kaiser to the Boston Doves for C Peaches Graham‚ P Cliff Curtis‚ Wilbur “Lefty” Good‚ and OF Bill Collins. Curtis (1-8)‚ who began the year with 5 straight losses after ending last season with 18 straight defeats‚ will be swapped to the Phillies in August.

At Princeton’s Commencement day‚ a crowd of 18‚000 watch as Yale beats the Tigers‚ 6-2.
June 11At the West Side Grounds‚ the Cubs crush lowly Boston‚ 20-2. Chicago is led by the slugging of Heinie Zimmerman who drives home a club-record 9 runs on two three-run homers‚ a 2-run triple‚ and a single. Jimmy Sheckard scores 5 runs.
June 12Rookie starter Grover Cleveland Alexander pitches Philley to a 8-4 win over the Cardinals.
June 13Christy Mathewson (11-2) gives up 11 hits but still beats the Reds‚ 5-2. Art Fromme loses as Matty wins for the 19th straight time against Cincy.
June 17The Yankees complete a three-game sweep of Detroit as Jack Warhop wins‚ 3-2. Cobb is held to an infield single.

Cards pitcher Bob Harmon allows just 3 hits in beating Mathewson and the Giants‚ 2-1. Matty allows just 2 hits in the loss.
June 18Down 13-1 after 5 1?2 innings‚ the Tigers make up a 12-run deficit to stage the biggest comeback (since tied) in ML history‚ defeating the visiting Chicago White Sox by a score of 16-15. Cobb chips in with 4 hits and 5 RBIs‚ as the Tigers score 5 in the 8th and 3 runs in the 9th. Cobb gets 2 home to tie in the 9th when he slides into 1B on his grounder to Lord with 2 on. Both runners score and goes for an error though some think Cobb had it beat. He scores the winner when Sam Crawford hits a drive over the head of CF Ping Bodie for a walkoff double. The Tigers use 18 players as reliever Ed Walsh takes the loss with Clarence Mitchell pitching the last two innings to win.

The Cubs beat the Phillies 4-3 when‚ with reliever Earl Moore on the mound‚ Frank Schulte steals home in the 8th. The Phillies erupt in protest‚ saying the Moore’s pitch hit the batter Shean‚ while the ump contends that it glanced off catcher Pat Moran‘s wind pad.

In Baltimore‚ Orioles manager Jack Dunn calls off an exhibition game with the Yankees because the New Yorkers failed to send manager Hal Chase and SS John Knight.
June 19At Detroit’s Bennett Field‚ Cobb singles off Chicago’s Irv Young‚ then scores from first on a single. With his hit‚ Cobb equals Bill Bradley’s AL hit record of 29 straight games set in 1902. Detroit wins 8-5‚
June 20Cobb breaks the AL hit streak record with an infield single against Cleveland’s Willie Mitchell. It’s Cobb’s 30th straight game. He adds 2 stolen bases to help Detroit win‚ 8-3.

In a 3-2 New York win against the Senators‚ Highlander 1B Hal Chase makes a ML record 21 putouts.

Pete Alexander pitches 3 2/3 innings in relief to earn the win in a 6-5 Phillies victory at Brooklyn.
June 21Alexander wins for the 2nd day in a row‚ hooking up with Brooklyn’s Doc Scanlon for a 15-inning operation‚ won by the Phils‚ 2-1.

In Boston‚ the Giants top the Rustlers‚ 4-0‚ with Mathewson allowing just 4 hits.
June 24At Brooklyn’s Washington Park‚ a crowd of 20‚000 see Mathewson defeat Elmer Knetzer‚ 7-4‚ for a Giants victory.

In a Reds win in Cincinnati‚ Cards player-manager Roger Bresnahan is called out on strikes by Bill Klem to end the game. When Roger argues too long over the call‚ Klem belts him. An embarrassed NL president Lynch will fine the arbiter $50 for the punch.
June 26In Philadelphia‚ Grover Alexander shuts out Boston Rustlers‚ 5-0. Phillies’ catcher/manager Red Dooin suffers a broken leg in a collision at home. Dooin will play in only 74 games that season. The speedy catcher had broken his knee the year before.
June 27In the 7th inning at Huntington Avenue Grounds‚ the A’s Stuffy McInnis steps into the batter’s box to lead off and hits Ed Karger‘s warm-up pitch for an inside-the-park HR while the Red Sox are still taking their positions. Boston manager Patsy Donovan‘s protests to ump Ben Egan‚ but Egan rejects the protest on the basis of Ban Johnson‘s new rule prohibiting warm-up pitches. The A’s win‚ 7-3. Ban Johnson‘s time-saving rule‚ which declares that pitchers must throw as soon as the batter is in the box‚ is soon withdrawn.

White Sox ace Ed Walsh shuts out the Tigers‚ 3-0. Cobb is held to an infield single and then is cut down stealing.
June 28Just two and a half months after a fire destroyed the old Polo Grounds‚ the new grounds open for business. The old bleachers‚ seating 10‚000‚ were untouched‚ but the new double-decker seats another 16‚000. Only 6‚000 fans show up for the inauguration as Mathewson shuts out the Rustlers‚ 3-0‚ on 9 hits. While guests at the Highlanders Hilltop Park‚ the Giants won 21 of 29 games.
June 30Brooklyn’s Baron Knetzer lords it over Grover Alexander‚ handing Pete and the Phils a 5-0 shutout. Alexander’s record is now 15-3 and the Phils are tied for 2nd with the Cubs‚ two games behind New York.

At St. Louis‚ the Cards hand the Pirates a 5-3 defeat. St. Louis 2B MIller Huggins puts the capper on the win by nabbing Max Carey in the 9th inning with a hidden ball trick.

July

July 1In a 3-0 Chicago win over the host Reds‚ Cubs player-manager Frank Chance leaves the game suffering from a blood clot in the brain. Except for 11 brief appearances at 1B over the next 3 years‚ his playing days are over.

The A’s pound Walter Johnson for 13 runs‚ the most he’ll allow in his career‚ and beat Washington‚ 13-8. Frank Baker hits his 2nd of five career homers off Johnson in the 6th with a man on.

Ty Cobb‚ who had an infield single off Earl Hamilton in his last game‚ on June 29th‚ repeats by beating out another infield hit against the St. Louis lefty. Again‚ Detroit wins‚ this time 8-0.
July 2Detroit pounds out a 14-6 victory over Cleveland as Ty Cobb‚ hitting in his 40th straight game‚ has 3 hits and 3 runs.
July 3With the Phils leading the Giants’ Christy Mathewson‚ 4-3‚ Pete Alexander relieves Sleepy Bill Burns in the 7th and holds New York scoreless over the last 3 innings. The Phils jump on Matty for another 3 runs in the 8th to win‚ 7-3. New York holds a one-game lead over the Cubs.

At Philadelphia‚ the A’s Frank Baker hits for the cycle in a 5-1 win over the Yankees in game 2 of a doubleheader.
July 4In the morning game between Chicago and Detroit‚ Ed Walsh stops Ty Cobb‘s 40-game hitting streak‚ as the White Sox win‚ 7-3. Though neither Detroit paper mentions the streak‚ Cobb has hit .491 since the skein started on May 15th.

The Phillies mug the Giants‚ 7-5‚ literally knocking New York P Doc Crandall out of the box‚ when he is hit with a line drive by Red Dooin. Doc gets relief from Rube Marquard‚ but Pete Alexander picks up the win. Fred Luderus strokes 2 homers for the Quakers.

In game 1 at Chicago‚ Wildfire Schulte‚ hits a 3rd inning grand slam off Bob Keefe to lead the Cubs to an 8-3 win over the Reds. Reggie Richter is the victor. Down 8-1‚ Cincinnati uses the game to debut their two Cuban signees‚ Rafael Almeida and Armando Marsans‚ as pinch hitters in the 8th. The two are the first Cuban-born major leaguers in the 20th century. Almeida strikes out‚ but Marsans singles‚ the first Cuban to collect a ML hit in the 20th century. Almeida has a hit in his next at bat in the game. The second game ends at 2-2 after ten innings.
July 5The Phils pound Mathewson for the 2nd time in 3 days‚ beat the Giants ace‚ 6-4. Dode Paskert is 4-for-4 to lead the Quakers 14-hit attack.
July 6The Cards and Phils combine to hand out 23 walks‚ tying the record set last year (May 4) by the Cards (16) and Reds (7). Today the St. Louis pitchers walk 13‚ including a record 8 in the 3rd inning. St. Louis still wins‚ 13-9. Fred Luderus has a pair of homers.

With the score even at 10 apiece after 8 innings‚ the Reds score 2 in the 9th to edge host Boston‚ 12-11‚ as Johnny Kling and Patsy Doherty each hit homers. Doherty is 4-for-6.
July 7At St. Louis‚ Smoky Joe Wood allows a single to Burt Shotton in pitching a one-hitter. The Boston Red Sox win‚ 6-1.
July 8New York’s Rube Marquard hits his only career HR‚ off Chicago’s Harry McIntire‚ to help himself to a 5-2 win at the newly refurbished Polo Grounds.
July 10Sherry Magee‚ star OF for the Phillies‚ knocks out umpire Bill Finneran with one punch after being ejected for disputing a called 3rd strike. He is fined $200 and suspended for the season‚ but upon appeal he will be reinstated after 5 weeks and 29 games missed. The Phils win‚ 4-2‚ behind Alexander‚ who strikes out 9.

At the Polo Grounds‚ Chicago scores unearned runs in 3 innings to beat Mathewson‚ 3-2‚ in 10 innings.
July 11The Federal Express of the New York‚ New Haven‚ and Hartford Railroad‚ carrying the St. Louis Cardinals to Boston‚ plunges down an 18-foot embankment outside Bridgeport‚ CT‚ killing 14 passengers. The team’s Pullmans were originally just behind the baggage coaches near the front. When noise prevented the players from sleeping‚ manager Bresnahan requested the car be changed. The day coach that replaced the players’ car was crushed and splintered. The players help remove bodies and rescue the injured‚ then board a special train to Boston‚ where the day’s game is postponed. The railroad pays each player $25 for his rescue work and for lost belongings.
July 12In the first inning of a 9-0 win over the Athletics at Detroit‚ Ty Cobb walks‚ then on consecutive pitches steals 2B‚ 3B‚ and home off lefty Harry Krause. Twice he beats perfect throws by C Ira Thomas. After Cobb reaches on a fielder’s choice in the 3rd‚ Sam Crawford homers. In the 7th‚ Cobb walks‚ is bunted to 2B‚ and scores on a sacrifice fly‚ knocking the ball out of the hands of the new catcher Paddy Livingston. This is the 2nd time that Cobb has had 3 steals in an inning. The other time was July 22‚ 1909.

Yankee third baseman Roy Hartzell‚ acquired from the Browns in January for Jimmy Austin and Frank LaPorte‚ has a career day as the cleanup hitter. He hits a 3-run double and another double in one inning‚ then piles on a sacrifice ?y and grand slam‚ to drive in 8 runs. It is an AL record until Jimmie Foxx‘s 9 RBI in a game in 1933. New York defeats the Browns‚ 12-2.

At Pittsburgh‚ the Giants win 4-3 behind Rube Marquard‘s pitching. Rube strikes out the side in the 2nd and 3rd innings‚ setting down Dots Miller‚ Newt Hunter‚ and Owen Wilson‚ then blowing by pitcher Elmer Steele‚ Bobby Byrne and Tommy Leach in the 3rd frame.
July 13In the 9th against the A’s‚ Cobb breaks a 7-7 tie by scoring from first on a Jim Delahanty‘s single. Cobb runs through coach Hughie Jennings’ frantic signal to hold up and using a fadeaway slide eludes the tag of the catcher Ira Thomas. Detroit wins 8-7 to stay in first place.

The Giants get inside-the-park homers from their first two batters‚ Josh Devore and Larry Doyle to take a 2-0 lead over the Pirates. Chief Meyers also hits an IPHR in the 4-run 5th‚ when McGraw is ejected for arguing when Merkle is called out at 3B trying to steal. New York wins‚ 9-4.
July 14The Phillies move back into first place as Pete Alexander tops the Pirates‚ 2-1.
July 15Fred Merkle drives in 4 runs on a single and 3-run homer and the Giants beat the Reds‚ 4-1. Mathewson tops Harry Gaspar‚ and has now beaten the Reds 20 straight times.

At South End Grounds‚ the Boston Rustlers outhit the Cubs to win‚ 17-12. Patsy Flaherty‚ playing CF‚ is 3-for-3 with a single‚ double‚ triple and a walk‚ and Doc Miller has 4 hits and 4 stolen bases.

The Reds swap Fred Beck‚ last year’s co-leader in homers in the NL‚ to the Phils‚ and include Bill Burns with him. The Phils send Bert Humphries to the Reds. Beck was acquired from the Braves in March‚ but hit just .184 for Cincy. He was the second Brave in 4 years to lead the NL in homers and then get shipped to the Reds in the off-season. The other‚ Dave Brain‚ lasted just 16 games with the Reds in 1908. Beck will have 3 homers this year for Philadelphia‚ helping them to be the first ML team with more homers than triples in a season. Beck will move to the Cubs after the season.
July 17Boston Nationals infielder Buck Herzog and OF Doc Miller fail to show up for a home game against the Cubs-a 12-8 Boston win-and they are suspended by the club. After a conference with the club president‚ they rejoin the team. John McGraw‚ anxious to retrieve former Giant Herzog to shore up a weak infield‚ will swap C Hank Gowdy and SS Al Bridwell to Boston for Herzog on the 21st. Doc will get traded next year.
July 19With the score tied at 3-3 in the 6th inning‚ Vernon CF (Pacific Coast League)‚ Walter Carlisle executes an unassisted triple play against Los Angeles. With men on 1B and 2B‚ he makes a spectacular diving catch of a short ?y by batter Roy Akin‚ touches 2B‚ and runs to 1B to retire both runners. Vernon wins‚ 5-4‚ with the speedy English-born Carlisle pulling off the only unassisted triple play ever accomplished by an outfielder in O.B.
July 20Frank Schulte hits for the cycle to help the Cubs tip the Phils‚ 4-3. “Wildfire” will end the year as the first player ever to top the 20 mark in doubles‚ triples‚ homers‚ and stolen bases. Only Willie Mays in 1957 will match him.

The Cardinals knock Mathewson out of the box in the 2nd inning with 5 hits and 5 runs. Doc Crandall relieves for New York‚ but the Cards win‚ 8-5.
July 21The Braves acquire SS Al Bridwell and C Hank Gowdy from the Giants for Buck Herzog. For Bridwell and Herzog‚ it is their 2nd tours of duty with their teams‚ while the young Gowdy will be the Boston catcher for the next ten years.
July 22The Pirates pay St. Paul of the American Association $22‚500 for righthander Marty O’Toole‚ the highest purchase to date. Dreyfuss spends another $5‚000 for his batterymate Bill Kelly. In 1912‚ O’Toole will be 15-17 and lead the NL with 159 walks. He will last only 2 more years.

Brooklyn hurler Nap Rucker loses a no-hitter with 2 outs in the 9th inning when Cincinnati’s Bob Bescher comes through with a chopper up the middle. Rucker wins the game‚ 1-0‚ outpitching Frank Smith‚ who gives up 2 hits and an unearned run. The Reds set a ML record for 9 innings by going to bat just 24 times (it’ll be topped in the AL and tied twice in the NL this century) and the 2 teams combine for just 48 at bats‚ to tie a ML record set April 22‚ 1910.

A crowd of 28‚000 see Mathewson come back against the Cards to win‚ 10-2‚ as the Giants riddle Bill Steele.
July 24An AL all-star team plays the Naps in Cleveland‚ raising $12‚914 for the late Addie Joss‘s family. The all-stars win 5-3. Joe Wood and Walter Johnson pitch for the all stars‚ while Cy Young twirls for the Naps.

Rochester and Newark of the Eastern League play a doubleheader in 2 hours‚ 32 minutes.

At Pittsburgh‚ Owen Wilson legs out three triples in an 8-2 win over Brooklyn. Pittsburgh is in 5th place (86-48) but just 4 1/2 games out of first.
July 26In a 7-6 loss to St. Louis‚ the league-leading Phils are dealt a blow when catcher-manager Red Dooin suffers a broken leg in a collision at home plate with Cards’ runner Rebel Oakes.

Christy Mathewson wins his 21st straight game from the Reds 5-3. He replaces Hooks Wiltse in the 8th and his single in the 9th scores a run to help win it.
July 27Three days after the Cards light up Alexander for 5 runs in the 1st inning‚ the Phillies rookie ace stops them‚ 4-3.
July 28Charley “Victory” Faust shows up at the Giants’ hotel in St. Louis asking for a tryout. Manager John McGraw observes the “pitcher‚” who obviously is no player‚ and carries him on the team as an unofficial “mascot‚” and good luck charm. But the Giants lose to the Cards today‚ 5-2‚ with the help of 5 errors.
July 29Red Sox fireballer Joe Wood hurls a 5-0 no-hitter against the Browns. He walks 2 and hits one batter.

In his last appearance for Cleveland‚ Cy Young pitches just 3 innings and gives up 5 runs in a 7-1 loss to Washington. After this game‚ Cleveland will waive the veteran (3-4) to the Boston Rustlers (NL).

Rube Marquard (12-4) shuts out the Cards‚ 8-0‚ on 4 hits before 23‚000 in St. Louis. The Giants pitcher will beat the Redbirds again on the 31st‚ allowing 5 hits.
July 31Phils rookie Alexander‚ who beat the Cubs yesterday in relief‚ loses a matchup with Three Finger Brown‚ 4-2. The Phils‚ at 56-38‚ are in 4th place.

August

August 1The Giants sell Turkey Mike Donlin to the Braves. Boston will swap him in February.
August 2Christy Mathewson allows 15 singles‚ but his teammates help with 4 double plays and the Giants top the Pirates‚ 8-4. Babe Adams takes the loss.

Against visiting Brooklyn‚ King Cole throws a 10-inning 2-hit shutout to give the Cubs a 1-0 win. Jimmy Archer‘s homer in the 10th off Nat Rucker is the winner.
August 3Against the Cubs‚ visiting Brooklyn gets three homers in the 5th inning as Eddie Zimmerman‚ Tex Erwin‚ and Zack Wheat connect‚ not consecutively‚ in the 5-3 win. Zim’s and Erwin’s come against Lurid Lew Richie‚ while Fred Toney serves up Wheat. The trio will total six homers on the year.
August 4The A’s move into first place in the AL by taking a pair from the Browns‚ 5-1 and 5-2. The Athletics are 14-0 over St. Louis this season. In game 1 Stuffy McInniss has 18 putouts at 1B.

At Washington‚ the Senators sweep the White Sox‚ winning 1-0 in 11 innings‚ then winning 3-2 in regulation. Doc White and Walter Johnson go all the way in the opener. The Sox almost score in the 7th but Rollie Zeider is called out at home and severly twists his ankle in the attempt. In the 9th Milan doubles‚ and Germany Schaefer bunts him to 3B and is safe at 1B. Germany steals 2B and after Elbefeld pops out‚ and Walker is at bat‚ Germany steals first base. Manager Duffy then comes onto the field to argue that Schaefer should be out for stealing 1B‚ and while the argument goes on Germany takes off for 2B‚ getting caught in a rundown. Milan then attempts to score and is thrown out at home. The Senators then protest‚ to ump Connolly‚ saying the Sox have ten men on the field‚ but it falls on deaf ears. The game is marked by spectacular fielding including Lee Tannehill of the White Sox sets a ML mark as the only SS to execute 2 unassisted double plays in one game‚ though it is not even mentioned in the Chicago Tribune writeup.
August 5Cubs manager Frank Chance suspends Joe Tinker and fines him $150 for indifferent play. He is reinstated the next day.
August 7The matchup between Three Finger Brown and Christy Mathewson is something less than a pitching duel as Chicago bangs out 10 hits‚ including two singles‚ a double and a triple by Joe Tinker. Tinker also adds a steal of home. The Giants collect 13 hits‚ but Chicago wins the game‚ 8-6.
August 8Bill Keen‚ 18‚ debuts with the Pirates at 1B (as noted by Retrosheet) and injures himself in the 5th running from 1B to 3B. He’s replaced by a pinch runner‚ who breaks the 8-8 tie with the Phils‚ by scoring on a single. Keen makes 6 more pinch-hit appearances this year‚ but never scores a major league run.
August 9In Chicago‚ the Giants paste the Cubs‚ 16-5‚ and the Pirates now lead in the NL race for the first time. But it doesn’t last‚ as the Cubs replace them tomorrow with a 7-5 win over the visiting Cardinals. The lead changes 26 times‚ as the top 4 bounce in and out until the Giants emerge on August 24th and build a 7 1?2 game lead over the Cubs.
August 10The Detroit club announces that a new grandstand‚ costing $300‚000‚ will be built for the 1912 season.
August 11The Phillies reach Christy Mathewson for 11 hits‚ but fail to score as New York triumphs‚ 6-0. The Giants toast Bill Burns for 4 runs in the 1st two innings.
August 13The Pirates’ Elmer Steele throws just 72 pitches in subduing the Superbas‚ 9-0. Steele gives up no walks and has no strikeouts‚ and allows just one hit-a one-out 9th inning single to light-hitting Tex Erwin. Brooklyn so admires the feat they obtain him on September 16th‚ but he never wins another game in the ML.

Ty Cobb‚ apparently believing the Tigers can no longer win the pennant race‚ begins a vacation.
August 14Rube Marquard bests young Pete Alexander‚ 3-2‚ in 12 innings. Rube strikes out 13 Quakers to give New York the victory.
August 15Cy Young‚ 3-4 at Cleveland‚ is given his release. He returns to Boston and signs with the NL Rustlers‚ where he will close out the year 4-5‚ and his pitching days with a 511-315 record‚ 750 complete games‚ 7‚356 IP.
August 16At Brooklyn‚ Honus Wagner suffers a serious ankle injury rounding first in the first inning. He will miss 13 games‚ play one at first base‚ then miss another 12. With Wagner out the Pirates will lose 8 of 13 and drop out of the race.

At the Polo Grounds‚ it takes Christy Mathewson just 92 pitches to top the Reds‚ 6-1. Big Six allows just two Cincy hits in beating George Suggs. It is Matty’s 22nd straight win over the Ohioans. The New York American asserts that this game is a major-league record for fewest pitches‚ “although the organized baseball record at the time is said to belong to ‘one Mr. Delhi of the Pacific Coast League‘ who pitched only 75 balls in a game.” (the latter noted by R.J. Lesch)

In the 4th inning‚ Wildfire Schulte busts his record 4th grand slam of the season to help the Cubs maul the Boston Rustlers‚ 13-6. Pitching‚ it’s Brown over Brown as Mordecai tops Buster.

Philadelphia OF Sherry Magee is reinstated‚ following his suspension for attacking umpire Finneran several weeks ago‚
August 18The Tigers whip the Red Sox‚ 9-4‚ with Ty Cobb swiping home in the first inning on the front end of a triple steal. Delehanty and Drake combine with Ty.

At Comiskey Park‚ the White Sox beat the first-place Athletics‚ 7-5‚ but lose the services of their catcher Fred Payne. Payne has several teeth knocked out and has to leave the game after being hit in the face by a foul being returned from the grandstand (Noted by Ted Turocy).
August 19Thirty-five thousand gather at the not-yet-completed Polo Grounds to watch the Reds finally get to Christy Mathewson after 22 straight losses‚ beating him for the first time since May 1908. Matty‚ after saving the 5-4 opener for Wiltse with two scoreless frames‚ starts the nightcap‚ goes 5 innings‚ and loses 7-4. Mike Mitchell leads the Reds in the nitecap by hitting for the cycle off Matty‚ and adding a double. A crowd of 35‚000 views the loss.
August 24The Cubs lose to Brooklyn‚ 6-5‚ in 10 innings to lose sole possession of first place. Doc Scanlan bests Mordecai Brown.

The Giants split with Pittsburgh‚ but move into a tie for 1st place. Mathewson loses the opener‚ 3-1‚ giving up 6 hits and 2 earned runs in 8 innings. Rube Marquard salvages the nitecap with a 2-hitter‚ striking out 11.
August 25The Giants take over sole possession of the lead with a 3-2 win over Pittsburgh. New York will remain atop the NL for the rest of the way.

Red Sox lefty Smoky Joe Wood tops the St. Louis Browns‚ 3-2‚ for his 20th win.

At Detroit‚ Washington pastes the Tigers‚ 16-2‚ in game one. In an attempt to change their luck‚ Detroit bats first in game 2 and emerges with a 7-6 win.
August 26Pittsburgh‚ playing without Wagner‚ is no match for Christy Mathewson‚ as the Giants win‚ 6-2. Tommy Leach‚ filling in for Wagner at SS‚ makes three errors behind Howie Camnitz. The Giants announce that for the first 11 playing days at the new Polo Grounds‚ the average attendance was 23‚864.

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.
August 27Chicago’s Ed Walsh pitches a 5-0 no-hitter against the Red Sox. A 4th-inning walk produces the only Red Sox runner. After going 18-20 in 1910‚ Walsh bounces back to win 27 and lead the AL in games (56)‚ IP (369)‚ and strikeouts (255).
August 29After belting a 14th inning homer on August 17th off the Browns Jack Powell‚ A’s pitcher Jack Coombs hits another extra inning round tripper‚ this time in the 11th off the Tigers Ralph “Judge” Works. The Tigers win‚ 9-8‚ on Coombs’s error. Coombs’s homer is the last one hit at Detroit’s Bennett Park. Among major league pitchers‚ only Dizzy Dean will hit two extra-inning homers. Jim Delahanty‚ Tiger 3B‚ sets a ML record by making an unassisted DP for the 2nd day in a row. Another Tiger‚ Marv Owen‚ in 1934‚ will be the next to do it.

September

September 1In game one of a Giants’ doubleheader‚ Mathewson gives up 10 hits but beats the Phils 3-2. In game 2‚ Marquard one-hits the Phils 2-0‚ walks none‚ and fans 10. The Phils “Smoke” Stack and Marquard match zeros for 7 innings‚ but a walk‚ single and two errors bring home two Giant runs. This is Rube’s second one-hitter in a row: his previous start‚ on August 24‚ resulted in a two-hitter.

Whoops! Cleveland beats the White Sox‚ 2-1‚ with the help of a successful hidden ball trick in the 9th inning. Chicago pinch runner Felix Chouinard is caught by Cleveland SS Ivy Olson.
September 4Against the Braves‚ Giants Rube Marquard strikes out 14 batters in the 1st 7 innings‚ but runs out of gas in the 8th and loses‚ 8-7.
September 7The Cubs’ Frank Schulte hits his 21st HR and brings in RBI No. 121 as the Cubs sweep the Reds‚ 3-0 and 4-2; he will lead the NL in both home runs and ribbies. He is the first player to have more than 20 doubles‚ triples‚ and HRs in one season. In the AL‚ Frank Baker’s 9 HRs will be tops. Ty Cobb hits 8 HRs but leads in BA‚ RBI‚ hits‚ doubles‚ triples‚ total bases‚ and stolen bases.

Grover Alexander (24 years old)‚ winning a rookie record 28 games‚ pitches the Phils to a 1-0 win over Boston’s 44-year-old Cy Young. Alex gives up just one hit. Alexander’s 31 CG‚ 367 IP‚ and 7 shutouts lead the NL. The AL has its own rookie sensation‚ lefty Vean Gregg‚ who breaks in for Cleveland with a 23-7 record and miserly 1.81 ERA. Gregg will win 20 his first 3 years‚ then win just 28 in the next 12 years.

The Giants lose a heartbreaker to Brooklyn in the 9th inning when‚ with Bert Tooley on 1B‚ Jake Daubert lofts a high fly for the apparent 3rd out. But Fred Snodgrass drops the ball and Tooley scores the final run in the Superbas‚ 4-3 win. The Giants are virtually tied with the Cubs‚ winners of two today.
September 9Red Sox rookie Buck O’Brien shuts out the A’s‚ 2-0‚ in his first major league start. He won’t be scored on for 20 innings.

Detroit’s Pat Mullin pitches a 1-0 shutout over the White Sox‚ and gets some help when Lee Tannehill‘s liner is caught by LF Delos Drake who turns it into a triple play‚ throwing to Donie Bush who relays to 1B Del Ganier.
September 12In the nitecap of a game billed as a pitchers’ duel‚ Boston’s Cy Young and the Giants’ Christy Mathewson face each other before 10‚000‚ Boston’s largest crowd of the year. Young gives up 3 homers and 9 runs in less than 3 innings. After the Giants build a 9-0 lead‚ John McGraw lifts Mathewson‚ who pitched just 2 innings‚ preferring to save his ace for the pennant race against Chicago and Philadelphia. This is the only time the 2 pitchers ever face each other. Mathewson adds to New York’s scoring in the 3rd by swiping home. The Giants coast‚ 11-2. In the field‚ Matty also helps when‚ with Miller on 1B in the 2nd inning‚ a line drive to center by Gowdy results in a DP (8-4-1-3). New York wins the 1st game‚ 9-3‚ and now lead the Cubs by 2 games.
September 14At Boston‚ the Giants pound the Rustlers 13-9‚ scoring 6 runs in the 9th inning for a 13-4 lead. The winner is Hooks Wiltse with little relief from Doc Crandall in the 9th: Doc allows 7 hits and 5 runs.
September 15Washington manager Jimmy McAleer announces his resignation. Ban Johnson then arranges for McAleer and Robert R. McRoy buy a half-interest in the Red Sox for $150‚000. Clark Griffith will take over as manager and‚ by purchasing 10% of the team‚ its largest single stock holder.
September 16Boston’s Smoky Joe Wood and rookie Buck O’Brien toss back-to-back shutouts to beat Cleveland. Wood wins 6-0 and O’Brien follow with a 3-0 win. O’Brien‚ who relieved in his last appearance‚ will finish all of his five starts going‚ 5-1.

At Forbes Field‚ Rube Marquard‚ with relief from Mathewson‚ beats the Pirates‚ 6-2. Before the game the Giants mascot‚ Victory Faust‚ strikes out Honus Wagner on three pitches‚ to the delight of the 20‚000 fans.

For the second time in a week‚ an AL rookie debuts with a shutout; the Brown’s Elmer Brown stops the Senators‚ 6-0.
September 17In St Louis‚ the Braves win the opener of a twinbill‚ 4-3‚ then the Cards and Braves battle to a 0-0 tie in the nitecap. Lefty Tyler gets his first career shutout in game 2‚ as does Cards Grover Lowdermilk who finishes the year with a 0-0 record and a shutout.
September 18The Giants beat Pittsburgh 7-2‚ as the Giants steal 8 bases with Larry Doyle swiping home twice‚ matching the ML mark tied Joe Tinker‘s last year. New York ties a ML mark with the 3 steals. Mathewson is the winner on a 4-hitter over Howie Camnitz‚ increasing the Giants lead to 5 games.

With a triple steal on‚ the Highlanders Cozy Dolan singles in 3 runs in a 9-4 loss at Detroit. The 3 RBIs are half of Cozy’s season total.
September 21In St. Louis‚ Hooks Wiltse wins the opener to extend the Giants win streak to 12 games. The Cards stop the skein in game 2 with an 8-7 win.

In Chicago‚ the Phils Grover Alexander fires his 4th straight shutout‚ beating the Cubs Ed Reulbach‚ 4-0. Alex also had shutouts on the 7th‚ 13th‚ and 17th.
September 22Boston Rustlers Cy Young shuts out Pittsburgh and Babe Adams 1-0 for his final career victory‚ number 511. It is Young’s 2nd shutout against the Pirates‚ who lost just 3 of 22 games to Boston in 1911.

Jim Scott and Frank Lange apply whitewashes to the Browns as the White Sox win‚ 5-0 and 1-0.
September 23Walter Johnson gives up a 2-run homer in the 6th inning to Joe Jackson‚ the 8th four-bagger the Big Train has allowed this year. Johnson had given up just 2 in the previous 4 seasons. Cleveland whips the Senators 6-1.

Mathewson pitches the Giants to a 6-2 win over the Reds. New York now leads Chicago by 8 games.
September 24After 41 straight shutout innings‚ Grover Alexander is scored on by the Cards in the 6th inning. The Phillies are victorious‚ 8-2.
September 25Washington’s Wid Conroy‚ in his final season‚ sets an AL record for total chances by a 3B with 13 in a 3-2 loss to Cleveland.

John C. Bender‚ brother of Philadelphia great Chief Bender‚ dies on the mound during a game played in Edmonton‚ Alberta. Bender‚ 30‚ dies of a heart attack.
September 26At Shibe Park‚ the A’s clinch their 2nd straight AL pennant‚ defeating the Tigers‚ 11-5. Frank Baker leads the offense with a homer and 2 doubles. Detroit‚ which led the A’s by 12 games in May‚ will finish 2nd‚ 13 1/2 games back.
September 28A scant few hundred fans see the worst game in AL history as the Highlanders trounce the Browns 18-12. The teams accumulate 29 hits‚ 20 walks‚ and 12 errors. New York scores in each of 7 innings‚ steals a record 15 bases-7 off C Jim Stephens in 2 innings‚ 8 off Nig Clarke. Hal Chase and Birdie Cree lead the thieves with 4 steals each. Five Highlanders runners are thrown out.

In Chicago‚ Joe Tinker doubles in 2 runs in the 3rd inning off Christy Mathewson‚ and the Cubs make it hold up‚ winning 2-1.

Behind righty Jack Coombs‚ the Athletics clinch the AL pennant with an 11-5 victory over the Tigers.
September 29Ty Cobb is fined $100 by the National Commission for playing a Sunday game with a semipro club in New York.
September 30At the West Side Grounds‚ Red Ames gives the Giants a needed 3-1 victory over the 2nd-place Cubs.

In a field day at Chicago’s White Sox park‚ Ed Walsh hits a fungo 419 feet and one-half inch‚ beating a 413 foot eight and one-half inch drive by Cincinnati’s Mike Mitchell on September 11‚ 1907. Harry Hooper of the Red Sox wins the accuracy in throwing contest beating Jimmy Archer of the Cubs and Jack Coombs of the A’s. The planned three-inning game is called on account of rain.

October

October 1The Giants complete a western trip that ices the pennant by beating the Cubs‚ 5-0‚ behind Rube Marquard. Chicago’s Jimmy Sheckard sets a NL record by drawing his 147th walk‚ a mark not broken until Dodger Eddie Stanky‘s 148 in 1945.
October 3In the 2nd inning at New York‚ the Red Sox pull off a double steal with Duffy Lewis scoring from 3B and Jack Lewis swiping 2B (as noted by Retrosheet). Jack Lewis is shaken up on the play and the Hilltoppers allow Duffy to replace him at 2B as a courtesy runner. He doesn’t score and Jack returns to the game as Boston wins‚ 4-1. They take the nitecap‚ 7-0‚ behind Joe Wood and will win tomorrow over host New York‚ 4-1‚ behind Eddie Cicotte. The Sox will win 10 straight in New York in 1912‚ and the first 5 games there in 1913-a ML record 18 games on the road versus one team. Brooklyn will tie the record in 1946‚ and the Cardinals will tie it in 1966.
October 4At Washington Park‚ the Giants clinch the pennant with a 2-0 victory over Brooklyn. Mathewson allows 7 hits in besting Nap Rucker.
October 5The National Commission sells motion picture rights to the WS for $3‚500. When the players demand a share of it‚ the Commission cancels the deal.
October 6Cy Young’s farewell appearance in a ML game is a letdown‚ as he loses to Brooklyn’s Eddie Dent‚ 13-3‚ in his 906th game. Dent goes 7 innings‚ Cy just 6 1/3 giving up 11 hits. Brooklyn scores 8 in the 7th and Young’s last 8 batters faced tally: triple‚ single‚ single‚ single‚ single‚ double‚ double‚ double.” Weaver allows the last 2 runs in the frame. In game 1‚ Big Ed Donnelly (5-10) closes out his 2-year career with a 1-0 shutout for the Rustlers over Brooklyn.
October 7With just 1‚000 fans on hand at the Polo Grounds‚ New York Giants‘ mascot Victory Faust hurls a 9th inning against Boston‚ allowing a hit and a run in a 5-2 loss. Faust also hits‚ circling the bases for a score as the Rustlers deliberately throw wildly. Faust will reprise his act on October 12th against Brooklyn: he allows a hit in his one inning; is hit by a pitch and then steals 2B and 3B‚ and scores on a grounder.

On a raw day in St. Louis‚ the Tigers edge the Browns‚ 1-0‚ before 66 fans. Ralph Works is the winner.

The White Sox move into 4th place with a 10-4 win over the Senators. Rollie Zeider scores 5 runs and hits a homerun.

In Boston a distraught Eleanor Keane says that her fiancé Duffy Lewis had phoned to break off their planned wedding for next week on the advice of Boston president John Taylor. Ms. Keane says she still trusts him even though Lewis had broken engagements to two other women before they met two years ago.
October 8In the PCL, Vernon beats up on Portland winning, 27-1.
October 9With the WS not scheduled to start until the 14th‚ the Athletics tune up in a series against an AL all-star team. The A’s clinched on September 26th in an 11-5 win over Detroit.

The Braves end their season with a doubleheader sweep of the Phillies‚ winning 11-5 and 13-10. Jimmy Walsh both pitches and catches in game 2‚ though perhaps he should stick to catching. He gives up 7 hits in his 2 2/3 inning appearance-his only in the majors-and takes the loss.

The first game of the Ohio championship between Cleveland and the Reds is won by host Cincinnati 4-0. The rest of the best-of-7 series will be in Cleveland because of construction of a grandstand in Cincinnati. Tomorrow the St. Louis city series begins with a 0-0 tie‚ and in 2 days the Chicago series. These post season matches are popular with the fans and put money in the players’ pockets.
October 10In Washington‚ the A’s trip the AL All-stars 3-2 as Walter Johnson gives up 10 hits in 9 innings. Coombs‚ Plank‚ and Bender each allow one hit in their 3 innings of tuneup.
October 11The first MVPs are announced. Using a point system-8 for a first-place vote‚ 7 for 2nd‚ and so on-the 8 voting writers give OF Ty Cobb the maximum 64 points or an efficiency rating of 1.000. P Ed Walsh is 2nd‚ and 2B Eddie Collins 3rd. The NL winner is the Cubs OF Frank “Wildfire” Schulte who garners an efficiency rating of .453‚ Schulte tops the 100 mark in runs and RBIs‚ and is the only player in history to reach 20 in doubles‚ triples‚ homers and stolen bases in the same season. Christy Mathewson is 2nd. Winners receive Chalmers automobiles.

In Richmond‚ the AL All-stars beat the A’s‚ 13-8‚ before 9‚000. Cobb has 3 hits for the stars and Krausse‚ one of 3 A’s pitchers‚ hits the longest homer at the park this year.
October 14The Athletics go into the WS minus their star rookie 1B Stuffy McInnis. The veteran Harry Davis replaces him and drives in the first run as Chief Bender tries again to outpitch Christy Mathewson. The Giants are dressed in the same black uniforms they wore in their 1905 conquest of the Mackmen‚ and this Series starts as their last meeting ended: Mathewson wins it 2-1. The largest crowd ever to watch a ball game-38‚281-is at the Polo Grounds. Gate receipts are $77‚379.
October 15In an exhibition game in New York‚ Honus Wagner‚ Walter Johnson‚ Gabby Street and other white major leaguers take on the Lincoln Giants‚ a star-studded black team featuring Pop Lloyd‚ Dick McClelland‚ and Louis Santop. Johnson K’s 14 to give the white all-stars a 5-3 win.
October 16The World Series resumes today‚ Monday‚ and the pitchers continue to dominate. Rube Marquard and Eddie Plank are in command of a 1-1 game when Philadelphia’s Eddie Collins doubles in the last of the 6th and Frank Baker hits one over the RF fence for a 3-1 victory.

At Sportsman’s Park in St. Louis‚ the Browns whip the Cardinals 5-1‚ to sweep the City series with five wins. The first game ended in a scoreless tie.
October 17After criticizing his teammate Marquard’s pitching to Baker in his newspaper column‚ Christy Mathewson takes the mound for game 3 against 29-game winner Jack Coombs. Matty takes a 1-0 lead into the 9th. With one out‚ Baker lines another drive over the RF fence to tie it. With that blow‚ he becomes “Home Run” Baker to future generations. Errors by 3B Buck Herzog and SS Art Fletcher give the A’s 2 unearned runs in the top of the 11th. New York scores once‚ but the A’s win 3-2 behind Jack Coombs‘s 3-hitter.
October 24After 6 days of rain‚ Chief Bender gets another chance against Mathewson. New York takes a 2-0 first-inning lead. But aided by an overflow crowd in the outfield‚ the A’s collect 7 doubles among their 11 hits‚ pick up 3 in the 3rd and one in the 4th while Bender shuts down the Giants‚ and the A’s take a 3-1 lead in games.
October 25Before 33‚228 at the Polo Grounds‚ the Giants put 3 hits together off Coombs in the last of the 9th for 2 runs and a 3-3 tie. The A’s Eddie Plank comes on in the 10th and gives up the winning run on Fred Merkle‘s sac fly to Danny Murphy in the 4-3 contest. Larry Doyle scores from 3B leaping into the arms of his joyous teammates and missing home plate for the ‘phantom run’. Ump Bill Klem notices it‚ revealing the fact after the game‚ but the A’s fail to appeal. Relief specialist Doc Crandall gets the win after working 2 scoreless innings.
October 26Chief Bender cruises to his second victory‚ a 4-hit 13-2 breeze. The A’s cap the win with a 7-run 7th‚ battering three tired Giant hurlers‚ Ames‚ Wiltse‚ and Marquard. Overall‚ the Giants manage just 13 runs and a .175 BA off Bender‚ Coombs‚ and Plank. Because of the NL’s extended playing season‚ this is the latest ending ever for a WS‚ until the “Earthquake Series” of 1989.
October 27A’s longtime captain and 1B Harry Davis is named manager of Cleveland. He won’t last the 1912 season and 28-year-old J. L. Birmingham will take over‚ going 21-7 to earn the job.
October 30Clark Griffith is named manager at Washington‚ beginning a stand in the Capital as manager‚ then owner‚ that will last until his death in 1955.

November

November 5Cuban ace Jose Mendez shuts out the visiting Philadelphia Phillies. In 18 games against big league competition‚ Mendez will go 8-7 with one tie. On the 7th‚ the Phils win‚ 5-3 to even the series.
November 21Hal Chase resigns as manager of the Highlanders after a 6th-place finish. He will stay as a player until traded during the 1913 season. Harry Wolverton replaces him.
November 23Cotton States League umpire Edward dies. The cause of death is supposedly a throat injury caused by a foul tip.
November 25William Russell‚ head of the syndicate that owns the Boston Nationals‚ dies. No doubt helping his demise was watching his team finish the season with a winning percentage of .291. John Montgomery Ward‚ along with New Yorkers James Gaffney and John Carroll‚ will purchase 945 of the 1000 shares for $177‚000. The team‚ known as the Rustlers after William Russell‚ will start next season as the Braves.

December

December 1Detroit manager Hughie Jennings is critically injured when the car he is driving slides off an icy road down an embankment. He nearly drowns and suffers a concussion‚ two broken legs and a broken arm.
December 12A rift between the leagues develops over widespread charges of ticket speculation during the WS‚ and accusations that officials of the Giants and A’s were involved. The AL passes a resolution refusing to participate in another WS until it has control of ticket sales in its own parks. The National Commission investigates the charge that speculators were given large blocks of tickets‚ but takes no action and releases no findings. The following spring‚ the Commission finds that much scalping occurred‚ but there is no evidence either team was involved‚ and peace is declared.
December 13At the NL meetings at the Waldorf-Astoria‚ The Sporting Life reports that “For the first time in history a woman sat in at a major league meeting. Mrs. H. H. Britton‚ owner of the St. Louis Cardinals‚ remained throughout the entire session of the National League on the second day. Mrs. Britton took no voice in the meeting. She allowed President Steininger to do all the voting.”

The Boston Rustlers (formerly the Doves) are bought by New York politician James E. Gaffney and former player‚ now attorney‚ John Montgomery Ward. The team will be called the Braves because of Gaffney’s Tammany Hall connections.
December 14Pirates owner Barney Dreyfuss proposes that each team in the WS be required to turn over one-fourth of its share of the gate to the league‚ to be divided among the other teams. Until now‚ 10 percent of the gross has gone to the National Commission‚ 60 percent to the players‚ and the rest to the 2 pennant-winning clubs. The NL will pass the resolution and send it to the AL. It marks the beginning of changes that ultimately give players of the first 4 clubs a percentage of the WS money.

The Earned Run Average is adopted as an official statistic.
December 21In the New York Evening Journal‚ 80’s player-manager Sam Crane picks his all-time greatest list‚ in response to a list that Charles Comiskey compiled. Crane graciously faults Comiskey for not including himself‚ as well as for not going back far enough. He lists 20 in chronological order: G.Wright‚ R. Barnes‚ C. Anson‚ M. Kelly‚ C. Radbourn, F. Dunlap‚ Buck Ewing‚ J. Ward‚ C. Comiskey‚ B. Lange‚ J. McGraw‚ L. Lajoie‚ F. Clarke‚ H. Wagner‚ W. Keeler‚ J. Collins‚ C. Mathewson‚ H. Chase‚ T. Cobb‚ and E. Collins.