Baseball – 1907

Baseball in 1907

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January

January 10John McGraw stops a runaway team of horses in Los Angeles‚ saving two young women from injury.
January 28In an effort to reduce playing-date conflicts between their leagues‚ presidents Pulliam and Johnson meet to plan schedules. Conflicting dates are reduced to 27.

February

February 26The Browns trade Pete O’Brien to Cleveland for C Fritz Buelow.
February 27The Yankees acquire C Branch Rickey from the Browns in exchange for INF Joe Yeager. As noted by Lyle Spatz‚ Rickey will not play on Sundays‚ while new backstop Buelow will.

March

March 4A judgment of $52‚000 is awarded to the Baltimore club from Brooklyn. When Baltimore left the NL in 1903‚ Brooklyn agreed to pay $40‚000 for the franchise but never did. The award includes interest.
March 6The first suit for damages resulting from the Phillies’ 1903 ballpark disaster ends with the acquittal of club owners A. J. Reach and John Rogers.
March 28Popular Boston Americans OF Chick Stahl‚ who replaced his best friend Jimmy Collins as manager of the now named Red Sox at the end of the 1906 season‚ commits suicide in West Baden Springs‚ IN as the team is barnstorming their way back from Little Rock‚ Arkansas. After breakfast he returns to his room‚ which he shared with Colins‚ and drinks 4 oz. of carbolic acid. There are various accounts for the reason he committed the suicide ranging from suggestions of a homosexual relationship‚ Stahl’s fragile personality given to depressions‚ and a blackmailing pregnant girl friend of the recently wed Stahl. Cy Young reluctantly agrees to start the season as Boston’s manager‚ but there will be three others during the year.
March 29Boston OF Cozy Dolan‚ who played the full schedule of NL games in 1906‚ dies of typhoid fever in Louisville. The Doves cancel the remainder of their spring training schedule.
March 30The Sporting Life reprints an article from the Chicago Tribune on hand signals: “The Tribune’s’ agitation for a system of umpire’s gestures to indicate decisions seems to be as far-reaching as popular. Chief Zimmer has been using signs for balls and strikes and delighting New Orleans patrons. Today Collins‚ who officiated here‚ adopted the same system and used it successfully‚ with the result the crowd forgave him for not calling everything the local twirler pitched a ‘strike.’ To date Hank O’Day appears to be the only opponent of the idea.

April

April 9The St. Louis Cardinals whip the St. Louis Browns 9-1 to take the Mound City series 4 games to 3. The two teams will reprise the rivalry in the fall‚ and the Cards will also take that one‚ 5-2.

Wellington Titus receives a patent for the first portable batting cage. The Athletics will be one of the first pro teams to use the Titus cage.
April 11On a cold day in New York‚ the Giants open against the Phillies before 16‚000. A late snowstorm had to be cleared‚ but there are large piles of snow surrounding the field. In the 8th inning‚ with Frank Corridon pitching a one-hit 3-0 shutout over the Giants‚ fans‚ who have been pelting the players and opposing teams’ fans with snowballs‚ begin jumping from the stands and running around the outfield. There are no police on duty at the park‚ as required by the league‚ so umpire Bill Klem‚ in his ML debut‚ forfeits the game to the Phils. Seymour has the only hit for New York. New York C Roger Bresnahan appears wearing shin guards for the first time in a ML game‚ although the Phils’ Red Dooin had worn papier-mâché guards under his stockings in 1906 while catching and at bat. It will be a few years before detachable guards are adopted by all catchers.

At Philadelphia‚ Cy Young leaves in the 9th inning for a pinch hitter with Boston ahead 4-3. Lee Tannehill relieves‚ gives up a tying run in the 9th‚ but shuts outs the A’s for another 5 innings before Boston scores 4 in the 14th to win. The write up of the game gives the victory to Young‚ stating that Tannehill didn’t pitch well enough to win.

At Washington‚ a record crowd of 12‚902 watch the Highlanders’ Al Orth beat his old team‚ the Nationals‚ 3-2. Long Tom Hughes‚ one of the players New York traded for Orth‚ is the losing pitcher. Hal Chase skips the opener because of a salary disagreement‚ and George Moriarty plays 1B for New York.

The Reds open at the Palace of the Fans and rally for 2 runs in the 9th to beat Pittsburgh‚ 4-3. John Ganzel‘s 2-run single is the big blow. Reds rookie Mike Mitchell‚ the PCL batting champ last year‚ is 3-for-4 with a triple. The Cincinnati Commercial-Tribune will note tomorrow that umpire “Hank O’Day used the arm signals yesterday and they were satisfactory. He raises his left hand for a ball. In case he raises neither hand‚ it is a strike.”
April 14At Chicago‚ the Cubs beat Fred Beebe of the Cardinals‚ 2-0‚ with Carl Lundgren tossing the shutout. For Beebe‚ it is the first of 11 straight losses to the Cubs.

The Chicago Tribune wades in today on the topic of hand signals: “There is nothing but this habit of looking at baseball matters through the umpire’s eyes to explain the failure of the big league presidents to answer the public’ demands by instructing their umpires to adopt a simple code of signals to indicate doubtful decisions on pitched balls‚ the same as on base decisions. The umpires objected to being overworked by the necessity of moving an arm to indicate a ‘strike.’ Consequently the public must continue to guess‚ until electric score boards are installed and perfected‚ and then miss some of the play while studying the score board.” The next day‚ the Tribune noted that umpire Carpenter had been a big hit with the fans by raising his right hand to indicate a strike. (as noted by Peter Morris)
April 15Brooklyn’s Nap Rucker makes his ML debut‚ and rookie mistakes give him a 3-2 loss to Boston. All 3 runs against him come in the 2nd inning when he makes 2 wild throws and 2 wild pitches. Claude Ritchey scores the 3rd run‚ stealing home as Rucker holds the ball.

The Cleveland club takes out a $100‚000 policy to insure its players against injury in railroad accidents.
April 17The Boston Doves hire George Huff as manager‚ replacing player-manager Cy Young. The team was 3-3 under Cy. Huff will last two weeks before Bob Unglaub takes over.
April 19Ed Walsh has his sinker working as he fields 11 assists and 2 putouts during a 1-0 win over the Browns. His total of 13 chances ties the ML mark Nick Altrock set in 1906 and his 11 assists ties the AL mark of Al Orth set last year.
April 22At Boston‚ New York’s Mathewson gives up 8 hits‚ but no runs‚ in shutting down Boston‚ 1-0. Bill Dahlen singles home the winner off Patsy Flaherty in the 9th.

Ed Reulbach‚ winner of his last 12 games in 1906‚ makes his first start of the year for the Cubs‚ but gets no decision. Chicago scores in the 9th against the Reds‚ and Jack Pfiester wins in relief‚ 3-2.
April 26At soggy Baker Bowl‚ Mathewson scatters 9 hits to beat the Phils‚ 4-3‚ in 8 innings. The Giants tally 14 hits‚ led by Spike Shannon‘s four. New York bats in the 9th without scoring‚ and the Phils put tying run on 2B before the rain pours down. Umpire Charles Rigler then calls the game. The Giants have now won two in a row‚ but the streak will grow.

Boston OF Johnny Bates hits for the cycle to lead his Nationals to a 4-2 win over Brooklyn.

May

May 2Making his first pro start‚ Willie Humes of Bloomington (Three I) hurls a no-hitter‚ beating Springfield‚ 12-1.
May 3Dilatory tactics of the Highlanders’ Judd Doyle‚ whose well-earned nickname is “Slow Joe‚” lengthens a 10-inning game with the Athletics to a record 3 hours‚ 7 minutes. New York wins‚ 4-3.

At the Polo Grounds‚ Brooklyn’s Elmer Stricklett allows just 3 Giant hits but Christy Mathewson goes one better‚ and the Giants win‚ 1-0.
May 4Hooks Wiltse shuts out Brooklyn‚ 10-0‚ allowing just one hit in 8 innings. Henry Mathewson‚ Christy’s brother‚ mops up in the 9th in his final ML appearance.

The White Sox crush the Highlanders‚ winning 15-0‚ setting a New York team record for biggest opponent’s score in a whitewash. On July 15th‚ the two teams will repeat the score.
May 7The Phillies Frank Corridon pitches a 10-inning one hitter to beat Boston’s Cy Young‚ 3-1. Corridon’s triple in the 10th drives in 2 runs to win. The only hit Corridon allows is a 4th inning single to Frank Burke.
May 8Frank Pfeffer of the Boston Doves pitches a 6-0 no-hitter against the Reds‚ striking out 3 and walking 1. He will be known as “Big Jeff” until his younger‚ and bigger‚ brother Ed “Jeff” Pfeffer becomes a star hurler for Brooklyn in 1913.

Christy Mathewson tosses his 2nd straight shutout‚ stopping the visiting Pirates‚ 4-0‚ on 4 hits. Lefty Leifield takes the loss. First-place New York has now won 10 in a row and holds a slim lead over Chicago.
May 11John McGraw deals three aces today against the Pirates‚ and emerges with a 9-6 win. Starter Joe McGinnity lasts one inning‚ Hooks Wiltse pitches until the 7th when he is given the hook in favor of Christy Mathewson. The Giants score 4 runs in the bottom of the 7th off Mike Lynch with the victory going to Matty.
May 14The flagpole at the White Sox ballpark breaks during the pennant-raising ceremonies celebrating the 1906 championship.
May 16The Highlanders swap P Walter Clarkson and OF Frank Delahanty-both siblings of future Hall of Famers-to Cleveland for P Earl Moore. New York is hoping that Moore will return to the form he showed before a Highlander line drive injured his foot in August 1905. But after making just six appearances this season‚ New York will waive him to the Phillies where he will regain his form in 1909. New York loses to Detroit today‚ 1-0.
May 17Pirates P Lefty Leifield‘s shutout over Brooklyn is preserved by a great catch by RF Goat Anderson. Leifield wins 1-0.

At the Polo Grounds‚ the Giants sweep two from the Cards by the scores of 2-1 and 4-0. Christy Mathewson wins the opener‚ allowing just 3 hits in 12 innings‚ while striking out 11. Matty’s single in the bottom of the 12th off Fred Beebe provides the winning score. Joe McGinnity’s shutout in the nitecap is New York’s 16th victory in a row.
May 18Hooks Wiltse pitches the Giants to a 6-2 win over the Cardinals. For New York‚ it is their 17 straight win to run their season record to 24-3. Despite the run‚ the Giants are in first by just one game over Chicago.
May 20A 17-game winning streak started by the Giants comes to an end in a 6-4 loss to St. Louis.

In the Highlanders’ 4-1 win over Boston‚ Kid Elberfeld accounts for half the total tallies with 2 steals of home‚ the first American Leaguer to accomplish that feat.
May 21NL president Pulliam dismisses the Opening Day protests of Pittsburgh manager Fred Clarke over Bresnahan’s shin guards. As yet‚ Bresnahan is the only catcher using them.

Three Fingered Brown and Christy Mathewson hook up in a pitching duel‚ with the Chicago ace emerging the winner‚ 3-2. Matty’s batterymate Roger Bresnahan makes 2 errors to cause Christy Mathewson to lose his 1st of the year. Mobbed at the Polo Grounds after the loss‚ umpires O’Day and Emslie require police protection. The crowd is egged on by McGraw‚ who will be thrown out of games 7 times this year. The next day AL ump Billy Evans needs a police escort after argumentative Hugh Jennings incites a riot. Jennings will be suspended.
May 22The Giants move back into first place over Chicago with a 7-1 win against the Cubs.
May 23Before a packed house of 23‚000‚ McGraw uses his entire pitching staff of six against the Cubs‚ but Chicago still wins‚ 5-2 to move into first place over New York. Wiltse lasts just one inning‚ giving up two Chicago runs. Jimmy Sheckard‘s three-run homer in the 5th off Mathewson‚ pitching on a day’s rest‚ seals the win for Chicago.
May 24At the Polo Grounds‚ Boston pitcher Pat Flaherty clubs the first grand slam by an NL pitcher when he connects in the 2nd inning off Hooks Wiltse of the Giants. Boston wins‚ 7-5.
May 25The Giants bust Irv Young for 6 runs in the 8th inning to beat Boston‚ 9-1. McGinnity in relief of Mathewson‚ now 7-1‚ gets a save.
May 26Chicago’s Ed Walsh hurls a rain-shortened 5-inning no-hitter against New York. In a steady drizzle‚ New York is down 4-1 when Manager Clark Griffith lifts starter Al Orth and inserts himself. Hoping to have the game washed out‚ Griffith loads the bases and then serves a cripple to Walsh‚ who drives in 2 runs. The Sox figure two can play that game and‚ Billy Sullivan‚ who was on first with a walk‚ loafs home from 3rd and is tagged out. Umpire Sheridan threatens forfeiture if the shenanigans continue. Chicago scores 2 more in the 6th before rain washes out the game and the Sox win 8-1.
May 30In an A.M.-P.M. doubleheader‚ The Phils edge the Giants in the morning contest as Lew Moren bests Hooks Wiltse‚ 5-2. The afternoon match attracts 25‚000 to the Polo Grounds‚ Mathewson scatters 8 hits to beat the Phillies‚ 6-1.
May 31The Highlanders beat Boston‚ 4-1‚ behind Frank Kitson‚ making his first appearance for New York. Kitson was 0-3 for the Nationals this year‚ but will go 4-0 in New York. Kid Elberfeld of the Highlanders has a steal of home‚ and Hal Chase has 2 steals.

June

June 3The Cards Stoney McGlynn pitches both games in a doubleheader with the Reds‚ winning a 1-0 five-hitter in the opener. The Reds then rock Stoney for 7 hits to win the nitecap‚ 5-1.
June 5At Chicago‚ Christy Mathewson loses his 2nd game of the year‚ this one again to Three Fingered Brown. The Cubs scorch Matty for 16 hits to beat the Giants‚ 8-2. Brown has now topped the Giants ace their last five meetings.
June 7Boston (AL) ships former player-manager Jimmy Collins to the Athletics for infielder John Knight. Collins guided the team to two pennants but was suspended last August after he left the team without permission. Boston buys 43-year-old Deacon McGuire from the Yankees and make him manager.
June 8The National Police Gazette lists “Honest John” Kelly and Tim Hurst among its great boxing referees. Both are former ML umpires‚ with Kelly also playing and managing.
June 9Throwing the only perfect game of his career‚ Weiser (Idaho) P Walter Johnson beats Emmett‚ 11-0. He strikes out 14‚ and the game helps bring him to the attention of the Washington Nationals.
June 11At St. Louis‚ the Giants use three pitchers to beat Stoney McGlynn‚ 8-7. Mathewson‚ the 3rd pitcher‚ picks up the victory. Ex-Card Spike Shannon provides a key triple to give New York the win.
June 12The Highlanders make it easy for the Tigers by committing 11 errors in the 14-6 win by Detroit. Shortstop Kid Elberfeld leads the bobble gang with 4 errors; 1B Chase‚ 3B LaPorte‚ 2B Williams‚ LF Conroy‚ and pitchers Orth and Hogg each add a miscue. Following the game‚ New York manager Clark Griffith gets into a fracas with a fan and is charged with assault. Griffith later argues self defense and receives a fine.
June 13The Boston Red Sox play an exhibition game at Providence‚ raising $3‚140.50 for Chick Stahl‘s widow. The clubs and players also contribute.
June 14At Boston‚ the Browns knock Cy Young for 3 runs in the first and George Winter comes in for the last 8 innings. The Sox rally for 4 runs to win 4-3.

At Pittsburgh‚ Mathewson is hit in the stomach by a Lefty Leifield pitch in the 9th‚ but the two battle until the 12th when the Pirates push over the winning run. Pittsburgh wins‚ 2-1.
June 15Making his first pro start‚ Maury Kent of Marshalltown (Iowa State) hurls a no-hitter‚ but loses to Keokuk‚ 2-1.
June 17The Red Sox sign their 4th manager this season when Deacon Jim Maguire takes over for Bob Unglaub. Unglaub’s record was 9-20.
June 18In a Giants 4-3 win‚ Roger Bresnahan is hit in the head by a pitch from Andy Coakley of the Cincinnati Reds and is given the last rites while he lays on the field. Hospitalized for 10 days‚ he will develop a primitive headgear for batters during his convalescence. Teammate Dan McGann is also hit by a Coakley pitch in the same inning (4th)‚ breaking his arm‚ and will be out of action until the 1st of August. Possibly as a result of the wildness‚ Reds C Admiral Schlei puts on shin guards for the 9th inning‚ the first Cincy backstop to do so.
June 19Miller Huggins‚ diminutive 2B of the Reds‚ leads off the game against New York with a HR off Christy Mathewson. The rare occurrence (he hits only 9 in his career) astonishes the home town fans and they celebrate by presenting him with a pair of shoes‚ a gold watch‚ a 5-pound box of chocolates‚ a scarf pin‚ and a Morris chair. The Reds win in the 9th when Larry McLean drives home 2 runs for a 3-2 win.
June 21The Cubs top the Cardinals 2-0 as C Johnny Kling throws out all 4 would-be St. Louis base stealers. Three Fingered Brown wins his 10th straight game.
June 22At New York‚ the Beaneaters blow Mathewson out of the game after 4 innings with 10 runs on 8 hits. But the Giants claw back to win 11-10 in 12 innings.
June 24In a Tri-State League at Williamsport‚ a game with Altoona ends in the 4th inning when a bolt of lightning sets fire to the grandstand. Williamsport pitcher Vickers is so stunned by the ordeal that he needs medical attention.
June 27At Baker Bowl‚ Mathewson and Hooks Wiltse combine to beat the Phillies‚ 2-0. Lew Moren pitches a fine game but loses. The Giants‚ playing .625 ball‚ are still 10 games in back of the Cubs. New York buys the contract of Larry Doyle for $4500 from Mattoon (Kitty L.).
June 28The last place Washington Nationals steal a record 13 bases off C Branch Rickey in a 16-5 win over New York. Rickey‚ acquired last February from the Browns‚ is pressed into service despite a bad shoulder because of the injury to starter Red Kleinow. Rickey’s first throw to 2B ends up in right field and the subsequent tosses are not much better. He almost nips Jim Delahanty on a steal of 3B. In his 8 innings‚ relief pitcher Lew Brockett helps Washington with a deliberate windup‚. nine walks‚ and allowing 15 hits. Only pitcher Tom Hughes and 2B Nig Perrine are steal-less‚ while Hal Chase swipes one for New York.

Boston’s Jimmy Barrett hits his first homer in 4 years‚ a 12th-inning game-ender‚ to beat the Athletics‚ 4-3.
June 29The Pirates top the Cubs 2-1 as CF Tommy Leach cuts down Harry Steinfeldt at the plate in the 9th inning. Deacon Phillipe is the winner over Ed Reulbach‚ who loses his first to stop a winning streak of 17 games over 2 seasons‚ 5 of them this year. The 17 straight wins is a NL record for the 20th century that will be topped by Rube Marquard in 1912.

At Cincinnati‚ the Reds edge the Cardinals‚ 4-3‚ in 14 innings. The Cards versatile Art Hoelskoetter hits his first ML homer‚ off Jake Weimer‚ but it is not enough. In 4 seasons in St. Louis‚ Hoelskoetter plays at least 15 games at every infield position‚ including pitcher‚ and another 20 in the outfield.

In a 12-2 win over Cleveland‚ Ty Cobb steals home in the 6th on the front end of a double steal. Heinie Berger and Howard Wakefield are the battery. It’s is Cobb’s first career swipe of home. His 2nd will come against the Browns on July 5.

July

July 4The Cubs pin a pair of holiday losses on the visiting Cincinnati Reds‚ beating them 5-1 and 2-0. Three Fingered Brown wins the opener and Orval Overall shuts out the Reds in game 2‚ beating Bob Ewing. For Ewing‚ it is the first of a string of 10 straight losses to the Cubs.

The Browns and Tigers have the offensive outing of the holiday as they combine for a ML record 12 triples between them (until 2005 the record was thought to be 10‚ set on September 15‚ 1901). Seven triples were hit in the morning game‚ with Detroit winning‚ 9-4. Claude Rossman is the only one with 2 triples. The afternoon game‚ a 7-6 Detroit win‚ has another 5 triples hit to combine for the record.
July 8Bombarded by pop bottles in Brooklyn‚ irate Cubs manager Frank Chance throws one back into the stands where it cuts a boy’s leg. Chance is mobbed and leaves the park in an armored car with a police escort after the Cubs’ 5-0 victory. Three Fingered Brown emerges with the shutout win.
July 9In New York‚ the Giants pluck two from the Cardinals‚ winning 5-3 and 6-5. Mathewson takes the opener and Joe McGinnity the nitecap. The Giants Danny Shay‚ who missed last season because of an amputated finger‚ hits his 2nd and last career homer.
July 12After an absence of 24 days‚ Roger Bresnahan returns to the lineup and collects 2 hits in a 3-2 win for the Giants against Coakley‚ the same hurler who hit him with a pitch on June 18th. Bresnahan does not wear the headgear he developed. When a fan keeps a foul ball during the game rather than tossing it back‚ Giants team secretary Frank Knowles warns that “in the future he will not be so lenient about anyone stealing a ball.”
July 13The Reds manage 11 hits off Christy Mathewson‚ but no runs‚ and the Giants win 4-0.
July 15The White Sox pound the Highlanders‚ 15-0‚ the second time this season they’ve beaten New York by that score. They’ll beat them in 1950 by the same score‚ the Yanks’ team record for most runs by an opponent in a shutout.
July 16Ed Walsh sets another ML record for fielding chances for pitchers‚ handling 12 assists and 3 putouts in a 13-inning 3-2 White Sox win over visiting New York. His 12 assists (extra innings) will be matched by Nick Altrock in 1908 and Leon Cadore in 1920.
July 17Battling for 2nd place‚ the Pirates defeat the Giants‚ 2-0‚ pinning the loss on Mathewson. The Giants announce that Tommy Corcoran‚ the 38-year-old vet whom the Giants picked up before the season started‚ has been handed his release.

The last-place Senators down the Tigers‚ 13-2‚ as Bob Ganley scores 5 runs.
July 19At the Polo Grounds‚ the visiting Cubs beat up on the Giants‚ winning 12-3.
July 20Chicago’s Carl Lundgren and New York’s Mathewson are stingy today with the Cubs twirler allowing just 4 hits while the Cubs scratch 3 off Matty. The Giants score in the 4th when Cy Seymour parks a drive in the bleachers with two on. Prevailing rules make the hit a single‚ with just one run scoring: it is enough as Matty wins‚ 1-0. Joe Tinker is hitless against Matty‚ the only time this year that Mathewson shuts down his nemesis.
July 22Cincinnati righthander Bob Ewing has the Phils popping up all day; the Reds have no assists in a 10-3 seven-inning win.

In the Giants 2-1 loss to the Cubs‚ Larry Doyle debuts a 2B for New York. The Giants manage just 4 hits off Cubs ace Ed Reulbach‚ but Doyle has 2 of them.
July 23The Washington Nationals conclude a 31-game road trip‚ the longest in AL history‚ losing to Cleveland‚ 3-1.

The Austin Senators (Texas League) steal 23 bases and beat San Antonio 44-0.
July 25The Giants beat the host Reds‚ 4-3 as Mathewson outpitches Bob Ewing. But the host Reds will take the next 3 games from New York. New York C Roger Bresnahan returns after being out from a beaning and he wears a pneumatic head gear while batting. The early batting helmet is a ML first.

Red Sox manager Deacon Maguire belts a pinch-hit solo homer off Detroit’s Ed Siever. At age 43‚ McGuire is the oldest player to ever hit a pinch homer. His first round tripper came back in 1884.
July 26Cleveland wins a pair over the New York Highlanders‚ 7-5 and 8-3‚ to move a half game behind the league-leading Chicago White Sox. The Sox lose today‚ 4-3 to the A’s. Highlander’s Hal Chase has his 33-game hit streak stopped in game 1. It began on June 24. It is the AL-record until Cobb will top it.
July 28The Reds make it three straight from the Giants‚ winning 8-3 and 3-1. In game 1‚ winning pitcher Jake Weimer adds insult to injury with a swipe of home. An incensed John McGraw gets into a fight with a park security man and belts him. Police break it up and no arrests are made.
July 29At St. Louis‚ the Giants edge the Cards 4-3 in 11 innings. New York blows a 2-0 lead in the 9th when Mathewson makes a wild throw to 1B. A triple by Cy Seymour‚ sandwiched between 2 hits‚ gives the Giants a pair of runs‚ and Matty holds on to win.
July 30Cincinnati manager Ned Hanlon‚ whose managing days began in 1889 at Pittsburgh‚ announces this will be his last season. His record includes 5 pennants-4 at Baltimore‚ one at Brooklyn. The boys win one for him today scoring 7 runs in the 3rd to beat Chicago‚ 8-0.

August

August 1The Red Sox collect 22 hits in defeating Cleveland‚ 14-1.
August 2Manager Hugh Jennings‚ known for his gyrations on the coaching lines and “Eeyah” war cry‚ is suspended for 10 days for insisting on using a tin whistle while coaching at 3B for the Tigers.

Walter Johnson‚ 19‚ debuts with Washington and loses to Detroit. The first hit off him is a bunt single by Ty Cobb‚ who also helps Detroit’s cause by throwing out 3 runners from RF‚ two of them at home plate. Sam Crawford‘s inside-the-park HR is the margin in Detroit’s 3-2 win. Johnson exits in the 8th‚ trailing‚ 2-1. Detroit also wins the 2nd game of the doubleheader and moves into first place.

Three Fingered Brown tops Mathewson for the 3rd time this season‚ allowing just 4 hits in shutting out the Giants‚ 5-0. The first-place Cubs paste Matty for 9 hits‚ and will take 4 out of 5 games in the series with New York.
August 3Before 17‚000 in Philadelphia‚ A’s ace Rube Waddell loses to a weakened Cleveland team‚ 5-3. It’s his 2nd successive Saturday loss before a big crowd. The newspapers blame his poor performance on his visits to Atlantic City where he‚ “in finishing up his prolonged spree in this city‚ making‚ as usual‚ a sad spectacle of himself.”(TSN).
August 4Light-hitting Pat Moran bangs his only homer of the year‚ in the 12th inning‚ to give the Chicago Cubs a 2-1 win over the New York Giants.
August 7Washington’s Walter Johnson wins the first of his total 416 victories‚ 7-2 over Cleveland. Cleveland manages just 4 hits.

The A’s Socks Seybold socks a homer off Ed Killian to help beat the Tigers‚ 4-2. Killian had not given up a homer since September 19‚ 1903-1001 innings. He lost that game as well‚ and will tee up just 9 homers in his short career.
August 8At Pittsburgh‚ the Giants sweep two from the Pirates‚ 4-3 and 7-0. Mathewson wins the opener‚ with relief help from McGinnity‚ and Hooks Wiltse slams the door in the nitecap. The Giants move ahead of Pittsburgh into 2nd place.
August 11Following a 5-4 win in game 1 of a doubleheader‚ St. Louis Cardinals‘ Ed Karger pitches a perfect game 4-0 against the Boston Doves in a game shortened to 7 innings by prior agreement.

Just enough to win. The first place Cubs beat the visiting Phillies twice by scores of 1-0. Orval Overall and Jack Pfiester apply the calcimine.
August 12The Giants’ Christy Mathewson wins his 17th‚ topping the Pirates 5-3 on 8 hits.

At Chicago‚ Ed Walsh loses to the Red Sox and George Winter‚ 5-3‚ but ties the AL record for assists by a pitcher in a game with 11. It is the 2nd time this year he’s had 11 assists.
August 15Chief Bender wins his 11th straight for the Athletics‚ 4-2‚ over Cleveland‚ to tighten the pennant race with the Tigers. The Chief is helped by right fielder Socks Seybold who pulls off an unassisted double play. He’ll pull off another on September 10th against Boston to set a since-tied AL record for UDPs by an outfielder in a season.

At the Polo Grounds‚ Hooks Wiltse edges the Reds for a 4-3 Giants win. Mathewson preserves the win with a scoreless 9th.
August 16The Washington Post reports that Browns SS Bobby Wallace is the highest paid player in either league at a salary of $6‚500.
August 17Pittsburgh CF Tommy Leach leads the Bucs to a 5-1 win over Boston with 3 great catches and a steal of home.

A matchup of Three Fingered Brown and Christy Mathewson attracts a crowd of 20‚000 at the Polo Grounds. Matty is unhittable for 8 innings‚ with only a bunt single for the Cubs. But Chicago scores 2 in the 9th to tie as reliever Jack Pfiester matches Matty for the last 3 innings. Johnny Kling wins it‚ 3-2‚ for the Cubs in the 12th with a drive into the LF bleachers.
August 18Detroit’s first Sunday game at home since 1902‚ and the first at Bennett Field‚ is a 16-3 win over New York. Claude Rossman has 4 hits. Wild Bill Donovan‚ enroute to a 25-4 record‚ is the easy winner.

Boston’s Rube Kroh wins his only game of the year‚ a complete game 2-1 victory over the Browns.
August 19Red Sox’s Chick Stahl must wonder why he’s managing. Jack Knight gets caught at 3B in the 12th inning when Detroit 3B Charley O’Leary pulls the hidden ball trick on him. Detroit wins‚ 4-3.

Washington’s Sam Lanford‚ 21‚ in an ignominious debut‚ walks 2 Chicago batters‚ hits 2‚ throws a wild pitch‚ and balks-all in the first inning. He gives up 4 runs in the 1st and 7 in the 3rd‚ as the Senators fall to the White Sox‚ 16-2.
August 20Boston uses a killer B lineup consisting of 7 players whose name begins with a B (Boutles‚ P; Brown‚ C; Brain‚ 3B; Bridwell‚ SS; Burke‚ LF; Beaumont‚ CF; Bates‚ RF; Tenney‚ 1B; Richey‚ 2B) The B’s prevail‚ beating the Pirates 9-8.
August 22The Pirates cut up a trio of Giants pitchers to win 20-5 in a game mercifully called after 8 innings. The Bucs notch 20 hits‚ but no homers‚ gather 8 walks‚ and the Giants add 4 errors. George Ferguson‚ the 2nd pitcher‚ gets the loss having allowed 11 of the runs.
August 23The Pirates top the Giants 4-2 in 10 innings‚ then win the 2nd game‚ 1-0‚ when Howie Camnitz spins a 5-inning no-hitter. The Bucs score when Ed Abbaticchio singles home Honus Wagner‚ who had singled and stolen 2B. The Giants also lose Frank Bowerman‚ hit on the head by Jack Camnitz pitch. The doctors predict that the burly catcher will miss the season‚ but he is back in action in 3 days.
August 24Mathewson pitches for the 3rd day in a row‚ beating the Pirates‚ 7-4. Matty allows just one hit over the last 6 innings.
August 27Christy Mathewson fashions a 3-hit shutout over the Cardinals and driving in the only run with a double. Ed Karger takes the hard luck loss.

At New York‚ Boston’s Cy Young stops the Highlanders‚ 5-1. Jack Chesbro takes the loss.
August 28Highlander pitcher John “Tacks” Neuer‚ begins baseball’s most successful short career by besting the Red Sox 1-0 in his first start‚ the nitecap of a DH. In one month he will pitch 6 complete games‚ win 4‚ including 3 shutouts‚ and then disappear from the ML scene. In the first game‚ Boston’s other Cy-Cy Morgan-wins over the Highlanders‚ 5-3.
August 29The Senators sweep a pair from the Red Sox‚ winning 2-1 and 3-2. Walter Johnson‚ 19‚ wins the opener. It is his third straight game without giving up a walk.

At Cleveland‚ the Naps beat the White Sox‚ 4-1‚ on Nap Lajoie‘s third inning 2-out grand slam.

September

September 1Cubs P Ed Reulbach‚ who will be 17-4 with a 1.69 ERA‚ goes into the 9th with a 2-0 lead over the Cardinals at Chicago. He gives up 8 straight hits‚ 7 runs‚ and loses the game. The nitecap is stopped after 7 innings. Still shell-shocked‚ the Cubs are shut out twice tomorrow by the last-place Cards‚ losing 6-0 and 9-0.
September 2Detroit’s Ty Cobb has 3 steals in a 6-5 win in an a.m. game. Detroit loses the 2nd game‚ 4-2.

The Giants and Dodgers play a scoreless 12 innings on a wet ball field. Red Ames and George “Farmer” Bell are the pitchers. They play 2 tomorrow.
September 3The Giants and Superbas spilt a doubleheader. New York takes the opener‚ 2-0‚ behind Dummy Taylor‚ then Brooklyn takes the nitecap 1-0‚ in 7 innings‚ behind the 8-hit pitching of Jim Pastorius. The Superbas score on a single‚ two walks‚ and a wild pitch by Mathewson.
September 4For his 32nd birthday tomorrow‚ Cleveland fans give manager Nap Lajoie a wagon load of gifts‚ including a live black sheep. The Naps then hand their captain another gift‚ a 6-5 win over Detroit.
September 6At Baker Bowl‚ the Giants sweep the Phillies‚ winning 6-5 and 2-0. McGinnity relieves in the opener with runners on 2nd and 3rd with no outs in the 9th and retires the side to preserve Taylor’s win. Mathewson then beats Lew Moran in a 7-inning nitecap for his 20th win. Moran’s wild throw in the 3rd accounts for the scores.

Boston sweeps a pair from the Nationals‚ beating Washington in game 1‚ 9-2‚ behind Cy Young‘s 21st and last win of the year. Game 2 is a 3-2 Boston victory.
September 7In Boston‚ Walter Johnson tops the Red Sox and Cy Morgan‚ 1-0‚ for the first of his 38 career 1-0 wins. On the 12th‚ he will shut out the Highlanders 2-0. Washington takes the 2nd game‚ 4-1 to avenge yesterday’s Boston sweep.
September 9Boston’s Cy Young and the A’s Rube Waddell battle to a 13-inning scoreless tie. Neither pitcher walks a batter.

The Giants play their 5th doubleheader in a week‚ splitting shutouts with Boston. New York takes the opener‚ 10-0‚ then Irv Young outpitches Christy Mathewson‚ 1-0‚ in the 7-inning nitecap.
September 10In a Bowler’s Day contest on an off day for the Reds in Cincinnati‚ a field day event draws long throwers from around the country‚ but none top Johnny Hatfield’s 19th Century mark set in 1872. Sheldon LeJeune of Springfield (Central L) wins the long toss with a throw of 399 ft.‚ 10 3/4 inches. Art Hostetler of the St. Louis Cardinals is 2nd with a throw of 385’8″. The Bucs George Gibson wins the throwing to 2B competition. Jack Thoney of Toronto wins the ‘beating out a fair bunt’ competition in 3.15 seconds. Mike Mitchell of the Reds wins the fungo-hitting contest with 413 feet‚ 8 1/2 inches. Harry McIntire is 2nd with 411’1″; Ed Walsh‚ with a travel day for the White Sox‚ is 3rd at 385 feet. Walter Clements of Jersey City circles the bases in 14.15 seconds.
September 11Chicago’s Doc White blanks the St. Louis Browns 2-0. However‚ his one base on balls ends his AL record run of 65 1?3 IP without issuing a walk. He will win a career-high 27 games and walk only 38 in 291 innings pitched.
September 12Boston loses to the Athletics‚ 7-1‚ and though they’ll tie 6-6 tomorrow it is the start of a 16-game losing streak. Tris Speaker makes his ML debut going 0-for 2 against spitballer Jimmy Dygert. (TB erroneously has Speaker’s debut date as 9/14)

In a 2-0 win against the Yankees at Hilltop Park‚ Washington’s Walter Johnson strikes out 5 batters‚ though it’ll be recorded as 4 K’s. Researcher John Schwartz‚ in the 1990s‚ will find the extra K‚ resulting in Johnson’s lifetime total of 3‚509. The issue crops up again on Opening Day‚ 2001‚ when Clemens ties (or beats) the mark.
September 13At Washington Park‚ Mathewson tops Jim Pastorius‚ 2-1‚ striking out 11 Superbas batters. Dan McGann is 4-for-4 for New York‚ while teammate Jack Hannifan collects a single‚ double‚ triple and two walks in his 5 at bats.

Pittsburgh’s Nick Maddox makes his ML debut and tosses a nifty 4-0 shutout over the St. Louis Cards.

On closing day of the Ohio State League‚ Walter “Smoke” Justis of Lancaster pitches a 3-0 no-hitter against Marion. It’s his fourth no-hitter of the year. The others came July 19-6-0 against Mansfield‚ August 2-6-0 against Portsmouth‚ and September 8‚ 5-0 over Lima. Justis pitched in 2 games for the 1905 Tigers.
September 14At the West Side Grounds‚ Chicago beats the visiting Reds‚ 12-5. The Cubs collect 19 hits to the Reds 10 hits-all 29 are singles.
September 15At the Browns-Tigers doubleheader in St. Louis‚ a soda bottle thrown by a fan‚ Hugo Dusenberg‚ fells umpire Billy Evans. The crowd beats up Hugo before the police come to his rescue; he is fined $100. Evans is carried from the field and hospitalized‚ but is not very seriously injured. The Browns lose 2‚ 6-3 and 3-2.
September 16In a doubleheader sweep‚ 3-1 and 3-2‚ of the Giants‚ Boston slugger Dave Brain hits his 10th homer‚ off the Giants Red Ames. Brain’s ten round trippers will lead the NL this year‚ but he will never hit another. The same fate befell Fred Odwell two years ago. Brain will be sold to the Reds in May‚ the same route that will taken by the 1910 NL homer champion‚ Fred Beck.
September 17The Giants drop their 3rd straight in Boston‚ losing 6-3 at the South End Grounds. Losing 3-1 to Christy Mathewson‚ Boston makes 5 hits‚ including a triple by Fred Tenney‚ off Matty in the 7th‚ and scores 5 runs. Pittsburgh lead in the NL is now 4 1/2 games.
September 20Every player but one is hitless in the Pittsburgh-Brooklyn game‚ won by the Pirates‚ 2-1. Twenty-year-old rookie Nick Maddox‚ making his 3rd appearance‚ allows no Superbas hits for the first Pittsburgh 9-inning no-hitter. Pirate manager Fred Clarke gets the only two hits given up by Elmer Stricklett‚ but neither safety figures in the scoring: all three runs in the game are unearned. Earlier in the year‚ Maddox hurled two no-hitters while at Wheeling (Central League).
September 21Against the Reds‚ New York jumps to a 6-0 lead against Charlie Smith‚ and Mathewson coasts to a 6-2 win. Fred Merkle makes his first appearance for the Giants‚ playing 2B.
September 22The Reds’ Bob Spade makes his pitching debut in a 1-0 shutout over the Giants. He outduels Joe McGinnity‚ allowing just 4 hits. New York’s Roger Bresnahan is tossed by Bill Klem and will need the consent of the league president to next play.
September 23At the start of the Giants match in Pittsburgh‚ John McGraw hands Bill Klem the lineup card with Bresnahan’s name in the lineup. The two argue about whether the catcher can play after yesterday’s ejection and then when Klem turns away he is hit in the face with a glass of water. No culprit comes forward but Klem gets his revenge in the 6th inning by ejecting McGraw and Art Devlin for arguing a call. The Pirates win‚ 2-1.

In Chicago‚ the Cubs clinch the pennant by beat the Phillies‚ 4-1. The game is washed out after 7 1/2 innings with Ed Reulbach winning in relief of Three Fingered Brown. Chicago pulls off a triple play in the 5th inning to help seal the win.

In a field day at Ponce de Leon park in Atlanta‚ Dyer wins the 100-yeard-dash in 10 seconds flat‚ and Dode Paskert wins the circling bases (14.15 seconds) tying a mark set by Walter Clements in Cincinnati. Cobb will top it next year. Paskert also wins the long throw with a heave of 368 feet. Paskert‚ who was eliminated in the 100-year-dash‚ runs an exhibition in 10 seconds flat.
September 24Mathewson shuts out the Pirates‚ 2-0‚ while Bill Klem continues his battle with the Giants by tossing 4 more‚ including McGraw.

25th. Pittsburgh’s Honus Wagner steals four bases‚ including 2B‚ 3B‚ and home in the 2nd inning against the Giants. Not to be outdone‚ his teammate Fred Clark also swipes 4 bases for the only time in his career. The Pirates blow out the Giants‚ 14-1.

26th. After Cleveland’s Addie Joss fired a one-hitter in a 3-1 win over the Highlanders yesterday‚ teammate Heinie Berger matches him today‚ also against hapless New York. This is the 2nd time so far this century that teammates will throw back-to-back one-hitters (as noted by Steve Boren). Cleveland wins‚ 6-0.
September 27After leading the AL most of the month‚ the Athletics (83-54) are beset by pitching problems as Detroit (86-56) comes into Philadelphia for a 3 game showdown. Detroit win the first game‚ 5-4‚ to take over 1st place.

Pirate star Honus Wagner is hit on the hand by a pitch from Rube Dessau‚ and will miss the last 12 games of the year. The game with Boston ends in a 5-5 tie.
September 28In Boston‚ the White Sox hand the Americans their 14th straight loss as Nick Altrock outduels George Winter to win‚ 2-1.

Well‚ blame yourself. Red Ames forces 4 runs across the plate in the 7th as the Giants lose to the Cardinals 6-0. The game is called after 8 on account of darkness.

The Pirates and Boston Doves split a pair with Pittsburgh taking the first game‚ 7-3. The battery of Knott and Boultes prevails to win a tight one in game 2‚ 6-5.
September 29In the first game of a doubleheader, Phillies rookie George McQuillan completes a major league record string of 25 consecutive shutout innings at the start of a career by fashioning a 1-0 victory over the Cincinnati Reds. The streak began on May 8 with an inning of relief. McQuillan’s first start, in game two of a doubleheader against the Cardinals, resulted in a 0-0 tie; in his second start, the second game of a doubleheader on September 25, he shut out Chicago.
September 30An overflow crowd lines the OF at Philadelphia’s Columbia Park for the showdown Monday doubleheader between the A’s and Tigers. In the first game‚ the home team gets off to a 7-1 lead against 25-game winner Bill Donovan. But Rube Waddell‚ who relieves in the 2nd‚ fails to hold the lead. A 2-run HR by Ty Cobb ties it 8-8 in the 9th. Both teams score once in the 11th; an umpire’s ruling costs Philadelphia the game in the 14th: Harry Davis hits a long ?y into the crowd in left CF‚ ordinarily a ground-rule double. As Tiger CF Sam Crawford goes to the crowd’s edge‚ a policeman stands up and moves‚ either to interfere or to get out of the way. Home plate umpire Silk O’Loughlin says there is no interference‚ then reverses his ruling when base umpire Tom Connolly offers a different opinion. When play resumes‚ the Athletics’ Danny Murphy hits a long single that would have scored Davis. The game is called because of darkness in the 17th‚ a 9-9 tie. The 2nd game is never played. The Tigers‚ in first place‚ leave for Washington where they will win 4. They will ?nish 1 1?2 games in front.

Cardinals 1B Ed Konetchy steals home twice in St. Louis’ 5-1 win against Boston. St. Louis sets a ML record with 3 steals of home in a game as Joe Delahanty also scores in the 8th.

Behind Ed Reulbach‚ Chicago shuts out the Giants‚ 6-0. It is Chicago’s 32nd shutout win of the year‚ tying the ML mark set by the White Sox last year. The Cubs will match it again in 1909.

October

October 1The Cubs score one run in the 9th against Mathewson to tie the score at 1-1‚ then push across the winner against a tired Matty in the 11th to beat the Giants‚ 2-1. Chick Fraser and Carl Lundgren allow just 2 Giant safeties in 11 frames.
October 2At Pittsburgh, rookie George McQuillan pitches the Philadelphia Phillies into 3rd place in the NL with a 4-1 victory. The Pittsburgh Pirates score comes in the first inning, the first tally off McQuillan after 25 straight scoreless innings. The New York Giants drop to 4th place with a 13-7 loss at Chicago.

Detroit sweeps a pair from Washington‚ winning 9-5 and 10-2. Ty Cobb‘s 200th hit earns him a $500 bonus; he will get 212 for the year.
October 3The Red Sox end their 16-game losing streak by nipping the Browns 1-0. Cy Morgan is the victor over Harry Howell.
October 4The Senators and the A’s split a year-end doubleheader. Rookie Walter Johnson beats Eddie Plank‚ 2-1‚ to finish at 5-9. Spitballer Jimmy Dygert wins his 21st for the A’s‚ beating Tom Hughes‚ 8-0.

26-year-old Reds pitcher Frank Leary dies following an operation for appendicitis when he fails to come out of the anesthesia. Leary (0-1) pitched in 2 games in 1907 with a 1.13 ERA.
October 5In the last game of the year for the Athletics hurler Rube Vickers hurls a 5-inning 4-0 perfect game against Washington. He also wins the 15-inning first game of the twin bill‚ 4-2‚ with a spectacular 12-inning relief effort‚ allowing 8 hits. The two wins are the only ones for Vickers this year. Starter Charlie Fritz falter after three innings and Rube Waddell tosses just one pitch‚ hit for a single. It is Waddell’s last pitch for the A’s as Mack will pedal Rube to the Browns over the winter.

In St Louis‚ the Tigers clinch the AL pennant with a 10-2 win over the Browns. Ty Cobb‘s triple in the 4th starts the scoring and he adds a homerun in his other official at bat.

In the first of two games‚ the Cubs‚ leading the Cardinals 2-0 in the 4th‚ find themselves on the losing end of an argument with umpire Rigler‚ who called Evers out at 3B. After a number of Cubs squawk at the call‚ Rigler orders them to their positions and then forfeits the game to the Cardinals. With that‚ Chance‚ Pfester and Overall leave the park and head over to watch the Series-bound Tigers play the Browns. The Cards take game 2‚ 4-3.

In Philadelphia‚ the Phillies complete a three-game sweep by winning a pair from the Giants, 7-3 and 3-2. Rookie George McQuillan (4-0) beats Christy Mathewson in game two, called after the Giants bat in the 7th. Mathewson finishes the season at 24-12.
October 6The first-place Cubs finish the season with a split at St. Louis‚ winning the first game‚ 7-1 and losing game 2 by a 1-0 score. The Cubs finish the year with a remarkable 1.73 team ERA‚ .57 points better than the runner-up. This .57 difference will not be matched until the 2003 Dodgers do it with their 3.16 ERA.

The Reds and Pirates split the finales‚ with the Bucs winning the opener‚ 4-3 and the Reds taking game 2‚ 13-1‚ in 7 innings. The Reds collect 16 hits off young Babe Adams (0-2). Mike O’Neill finishes his ML career with a triple off Babe for his second hit of the year. The first was also a triple.

In St. Louis‚ 18‚000 turn out with a reported 5‚000 turned away to see the local Browns top the Series-bound Tigers‚ 10-4 and 10-3. The stars sit for Detroit as manager Hugh Jennings start game 1 at short‚ but finding the throw too long‚ switches to 2B. Cobb attends the Cubs-Cards game.

In Chicago‚ the Leland Giants end the season with a 3-2 win over Milwaukee as Rube Foster pitches a complete game for the win.
October 8The Tigers have game one of the World Series against the Cubs in their grasp-or in C Charlie Schmidt’s glove-but it gets away from them. Leading 3-2 in the 9th‚ Bill Donovan faces pinch hitter Del Howard with 2 on and 2 outs. He fans Howard‚ but the ball gets away from Schmidt‚ and the tying run scores. Darkness ends the game after 12 innings.
October 9In game 2‚ the Tigers score just once against Chicago’s Jack Pfiester and lose 3-1. They will not score more than once in any of the remaining games in the WS. The Tigers take advantage of the aggressive baserunning of Jimmy Slagle by nabbing him in the first inning with a hidden ball trick‚ the only one in WS history. Yesterday‚ Slagle had two steals and was caught stealing once. The play goes Germany Schaefer to Bill Coughlin (according to Bill Deane). Slagle redeems himself in the 4th by driving in the go-ahead run and then scoring on Sheckard’s double.
October 10Ed Reulbach coasts to a 5-1 win over the Tigers‚ as the Cubs hit 5 doubles in game 3.
October 11Orval Overall gives up a triple to Cobb‚ but the Tigers are tamed again 6-1 in game 4.
October 12It’s Three Fingered Brown’s turn to shut down the Tigers 2-0. Each side has 7 hits‚ but the Cubs steal 4 bases for a total of 18 for the 5-game World Series.

In Boston‚ the AL Americans dominate their NL neighbors‚ just as they did in their City Series in 1905. Today’s match ends‚ 4-3‚ the Americans’ 6th win in 6 games. The final game will end in a 3-3 tie. The two teams won’t meet again in a City Series match until 1925.
October 13In a three-way trade‚ the Highlanders receive 1B Jake Stahl from the White Sox and send infielder Frank LaPorte to the Red Sox. Boston sends SS Fred Parent to Chicago.

November

November 5The Yankees trade 2B Jimmy Williams and OF Danny Hoffman to the Browns for P Fred Glade‚ speedy 2B Harry Niles‚ and OF Charlie Hemphill. Glade will pitch just 5 games in 1908 before retiring.
November 18Charles W. Murphy, owner of the Chicago Cubs, says he was misquoted in the Tribune yesterday. He in fact is advocating extending the World Series from a 4 out of 7 game series to a 7 out of 9 series. He is not in favor of the best 9 out of 11 series as stated in the newspaper.

December

December 13Friction between his catchers and the need to strengthen the Giants infield prompt John McGraw to trade Frank Bowerman‚ along with Bill Dahlen‚ Dan McGann‚ George Browne‚ and George Ferguson to Boston for young SS Al Bridwell‚ veteran 1B and recently fired manager Fred Tenney‚ and reserve C Tom Needham.
December 30The Spalding Commission reports that baseball was invented by Abner Doubleday in Cooperstown‚ New York‚ in 1839. The Commission is convinced by the testimony of Abner Graves‚ who claimed to be a childhood companion of Doubleday’s. Grave’s story is later “verified” when an old‚ rotting ball is found among his personal effects: The ball is now in the Hall of fame. The Commission ignores the fact that Doubleday did not graduate from West Point until 1842.