Baseball – 1917

Baseball in 1917

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January

January 6With Bill Carrigan reaffirming his decision to leave the Red Sox‚ Jack Barry is named as player-manager.
January 16The Cubs send Jimmy Lavender and $5‚000 to the Phillies for Al Demaree. They’ll keep Al until the end of July before passing him to the Giants.
January 30Grover Cleveland Aexander announces he is ready to retire from pro baseball and join a semipro team if his salary demands are not met. Alex wants a 3-year contract at $15‚000 per year.

February

February 13Tim Murnane‚ 64‚ 1B on the original Boston NL team of 1876 and later a leading Boston baseball writer‚ dies in Boston.
February 14Dave Fultz‚ president of the Players Fraternity‚ calls off a strike set to begin within the week. One of demands of the union was to abolish the ten-day clause‚ in which a team ceases to pay a injured player after he has been out of action for ten days. Organized Baseball officially severs relations with the union‚ leaving the players without representation.
February 24Smoky Joe Wood‚ his arm dead at 26‚ is sold by the Red Sox to Cleveland for $15‚000. He will become an outfielder after one last‚ losing start on the mound‚ and will play 5 more years.
February 25The White Sox purchase Chick Gandil from Cleveland for $3‚500.

March

March 19The Red Sox lose to Brooklyn‚ 7-2 in the “Hot springs World Series.” Both teams are training in Arkansas and will barnstorm north together.
March 25John McGraw signs a five-year contract for $40‚000 a year plus bonuses. The contract makes him the highest paid figure in baseball.

Babe Ruth pitches four innings against Brooklyn‚ allowing just one hit‚ before giving way to a group of inept Red Sox relievers. Brooklyn wins‚ 11-2‚ and reigns as “Hot Springs Champs.”

The Red Sox beat Brooklyn‚ 11-2 in Hot Springs. For tomorrow’s game in Memphis‚ players on both teams will sport numbers on their sleeves‚ the idea of Robins’ owner Charles Ebbets. His reasoning is that fans in non-Major league cities would be unfamiliar with the players.
March 30In an exhibition game in Dallas between the Giants and Tigers‚ Ty Cobb slides into second bases and slashes Buck Herzog‘s leg with his spikes. Herzog jumps on Cobb and the two fight fiercely until separated. Herzog challenges Cobb to a fight and says he’ll be in Cobb’s room at 10 p.m. and both will be accompanied by one teammate. Herzog and Heinie Zimmerman show up‚ but Cobb has 8 teammates on hand. Herzog knocks the Tiger star down with his first punch but Cobb gets up and hammers the New Yorker until the two are finally separated. Cobb refuses to play the remaining games with the Giants‚ and at the end of the week the New York players send him a postcard: “It’s safe to rejoin your club; we’ve left.”

April

April 10The U.S. entry into W W I and a cold‚ wet spring combine to put a damper on the start of the season; 48 NL games will be postponed in the first month. Half the ML clubs will show losses this year‚ and 8 of the 20 minor leagues will fold before the season is over. The AL gets the Army to assign drill sergeants to each team for daily pregame drills. A final contest will be held for a $500 prize. The St. Louis Browns will take the money.
April 11In pregame drills before the Yankees Opening Day at the Polo Grounds‚ the Yankees impress General Leonard Wood by marching in drills. The Sox‚ having not practiced‚ decline‚ but then drill New York 10-3 in the game. Boston breaks a 3-3 tie with four runs in the 7th‚ three coming home on round tripper by Dick Hoblitzell. Tilly Walker adds a double‚ two triples and 4 RBIs for Boston‚ while Babe Ruth allows just three hits‚ all singles‚ in beating Ray Caldwell.

In Philadelphia‚ Walter Johnson and the Nationals shut out the A’s‚ 3-0. Johnson strikes out 11 in outgunning Bullet Joe Bush.
April 12Before a near-capacity crowd of 24‚000‚ the visiting Cardinals beat the Reds 5-1 behind Bill Doak.
April 14In St. Louis‚ Chicago’s Eddie Cicotte pitches a no-hitter over the Browns‚ winning easily‚ 11-0. Cicotte faces just 30 batters‚ with the only near-hit a line drive by Jimmy Austin that Chick Gandil fumbles. “And not without cause‚ for Jimmy’s drive had whiskers like a German who was trapped for ten days on Vimy Ridge.” (Chicago Tribune). Cicotte’s 28 wins and 1.53 ERA will top the AL.
April 21At Washington’s home opener‚ President Wilson is absent‚ but Veep Thomas Marshall does the tossing of the first ball. Walter Johnson rolls to a 3-0 win over the A’s‚ beating Joe Bush. Johnson allows just three hits and strikes out 11.

In Boston’s Opener‚ James Curley tosses out the first ball and Babe Ruth then beats the Yankees again‚ 6-4‚ on 9 hits. At bat‚ the Babe is 3-for-3 with a triple and two doubles.
April 24In front of 3‚219 fans‚ Yankee lefty George Mogridge pitches a no-hitter in Fenway Park for a 2-1 New York win. It is the 2nd of what will be an AL record 5 no-hitters. The Yankees score on 2 walks‚ an error‚ and a sacrifice ?y off Dutch Leonard. Not until Righetti’s no-hitter in 1983 will another Yankee lefty toss a no-hitter.

The Reds purchase Jim Thorpe from the Giants‚ but return the Olympic star to New York in August.
April 30Pete Alexander and the Phils edge the Braves‚ 3-2.

May

May 2The Cubs lefthander Hippo Vaughn and righthander Fred Toney of the Reds toe the mound in Chicago for a one-of-a-kind game. The Reds put up an all righthanded batting order‚ benching Ed Roush‚ who will lead the NL with a .341 BA. At the end of 9‚ both pitchers have no-hitters. With one out in the top of the 10th‚ Larry Kopf lines the first hit of the game. One out later‚ Hal Chase lines to Cy Williams‚ who drops the ball for an error. Chase then steals 2B‚ and with runners on 2B and 3B‚ Jim Thorpe hits a swinging bunt near the mound. Vaughn picks it up and‚ with no play at 1B‚ fires home‚ but C Art Wilson‚ not expecting the throw‚ freezes and the ball hits his chest protector. Kopf slides in for the only run. Each pitcher walks 2 and the Zeider’s error allows one other base runner. Fred Toney sets the Cubs down in order and has the 4th 10-inning no-hitter to date. The run scored by the Reds is their first in 35 innings.
May 5St. Louis Browns P Ernie Koob gets a 1-0 no-hitter over the White Sox’ Ed Cicotte‚ and it’s the last shutout the 24-year-old pitcher will toss. George Sisler drives in the Browns’ run. A first-inning tainted hit by Buck Weaver is changed to an error after much discussion with umpires and players. Tomorrow‚ the writers’ association will take a mail vote on a resolution that a scorer’s decision can not be reversed.
May 6No-hitters are thrown on consecutive days‚ as the Browns’ Bob Groom no-hits the White Sox 3-0 in the 2nd game of the doubleheader. The Sox have just 23 official at-bats in 9 innings‚ a record. This year‚ Groom will be the losingest pitcher in the AL for the 3rd time. He lost a record-setting 19 straight games as a rookie with Washington in 1909. The Browns also win the first game 8-4 in 10 innings‚ with Groom throwing the last 2 hitless innings. But Chicago will soon win 16 of 17 to overtake the sprinting Red Sox.
May 7Red Sox P Babe Ruth allows just 2 singles in outpitching Washington’s Walter Johnson. Ruth knocks in the only run with an 8th inning sacrifice fly. Ruth strikes out 3‚ while Johnson fans 7 and gives up 4 hits. It is the 3rd time that Johnson has lost to Ruth by a 1-0 score. Ruth is now 6-0 with six complete games.
May 10Pete Alexander shuts out the Cards‚ for a 1-0 Phils win.
May 11In Detroit‚ the Red Sox win 2-1 behind Babe Ruth. Ty Cobb leads off Detroit’s 9th with a bunt single‚ and when the next batter grounds out to 3B‚ Cobb rounds 2B and continues towards third. Ruth‚ covering 3B‚ takes the throw and tags out Cobb so viciously that the star is on the ground for two minutes.

At Washington‚ Walter Johnson gives up a bases-loaded double to Cleveland’s Bobby Roth and the Indians beat the Senators‚ 4-3. It is the first bases loaded hit to clear the sacks off Johnson.

In a 9-2 loss to the Giants‚ the Reds Jim Thorpe hits an inside-the-park homer against his old teammates.
May 15In Cleveland‚ P Babe Ruth is lifted with one out in the 6th and the Red Sox leading 6-5. Dutch Leonard then shuts down the Indians to preserve the victory‚ and he is awarded the win by the official scorer. The decision is eventually reversed‚ giving Ruth his 8th straight win. The White Sox will stop his streak on the 18th.
May 20Cleveland P Jim “Sarge” Bagby steals home in the 7th‚ and the Indians beat the A’s 5-2.
May 21The Phillies use 9 hits-one by each starter-to beat the Cubs‚ 4-3 and drop the Cubs from first to third. The Phils move into 2nd place behind the Giants. Eppa Rixey is the winner for the Quakers.

The Giants take over first place with a 4-3 win over the Pirates behind the pitching of Big Jeff Tesreau and the favorable umpiring of Kitty Bransfield. Tesreau allows just two hits through 8 innings before weakening in the 9th. Kitty makes an out call in the 9th on a grounder that 3B Doug Baird clearly appears to beat‚ and in the 2nd inning ignores Art Fletcher‘s failure to return to 3rd before scoring on a sac fly. Fletcher had taken a 15-foot lead.
May 23Grover Alexander of the Phils allows the Reds only 2 hits; he collects 3 himself‚ including a HR and a sacrifice‚ and wins‚ 5-1‚ over Fred Toney.
May 24Reb Russell goes 12 innings for the White Sox‚ giving up 11 hits‚ as he shuts out Washington‚ 1-0.
May 25Down 5-0 in the 9th‚ Tris Speaker of the Indians ignites a rally by stealing home against the Yankees. Five more runs follow and they win 6-5.
May 26Cardinal slugger Walton Cruise becomes the first slugger to hit a ball out of Braves field when he parks one in the “Jury Box”‚ the 25 cents stands in right field past the 402 foot mark. The Cards are victorious‚ 8-6. The next ball hit out of the park will come in 1921‚ when Cruise does it again‚ this time as a Brave.

At St. Louis‚ Red Sox starter Carl Mays is rocked for 4 runs and lasts just one inning‚ giving way to Lore Bader‚ who gives up single runs in the 2nd and 3rd. That’s good enough for a victory for Bader‚ as the Sox score in each of the first five innings on their way to an 11-7 victory. Ernie Shore stanches the scoring over the last six innings‚ allowing a single Brown run in the 9th. Shore’s save goes unnoticed for 50 years until ICI research uncovers his efforts.
May 29The visiting Red Sox sweep two from the Senators‚ winning 2-1 behind Dutch Leonard‚ and 9-0 behind Babe Ruth. The Sox will sweep two more tomorrow.
May 30The Yankees shut out the A’s‚ winning the 1st game‚ 6-0‚ behind Nick Cullop‚ and taking the nitecap‚ 2-0‚ behind Slim Love.
May 31Ty Cobb starts a 35-game hitting streak‚ going 1-for-4 against Ray Caldwell in Detroit’s 2-0 win over New York.

Boston’s Carl Mays beats the Indians‚ 5-1‚ for the Red Sox’ 10th straight win. They had a tie on May 27.

June

June 1Hank Gowdy is the first ML player to enlist when he signs up in the Ohio National Guard. He will play until he reports for duty July 15th.

Guy Morton of Cleveland finally stops the Red Sox. shutting them out‚ 3-0‚ on one hit (a rifle shot over 2B by rival P Babe Ruth in the 8th). Ray Chapman and Braggo Roth both steal home in the 4th‚ but Ruth allows just one hit until the 9th.
June 6With the Pirates in last place, Honus Wagner ends his retirement and signs with the team to play 1B. Wagner sends a telegram stating: “Finding the call of baseball too strong to resist I desire to continue to play the game I love and to which I owe all I posses, and I hereby petition the National Commission to grant my request for reinstatement so that I may play with my old club tomorrow.”

The A’s down the visiting Browns, 11-6, behind the hitting of Amos Strunk, who goes 5-for-5, and Ray Bates, who is 4-for-5 with a HR.

Pete Alexander shuts out the Cubs for the first-place Phillies, winning 4-0 and hitting a pair of triples. The Phillies (24-14), Giants (23-14) and Cubs (28-18) are bunched at the top of the NL.
June 8After a game in Cincinnati‚ John McGraw takes a swing at umpire Bill “Lord” Byron as they are leaving the field‚ splitting Byron’s lip. NL President John Tener fines McGraw $500 and suspends him for 16 days. McGraw sounds off to writer Sid Mercer about the general shortcomings of Tener and his umpires. When McGraw’s quotes are published‚ he signs a statement denying he’d said what was printed. The Baseball Writers Association protests‚ forcing another NL meeting at which Tener finds McGraw guilty and fines him another $1‚000. Mercer‚ a friend of McGraw’s‚ quits the beat and never speaks to McGraw again.
June 9The White Sox move into first place in the AL. They will swap the top spot with the Red Sox until August 18th when they will pull away to a final 9-game margin.
June 11The Reds edge Brooklyn‚ 3-2‚ helped by an inside-the-park homer by Greasy Neale. He’ll hit another on June 21st.
June 14At St. Louis, the Cardinals pull off a triple steal in the 5th inning to help beat the Brooklyn Dodgers, 5-4. Dots Miller is on the front end with Walton Cruise and Tom Long following. Rogers Hornsby hits a home run in the 7th.
June 15Los Angeles (PCL) pitcher Jack Ryan hits two grand slams in a 12-4 victory over Portland.
June 16Grover Cleveland Alexander clubs two triples and shuts out the Cubs to lead the Phillies to a 4-0 win. Tom Seaton takes the loss.

The Red Sox‚ 1-6 in their last seven games coming into the Chicago series‚ appear to be on the verge of losing another when the Pale Hose take a 2-0 lead in the 5th. With a light mist falling‚ Boston starts stalling‚ and then finds an ally when a “horde of fans” (Chicago Tribune) storm the field from the RF bleachers “where the gambling crowd is allowed to operate freely.” The mob goes on the field in the 5th to prevent the Red Sox from batting and making it an official game and with just five policemen in the stadium‚ the umpires are unable to clear the field. The Chicago players must force their way to the dugout and “Buck Weaver is “hit by a pop bottle while leaving the field.” Weaver and McMullen are accused of “having slugged a couple of fans in the mob during the riot‚ and later those fans went to the chief officer and arranged to get warrants out for their arrest.” Umpire McCormick refuses to forfeit the game and two mounted policemen come on the field when the players return. Boston owner Frazee “declined to obey McCormick’s order” to remove the canvas covering the mound until the ump “pulled his watch.” Sawdust is spread on the wet infield and when play resumes 45 minutes later the White Sox go on to a 7-2 win.
June 17The Giants and Yankees play the first Sunday game in New York for a war charity; 21‚000 fans turn out.

Chicago Tribune reporter Crusinberry writes about yesterday’s Red Sox game‚ that “the horde of gamblers that assembles in the right field pavilion each day . . .carries on operations with as much vigor and vim as one would see in the wheat pit of the Chicago board of trade. The same condition prevails at the National League park (Braves) and although gambling may take place more or less in all big league parks‚ there is no other city where it is allowed to flourish so openly. Just why this betting ring is allowed in Boston and not tolerated in other cities never has been explained by the baseball magnates‚ but it is supposed to carry a political angle which has the hands of the magnates tied.” He contnues‚ “The fact that Harry Frazee‚ new owner of the Red Sox‚ tried to prevent resuming play after the riot shows he needs some coaching on the way to conduct baseball business‚ though he may be a most successful theatrical man.”
June 18Hooks Dauss shuts out the Senators to give the Tigers a 1-0 win‚ their 3rd straight over Washington. Only one man advances as far as 2B. Nats pitcher Harry Harper gives up the run in the 4th after Ty Cobb walks‚ steals second (one of his three) aided by a passed ball‚ a wild pitch‚ and Crawford’s ground out. Harper throws over to 1B ten times trying to pick off Cobb.

At the Polo Grounds‚ Yankee pitcher Ray Fisher walks Burt Shotton‚ the Browns leadoff batter‚ who comes around to score the game’s only run. It’s Fisher’s only walk‚ but he loses 1-0 to Bob Groom‚ who tosses a six-hitter.

On Bunker Hill Day‚ the Red Sox celebrate by sweeping two from the White Sox‚ 6-4 and 8-7. In the afternoon game‚ Chicago loses a 3-run lead in the 9th when the Sox use three singles‚ two errors and a passed ball to score four runs. Carl Mays and Herb Pennock are the winners‚ while Babe Ruth is limited to a pinch hitting appearance in game 2. Bosox players Ernie Shore and assistant-manager Heinie Wagner are notified that they are suspended indefinitely for arguments voiced during Friday’s game. Chicago players Weaver and McMullin are served warrants for assault during the game. The charges were made “by Augustin J. McNally of Norwood‚ a nearby suburb.” McNally was one of the mob which attempted to break up the game and “during the fussing‚ is supposed to have bumped McMullin’s fist with his eye. . . and to have had his fingers on the railing just when Weaver let his bat fall.” The case is defaulted tomorrow as the players return to Chicago and‚ although the original plan was to have a hearing the next month when the White Sox are in Boston‚ it will be quietly dismissed.

The NL Board of Directors votes to back President Tener’s drastic discipline of John McGraw and orders the Giants manager to appear in person defend counter charges made by Tener. Tener actions are based on newspaper accounts quoting McGraw as saying the league president is incompetent. McGraw is not allowed to appeal his $500 fine and 16-day suspension resulting in the run-in with umpire Bryon at Cincinnatti on June 8.

In a 4-0 win over the Cardinals‚ Pirate center fielder Max Carey triples in the 3rd inning and then steals home. Mort Cooper scatters six hits in the win for the last-place Pirates.

Setting a Southern Association record‚ Little Rock pitcher Indian Ben Tincup throws a perfect game against Birmingham‚ winning 3-0. Tincup pitched for the Phillies in 1914-15‚ and will have a coffee and cheesesteak with them next year.
June 19In the opener of 2‚ the Red’s Hod Eller loses 2-1 to the Cubs‚ scattering 6 hits and striking out 6. He then starts the nitecap and is ahead 6-2 when the game is called after 6 innings.
June 21In a game against Salt Lake City‚ Red McKee of the San Francisco Seals (PCL)‚ forgets the bases are loaded and attempts to steal 3B. His inadvertent ploy works as the startled pitcher is called for a balk.
June 22Honus Wagner is given a day in Pittsburgh in honor of his unretirement for one more year.
June 23In the memorable first of two games at Boston‚ Babe Ruth starts for the Red Sox and walks the leadoff man‚ griping to plate umpire Brick Owens after each pitch. On ball 4‚ Ruth plants a right to the umpire’s jaw and is ejected. Ernie Shore hastily relieves and Sam Agnew takes over behind the plate for Pinch Thomas. The runner Ray Morgan is then caught stealing by Agnew‚ and Shore retires all 26 men he faces in a 4-0 win‚ getting credit in the books for a perfect game. Ruth is fined $100‚ and draws a 10-day suspension. Agnew is 3-for-3 at the plate. In the nitecap‚ Boston’s Dutch Leonard then beats Walter Johnson‚ 5-0.
June 24Cincinnati splits a pair with the Cardinals‚ losing 4-2 before winning 15-4. The Reds Fred Toney is caught stealing 3 times in the game‚ tying a NL record. Cards catchers will do the same to Hy Myers in 2 months.
June 25The Reds salvage a split with the Cards by pounding out 25 hits in the 2nd game of a doubleheader to win 15-4. The Cards win the opener‚ 4-2‚ with SS Rogers Hornsby making 10 assists.
June 30Pirates manager Jimmy Callahan is fired after his team goes 20-40. Popular star Honus Wagner is named field manager with Hugo Bezdek to take over the team’s business affairs. As his first order of business‚ Wagner guides to Bucs to a 5-4 win over the Reds‚ contributing a 2-run double as well.

The Tigers split with the host Browns‚ losing the opener before winning 5-3. Cobb warms up in the first game with 2 hits‚ then clocks an opposite field grand slam and a triple in the 2nd game. The slam clears the LF bleachers.

July

July 1Reds Fred Toney pitches a doubleheader‚ beating the Pirates 4-1 and 5-1. He walks one and allows 3 hits in each game‚ the fewest hits allowed by any pitcher winning 2 games in one day.

Despite a state law banning Sunday baseball‚ the Robins (Dodgers) play their first Sunday game in Brooklyn, charging regular admission and beating the Phils 3–2. Charles Ebbets announces that the admission to benefit the Militia of Mercy, a wartime charity, is for a pregame band concert and military drill exhibition. When the band concert ends ticket sales stop to conform with the Sunday baseball laws. More than 12,000 attend. However, the maneuver does not fool the authorities. Ebbets and manager Wilbert Robinson are arrested, and will pay a small fine.
July 3After managing for 5 games‚ Honus Wagner resigns as manager. Czech born Hugo Bezdek is named as his replacement‚ his qualifications including being the football coach at Penn State.
July 5In the first of two games in New York‚ Home run Baker hits a 13th inning inside the park homer off Walter Johnson to give the Yankees a 5-4 win. It is Baker’s 5th HR off Walter.
July 6In a 4-1 Detroit win, Ty Cobb‘s hit streak ends at 35 games as White Sox pitchers Red Faber and Jim Scott hold him hitless. His streak began May 31. Cobb holds the AL mark of 40 straight games, set in 1912, but George Sisler will ring up 41 games in 1922.
July 8The St. Paul Saints defeat Kansas City (AA) in the 2nd game of a doubleheader to snap KC’s win streak at 15 games.
July 10Coming off a suspension Yankees righthander Ray Caldwell pitches 9 2?3 innings of scoreless relief‚ picking up a 7-5 win over the Browns in 17 innings. He celebrates after the game by stealing a ring worth $150 from the home of Mrs. Lucy Dick when he was visiting. He is arrested for larceny.
July 11In Detroit‚ Boston’s Babe Ruth tops the Tigers 1-0‚ allowing just Donie Bush‘s scratch single in the 8th. Ruth deflects the ball but the throw by the shortstop is too late. Ruth has a single and triple‚ but a pinch triple by Chick Shorten in the 9th drives home the only run. Ruth strikes out Veach Crawford and Cobb in the 9th; For the last he shakes off catcher and player/manager Carrigan. In early 1942‚ in a speech in Los Angeles‚ Ruth will call this game his greatest thrill. [the Babe also relates to writer John Carmichael that his greatest game was the called shot in the WS of 1932.]
July 15The Yankees send Lee Magee to the Browns for Armando Marsans.
July 17The Giants waive little-used George Kelly to Pittsburgh. Kelly will return to star for New York.
July 19The Browns Allen Sothoron defeats the Senators and Walter Johnson‚ 4-2.

In Chicago‚ Babe Ruth opens a 5-game series with the front-running Chisox‚ by pitching 2nd-place Boston to a 3-2 win.
July 21The Red and White Sox battle to a 15-inning 5-5 tie called on account of darkness. Ruth tosses the last five innings for Boston‚ giving up no runs in his first relief appearance of the year. Chicago will win the next two games to keep a firm hold on first place.
July 22Before 23‚000 in Chicago‚ the White Sox trim the Red Sox‚ 2-0. Reb Russell is the winning pitcher while Swede Risberg is most of the offense. Swede scores from 3B on a foul pop to the third baseman‚ sliding into catcher Agnew and knocking the ball out of his hands. He also knocks him out of the game. Swede also has a RBI single.

Cleveland rolls over the visiting A’s‚ 20-6. Jim Bagby pitches 6 shutout innings and then leaves after the Tribe scores 8 runs in the 6th‚ to take an 11-0 lead.
July 23The Cubs sweep a doubleheader with Brooklyn on two shutouts. Grover Alexander wins the opener 3-0 and Phil Douglas shuffles in to take the nitecap‚ 6-0.

The White Sox defeat the Red Sox‚ 5-3‚ behind the hitting of Happy Felsch‚ who has 4 hits including a double and triple. Chicago leads by 4 1/2 games.
July 28In a doubleheader at St. Louis‚ the Red Sox sweep‚ winning both games by 3-2 scores‚ the 2nd in 11 innings. In the 20 innings‚ not one Red Sox batter strikes out. Another oddity is in game 2‚ as Ernie Shore is called out twice when hit with a batted ball. Ernie sets an AL record and is the only player to do it since 1890.
July 30The Tigers Ty Cobb‚ Bobby Veach‚ and Ossie Vitt follow each other in the lineup‚ each going 5-for-5 in a 16-4 win over Washington. Having three players collect five hits ties the ML record for the century. Cobb also scores 5 runs for the first time Detroit’s outfield has 12 hits to tie the AL record.

In 100 degree heat the host Red Sox top the White Sox‚ 3-1‚ behind Babe Ruth‘s 4-hitter. Chicago bunches three of the 4 hits in the 3rd‚ including an RBI triple by Joe Jackson. With the win‚ the Red Sox move percentage points behind 1st place Chicago.
July 31The Red Sox win their 7th straight‚ beating Chicago‚ 5-2‚ and taking the AL from Chicago.

The Cubs swap pitcher Al Demaree to the Giants for infielder Pete Kilduff.

August

August 1The Reds purchase vet Sherry Magee from the Boston Braves. Magee was hitting just .256 in 72 games with one homer‚ but will hit .321 for the Reds for the rest of the season.
August 6Veteran Eddie Plank‚ 41‚ hooks up with Washington’s Walter Johnson in a brilliant 11-inning duel‚ won 1-0 by Johnson. For Plank‚ this is the last game of his oustanding career‚ and he will announce his retirement in a week‚ citing stomach problems as the reason. Pitching for the hapless Browns doesn’t help as Plank’s 1.79 ERA this season results in just a 5-6 record.

Boston Red Sox hurler Rube Foster allows just one hit-a double by Harris-in losing to Cleveland‚ 2-0.
August 10Babe Ruth beats the Tigers‚ 5-4‚ giving up just 4 hits. The Babe’s drive into the CF bleachers‚ said to be the longest hit at Fenway‚ is the difference. The homer is Babe’s first of the year.

Four days after shutting out the Browns‚ Walter Johnson pitches a 1-hitter against the Chicago White Sox. Tomorrow‚ three Nationals-Jim Shaw (6.2 innings)‚ Doc Ayres‚ and George Dumont will duplicate Big Train’s performance‚ also against Chicago (as noted by Steve Boren).
August 14The Giants and the Brooklyn Robins split a doubleheader at the Polo Grounds‚. New York’s Ferdie Schupp takes the opener‚ 5-4‚ and ex-Giant Rube Marquard wins the 2nd game for Brooklyn‚ 3-1. A highlight of the nitecap is a fight between Brooklyn Casey Stengel and Giant SS Art Fletcher.
August 19Coaching at 3B in a 1-1 game against Washington‚ Ty Cobb gives base runner “Tioga” George Burns a shove when Burns stops at 3B on a long hit; Burns keeps going and scores the winning run. Clark Griffith protests‚ and Ban Johnson upholds him‚ as the rules now ban coaches from touching a runner. The game is replayed‚ and Washington wins 2-0.

As part of a benefit for the 69th New York regiment-which is about to depart for France-the Giants move up the date of a game against the Cincinnati Reds. The 2‚100 European-bound troops march from the armory on 25th Street and Lexington Avenue to the East River at 34th Street‚ where a ferry takes them to the foot of 157th Street. The troops parade to the Polo Grounds‚ entering through the Eighth Avenue gate‚ and drill on the field. A concert follows. Then the Giants play their first official Sunday game within the city limits. More than 25‚000 fans watch the Reds shut out the Giants‚ 5-0. The Giants circumvent the Sunday law by stipulating that they are charging patrons for the concert‚ then allowing them to watch the game for free (with all proceeds turned over to war charities). But city officials try to prosecute the two managers-Christy Mathewson of Cincinnati and John McGraw of New York-for violating the Sunday Blue Law. Mathewson and McGraw will be called to court two days after the game but the charges against them will be quickly dismissed by Magistrate Frank McQuade‚ who actually praises them. (McQuade‚ a rabid Giants fan‚ later becomes part owner of the team.)
August 21Reds rookie righthander Hod Eller fans the side on 9 pitches in the 9th inning‚ beating the Giants 7-5‚ and breaking Slim Sallee‘s 10-game winning streak.

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 22Brooklyn and the Pirates play their 3rd straight extra-inning game in Ebbets Field. The Robins win it 6-5 in 22 innings. Pittsburgh’s Carson Bigbee goes to bat 11 times‚ tying a record.
August 23The Tigers use a triple play to help them beat the A’s, 7-3. Stuffy McInnis hits a liner to Donie Bush to start it. In the 8th, Ty Cobb steals home against the battery of Tom Sheehan and Val Picinich.
August 25Behind Jeff Pfeffer and Rube Marquard‚ the Dodgers apply a doubleheader whitewash to the Cardinals‚ winning 12-0 and 4-0. In game 1‚ the Dodgers have 2 bases-loaded triples to tie the NL mark. Brooklyn’s Hy Myers is thrown out 3 times trying to steal in one game by the Cards‚ the 2nd player this year to be thrown out 3 times in a game. Not till Rodney Scott‚ in 1979‚ will another NL runner be caught stealing 3 times.
August 27In the 4th inning in New York‚ Pirates swiftie Max Carey beats out a bunt single‚ and goes to 2B on a single by Tony Boekel. Both runners steal on the next pitch from Rube Benton and‚ with Boekel entangled with New York 2B Buck Herzog‚ Carey steals home as well. Wilbur Cooper makes the one run stand up for the 1-0 win. For Carey‚ it is his 13th steal of home enroute to a NL record 33 steals of home.

At Detroit‚ Ty Cobb is 3-for-4 to lead the Tigers to a 5-1 win over the Red Sox and lefty Babe Ruth.
August 28The Cards rally for 4 runs off Pete Alexander to beat the Phils‚ 6-5. Gene Paulette‘s steal of home is capper.
August 31At Fenway‚ Babe Ruth wins his 20th‚ beating the A’s‚ 5-3. Ruth gives up 6 hits and walks 5.

September

September 1The Cardinals‚ behind the pitching of Oscar Horstmann and Milt Watson‚ win both ends of a doubleheader with Pittsburgh by 1-0 scores. Wilbur Cooper takes the loss in game one on an unearned run in the 9th. Hal Carlson loses the 2nd game. The Cards have now won three straight 1-0 games from the Pirates‚ tying the ML mark and setting the NL mark.

In the bottom of the 1st inning at Cleveland‚ Tris Speaker tries to steal home with Joe Evans batting (as noted by Retrosheet). Evans swings and lines the ball into Speaker’s face. Tiger manager Hugh Jennings allows a courtesy fielder Elmer Smith to play CF in the 2nd frame while Speaker has his face stitched. Speaker then returns to CF in the 3rd.

AL president Ban Johnson instructs umpires not to tolerate unnecessary delays. His statement is an outgrowth of a complaint by Charles Comiskey that protests of some managers and players about the condition of the ball in recent games has made it necessary to play two hours or more. The New York Times writes that‚ “Johnson said he would enforce the rule about discoloration of the ball but he has given out no bulletin on the ‘shine ball.'”
September 2The first place White Sox take a pair from the Tigers‚ winning 7-2 and 6-5. The Sox bunch four in the 1st and three more in the 3rd to make the shine ball’s leading proponent‚ Ed Cicotte‚ a winner over Willie Mitchell. In the nitecap‚ the Sox snap a tie in the 9th when Eddie Collins‚ with one stolen base already‚ swipes 2B and 3B after a walk. Jackson’s sac fly brings him home.
September 3Trying to keep the Phils in the race‚ Grover Alexander does double duty‚ beating Brooklyn 6-0 and 9-3 in a Labor Day twinbill. Rube Marquard and Allan Russell try and stop Pete in the opener‚ while Jack Coombs and George Smith pitch in the nitecap. Milt Stock lines a homer in the opener when Zack Wheat‚ hampered by a sore ankle‚ can’t reach his drive. Dode Paskert‘s bases loaded triple in the 2nd game is the big blow. Alex will win 30 for the 3rd straight year‚ with a league-leading 1.86 ERA.

In a twinbill that will resonate for years‚ the White Sox sweep a pair-4 wins in the last two days- from the Tigers winning‚ 7-5 and 11-8‚ while the Yankees sweep a pair from the Red Sox. Chicago now leads the Red Sox by 6 1/2 games. Detroit takes the lead in the morning game‚ driving Red Faber from the mound in the 5th‚ but Al Schalk’s triple in the 8th seals the win for Chicago. In the afternoon contest‚ Detroit again chases Faber and scores 7 runs in the 2nd and 3rd innings to take the lead‚ but Schalk’s three-run homer in the 4th‚ off James‚ puts Chicago in a lead they never relinquish. Ed Cicotte takes the p.m. game with 6 innings of relief‚ while Lefty Williams pitches 3 innings of hitless relief to win the a.m. game. The Sox run wild on the bases‚ stealing 7 against Oscar Stanage in the opener and 5 against Archie Yelle in the 2nd game. The Tigers total 24 hits‚ just two less than the Sox‚ in losing Two weeks from now‚ while staying at the Ansonia Hotel in New York‚ the White Sox will collect $45 from each player as a gift for the Tigers‚ allegedly as a gift for beating the Red Sox. But suspicion will linger that some Tigers threw these two critical doubleheaders and Cobb‚ though he had three hits‚ will be included in the accusations.

At Shibe Park‚ the A’s host their biggest crowd in three years and celebrate by sweeping a pair from the Senators‚ 7-4 and 9-2. Joe Bush‚ reinstated today by Connie Mack after being suspended for two weeks‚ starts for the A’s but is lifted after three because of wildness. Roy Grover and Amos Strunk have 3 hits apiece in the opener. In the 2nd game‚ the Mackmen jump on Walter Johnson‚ knocking him off the rubber in the 3rd inning‚ and Jing Johnson coasts to the win.
September 4The Phillies Joe Oeschger and Brooklyn’s Jeff Pfeffer face off to a 14-inning scoreless tie. Pfeffer gives up just 3 hits‚ while Oeschger allows just 6.

The rampaging White Sox use an 8-run 8th inning to beat the Browns‚ 13-6. Red Faber is the winner over reliever Tom Rogers.

The Yankees split a pair with Boston‚ losing 4-2 to Babe Ruth in the opener‚ then beating Carl Mays‚ 7-3. Ruth allows no hits until the 6th inning and just 5 hits overall.
September 8Following yesterday’s loss to Chicago‚ Browns owner Phil Ball accuses his players of laying down on the job because they dislike manager Fielder Jones. SS Doc Lavan and 2B Del Pratt sue him for $50‚000 damages for alleged slanderous statements in St. Louis newspapers. Both are in the lineup‚ however‚ when Detroit beats the Browns‚ 1-0 in 12 innings. Ty Cobb triples off the RF fence in the 12th and scores on a sac fly.

The Yankees trade shutouts with the Senators‚ winning 2-0 before losing‚ 5-0. Doc Ayers wins the nitecap‚ his 2nd shutout in a row over the Yankees and the third time he’s beaten them in 8 days. Cullop takes the loss for New York. In the opening game‚ Ray Caldwell fires his only shutout of the year.
September 9Grover Alexander beats New York’s Jeff Tesreau‚ 4-1. Ferdie Schupp takes the nitecap‚ 2-1 for New York‚ beating the Phils Eppa Rixey.

In Chicago‚ with the score tied 3-3 in the 10th inning between the Sox and the Indians‚ umpire Brick Owens forfeits the game to Chicago‚ 9-0‚ because of the ‘dilatory tactics’ of the Tribe. Chicago now leads the AL by 7 games. The Cleveland players protest Owens ruling in the 10th when‚ with two on a no outs‚ he calls Jack Graney out on a close play. The ensuing argument delays the game ten minutes with several Indians rolling on the ground and tossing their mitts. When Chicago’s first hitter‚ pitcher Dave Danforth‚ strikes out to open the bottom of the inning‚ Indian catcher Steve O’Neill fires the ball into CF‚ whereupon Owens calls the forfeit.

The Cubs Phil Douglas stops the Pirates on 3 hits to beat Wilbur Cooper‚ 1-0.
September 10A red-hot Grover Alexander‚ chasing thirty wins‚ beats the Braves‚ 5-2‚ for the Phils.
September 11Walter Johnson allows just two hits to beat Dutch Leonard to give the Nats a 4-3 win over the Red Sox. All the runs are unearned for Boston.

Stanley Coveleski allows just three Detroit hits and Jack Graney scores the only run as Cleveland wins‚ 1-0.

The Giants sweep the Robins at the Polo Grounds. New York takes the opener 3-2 by scoring the winning run in the 10th on George Burns inside the park homer. They do it again in the nitecap‚ scoring two runs in the 9th to beat Jack Coombs. Pol Perritt‚ with relief help in the 9th‚ wins.

At Wrigley Field‚ Military Day is celebrated by a double victory for Chicago over the Reds‚ with Jimbo Vaughn credited with both wins. Vaughn starts the opener and retires after an inning with his team ahead by three runs. The Cubs win‚ 6-5‚ with Vic Aldridge allowing 2 runs in 5 innings‚ with Carter finishing. Aldridge will eventually get credit for the win and not Vaughn. Vaughn then goes 9 innings in the nitecap‚ striking out 9 to win‚ 5-1.

White Sox pitcher James Scott is admitted to the reserve officer’s training camp at the Presidio in San Francisco. Death Valley Jim was 6-7 this year‚ his final season.
September 14Boston peppers Pol Perritt for 12 hits but the Giants pitcher still pitches a 5-0 shutout victory.
September 15The Senators toss shutouts in both games today with the A’s. Harry Harper wins the opener 5-0‚ and Walter Johnson follows with a 4-0 victory.

At the Polo Grounds‚ Boston’s Babe Ruth takes an 8-0 lead into the 9th before allowing 3 Yankee runs. He finishes with a complete game 8-3 win and slugs his 2nd and last homer of the season.
September 17At Boston‚ the Braves whip the Pirates‚ 4-1. Honus Wagner makes his last appearance of the year and is pinch hit for by Bill Wanger. Wanger strikes out. Wagner has played sparingly since being spiked by Stengel on July 14; at the Polo Grounds on August 29‚ he played SS‚ the only game of the year at that position.
September 18For the 2nd time this month‚ a pitcher beats Brooklyn twice in one day‚ as the Cardinals’ Bill Doak wins 2-0 and 12-4. With his 14th and 15th victories‚ Doak picked up a bonus check as well. In a salary dispute in the spring‚ the Cards and Doak agreed upon a bonus if the pitcher reached 15 wins‚ and another bonus if he won twenty. He’ll win just one more.

The Giants suspend team captain Buck Herzog for refusing to accompany the team on its western trip. Herzog will be traded after the season.
September 19In the first of two‚ the host Red Sox make 8 errors to help the Tigers to a 5-2 win.
September 20Baltimore (Federal League) files suit against the NL.
September 21In Boston‚ the White Sox clinch the pennant with a 2-1 win in 10 innings. Pinch-hitting in the bottom of the 10th‚ Babe Ruth grounds into a game-ending DP.
September 22In Washington‚ Walter Johnson fans Ty Cobb in the 1st inning‚ and then laughs about it. The next time up‚ in the 3rd with two on‚ Cobb lashes an inside-the-park homer and Detroit beats the Big Train‚ 4-3. It is Cobb’s only career homer off Johnson.
September 23Deja Vu all over again: Grover Alexander beats Chicago’s Shufflin Phil Douglas‚ this time 4-1‚ their 2nd matchup in three days.
September 24At the Polo Grounds‚ Slim Sallee tops the Cards‚ 2-1‚ and clinches the N.L. pennant for the Giants‚ their 6th under McGraw. The New Yorkers manage just 4 hits (and six walks) off Bill Doaks‚ but they come when needed.

Babe Ruth shuts out the champion White Sox‚ 3-0‚ scattering nine hits. The Babe is 0-for-3 at the plate.

The 3rd-place Indians fashion a 5-4 win over the A’s‚ the 10th win in a row for the Tribe. Ray Chapman doubles‚ then steals 3B and home to lead the Indians. It is his 4th steal of home during this month. Chapman will also finish the year with 67 sacrifices‚ a ML record. The previous mark was Bill Bradley’s 60‚ in 1908.
September 25The Cards beat the Series-bound Giants‚ 5-3. Ross Youngs debuts for the Giants‚ and the future Hall of Famer is 0-for-4.
September 26The Braves Jesse Barnes tops the Reds‚ 1-0‚ in the first of two games. Art Nehf follows with a 3-0 win to sweep Cincinnati.
September 27The Red Sox play a benefit game against an AL all-star team and Babe Ruth and Rube Foster combine for a 2-0 shutout. The AL squad features Cobb‚ Speaker‚ and Jackson in the outfield. More than $14‚000 is raised for the family of sports writer Tim Murnane‚ who died February 13th. Murnane had played and managed in Boston in the 19th century. Actress Fanny Brice helps sell programs and former heavyweight champ John L. Sullivan coaches 3B for the Sox. Ruth wins the fungo hitting contest with a drive of 402 feet‚ while Joe Jackson has the longest throw at an impressive 396’8″ feet. Duffy Lewis is second and Tilly Walker is third. Ray Chapman circles the bases in 14 seconds flat to win a loving cup.
September 29Babe Ruth coasts to his 6th shutout of the year‚ an 11-0 pasting of the Browns. He also leads the offense with 3 hits and 3 runs scored.
September 30Detroit’s future Hall of Fame OF Sam Crawford retires from ML baseball at 37. In addition to his career-record 312 three-base hits‚ he has hit 50 inside-the-park HRs. He will play in the PCL for several years.

Jim Bagby scatters 11 hits to give the Indians a 2-1 win over the Senators as Cleveland completes it’s schedule. Cleveland’s leadoff man‚ OF Jack Graney‚ walks once to lead the AL with 94 walks despite a .241 BA. No other player will lead a league in walks with so low a batting average until Gene Tenace with Oakland in 1974 draws 110 walks with a .211 BA. In 1919 Graney will walk 105 times and bat .234.

The Cubs finish the season with a 9-2 loss to the visiting Braves. Vic Saier‚ out with a broken leg he suffered April 15th (as noted by Bill Deane)‚ starts at 1B and goes 3-for-4 in his last game as a Cub. He’ll play in 1919 with the Pirates.

October

October 1In a 2-0 Pittsburgh win over the Braves‚ Boston LF Joe Jelly and SS Rabbit Maranville combine on a 9-6 double play. Rabbit makes his out at home plate.

In an exhibition game at Ft. Hamilton‚ the Yankees beat Brooklyn‚ 11-8‚ with the two teams combining for 7 homers. This matches a record set by the Browns and Tigers during the 1886 season. A large crowd of soldiers ringing the field helps the homer total as a number of balls land in among them for extra bases.
October 2At Boston the Red Sox and Senators divide a doubleheader‚ Washington winning 9-7 in 10 innings‚ then losing 2-1 in 8 innings. Shanks has 4 of the 15 Nats hits off Dutch Leonard in the first game as Doc Ayers wins in relief. Ayers and Carl Mays‚ both after bonus money‚ duel in the 2nd game‚ with Mays emerging the richer.

In the nitecap of two games at Baker Bowl‚ Pete Alexander downs the Series-bound Giants‚ 8-2 for his 30th win. Alex adds two doubles in winning his last game ever in a Phils uniform. The Quakers will sell the star to the Cubs in December. In the opener‚ a 5-2 NY win‚ the Giants Jesse Barnes‚ a lifetime .214 hitter‚ walks twice in an inning‚ the only pitcher ever to do so.
October 3After six losses to Babe Ruth‚ including three by 1-0 scores (one in 13 innings)‚ Walter Johnson finally emerges a winner against the Boston lefty. Johnson contributes a bases loaded double in the 8th to help visiting Washington win 6-0. Ruth gives up 11 hits and his ERA balloons to 2.01 for the year.
October 4After Brooklyn beats the Braves‚ 5-1 in game one‚ Boston responds with a 4-2 victory in the nitecap. Southpaw Art Nehf‘s 40-inning scoreless streak is ended by the Robins in the 8th when a walk‚ single and sac fly produce a score. He holds on for the win over Leon Cadore and finishes the year at 17-8 for the 6th-place Braves. In game one‚ Sherry Smith evens his season’s record‚ beating Jack Scott.

In the season closer‚ Washington’s Jim Shaw tops the Red Sox‚ 5-4 despite giving up 13 hits. The Senators tally 14 safeties off Herb Pennock. By winning his 15th game‚ Shaw earns a $500 bonus.

In the tune-up for their battle with the White Sox‚ the Giants lose a warm-up game to the Cubs in Chicago‚ 9-5. Vaughn gives up all five New York runs in his 3 innings‚ but Carter and Hendrix in their three inning stints are clean. Al Demaree goes 8 innings against his old teammates‚ and will sit on the bench for the Series.
October 6Before the WS starts‚ Charles Comiskey offers one percent of his team’s WS share to Clark Griffith‘s Bat and Ball Fund for American soldiers in France. In Chicago‚ Happy Felsch‘s HR is the difference as Ed Cicotte beats the Giants’ Slim Sallee 2-1 in the Series opener.
October 7In game 2 New York’s Ferdie Schupp doesn’t get out of the 2nd inning‚ and reliever Fred Anderson is bombed in a 5-run 4th‚ as the 14 White Sox hits produce a 7-2 win for Red Faber. Faber’s pitching is better than his baserunning; in the 5th inning‚ he tries to steal 3B‚ only to find teammate Buck Weaver occupying it. 3B Zimmerman tags both runners out‚ though Weaver is still safe.
October 10The White Sox are stifled by Rube Benton‚ who becomes the first lefty to pitch a WS shutout. Dave Robertson‚ the NL’s leading HR hitter with 12‚ triples and scores the first of two 4th-inning runs for a 2-0 New York win. Robertson will lead all batters in the Series with a .500 average.
October 11New York’s Ferdie Schupp fares better against Red Faber in game 4; Benny Kauff hits 2 HRs‚ which are more than enough for a 5-0 win to even the Series.
October 13Game 5 sees White Sox southpaw Reb Russell relieved by Ed Cicotte. Russell gave up 2 hits and a walk to the first 3 batters he faced. In a sloppy game marred by 3 New York and 6 Chicago errors‚ the White Sox break a 5-5 tie with 3 runs in the 8th. Red Faber‚ working the last 2 innings‚ is the winning pitcher.
October 15After Red Faber and Rube Benton match 3 scoreless innings‚ in Game 6‚ Eddie Collins leads off the 4th and hits a grounder to Heinie Zimmerman at 3B. Collins takes 2nd when the throw gets past 1B Walter Holke. Joe Jackson‘s ?y to RF is dropped by Dave Robertson‚ and Collins goes to 3B. When Happy Felsch hits one back to the pitcher‚ Collins breaks for home. Benton throws to 3B to catch Collins‚ and C Bill Rariden comes up the line. But with Zimmerman in pursuit Collins keeps running and slides home safely. Zimmerman will be blamed for chasing the runner‚ but nobody was covering home plate. The Giants come back with two runs on Buck Herzog‘s triple in the 4th‚ but Faber wins his 3rd of the Series 4-2. The winners earn $3‚669.32 each; the losers $2‚442.21. One-fourth of each team’s share‚ about $4‚000‚ is divided equally among the clubs in each league.
October 16The day after the WS ends‚ the Giants and White Sox play an exhibition game for 600 soldiers at Garden City‚ NY. The Sox win‚ 6-4.
October 21In an exhibition game (Henry W. Thomas’ WALTER JOHNSON: BASEBALL’S BIG TRAIN) in Kansas City featuring the second and last matchup between Walter Johnson and Grover Cleveland Alexander‚ Alex’s team wins‚ 4-3. Included in Alexander’s lineup is 21 year-old Rogers Hornsby. Hornsby describes his last at bat (in his 1962 book MY WAR WITH BASEBALL) “Johnson had two strikes on me. He threw me a real fast ball and I knocked it straight for the fence. The ball knocked out the knot and went through the fence for a home run and we won 4-3. The hole‚ I admit‚ was one of the biggest cases of pure luck I ever heard of. I’m convinced he absolutely had the best fastball of anyone who ever played baseball.” Hornsby will face Johnson again in 1924.
October 26Miller Huggins‚ who managed the Cardinals to a 3rd-place finish‚ is signed to run the Yankees by owner Jake Ruppert. Co-owner Til Huston‚ who favored Wilbert Robinson for the job‚ has a falling out with partner Ruppert and will sell his half interest to Ruppert in 1923.

December

December 11The Phils sell star pitcher Grover Cleveland Alexander‚ twice a 30-game winner‚ and his personal catcher “Reindeer” Bill Killefer to the Cubs for righthander “Iron” Mike Prendergast‚ C Pickles Dillhoefer‚ and $55‚000. Phils owner William Baker later admits he made the trade because‚ “I needed the money.” The 5th-place Cubs expect the addition of Alexander to greatly strengthen their staff‚ but he will be drafted in the Army.
December 12In New York‚ the International League owners cut president Ed Barrow‘s salary from $7500 to $2500‚ essentially forcing him to resign. They will later regret their hasty action and try to lure Barrow back for $5‚000. The Buffalo franchise‚ owned by Joseph Lannin‚ is forfeited‚ and at least three other franchises-Rochester‚ Providence and Richmond-are ready to throw in the towel. In February‚ the International League reorganizes. The Richmond‚ Montreal‚ and Providence franchises are replaced by Binghamton‚ Jersey City‚ and Syracuse. The IL will be the only minor league to play its full schedule in 1918.
December 14Connie Mack and the A’s need money. He sells P Joe Bush‚ C Wally Schang‚ and OF Amos Strunk to the Red Sox for sore-armed P Vean Gregg‚ OF Merlin Kopp‚ C Pinch Thomas‚ and $60‚000. Bush must be happy as he lost 14 straight to the Red Sox (6/2/14-7/5/17). Pinch Thomas won’t play a game for the A’s and will end up being sold to the Indians in June. With Cleveland‚ he’ll get into his 3rd World Series‚ in 1920.
December 15The Browns ship light-hitting SS Doc Lavan and LF Burt Shotton to Washington for Bert Gallia and $15‚000. Lavan‚ who made 75 errors in 1914‚ and Shotton will both lead their position in errors next year. Doc will return to St. Louis in a year to play for the Cards.
December 26The Phils keep swapping with the Cubs‚ sending OF Dode Paskert‚ a 7-year veteran‚ to Chicago for left-handed slugger Cy Williams. Williams will flourish in Baker Bowl‚ and will hit 222 homers for the Phils over the next 13 years. Paskert will not enjoy the same success in the Windy City.